K8 winter project need input

[Zoso124]

Don't waste any time and money on the K8, if I could go back in time I would have just bought a ZE and been done with it. With as much stuff you wanna do to you K8 its gonna cost you more to build it up and you'll still be less then the ZE and you'll still have your hair. Keep searching and read as much as you can.

[papa roached]

you could always put a ZE in and use the K8 ecu and swap in a KL VAF, its not quite as good as a ZE ECU and K8 VAF BUT it runs pretty well, thats the setup im using on my OBDI and it would work the same on your OBDII

[Neil]

Originally posted by papa roached:
you could always put a ZE in and use the K8 ecu and swap in a KL VAF, its not quite as good as a ZE ECU and K8 VAF BUT it runs pretty well, thats the setup im using on my OBDI and it would work the same on your OBDII

Would it actually be that simple? How well does Running pretty well compare to a normal running motor? I'm going to hopfully be talking to another two people tommrow about the hole thing in general. But using the ZE with K8 ECU and KL Vaf would actually work on the OBD2? Has anyone done that before?

<small>[ October 08, 2004, 07:18 PM: Message edited by: Didlin ]</small>

[papa roached]

there a guy on here that has an OBDII car running that setup, you get a little worse gas mileage than you would with the right setup, but it runs great for me and i havnt had an issue yet

<small>[ October 08, 2004, 07:19 PM: Message edited by: papa roached ]</small>

[Neil]

Do you know who? Is it the same guy who had the ZE or was it DE? Workin in the OBD2 but it wasnt emissions legal in ontario? I wouldnt mind finding out more. With the K8 ECU that would mean no worrying about the wiring harness right? KL Vaf would swap right in? And if i cant find a ZE with a Curved Intake would switching to the Milenia intake make things different?

<small>[ October 08, 2004, 07:25 PM: Message edited by: Didlin ]</small>

[papa roached]

the millenia intake is the same as the curved, my motor can with a straight neck, thats why i have it, i dont know who off hte top of my head, i think its cause they did it to a auto tranny too and the vaf will plug right in

<small>[ October 08, 2004, 08:25 PM: Message edited by: papa roached ]</small>

[Black Magic]

We installed a longneck klze in an obd2 mx-3 and it's emission legal!! Just use your original 1.8 ecu, wire up a kl02 vaf and use an fpr to raise the overall fuel pressure abit. Altough the engine is running abit different than my own klze it's just as fast.

Bastian

[Neil]

Ok well im going to guess that means its just as easy as a normal ZE swap.. Is there any thing i should know before i start looking into getting into this setup? Like there arnt any small minor details i need to know other than KLZE + Curved Neck intake and KL02/KL Vaf? and a Fuel Preasure Regulator? If there isnt any other minor details other than a timing belt? And probally new gaskets? If its this easy i guess ill order the ZE and rebuild it first.

[Black Magic]

A new timing belt is a good idea, but new gaskets aren't necessary unless they're leaking.

Bastian

[Yoda]

I hate to say this all the work you are planning has been done before back in 1998 by a guy in Toronto. After all that work and $$$$ later the engine made 132hp at the wheels or about 156hp at the crank.

There is one mod that will make more power without a lot of work and that would be to swap the K8 heads that are used on the KF since the have a slight casting difference and have bigger valve. And to get the KF cams especially the ones from the Lantis and not the ones ones from the MX-6/E800.

Originally posted by Didlin:
Ok well I’m going to be keeping my car in a family members garage for the winter my father and I have decided that we were going to take on the task of doing some work to the stock motor since I cannot do the ZE swap and even though the ZE is cheaper id like to get as much out of the stock K8 as possible.

My first plans are as soon as I get my next paycheck if I have enough money to cover shipping I’ll be ordering a set of Stainless steel headers from Pat at psituning.ca I know that’s a first step. I already have 2.25 exhaust, And I have CAI.

I’ve been looking at http://www.interpreptuning.com/ and http://www.gude.com/ for the ported & polished cylinder heads, throttle body and camshafts. I know the interprep stuff is for the ZE so I’ve emailed them with a big letter asking them a few questions about the K8. I was wondering since I will have from December until summer to work on the car in the garage what would be the first best steps in getting good gains over the winter?

My father is a machinist and has access to a lathe? I think that’s how it spelled, and a few other machinist tools. He also has friends who work for a steel company who made me an aluminum battery box for free. I am not sure what sort of deals they would give us if we had to have anything made but knowing that they’re available for help you guys might have ideas of what to ask them about for making or fabricating things. Down the road after I get as much done to my K8 as possible I was thinking of looking into turbo charging it but that isn’t any time soon that’s more of a “phase 3” and providing I have the budget and don’t get involved with another money bag girlfriend!

My goal in the very end (including the possible turbo down the road) is id like to have the stock K8 running close to 200hp even if its not at the wheels id like to see equal performance to a stock or little modified ZE.

I hope I’ve sort of explain what I’m looking for answers for. And if you guys could throw any things I will need or any tips and advice at me I’d greatly appreciate it. I know this is a long post but I wanted to explain as clearly as I could.

Thank you all in advance if I do not get to reply right away.

[Nd4SpdSe]

If you really like the K8, you could always turbo it...

[your2slow]

I've got a 1996 (OBDII) running a KL-ZE. Using the ZE TB, ZE IM, Stock 1.8 ECU and VAF. Got some custom downpipe headers, with a 2.5 pipping from the cat to the muffler. My car is running a little rich so it's eatting gas a little more but runs ok. Took it to the track and got 15.6sec in the 1/4 so I know i'm not getting all the power i should. One issue I'm not sure about is the headers. My car came with 4 O2 sensors but the custom headers only had room for 2 so i'm missing 2 sensors. IAN sent me the wiring layout so I have few options to think about. 1. Get a kl-62 ECU and convert to a MAF, or rewire to OBDI specs. NOt sure what to do but car is in garage this winter so I'm going to work on it.
So you can swap a KL-ZE in there and it is a direct bolt on. Just remember to change the clutch and get the flywheel lightened.

[Neil]

Originally posted by your2slow:
I've got a 1996 (OBDII) running a KL-ZE. Using the ZE TB, ZE IM, Stock 1.8 ECU and VAF. Got some custom downpipe headers, with a 2.5 pipping from the cat to the muffler. My car is running a little rich so it's eatting gas a little more but runs ok. Took it to the track and got 15.6sec in the 1/4 so I know i'm not getting all the power i should. One issue I'm not sure about is the headers. My car came with 4 O2 sensors but the custom headers only had room for 2 so i'm missing 2 sensors. IAN sent me the wiring layout so I have few options to think about. 1. Get a kl-62 ECU and convert to a MAF, or rewire to OBDI specs. NOt sure what to do but car is in garage this winter so I'm going to work on it.
So you can swap a KL-ZE in there and it is a direct bolt on. Just remember to change the clutch and get the flywheel lightened.

Do you think if it ran with the stock headers it might run different? I was looking at getting the ones from psituning.ca but now that im not entirely sure what im doing yet i havent decided. I wont be going the K8 route now though since its clear it wont be worth the money.

[your2slow]

Originally posted by Didlin:
Do you think if it ran with the stock headers it might run different? I was looking at getting the ones from psituning.ca but now that im not entirely sure what im doing yet i havent decided. I wont be going the K8 route now though since its clear it wont be worth the money.

Yes the stock headers will work fine. You'll lose a bit more HP because of the metal mesh filter in them. I was running 16.4 1/4mile with my ZE and stock headers. Switched headers and ran 15.6. So they make a big difference in my situation. Only thing is O2 sensors. Your car has 4 and most custom headers come with 2 slots. You can drill 2 new holes which I think I might do.

<small>[ October 10, 2004, 03:05 PM: Message edited by: your2slow ]</small>

[Neil]

Alright cool, well i guess Tuesday i'll go back to talk to my friend who was going to help with the swap and see what he thinks about comming up with a plan for the running rich problem.. I wonder if with just a bit of tweaking and not changing the Vaf to a Maf setup it could be fixed or fine tuned so its not very bad.