KA24DE swap engine bay pictures thread?

[sean1978]

Can we make this into a single thread with a bunch of KA24DE swapped engine bays?
If members posted what they used for the swap we could compare the fit of different items in a single thread.
yay? nay?

[ichorid]

would be a kinda pointless thread, the project section is pretty well named.

[merlin]

What we need is swap "bibles". Yes, I know everyone does it different, but maybe theres a way to incorporate all the variables into one thread.

[okayfine]

I agree on not really seeing the point, as it is stated.

For your idea to really be useful, Sean, you'd have to have a few measurements called out. A picture is worth 1000 words and all that, but with everyone shooting at different angles you're not going to really be able to compare ("Does that LOOK lower?" "How far from the firewall IS that really?"). Also, once you get beyond stock, known pieces (both my engine swaps were mounted with custom pieces either in part or in total), the usefullness drops off.

If you wanted to define some measurements and callouts for exact pieces used on non-custom swaps, that would be more meaningful.

[okayfine]

What we need is swap "bibles". Yes, I know everyone does it different, but maybe theres a way to incorporate all the variables into one thread.

oaklandsyd tried that. A valiant attempt, to be sure, but even reading through the much-edited result shows how much variation there is. Anything not 100% complete would be a waste of effort, as would coming up with a fleshed-out-but-still-generic list of everything that needs to be done (-Upgraded fuel system. Check!)

IMO if the potential swapper can't piece together everything he needs from existing references, he might not be ready to swap an engine. At least in the 510 world where little can be bought off-the-shelf, and even then getting the engine in the car is about 25% of the battle.

[chunstone]

IMO if the potential swapper can't piece together everything he needs from existing references,

Thats what I would like to see, one stop reading for both KA and VG swaps. Finding all the references takes a lot of time and can lead to bad decisions. The people that do these swaps are very proud of there efforts and I believe would be happy to post in a dedicated section, or that info could be entered by anyone who wanted to glean the swaps from the project section.

[okayfine]

one stop reading for both KA and VG swaps.

Please explain how it would be possible to make one reference for a KA swap. Or a VG swap. As I keep saying, there are too many variables to make one thread. No two swaps are alike, so how do you get all that varying information into one thread?

For the KA, do you document an S13 install, a '95 S14 install, a '96 S14 install, a '97? Do you document an in-tank pump solution, inline pump solution, the two-pump solution? For the VG do you document the EE swap kit, stock cast manifolds, 200SX manifolds, EE headers, 300Z intake, 200SX intake, Pathfinder intake? Do you document custom engine mounts to use the Nissan hydro mounts? Do you document custom oil pans? Headers?

That's just scratching the surface. Those who think a simple step-by-step guide can be fashioned have never done an engine swap.

Think of an engine swap like visiting a smorgasbord; each diner will choose what he wants on his plate. Some like filet, some like chicken Kiev. There are more than plenty of individual references for all the components necessary to swap in an engine, either in the multitude of project threads or in individual topics here on The Realm ready to be searched, or in the pages of DQ.

As I said, if you can't piece it together from those existing references, you shouldn't be swapping in an engine. Trust me, I'd be more than happy to write it up if I thought there was a realistic way to make it complete enough to be of use. But the biggest thing about it is that you, as the potential swapper, MUST understand what you are doing, why you're doing it, and how you're going to do it. This is for all the troubleshooting you will be doing sooner AND later (and your VG swap is the PERFECT example!!!). To simply follow a recipie for engine swapping will lead to more attempts and many more failures, owners of which will have virtually no idea how things actually work on their own swapped engine.

[okayfine]

In the pages of DQ I have documented many of the individual elements for swapping an engine:

-in-tank fuel pump
-guide to custom engine mounts
-guide to custom oil pans
-guide to custom headers
-reversing the front crossmember

etc. These are for the most part...guides...if I gave dimensions for the engine mounts I used to mount my KA, what if someone wanted their engine to sit higher? Or lower? Or further back? Instead I gave up the basic ideas and things to consider when making engine mounts so that the reader can take that basic information and make use of it adapting it to his specific needs.

[sean1978]

Oh well, a thread full of swapped engine bay pics would have been nice just to see how everyone placed there components and wires, mainly for aesthetic purposes. This has been over thought, haha.

EDIT: how many of you have looked at other people's engine bays at car shows or meets to get ideas? Did you have to break out a ruler and take measurements of everything to do this? did you have to know the exact specification of every part in the engine bay? you guys have basically way over thought my idea.

[okayfine]

Oh well, a thread full of swapped engine bay pics would have been nice just to see how everyone placed there components and wires, mainly for aesthetic purposes. This has been over thought, haha.

1. The info (pictures) is already out there, it's just not grouped conventiently for your viewing pleasure.
2. Again, the variances from engine bay to engine bay (even for things like aesthetics) is so vast as to make the purpose almost pointless. Some go for ease of servicability (I do that, everything out there in the open where I can get to it with ease if I want to change a fuel filter or trace a wiring short). Others go for sano engine bays you can eat off of. Neither of which may describe your goals.

I understand you just wanna see a bunch of KA swaps, but go to the Projects forum and search for KA24DE and you're sure to find plenty.

EDIT: how many of you have looked at other people's engine bays at car shows or meets to get ideas?

Everyone.

Did you have to break out a ruler and take measurements of everything to do this? did you have to know the exact specification of every part in the engine bay? you guys have basically way over thought my idea.

No, we've just taken it to its final conclusion and skipped all the intermediate steps.

If you want to move away from generalities, maybe we can be of more help.