I realize that 4 cylinder rods are a difficult subject on here, but with the gas mileage 4-banger thread going on for about 3 years, and mentioning a lot of modern import 4 cylinders, I got thinking... Being as I had a spare valve cover, access to a mill, and very few morals... I was wondering... If you were going to run a modern DOHC 4-banger, would you run a valve cover like this on it?
I see it loud and clear, looks great. I don't know new cars, so what is it? It would look good with wrinkle black all over and the grooved area milled bare too.
Thanks for the reply NoboD! This is from a 146ci Nissan (2.4 Liter). The valve cover looked like this when I got it and before I started:
After then Before is the only error I see here ha ha That is pretty cool. 4 cyl is okay in my book - with the gas prices its almost necessary if we ever want to drive our projects. Hell I have an MG Midget that is my "never seems to get done" project the OEM engine is 948cc and the OE book shows 61 mpg. I have to build it now to afford driving ! I still plan to corrupt the little beast with pinstripes and a Weber and header the Kent Cam I have is a little hot roddy but I can't run it - the oil pump drive is in compatible. Now the valve cover idea above is a cool change up.
Thanks for the replies Tman and Skeezix.. I wanted to go for the Offenhauser Finned look, but the cast is only about 1/8" thick!
Nice Job on the cam cover!I tuned down the plastic oil cap on my mazda and mode an aluminum "lid" for it a little epoxy and viola you have a custom cap.My first attempt was solid aluminum and would either get stuck or come off while driving!!! not a good thing,current setup is still going strong.Again nice work,from one machinist to another.
Thanks Everyone. Reverand Greg.. Machinist! Hell I wish! I'm an Avionics Field Engineer! I'd be real interested in seeing pics of that there Mazda Oil Cap... If you get a chance... Rounding the edges.. I might pop it into the sand blaster again, that should beat it up a bit.. Or, paint it Wrinkle or Flat Black and leave the grooves bare... I have to figure out a cool oil cap first... I built these to hang off the side of it... I figure it will look cooler that the big, cast Aluminum thing the factory puts on them...
Rev, Sorry- I meant the inner and outer edges of the long cam covers, so it doens't look quite so square. I know you can't take alot off, but think Offy cam covers.
Hey Mac, You know, I saw that after I was cutting it. I am thinking that the valve cover was just an RHC off on the mill table... I'm not sure I can correct it without making a real mess out of it..
Thanks man.. What's it going in? I don't know... it is currently homeless The Engine is getting honed and the crank checked at the machine shop now. It's going to be 11:1 compression (Up from the stock 9.5:1), bigger cams, the sidedraft intake setup... I'd love to do a track T or a coupe...
Sooooo.....you have an engine but no car to put it in..... interesting..... I say build a nice light weight T and run the snot out of it. Probably go like hell and you couldn't hurt the damn thing either I bet. Let us know what you end up doing. It may be a foreign engine, but many would still be interested. I'd keep the engine hush-hush to fuel speculation, but that's just me.
Well, the engine has been in my garage for the last 7 years.. I pulled it out of my then daily driver ('91 240sx) and dropped in a newer version of the same engine. still got the car with the newer engine and want to build something that doesn't have to go through Emissions Testing with this old engine. So this engine is getting rebuilt... Yes, I'm looking of a track-t style or maybe a pickup to run it in... but it will be a manual tranny. I really am not big into roadsters, so I am looking for a coupe body, or something with a roof... I'm hoping for 180-200 hp out of the engine, so yes, I think it would make a little car move along nicely
I see that from the factory in the 240SX made.... 157hp @ 5600rpm 160ft-lb @ 4400rpm From 145ci (2398cc) that's pretty impressive out of the box. Do they use a distributor? Didn't they have a 5 speed stick available too?
I love the valve cover. I definitly agree with whoever said it that you should build a light weight T. Instead of doing 'crinkle black' you could have it made to look like copper, and give it an old-timy feel. Just my 2¢. MRAK
I have seen one of those engines almost doubled in HP. There is a header and other stuff available. If you can't find stuff for the 240sx market look for Nissan trucks. The Hardbody (up to 97) had the SOHC version and in 98 and newer the Frontier used the same DOHC.
Yup, Thats it, and yes, it uses a Dizzy... That is the ratings for the '91-'98 240sx KA24DE. Mine is a '91. Rear Wheel drive and a 5-speed, I wouldn't drive it any other way...
I've never heard it called that before... ..but I'll bet my "Indian Blanket" seat cover could be different from most!
Hey Purple, The '95-'98 240SX engines (DOHC) benefit from a header, but the '91-'94 have a 2 piece, tri-Y exhaust manifold from the factory. Headers have only gains 2-3 HP on the dyno, which (for me) doesn't justify the cost of the header. My Daily driver is a '98 Frontier (KA24DE and a 5-speed, 214,000 miles). The intake manifolds are totally different (the Frontier looks like an old school, top mount carb intake manifold), and tech cams in the Frontier SUCK: 232* Intake, 216* Exhaust. The 240SX version used 2 different cam setups: '91-'94 used 240* Intake/248* exhaust '95-'98 used 232* intake/232* exhaust My plan is to run: 248* intake cam (exhaust cam re-keyed for the intake side) 248* exhaust cam 11:1 compression Individual Throttle bodies (sidedraft fuel injection) E85 fuel and a light chassis... the 300hp KA's were probably either carbed SCCA racing engines, or turboed engines, no?
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