DE or ZE for what I want to do, ideas?

[MrMazda92]

Hey guys, I'm still rather undecided on which engine I want. I have been searching and reading and asking a few questions here and there, but I've had a hard time weighing my options and picking which one will be the most beneficial in the long run.

I have a stock '92 GS with the original K8 and a 5 speed.

I am 100% set on swapping in a KL, I'm just not sure which one at this point.

My immediate goals are:

Swap in the KL(whichever I choose), buy a Megasquirt setup + install it, and then to learn as I do best(hands on) to appreciate and understand more about my engine and how it runs best.

Once I'm fairly acquainted with the KL and tuning it, I plan to turbo it + possibly use N2O(Nitrous) to spool the turbo, and if possible add more top end power once the turbo is spooled(If necessary/possible).

Now that you know more about my intentions, here's what I am wondering:

Given my goals, which engine would be better suited for boosting at 12-15 PSI without breaking the bank? I am not going for record breaking HP or Torque, I simply want more "get up and go" power for everyday driving + occasional racing, nothing hardcore though. It's not about winning, just showing up and having fun with something I enjoy immensely and rarely get the opportunity to do in my day to day life.

I have a "Do it once, do it right." philosophy when it comes to anything involving large amounts of time/money. I would very much like to get the worst out of the way first as far as this project goes.

In other words, what can I do with my initial swap that will save me time/money in the long run, such as swapping out internals and prepping the engine for the turbo and N2O I plan on adding later.

I would much rather get it all done at once, but finances have a way of getting in the way of what we want. I have about $1,200 saved specifically for my swap at this time. From what I've read, I figure I could get a ZE and do almost nothing to it in the immediate future, or I could go the DE route and have enough for Megasquirt and forged internals as well.

On another note, would there be any problem with me buying a clutch rated for 350+ HP and installing it with the KL, so as to avoid having to swap it in later?

I have searched as best I can, but have not found enough information to try and piece together all that I am asking in this thread. I have found bits and pieces, but they were too few and far between for me to make a truly informed decision at this time.

Thank you for reading, I appreciate any and all help you can offer! Constructive criticism included!

~MM92, or Blake. Whichever you prefer to call me by!

[Mi|<E]

I'd go the DE route and forged internals with the lower compression
ratio - 8.6 - 9.2 : 1 comp ratio is much easier to tune for boost than 11.5:1 or
whatever the ZE is.

You will get some decent support from here and ClubProt and
the probe/mx-6 guys with the megasquirt.

If you can get a cheap DE and spend the money on a overbore and
lower comp pistons with forged rods that would make for a way
better base than an untouched ZE for turbocharging.

[MrMazda92]

I'd go the DE route and forged internals with the lower compression
ratio - 8.6 - 9.2 : 1 comp ratio is much easier to tune for boost than 11.5:1 or
whatever the ZE is.

You will get some decent support from here and ClubProt and
the probe/mx-6 guys with the megasquirt.

If you can get a cheap DE and spend the money on a overbore and
lower comp pistons with forged rods that would make for a way
better base than an untouched ZE for turbocharging.

I'm glad to hear that, it goes along with my own thinking.

What car doya think I would have the best chance of getting a good DE out of?

The reason I ask is I would rather avoid a junkyard. I could buy a shitbox on craigslist with the right engine, pull it and scrap the rest to make up a little of my cost.

[mikeinaus]

a de's a de... theres not really any difference between cars. the one youd want would be a low milage one that hasnt been abused, but since your planning on rebuilding it i dont think it would matter that much. just find the cheapest one thats in decent condition. wreckers arent as bad as you think. people scrap cars for stupid reasons all the time cuz they cant be bothered paying someone to try and figure out a relatively simple repair. low milage cars get written off in rear end collisions everyday aswell. i got a k8 in pretty good condition from a wrecker for $225 canadian, with 144,000kms on it.

you also have to think if someone has a beater thats they dont care about and is in bad condition you know they probably havnt cared for the engine as much as they should have.

whatever you do just make sure you grab the ecu/ airflow sensor out of the donor car...

[mxmikey]

If you plan on boring it out then it doesn't matter at all, but if you just want to rebuild the engine try to find one taken care of to make sure the cylinders are as close to the stock diameter, if it has been overheated (engines with bad head gaskets are a dime a dozen) there is a chance the cylinder could be warped and it would need to be bored out. I just took a chance on a ZE my friends dad had it that he bought in an MX-3 about 6 years ago and it had a blown head gasket. I got it with a tranny for $300 and decided worst case I could sell the transmission, manifold, heads, and cams. It turned out that the cam timing was off, and then it still wouldn't start so after ripping it apart all the piston rings were seized from no oil for who knows how long. When I got it measured it will be good with stock piston and crank rings.

[MrMazda92]

@mikeinaus:

I meant less in regards to performance and more in regards to cost. :S For example, it'll be harder to find a cheap Mx6 than a cheap Millenia or 626. I guess I kind of just answered it myself, with that one though. :/

The reason I brought up avoiding wreckers, is due to my lack of experience and knowledge they have tried, and will continue to try to get way too much money for way too little product.

I went into B & R last week for a quote on a DE.

They said $500 if they had one in that yard, $700 if they had to ship it to that yard.

1st off, he didn't know if they had it there?!?! Secondly, I could buy a ZE with warranty for that...

Anyways, I just want to save money and do this only once.

Thanks for the ecu/af sensor bit though, didn't know that one.

@mxmikey:

I've been looking for one that has few/no problems. I don't mind higher miles, as long as the engine runs strong and doesn't blow up within the first week.

I've been looking towards buying a car with body damage, that runs well but looks like a complete pile. Then I feel I would have a better chance of a successful swap.

Thanks guys!

[dude33694]

Insurance spam aside, DE sounds like what you need. And yea, junkyards anymore just kinda make it up as they go along.