Chat about pros and cons of engines (sr 2j ls mainly but any engine)

[PoorMans180SX]

Originally Posted by sr20boostn20

I've haven't been around for years, but there is a whole new world of support for the KA. For me personally if there was this much aftermarket support 10-12 years ago I probably would have just built a KA-T.

Agreed. Now that the secret's out that you can drill and tap the block and head for 11 or 12mm headstuds and actually keep a headgasket in the thing, the possibilities look really awesome!

Originally Posted by Malik

the sr20 weighs 200lbs less then the lsx so its just a more natural fit for the s13/s14 engine bay.

If I eye a 240 in the future the SR is the only motor I want.

Bruh, we all know it's closer to 50lbs if we're talking aluminum LS, and probably 30-40lbs if you sleeve the SR. Stop kidding yourself.

[simmode1]

Originally Posted by PoorMans180SX

Agreed. Now that the secret's out that you can drill and tap the block and head for 11 or 12mm headstuds and actually keep a headgasket in the thing, the possibilities look really awesome!

Wait... wut?!?

I love KA'Ts, but I've never built one before. Could you elaborate a bit on this? I'm really interested.

[PoorMans180SX]

Originally Posted by simmode1

Wait... wut?!?

I love KA'Ts, but I've never built one before. Could you elaborate a bit on this? I'm really interested.

Sure! As you probably know, KA's have M10 head studs. ARP's bottom line head studs are made of 8740 chromoly. The combo means that with really fast spooling turbos or with large power, the head studs actually stretch, lifting the head and causing all kinds of catastrophe.

To fix this, you simply drill the threads out of the block, and tap them for an M11 sized stud. Then you can use Evo 9 (IIRC) ARP 625+ headstuds and have much better clamp load. You must also drill the holes in the head bigger so there's no binding or oiling issues.

The hardcore guys drill them out and tap for M12, where you can use a VG30DE or RB26 stud, which come in ARP2000 or 625+. You're not going to need any more serious of a stud than this. I'm not sure if it's the same with the M11, but with the M12 studs, you actually have to bore the openings in the head where you access the nut, as this becomes too small for the required socket.

If you do these, make sure that you get the block torque plate honed with the studs at torque afterwards. You'd be amazed at how much the higher clamp load distorts the bore. I believe JWT hones with a torque plate and bellhousing bolted to the block.

These upgrades, combined with DLC VQ35 cam buckets, means you can run big cams and big power, and have a pretty bulletproof package.

KA's are cool.

[NiSilS14]

Originally Posted by PoorMans180SX

To fix this, you simply drill the threads out of the block, and tap them for an M11 sized stud. Then you can use Evo 9 (IIRC) ARP 625+ headstuds and have much better clamp load. You must also drill the holes in the head bigger so there's no binding or oiling issues.

The hardcore guys drill them out and tap for M12, where you can use a VG30DE or RB26 stud, which come in ARP2000 or 625+. You're not going to need any more serious of a stud than this. I'm not sure if it's the same with the M11, but with the M12 studs, you actually have to bore the openings in the head where you access the nut, as this becomes too small for the required socket.

Time serts are better suited than just re tapping the block for m11s. m10 major diameter is still bigger than the minor diameter of m11, so unless the m11 rethreading is perfectly timed to the original threads, it'll end up with loose threads. There's a timesert kit available that will rethread a block for m11 time serts. Also with the higher clamp loads, the ARP provided washers will still cause head lift since the diameter of the washers are smaller than oem. ARP's 200-5098 insert washers will solve that. Apparently that is an issue with a bunch of different engines at higher clamping loads.

[PoorMans180SX]

Originally Posted by NiSilS14

Time serts are better suited than just re tapping the block for m11s. m10 major diameter is still bigger than the minor diameter of m11, so unless the m11 rethreading is perfectly timed to the original threads, it'll end up with loose threads. There's a timesert kit available that will rethread a block for m11 time serts. Also with the higher clamp loads, the ARP provided washers will still cause head lift since the diameter of the washers are smaller than oem. ARP's 200-5098 insert washers will solve that. Apparently that is an issue with a bunch of different engines at higher clamping loads.

Well it seems one should just skip M11 then, as M11 time serts are larger in diameter than M12x1.25 threads, and I know that 1/2in studs are really close to too big for the block and you can start running into wall thickness issues depending on core shift.

Good call on the washers, I've never put them in a KA head but we use them in the 4G63 platform.