The Zenki KA-T build thread!

[TrackStarGT]

Got the oil pan back on, oil return line made up, oil in the motor, ps fluid replaced, the rest of the manifold and downpipe wrapped, iat sensor installed. Still to go: manifold turbo downpipe installed, mid pipe and resonator installed, hot side plumbed with BOV, oil bypass catch can, kinks worked out in ECU before I fire it up. But that's about it, anyone know the thermistor values for a Delphi GM IAT sensor?

[TrackStarGT]

Well got it running today, ran well for a couple pulls, fast as hell!!! it was great until.....smoke......lots of it. I think I might have blown up the turbo. BOV was not opening causing a lot of surging. oil coming from everywhere, compressor, exhaust, even the center housing was smoking. Could surging cause damage that quickly?? I just rebuilt the turbo, is it just a s#itty turbo??

[TrackStarGT]

Monday, I picked up a used motor, guy said it was a blown headgasket? but still ran alright. So I got it for $175, good deal if the block and head are good, which they were! Also, everything that could be bolted to the motor was still on the motor, so lots of spare parts now. However, with all that being still bolted to the motor it made it REALLY heavy. I had no way to lift it as I dont have and engine hoist, so.... I completely dismantled it on the tailgate of my truck. Took me about 6 hours, from all the emissions crap to the last crank bolt.

I plan on building this motor to handle high horsepower and to have waiting on me when I blow my current motor.

Ordered a new turbo, think I fixed the BOV..hopefully that will have it back running again... only time will tell, waiting on shipping

[TrackStarGT]

Thought Id do an interesting engine bay before and after....

[TrackStarGT]

Sorry to be forward, but Me, and I'm sure the other guys that have a picture thread going really appreciate input and feedback to all of our hard work and one of the biggest passions in our lives, I'm just saying...so for those of you enjoying the picture threads please don't hesitate and respond or ask questions...

[supakat]

The site has died down a lot since 2010. Either 240's died or everyone has gone somewhere else. Motor looks good. Enjoy her.

[iamtheyi]

I am following . I just lurk more often than not.

[TrackStarGT]

Thank you for the input guys, well the motor obviously couldnt handle the boost, I think it is the valves but not sure. here were the symptoms: the engine would not rev past 3700~ rpm (power loss), lots of blue smoke out of exhaust, some backfiring when revved up, oil on all of the brand new plugs in seconds of running, maximum compression cyl-1-150 2-180 3-65 4-65, not good! I have pulled the head and all the cylinder walls look good, smooth, hone still visible, no scoring, rotating assembly rotates smoothly and freely, exhaust valves look crispy very black and very textured, where the intake ones looked smooth and metal in color, thats what I can think of now. So input would greatly be appreciated...

[SIL8D]

rings maybe?

[TrackStarGT]

heres the engine as it sits now...check out the cylinder walls, what do you think?

[supakat]

Normal. You can still see the cross hatching.

[TrackStarGT]

rings maybe?

Well maybe, but I dont think so.. if that was the case I would not have much or any oil in cylinders 1 and 2 which had good compression. But there was oil in all four cyl, an even amout and lots of it. I think I over filled the engine with oil, rookie move and that led to oil getting sucked into the oil/air seperator that leads to the PCV valve. But that really doesnt explain the sudden loss of power and rough running motor, which Im thinking head gasket.

So, ARP head studs on the way, head and timing cover is in the machine shop for complete rebuild. Now just cleaning things up while I wait for the head to be done.

PS: I know this has been beat to death about head gaskets, but everybody that thinks cometic HGs are not good almost certainly did not have head AND block resurfaced to the recommended smoothness that comectic suggests, MLS gaskets will NOT seal heads and blocks that have not been resurfaced, thats why a lot of guy spray them with copper but that is a shot in the dark and cometic nor cosworth or any other MLS gasket maker recommends a sealant spray, do it right and that $90+ headgasket will work great...99% of the time.

[supakat]

The issue with cometic is when you lift the head, the outer fire ring groove separates and fails. The cosworth has a rolled fire ring seal and does not have a sharp edge like cometic. If you don't lift heads, you're fine with either hg.

[TrackStarGT]

Got the manifold cleaned up, emissions removed, and painted, I'm very happy with the results! When I get this motor back together the only way oil is getting into the cylinders is past the rings, I will have eliminated the PVC system and the valve seals as sources of oil.

[shift_down]

Looks purrty, don't forget to get new hoses and test fit everything before you bolt it back on. Looks good.

[TrackStarGT]

Thanks Shift, yeah that is a good point, running boost and all.

[shift_down]

When I did mine, I pulled every single thing apart. I pulled out the coolant sensors and cleaned them up and wrapped the threads with thread tape. I cleaned the manifold and throttle body then threw them in the dish washer. I changed out the hoses and bypassed the throttle body coolant passage. I changed out all the gaskets as well. Be creative! It's a lot of fun!

[TrackStarGT]

Got the head back today, Monday it will be going on and I'll know if I have fixed the problem :/ I hope it does and I can have some fun in this car!! Also picked up a cheap type-s and gave it a new life, thought I'd like the titanium color but I think I might make it another color..

[TrackStarGT]

I there aren't too many rookies with a build thread, but i want to share a little wisdom that I have recently learned about installing arp head studs. This will hopfully save somebody a little time..

When you go install the head the washers have to be installed first due to the narrow bolt/socket openings in the top of the head. I recommend not even installing the bolts before you place the head on the block. Once the head is sitting on the block, feed the washers onto their seats with some needle nose pliers then install bolts through the washers and into the block, I also recommend using a tee handled hex wrench to torque down bolts before the 12 point spline style nuts are installed and torqued.

I'm no rookie when it comes to mechanics, but some things you just don't know unless you're told or you do it and learn from experience. I know the veterans are thinking right now, duuuhhh, but I'm just trying to be helpful.

[SIL8D]

I put the stud's in first hand tight ..ARP says so

[TrackStarGT]

well studs in first works when the motor is out, but with it in the car the head does not clear the firewall lip the engine harness runs under. And you still need to install washers first, which is left out of instructions which Im sure is because its not necessary for many models of heads. I guess I missed the part where they were hand tightened. I figured of course that they didnt need much "torquing" given the size of the hex slot in the bolt. I imagine your tool would break or slip before any considerable amount of torque was put on it. They are really just passed snug, but that being said, should I unbolt them and loosen them?

[TrackStarGT]

Got the whole motor back together, everything buttoned up. To no avail, she wont fire up, just an occasional violent backfire. After trouble shooting a bit, I have good sustained fuel pressure, fire out of all wires. Its gotta be timing right? I have went over timing 3 times!! I cant find what could be wrong. All my timing gear and chain marks are lined up right, TDC is set to compression stroke and the dizzy rotor is right at #1 cylinder... Im kind of stumped, I think it may be something silly that would just be embarrassing, lol. Any clues???

I still need to check out my megasquirt dizzy settings, after all, it is the final commander of the timing so, if that's not right, it wont matter if I have everything perfect in the engine bay.

[supakat]

Do you have the diy trigger wheel installed?

[TrackStarGT]

Ok a couple of things, yes the trigger wheel has been installed, did get it to fire but not really, after I pulled the dizzy and advanced the gear it wanted to run, but I noticed some problems, after it would start it would idle at about 400rpm, and I noticed that the MAP was still reading around 100kpa while idling and even with a weak rev MAP Stayed up around 100kpa, can I have a vacuum leak THAT big that is shows no vacuum?? Since there was no vacuum MSPnP was thinking that it was at full throttle therefore retarding the timing to around 10 degrees. I checked compression and it's not good, 150, 185, 65 ,55. Can low compression cause that no vacuum situation, I guess I need to check the map sensor and vacuum lines but one thing is for sure forged internals are in the mail. Going with Manley rods with arps and supertech forged coated pistons, titanium rings, and clevite bearings all around. ..more to come.

[TrackStarGT]

Any input?

[BigLoukaT]

Check your map sensor vacuum line yet? Staying at 100kpa is not right.
Have you verified commanded spark timing matches the actual delivered spark timing with a light? This can be done while cranking if need be.

Also, I wouldn't expect the low compression to make map stay at 100kpa

[tchida14]

I would agree with the previous post, check the map sensor line. This sounds like what happened when I first got my truck running on megasquirt, I had the map line ran to a couple of the different emissions vacuum lines and a few of them apparently weren't a good source and when cranking, the map sensor read normal atmosphere (around 100kpa). It did run at 100kpa, but very very very very rich to the point where I had unburnt fuel dripping out the exhaust and at a really low rpm like the OP stated. I would definitely check out your vacuum source.

Try sucking on the vacuum line while its running like that.

[TrackStarGT]

well I know i have to tear the engine apart, but I ran it some more just to try to do some diagnosing. I do believe that the low compression is causing the rough idle and no vacuum at idle. It would be at about 80-90 Kpa at idle, I would play with the throttle to get it to rev and when it did, the kpa would drop to the 40s and then quickly back up, so i conclude that the low compression on cyl 3 and 4 is what is causing the low vacuum/rough-unstable idle. I was getting A LOT of blow by, the engine bay would fill with fumes when I disconnected the valve cover blow by port. It was shooting lots of what looked like smoke but smelled like pure gasoline.\

Got wiseco pistons and Manley rods on the way, as soon as they get here they are going to the machine shop with a block and getting tanked, bored and measured for new clevite bearings.

[TrackStarGT]

got a lot of work done today, been doing some little things here and there while waiting for parts, machining, etc.. some totally awesome boring photos for my loyal followers, lol..

[TrackStarGT]

i actually measured out my rotors in case I needed new ones. turns out that they are 296x30 which means that they are from an R33 GTS or a R34 GT. But I believe that they are from an R33 because the e brake cable setup i perfect with no splices. The R33 cables are the only ones that fit the s14 chassis that are long enough to not have to splice the cables from another r32,r33,r34,z32,s13 together. Just a fun tid bit.

Heads up to anyone looking to brake swap, I would leave the skyline stuff alone unless you have the money, because rotors are expensive and the setup is expensive, just stick to the good ol z32 swap and enjoy very close if not as good performance with added benefit of ease of obtaining replacement parts, and including the 350z rotor upgrade which I wish I could do but cant because my calipers are too big, anyway hope that helps someone in the future.