Texas240sx

I know this section is for CA and SR swaps, but I have a question about the KA24de. I have an 89' 240sx and I just put in a 96' Ka24de, 96' ECU, 96' wiring harness, and 96' distributor. I was told on another forum that as long as I used evrything off the 96' it would work just fine. I have everything connected and I can't get the engine to start. It cranks just fine but wont kick over. When I turn the key I can hear the Fuel Pump come on, but when I check the engine were the wires connect to the plugs I don't smell any gas. Also when I hold the wires away from the distributor cap there are no sparks. Can it be that the internal coil on the distributor doesn't work, or that I didn't connect a fuel line right. Any kind of help or suggestions is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

SHIFT_Lock

the harness is the problem. using a s14 motor in a s13 requires mods to the harness. last time i checked unstable had a extra harness set up for this changover. the wiring is a pain.


if you want to there is a solution. use the ols s13 dohc parts from the motor before. intake manifold distributer,exhaust manifold the old harness and ecu. but yuo have a 89 so thats out. unless you can score these parts for cheap.


you should go ***** slap the guy that told you that.

skyline_123

This sounds like the problem that I was having. Now listen up...if you had to install the distributor, make sure you're not 180 degrees off. If that's taken car of, take out your spark plug, keep it connected to the wire, and stick the spark plug against something that is metal, and have someone try to start the engine, and make sure you're getting that spark. If that's all taken care, check compression to make sure you got a good engine. Take off the fuel hose and and put it in a can of some sort and have some turn the key to make sure you're fuel pump is working. But in doing all of this, you may have flooded the engine. Take out the spark plugs, let them all dry, and get everything back to normal, and try again. And if still no go, your fuel injectores my be dirty and sinse you cant start the engine to run injector cleaner through them, get them rebuilt. Those were all the steps I took. It ended up being first my distributor was 180 degrees off and then only 2 cylinders worked but Lucus injector cleaner cleaned them out perfectly. Took about 2 days worth of driving on the highway for them to clear out though. Hope that helps.

Sean

Texas240sx

That's some good info! So the s14 harness and s14 distributor will work with the 96' engine. I would think it should since everything even the ECU is off the 96. Thanks!!!

skyline_123

Yeah it should work considering a 96 is the s14. I don't think it's the wiring harness, although I wouldn't know 100% because I didn't do the swap. I forgot to tell you, when you installed the distributor (assuming you did), when you find the top dead center (tdc) there are 6 marks on the crank shaft pulley, line up the marking at 20 degrees before top dead center. The mark on the very left is 5 degrees after top dead center and the very right mark is 20 degrees before top dead center. Get it at 20 degrees BTDC. And make sure it's on the compression stroke and install the distributor with all the apropriate marks lined up on the distributor itself. Once you have that, again, always make sure that your plugs are dry. Because no matter if you're right or wrong, if your plugs are wet, you can't tell the difference between right and wrong. I got my air compressor and blower and just took out the spark plugs and blow dried them off. So with each variable that you take out of the picture, alwasy make sure their dry. Good luck buddy.

Sean

Texas240sx

Thanks alot! I am gonna do that, but I just came back from the shop and he's closed. Im gonna try it out on tuesday, cause I have a feeling he aligned the distributor wrong. I called him and told him about the TDC on the distributor, and he told me my car would at least kick on. He wants to have it towed to an electric auto shop here in town, but I wanted to try and solve it first before it ends up running me another $200 just for them messing with the wiring. The main problem thats an enigma to me right now, is that will the 96' engine and 96' harness, and 96' ecu work in a 89' s13 just by plug and play. I don't want to send it to a shop just to have them tell me they couldn't figure it out! Thanks alot for your help!

skyline_123

Yeah, that is a hard decision to make. You're right about one thing, it should at least "kick on" if it's within the given marks on the crank pulley. BUT!, not if your injectors are cloged(sp?). And sinse you haven't started it yet, you don't know that. So it would be wise to go agaid and take 5 minutes out of your life to get it at 20 degreed BTDC. Because then it'll still run on 2 cylinders, like mine. Just food for thought. Good luck man.

Sean

Texas240sx

Thanks! Tomorrows my day off so I am gonna just check little things, like the distributor settings, check the injectors for clogs, pull the fuel filter line to see if gas is going threw. I found a good how to about the TDC you were talking about with some pics. Just scroll down to Timing the Distributor! Thanks! How To

skyline_123

That's an awsome website "how to". I never knew such pieces of greatness existed. Yeah, the thing about checking the fuel filter to see if gas is getting through. All you need to do...if you see there are two lines going to the fuel rail that are attached on the left side of the intake manifold, it's the one that's below. Take that off and put a cup near by (preferably not styrofone haha) and have someone turn the key to the "on" position, not "start". "On" will prime the engine by turning the fuel pump on and it should squirt out for 2 seconds or so. Good luck.
Sean