Early Pathfinders weren’t always equipped with the above V6 engines. When the model was introduced, the base powerplant was the KA24DE 2.4-liter I4, which was used in 1987 and 1988 before being dropped for the 3.0-liter V6. The SOHC KA24E was also used in 1989 and 1990 240 SX models. While the truck version of this engine used throttle body fuel injection, the one used in the 240 SX, Stanza, Maxima, and other cars had a multi-port injection system that increased output to 140 horsepower. In 1991, the KA24E was supplanted by the KA24DE, an upgraded version with a 16-valve dual overhead cam setup. The intake valves were enlarged, and the knock sensors and oil pickup tube were redesigned. These changes upped the new 2.4-liter engine’s redline 400 rpm to 6,900 and increased output to 155 horsepower.
The KA24DE remained in the 240SX until the end of the coupe’s run in 1998. The iron block and forged crankshaft and connecting rods make it a durable motor, and it was carried over to the Frontier line of pickup trucks, where it remained as the base engine through 2004. While never the most powerful engine in Nissan’s lineup, the KA24DE can be boosted to beyond 300 horsepower by adding a turbocharger and upgrade to the cam.
[Featured image by The Pun Stops Here via Wikimedia Commons|Cropped and scaled|CC-By 4.0]
