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Need more speed from your stock S13?

14K views 63 replies 45 participants last post by  Bout_Tree_Fitty  
#1 ·
OK, for those of you who don't own a heavily-modded 91-94 240sx, and you still have stock ECU, ignition, manual transmission, etc., look here.

First off, I can't be held responsible for anything that may happen to your car in the process of doing any of these low-buck mods. Please refrain from attempting any of these mods on your car unless you are at least compenent enough to do the job right, and be able to return the mod to its former un-modded state if the mod does not work correctly or as expected.

These are low-buck or no-buck mods as a primer for those of you who are just learning about your 240sx, and need to experience a little cause and effect. Some of these mods require some knowledge of mechanics, electrical, and some math to accomplish what is being instructed.

Ignition timing and spark:

Ignition timing is a very touchy issue to attack first, since it can be detrimental to what you might want to achieve. In most cases though, ignition timing can be altered to allow for more off-the-line speed.
Personally, i run mine at 23Âş BTDC (Before Top Dead Center), and allow the ECU to adjust timing as needed. It does this through the knock sensor located between the intake runners #2+3 on the cylinder head. The knock sensor is a peizo-electric device, kind of like a microphone, that detects knock and ping and sends this information back to the ECU to retard timing until no knock is "heard".
So far, after many trial runs and many adjustments, I settled on 23Âş BTDC because I get no knock sensor activity to the ecu, and gain the extra speed and fuel mileage without sacrificing top end performance.
The ignition coil is another matter, which requires some electrical knowledge, (how to cut/crimp wires/butt connectors/spade lugs, use of a multimeter).
An upgraded ignition system could yield surprising results if done properly, or could prove to be a headache if not thought out and planned first.
I personally use a MSD blaster 2 coil with the factory wiring intact (use the ECU signal and power diode originally installed). The power factor goes up, but so does the amount of spark to the plug, allowing for a longer spark gap on the plug. OHMs are lower on the replacement coil, so heat sinking the power module is a good idea. After this is done, you should be able to trim at least .5 second off your 0-60 time.
But, if you're like me, and you find that you hit the speed limiter in a run on the track,(you are running those speeds on the track and not the street, right?) there is an easy fix that almost everyone else has done, im sure.
The speed displayed comes from the speed sensor on the tail end of the transmission, but it goes to the ECU first to limit speed to between 110-115MPH. This wire is green with a yellow trace, located on the ECU. It is located on the 8th pin along the top of the wire plug to the ECU (if looking from the top). Snip this wire and tape it off. If done correctly, you should only be limited to the rev limiter, which is around 127-130MPH, or 6600RPM in fourth/5000RPM in 5th.
For the sake of safety, and to keep honest people honest, i will not get into disconnecting the rev limiter. Doing so could put you in a very hazardous position if you go more than double the speed limit on the road. Furthermore, who needs to do more than 130MPH anyway? If your car is not set up to handle those speeds, you shouldn't try it.
Remember to always be safe and follow all road rules when driving, and save the racing for the track.
 
#29 ·
I cut they wire on my friend's 240 and it set the speed limit to 86mph and acted like it hit the rev limiter. The rpm's dropped to 3k and then the car would speed back up. Needless to say, we were very annoyed. I think we cut the wrong wire. In the first post, it said to cut the eighth wire from the top. Is that on the left or right? I cut the left. The post also said a green wire w/ yellow trace, but didn't Addict correct him saying it yellow w/ a green trace? Both of us are confused and need help to solve the problem.
 
#30 ·
haha omg i can't believe people would cut wires based off of colors. It sounds like you cut a maf signal wire or something. You need to grab a pinout to the ka ecu or sr if you're using that and figure out which wire goes to the speed sensor. it IS yellow w/ green stripe please stop cutting stuff if you aren't sure what it does. this is why everytime i buy a 240 it has weird ass problems.
 
#37 ·
If you guys wanna make sure you have cut the right wires, just look at the Manuals. I think the reverse light plug in is the one in the middle on the tranny, because me and my brother had to rewire my reverse lights and had to trace the all of the rear light wireings. Need the Manuals, let me know!
 
#49 ·
Look just to clarify for everyone cutting the wrong wire. It's a yellow/w green stripe, and theres about 4 other yellow wires on that harness with various colored stripes so be very careful. If only the wires were numbered to make it easier....oh wait they are. Your are clipping the wire the resides on pin 32 of the ECU (search for a chart). I've been running this for like 6 months with no problems and seeing how the ECU for a ka24de 5 speed was the same for all s13 if you are having a problem its prolly the wire you cut is wrong. I have 3 friends also runnin the "snip" mod that I performed and all of em are running strong and with no problems. However if you want some tacky extra switch somewhere feel free to rice yourself out. Good right up though, just thought I would throw in the pin number for yall.
 
#50 ·
i have had 7 s13's 4 that i drove daily for months, 1 almost 2 years and all of them were 5 speeds running automatic ecu's with no codes or fuel problems, the only thing i never liked was the high idle when barely rolling with clutch engaged due to the ecu thinking it needed to keep the idle up until the automatic clutches completely disengaged, but wasnt a problem nor did it ever harm anything, also have done the snip mod on several 240's for friends and no one ever had a problem, yellow with green stripe as previously posted will do the trick, and i have never seen a na ka do 115 in 1/4
 
#51 ·
Cutting the wire on a single cam doesnt do shit! Don't do it!!!!! It will lower your speed limiter to around 60-65 MPH. Thats what happened to my first '90 when I tried it. If you need an auto KA24E ECU, Email me at MXKing500@aol.com and shoot me an offer.
 
#60 ·
Hey guys, I see many people posting about cutting a wire to take off your speed limiter. I have a GReddy Speed Limit Cut on mine and it let me go over 120mph in my '95 240sx. It cost me $120 for the whole thing. (GReddy SLC - $80: Labor - $40) This could probably exclude the whole wire cutting and ECU swap stuff.

Here's a link to the pic on my MySpace page. I don't feel like uploading the picture.
My '95 240sx Photo Gallery - Photo 29 of 33 by Jose (_:^C00k!3$^:_) Badillo - MySpace Photos
 
#62 ·
I didn't do any other mods than exhaust and cold air on my s13 KA and I could hit 140 easy... maybe someone did this before I got the engine (it was my second engine, and I blew it, so my 3rd engine is s13 sr... in all fairness, I wasn't the one that blew the first engine)