Chill out wild cat. I brought this up because I really want to know, not just to talk about something to waste everyones time

 

carb'd 12a

 

Im referring from driving Tim's coupe, and several of my friend's cars which were not on factory ECU. The KA-T was also my KA-T which had been turboed for over 3 years and never missed a beat. Enthalpy tuned, then dyno tuned a year later.

The KA-T never lost to another 240 in an autocross, but it was not as enjoyable.

 

What are you looking to do with the car?


Both motors can make serious power on stock motor. I know Glenn made 6xx on stock bottom SR( race gas) and I know someone recently made high 5xx on stock motor KA (E85), surpassing Corys previous record of 518 (pump gas).

Obv they are more reliable when fully built. IMO the SR is more costly in certain areas. I am also a KA-T guy, however if this car is going to be used in any type of auto x or road racing I would go with the SR for weight distribution.

 

This is like comparing an apple to a pear.
The whole spiel about a ka needing a built bottom end past 300 is bullshit and has been proven many times. Both engines are capable of making 500whp on stock bottom end parts, but you sacrifice and longevity.
I've owned them both with nearly identical power levels.

I will say that an SR is a smoother operating engine, it isn't as noisy as a ka and it is much happier at high rpm.
I've banged both of them off of the rev limiter at 7200rpm (ka) and 8000rpm (sr) and never had an issue with either of them.
My ka got beaten at the track numerous times and was completely stock including head studs. I ran a precision 5862 with a 1 bar wastegate spring and daily drove with my boost controller set to 1.3bar all day every day. Car ran perfect for three years straight and only dropped 10psi compression across each cylinder in that time period. Original reading was 205. As long as it's tuned properly and you don't have jank china boop turbo kit it will be fine.

My SR was the motor that had the most money in it. Built head, cams, 2871r, yada yada yada. Made 355whp and blew the fuck up because I was an idiot and decided to play Smokey Nagata in Georgia. 7500rpm in 5th gear = piston melting and dipstick blowing out. I later found out that the car was off tune. (Car was tuned lean to compensate for extra air in engine from catalytic converter, I ran a test pipe) I bought another longblock and rebuilt everything back the way it was and had it re-tuned. Car never missed a beat until I let someone else drive it and they smashed it into a guard rail.

They will both break if you abuse the shit out of them in stock form. I think there is a little more play room with an SR due to it's lower compression and square design 86X86 vs the Ka and it's long stroke. Both have the same shitty cast pistons that WILL fail under significant detonation and they both have the same "forged" connecting rods albeit the KA's are thinner (weakest point).

I've built, broken, and rebuilt both motors. The perform similarly, ka is much more visceral and torquey while the sr is smoother and more hollow feeling. It really boils down to what you like. I enjoyed them both, and cannot really favor one over the other. If money was no object, SR all the way. If I was on a budget I'd go KA.


Ideal SR: (already owned destroyed and rebuilt )
Stock bottom end S14 SR with Apexi HG
Supertech valve train
HKS Step 1 Cams
.56 2871r
supporting mods

Ideal KA:
Stock bottom end ka arp head studs, cosworth hg
S13 cams
S15 spec R turbo
Isis manifold or re-welded SR manifold
supporting mods

 

Just another daily to abuse when the time approaches itself. I can't do much of anything at this point in time because having one vehicle limits shit that I can do, especially if it breaks down for whatever reason. Most of you guys know how it is, you have a toy to play w/ but you're being teased because you can't put it to use because of a certain restriction.

 

or do supercharged ka. c'mon.

 

^ What mewantkouki said was well stated!!

-Royce

 

laggy, because people put crap turbos, and/or a turbo that is too big for it and expect boost to hit at 2 grand. If you are reasonable with your build, and reasonable with your expectations, then you aren't going to be upset with the lag. But, the extra displacement does help the KA get a turbo spinning. So that also is where the concept of the SR being laggy comes from.
Sr's are common because they are easy. You buy the swap, drop it in and boom, you're boosted. Typically, the SR has a boat load less miles on it, so it can handle the abuse better. I've found that when people compare a stock SR to a stock KA, they are comparing an SR with less than 100K, typically around 60K miles on it to a KA with 180+K on the clock. That extra 100K makes a big difference, especially when you consider how well the typical american takes care of their car. Not like we are the first owners of our 240's.

I have the exact opposite experience. I found the KA-t to be more enjoyable to drive than an SR car. I felt like I had to rev the snot out of the SR to get it to move where as the KA-t just scooted right along.
eh, I'd say KA-t for auto x because you need the on demand torque, but I would agree with the SR for road racing. Just make sure you are getting it mounted in the right place. I've seen kids somehow manage to get their SR to si damn near at the front of their engine bay. I can only imagine how much that would have sucked to drive.
Truth
That would be fun. Rhart is working on that very set up. An intercooled, supercharged KA. Can't wait to see it done. The straight supercharged cars have a really fun looking power curve. I can only imagine how it would be intercooled.

 

My thoughts were once set on doing that w/ my current ka but I chose not to. My next build, which just might be this sr that I'm sitting, I'm definitely putting a blower on it. Something of more of a discussion talker and eye candy. I've yet to see a super charged sr around these neck of the woods