What should I do with my 16k mile S14?

[spooled240]

Originally Posted by Kingtal0n

lol at the arguments in favor of the KA engine being

"its no problem just yank the motor do a rebuild and put it back in wtf is the big deal" only blew the ringlands twice rofl

The big deal is the whole point (apparently) of using a KA engine to begin with is because "ITS ALREADY IN THE CAR". If you have to remove the engine for ANY REASON it no longer makes sense to put it back in the car. It completely demolishes your arguments of using it because its easy. Now hes done ALL the work of swapping an engine in a car with 20,000 miles (op's car) twice or more, gfj

the "only blew ringlands twice" was a bit tongue in cheek since you mentioned a KA-T would apparently would blow 4 times. And I didn't have to remove the engine to replace the pistons..

[Kingtal0n]

1. Everybody in this thread pushing the KA has blown it up already.

2. This guys KA has 17k miles. That motor could hit 200,000 easily if left alone.

I just don't think he wants to pull the head off in 3 months and 3,000 miles.

And 3. replacing pistons, especially different sized pistons, with the engine in the car is the /facepalmest thing I've ever heard. Nevermind machine work, piston/wall clearance, bore with a deck plate to use proper studs, checking the bearings with the crankshaft removed is essential for a proper rebuild, and the list goes on. Nobody should half-ass this ... but someone always does


If I get bored I'll do a more full price comparison for the KA options to show how bad it really is on paper.

[Hoffman5982]

I've blown up more SR's than KA's, the big difference was the SR's were stock and lightly driven, whereas the ka was beat on for 5 years and then doubled in power and only died because of a faulty cooling system. On top of that, the KA originally cost me $60 whereas the SR initially cost me $2500.

Also weren't you talking about using an safc? That's the real facepalm.

Lastly, do you ever shut up?

[spooled240]

Originally Posted by Kingtal0n

If I get bored I'll do a more full price comparison for the KA options to show how bad it really is on paper.

I'd like to see this. Please include your Nostradamus predictions on when the KA will blow and how many hundreds of thousands of miles the SR will trek without any issues on the $75 ebay radiator.

[Kingtal0n]

If you check my initial recommendation I had plans to turbo the KA. Now why would I turbo the KA willingly if I was somehow against it.

I am not against turbo KA. In fact my current engine is a free truck engine on boost, same as KA. Why do you make statements as this:

Originally Posted by Hoffman5982

I've blown up more SR's than KA's, the big difference was the SR's were stock and lightly driven, whereas the ka was beat on for 5 years and then doubled in power and only died because of a faulty cooling system. On top of that, the KA originally cost me $60 whereas the SR initially cost me $2500.

Also weren't you talking about using an safc? That's the real facepalm.

Lastly, do you ever shut up?

When I clearly support turbo the KA and also said it would last forever at some given conditions. What is it you think I would possibly say in response to this when I fully support KA turbo.

[Kingtal0n]

Here are the only things I can say

1. the cost of KA has gone up, one is worth $300-$500 with 150,000 miles. KA with 20,000 miles is worth $500+
I too remember dropping one and giving one away free. But they are not that easy to come by anymore.

2. the cost of SR depends who/where you are like anything else. I knew somebody buying 52 of them at a time for $1200 each with a pile of parts leftover to build several more after doing it multiple time by going to Japan and buying the engines there himself.

So both KA and SR costs fluctuate widely, madly. This is merely an observation.

[Kingtal0n]

Originally Posted by spooled240

I'd like to see this. Please include your Nostradamus predictions on when the KA will blow and how many hundreds of thousands of miles the SR will trek without any issues on the $75 ebay radiator.

The funny thing is, KA radiator is $89 and SR radiator is $75. I used the aluminum KA version which is more expensive in an LS swap and it works amazing now for 15,000 miles, and took all of the orange gunk out of the engine. Now I flush couple more times, trash the radiator and put another one because it worked fine in application. If I had an issue maybe I would have to upgrade but because it worked I can simply cycle through them if they get disgusting trash from the cooling system.

If I had built an engine instead of using junkyard motors, sure I could guarantee the rad would be fine and use a high quality unit with more capacity. This is an obvious purchase in that situation where an opportunity is presented. But using one of these in a junkyard swap would like instantly flicking a 'ruined' switch the minute that gunk fills the expensive radiator permanently disfiguring it.

[FaLKoN240]

... "why do you care so much about what this guy does with his car?" is the better question.

You've posted over a dozen times like some sort of obsessed religious zealot trying to coax people to your side. Just let it go.

[Kingtal0n]

Where does it say I recommend 1 specific pathway?

I never recommend a path. I Only show the paths. I've divulged every path simultaneously, their pros and cons.

It isn't "this car" it is for "all cars" searchable on the internet. This for every thread on every forum which pertains to these ideas with similar results.

Ex is above where he 'takes' the position of one engine (which could be a cat or bird but it happens to be an engine) and 'saying something' about it (either good or bad). While we are on the same side with respect to the engine. KA /cast piston engine doesn't blow because its a KA; it blows because of user error.

This entire thread is not asking which engine is best, it is asking more what is the level of the user. Not being able to distinguish compressor flow map significance or how to ruin an expensive radiator are automatically putting the user rating around average, 5/10. They need to learn how2read a compressor map and how to preserve the life of components in the cooling system for example. Probably many other details as well.

These users represent a majority (average is the average) which can benefit from additional knowledge and increase their problem solving ability if they learn to control anger on the internet and take an open minded approach to solving problems, especially through review. This further is enhanced/spread by silent readers which are 999/1000 of the users involved in such posts for which you might say is the target audience. Typical forum content of 50k views over half of those are the same users returning and may or may not be counted because programming in statistics is just as important as applying the statistics properly, ex. when entertainment is involved some readers are not interested in technical details. But this is a car forum where such details should be heralded and not scorned just because they are different. Being able to look back at previous thoughts and make realizations is permanence of able to work on a solution, so it is just as important for the silent readers who are able to observe the scenario and learn from others mistakes by seeing the whole picture at once.


To become a better problem solver. In order to solve a problem, you need to understand the question.

Here is a great question for exmaple. Why do I say SAFC is safe?
In the hands of a proper user level 9/10 out of 10, super mechanic, the SAFC is extremely safe because the mech in charge is aware of its short comings and will make up for them wherever necessary.

Ex1. SAFC + stock random engine
By general knowledge super mech knows maximum WOT timing for wide variety of OEM platform is perhaps 26-32* btdc in many applications.
He will check the timing on the dyno with a timing gun to be sure and compare rom tune files of the factory computer with his findings as well as internet searches to correlate the timing seen at the crank at WOT with the timing that is apparently called for in the ECU, thereby assuring with complete accuracy the actual crankshaft timing. By testing the engine at part throttle and verifying the crankshaft timing there as well with those areas of the factory timing map it further emphasizes his understanding of the ECU timing map in completeness. He knows with certainty that at 4" of Hg in the intake manifold for example that the computer adds 2* of timing to the WOT base.


Knowing that the SAFC will be removing engine mass flow rate in accordance with the larger injector installation he is now able to accurately determine real-world SAFC timing by multiplying injector correction that the SAFC makes into the original timing map. Also by knowing that he will want to start with low timing and add some later on the dyno he will naturally want to be extremely conservative, perhaps 10* of timing btdc at wide open throttle at 10-12psi of boost when it happens, although he anticipates that the ideal number will be around 13.

So lets say original timing was 24* and safc adds 2* at 6" of Hg which correlates to approx 30% flow rate reduction from the SAFC. That means he will have 26* of timing when he wanted 10*, so 16* needs to be removed. Well, this is impossible to pull 16* from the base timing as the engine will no longer run at idle. Luckily we do this kind of math in advance to find these issues beforehand. The engine either needs a rom tune to fix timing (SAFC is still required though) or some kind of reliable, affordable octane booster to make a higher timing value safe for around or less than the cost of a ROM tune. A perfect purchase would be one that is worth more than a ROM tune as a used part, and essentially take its place.

Enter methanol injection. The super mech knows a 50/50 mix into 93 base octane gasoline will give him something like 110+ which would make 17-19* btdc of timing safe in this application with just 10-12psi of boost. 17-19 from 26 is 7-9*, he makes 7* work and then dynos the vehicle to find within 6% of best torque at 19* total which allows the 7* retard at the distributor. Effectively controlling the timing with the SAFC only. After driving the car he noticed a significant loss of economy with the 7* pullback, so for daily driving he only uses 3* of removed timing and reduced boost pressure slightly to 7psi, and when he takes it to the track or lines up to race somebody he just moves the distributor to the "other mark" he made for those situations and runs nearly double the boost pressure.

One day he gains access to a combustion analyzer and finds that the engine makes best mean effective pressure at 23* of timing with 10psi of boost and 22* at 13psi of boost on 50/50 which further reinforces his dyno findings of within 6% of best torque, so a fairly wide safety margin is had with current 3 to 7 degrees of pullback (19*) even after all this time indicates consistency in operation and is backed up by plug condition and other significant observations made along the way.

9/10 though only

[pacotaco345]

I like to imagine Kingtal0n's car as a flat black 1989 hatch with an unpainted, white S15 front on it, a greasy, junkyard 5.3 LS with a full stainless, rear mount turbo setup, cringey blue halo LED's in the headlights, tuned on an SAFC with water/meth making 438 whp on a dynojet.

[FaLKoN240]

I'm not gonna lie. I didn't read that wall of text.

[Hoffman5982]

I read the first 2 sentences of him back pedaling and realized I literally could not give less of a shit about what he has to say. Looked like gibberish to me though

[spooled240]

Originally Posted by Kingtal0n

And 3. replacing pistons, especially different sized pistons, with the engine in the car is the /facepalmest thing I've ever heard. Nevermind machine work, piston/wall clearance, bore with a deck plate to use proper studs, checking the bearings with the crankshaft removed is essential for a proper rebuild, and the list goes on. Nobody should half-ass this ... but someone always does

Originally Posted by Kingtal0n

The funny thing is, KA radiator is $89 and SR radiator is $75. I used the aluminum KA version which is more expensive in an LS swap and it works amazing now for 15,000 miles, and took all of the orange gunk out of the engine. Now I flush couple more times, trash the radiator and put another one because it worked fine in application.If I had an issue maybe I would have to upgrade but because it worked I can simply cycle through them if they get disgusting trash from the cooling system.

If I had built an engine instead of using junkyard motors, sure I could guarantee the rad would be fine and use a high quality unit with more capacity. This is an obvious purchase in that situation where an opportunity is presented. But using one of these in a junkyard swap would like instantly flicking a 'ruined' switch the minute that gunk fills the expensive radiator permanently disfiguring it.

Kingbia5ed on half-assing..

[Kingtal0n]

Do you have a better solution to running a disgusting junkyard engine with a cheap radiator?

If you are providing higher solutions then all for it.

Otherwise, its like saying "What, you use actual gasoline?" LOL internet logic, saying "no not that way" but then not providing any other way (because there is none).

I bolded the only sentence you need to read. It clearly says "user error". Anybody that pops an engine which would have otherwise been fine is they themselves the cause.

also, it wasn't meant for any of you to read. I know better than to expect that level of reading comprehension. It says so, if you would have read it.

[rawgarage]

got damn... boy got novels in here

[Hoffman5982]

Originally Posted by Kingtal0n

Do you have a better solution to running a disgusting junkyard engine with a cheap radiator?

That's like saying "I only spent $300 on the shell, why would I spend more on xyz".

Here's a better solution: Don't skimp out on the cooling system. Spend the extra money on a dual pass Koyo or something. I ran an Godspeed radiator. It would overheat with the lightest street driving. Never again. Just because it's made of aluminum and in the general shape of a radiator doesn't mean it works just as good.

You're all over the place. "Run a $10k+ rear mount setup. Some bull shit about art. Run an safc and sweatshop rad." I wish that was an exaggeration, but that bull shit seriously came from you.

[deolio]

shut the fuck up. y’all too loud.

[OBEEWON]

So in conclusion, we are all agreed? Boosting KA's is asking for trouble yeah?

[spooled240]

Originally Posted by OBEEWON

So in conclusion, we are all agreed? Boosting KA's is asking for trouble yeah?

Only if you don't use the radiator as a catch can for the orange slime that cools the engine and the remote mount $1600 turbocharger.

[Kingtal0n]

Originally Posted by Hoffman5982

That's like saying "I only spent $300 on the shell, why would I spend more on xyz".

Here's a better solution: Don't skimp out on the cooling system. Spend the extra money on a dual pass Koyo or something. I ran an Godspeed radiator. It would overheat with the lightest street driving. Never again. Just because it's made of aluminum and in the general shape of a radiator doesn't mean it works just as good.

You're all over the place. "Run a $10k+ rear mount setup. Some bull shit about art. Run an safc and sweatshop rad." I wish that was an exaggeration, but that bull shit seriously came from you.

You must have trouble reading.

That isn't a better solution. try again

[Kingtal0n]

Originally Posted by OBEEWON

So in conclusion, we are all agreed? Boosting KA's is asking for trouble yeah?

have not quite concluded as pictures are apparently required. Nobody is reading the words that is also posting. So whatever posters are posting is usually the opposite of reality because they do not read. And many have clearly stated so. Although some do.


-I'd say it depends on skill level (if you need to ask, ...)

[turbo2nr]

bump

[FaLKoN240]

Originally Posted by Kingtal0n

have not quite concluded as pictures are apparently required. Nobody is reading the words that is also posting. So whatever posters are posting is usually the opposite of reality because they do not read. And many have clearly stated so. Although some do.


-I'd say it depends on skill level (if you need to ask, ...)

Gibberish, alternatively jibberish, jibber-jabber, or gobbledygook, is language that is (or appears to be) nonsense. It may include speech sounds that are not actual words, or language games and specialized jargon that seems nonsensical to outsiders.

[OBEEWON]

Did this esplode as yet?