Engines... KA24 vs. Z24 Vs. VG30

[Harvey]

Hi All... my thinking goes through a long gestation period for making my mind up on something...

 

Prelude:

ages ago I thought about the possibility of swapping my Z24 for a ZD30...but in oz I've since learned those engines cracked like party poppers in the Patrol and I don't want that in my Pathy.... I've also since learned that 6 months after my build date Nissan swaped the Z24 for the KA24. I've also learned that the KA24 was put into the UK spec Nissan 240sx sports car and that, that fraternity enjoys turbo charging this engine. Looking around for rebuilt engines the cost of a VG 30 is double that of a KA24. This got me thinking.... for the price of a VG30, I can buy a rebuilt KA24 and stroke it to 2.7lt and add a turbo with intercooler courtesy of my contacts.... it's a very long shot but i'm wondering the following... The company that does the stroker kit quotes a hike in power and torque of 30%. I'm told turbo charging an engine could give another 30% without hiking the revs...

 

Questions:

1. Does anyone know of an offroader [not street racer] that's done the above to a KA24 - 'cause I don't.

2. I believe that the stroker kit for the KA24 is mean't to give 30% more torque and the turbo with intercooler can easily do the same again. Given a starting base for the KA30 of 134bhp and 154lb torque I could end up with 230bhp and 260lb torque according to salesman.... this is more than the std VG30 but... given the same cost... would you folks do this or still go with a 6cyl over the 4cyl... if so why?

3. Do the KA24 and VG30 use exactly the same gearbox as the Z24?

4. I'm lead to believe the internals of the Pathy gearbox is it's weak link... as such, if the above figures are possible, would the std gearbox be able to cope?

 

Thank you all !

Harv.

 

PS: My Pathy is a 1988 2 door if it helps...

[GrimGreg]

I'm pretty sure the gearboxes are different beween the 4 and 6 cylinders, though it might only be the bell housing being different that changes the model number on them.

 

As for the turbo, it will only really help you with top end torque.

[nunya]

I belive GrimGreg to be right with the bellhousing being different on the transmissions. Still I am keeping the 5 speed out of my ka'd hardbody just incase it can help build a good one again if I need it.

[Precise1]

given the same cost... would you folks do this or still go with a 6cyl over the 4cyl... if so why?

 

It would be nice for the cool factor and be better on the road, but off road, I don't think you would get much use out of the turbo off road unless you are mudbogging, sand running, etc.

I've owned a truck with the Z24 motor and it was ultra reliable if horribly underpowered. I'd shop around for a replacement VG30 and yes, I'm pretty sure it uses a different tranny, but same transfer case. Or do I have that backwards?? I seem to remember someone here swapping 2.4 to 3.0, I'll try to find it when I get home.

 

B

[GrimGreg]

All Nissans (at least pre 05) use a TX10A T-case IIRC. Though the case is slightly different on the manual and auto versions at the input.

[sw]

harvey dont rule out the zd30

yes early patrol zd30's can suffer catastrophic failure BUT there is 2 critical reasons for it, which are very easily rectified.

 

having had my td42 GU patrol for a while now i have spent lots of time reading about zd30's and since learning substantial info about them, my honest opinion is they really arnt that bad, not as good as a td42, but not bad .

 

are you awhere that the zd30 in the navara does NOT suffer the same failures? for the exact same two reasons - which they dont have.

 

i too have the idea of a zd30 in my d21 pathy, i reckon it would go like stink & have torque to boot.

my thoughts have been a zd30, trans & t-case from a navara. then modify it the way a want it.

i know that the patrol zd30 has better figures on paper but the way i would modify it, it would neglect those differences.

Edited August 5, 2008 by sw

[SC88Pathy]

You know I'v also heard of people supercharging the KA24 engine. That would probably be a better solution for off road power.

[Harvey]

Thanks all very much for your thoughts and help... just a couple of other questions then...

 

1 - is it thus agreed [given the responses on this thread] that the t-case is the same on the KA and Z engine but the manual boxes of the two engines are different?

 

2 - SW... what are the 2 critical reasons you refer to for the reasons why the ZD30 in the Navara isn't the time bomb the engine was in the Aussie Patrol?

 

Thanks again all!

Harv.

[sw]

1. maf sensor. when it gets dirty it tells the computer the wrong info, which tends to lead to over fueling, which can lead to excessive combustion temps & eventually damaged pistons.

2. variable vane turbo charger. the computer control of the vanes does not respond quick enough to changes in engine load, which can lead to spikes of 25psi.

there is a simple way of removing computer control of the vanes and basically setting it up with a linear boost curve, which is well documented on patrol4x4.com

 

these two problems hand in hand are very, very dangerous.

boost & exhaust temp gauges are a simple way of monitoring the situation.

 

my understanding is the zd30 navara's dont have either objects

Edited August 5, 2008 by sw