ka-t or sr20
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 38
From: wilmington, ca
ka-t or sr20
hey guys i got my s13 about a year ago. about 3 month ago my bro got one and rebuilt the ka. ok i swaped in an sr20 about 2 months after getting the car.
heres the thing my bro wants to do an sr swap, i told him to just turbo the ka since it only has 1500ish miles. but he thinks it would be to expensive and doesnt like the slow reving of the ka compared to the sr.
so my questin is would it be more expensive to turbo with stock internal,and would it last long?
oh and im talking cheapest he can do.
t25or 28 turbo and ebay fmic.
any help feedback will be great
heres the thing my bro wants to do an sr swap, i told him to just turbo the ka since it only has 1500ish miles. but he thinks it would be to expensive and doesnt like the slow reving of the ka compared to the sr.
so my questin is would it be more expensive to turbo with stock internal,and would it last long?
oh and im talking cheapest he can do.
t25or 28 turbo and ebay fmic.
any help feedback will be great
Registered User
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 137
From: Orlando, Fl-Elizabeth, NJ
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 434
From: VA
i guess i'll go against the grain. i'd go sr. stock turbo is better than turning an NA motor to turbo. 3k vs 3k? i don't think that's an level at all.
pros going sr:
lower mileage motor to start with. yes you rebuild long block great. lower miles on the tranny too?
more aftermarket support (yeah ka is coming up slowly).
stock turbo ecu. it's designed to see boost. you aren't using a piggy back to trick it to do what you want it to do.
cons of the sr:
non US motor so you don't pass emissions pretty much
some parts are a pain to get not too bad though.
swap prices going up, quality swaps going down.
plus 3k in a ka gets you new pistons and rods and rings and blah blah blah. but if you're going to crack it open are you going to go half way? I wouldn't. If I'm rebuilding the block I'd do it all in one swoop. new cams build up the head new manifold new lines. a fully built long block is going to run you more than 3k, including the machining if you have any.
i'd go so SR for sure. yeah i'm biased too
pros going sr:
lower mileage motor to start with. yes you rebuild long block great. lower miles on the tranny too?
more aftermarket support (yeah ka is coming up slowly).
stock turbo ecu. it's designed to see boost. you aren't using a piggy back to trick it to do what you want it to do.
cons of the sr:
non US motor so you don't pass emissions pretty much
some parts are a pain to get not too bad though.
swap prices going up, quality swaps going down.
plus 3k in a ka gets you new pistons and rods and rings and blah blah blah. but if you're going to crack it open are you going to go half way? I wouldn't. If I'm rebuilding the block I'd do it all in one swoop. new cams build up the head new manifold new lines. a fully built long block is going to run you more than 3k, including the machining if you have any.
i'd go so SR for sure. yeah i'm biased too
Contributing Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 589
From: WI
haha. well basically... no one can tell you wat to do. i would go ka, simply because you can start cheap, and add things to it. but im biased. thats my opinion. bumnah thinks sr, as its his opinion. basically, the best we can do is point you in the direction of information and you make a choice by yourself.
haha. well basically... no one can tell you wat to do. i would go ka, simply because you can start cheap, and add things to it. but im biased. thats my opinion. bumnah thinks sr, as its his opinion. basically, the best we can do is point you in the direction of information and you make a choice by yourself.
thats why this is getting closed
I really hate these SR VS KA-t threads because that is what it is. Asking the question should I SR or KA is really more of a personal opinion you should figure out for yourself.
So far here are the FACT's
In the United States Ivan runs the fastest 240sx 4banger time using a KA-T, not an SR.
KA's have a much broader torque band than the SR.
Sr's are much more rev happy than the KA.
Sr's use a fully counterweighted and bullnosed crank, and KA's use a halfweighted truck crank.
Both heads are known to have some of the best CFM rating's for stock OEM 4 bangers it's hard to determine which head is better on the KA or SR.
Stock OEM compression on the KA is higher than the SR unless you go with the SOHC's lower compression (you can use the flame front and timing to your advantage to making more power with a 9.5:1 compression and moderate boost under 12PSI).
Due to displacement KA's can spool a T28 faster than the SR can spool a T28, but that is all because of overall displacement.
KA's use thinner rings, SR rings are thicker.
Stock KA MAF will get you only 250 Crank HP, you would have to upgrade to the 300z MAF. Injectors would have to be upgraded as well to 370cc at the minimum, but that is good to make your 250HP with the stock MAF.
Whether you have a SOHC or DOHC KA makes a huge difference as well SOHC valve train can take a crap on you if you don't use solid lifters, with adjustable valve lash.... SOHC engines are poo poo for boost they don't have oil squirter's below the pistons as the KA24de's do, or as the sr20det's do.
So far here are the FACT's
In the United States Ivan runs the fastest 240sx 4banger time using a KA-T, not an SR.
KA's have a much broader torque band than the SR.
Sr's are much more rev happy than the KA.
Sr's use a fully counterweighted and bullnosed crank, and KA's use a halfweighted truck crank.
Both heads are known to have some of the best CFM rating's for stock OEM 4 bangers it's hard to determine which head is better on the KA or SR.
Stock OEM compression on the KA is higher than the SR unless you go with the SOHC's lower compression (you can use the flame front and timing to your advantage to making more power with a 9.5:1 compression and moderate boost under 12PSI).
Due to displacement KA's can spool a T28 faster than the SR can spool a T28, but that is all because of overall displacement.
KA's use thinner rings, SR rings are thicker.
Stock KA MAF will get you only 250 Crank HP, you would have to upgrade to the 300z MAF. Injectors would have to be upgraded as well to 370cc at the minimum, but that is good to make your 250HP with the stock MAF.
Whether you have a SOHC or DOHC KA makes a huge difference as well SOHC valve train can take a crap on you if you don't use solid lifters, with adjustable valve lash.... SOHC engines are poo poo for boost they don't have oil squirter's below the pistons as the KA24de's do, or as the sr20det's do.
Last edited by BigVinnie; Apr 9, 2007 at 09:03 PM.
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