CA18DET into 1991 240sx

[Big J]

Anyone have any info?

[Outphase]

If you are even considering this swap, it must mean you are smart... it's a good choice, my friend.

What did you want to know about it?

[Big J]

General stuff. An SR20 swap is straight foward, but there isn't much info on the CA18DET swap. Will the mounts bolt to a 1991+ subframe, or will I need to fab somthing? How much harness will I have to splice? Drive shaft fitment? I figure with the price of SR skyrocketing and the supply going down this is the new ticket. 175ish tq/hp, cam on bucket, stout bottom end (400+ hp on stock), high reving, way cheaper than a Silvia clip right now, and potentialy eaiser swap and way cheaper than any RB swap, even a RB20DET.

A friend ask me about what to do with the dying KA in his 240. I said SR swap and then started checking prices, they are a lot higher than they used to be, and have a lot higher mileage now. I started checking into CA18DETs (it's one of those motors that lurks in the shadows of the SR20 and RB26's), liked the build (valve train especially) and just want to find out a little more. I know I can get it to work, but if it's as easy as an SR swap and costs less, I'll never tell anyone, delete this post, and he'll have more than enough money left to out power a modest SR.

[PSINXS]

do remeber that the ca18 is what originall came in the 180s/240s as is the sr20. it will mount up jsut fine.even SR and ka mounts are interchangeable.

and lol@outpower an SR. i would go ka-t before doing ca18. just my opinion which prolly doesnt matter

[SampaGuy]

the swap would be easier if u had a 89-90 if u want the powersteering to work. so i think u will need powersteering lines off a 89-90, or just buy the ca18 in a front clip. other than that the swap is the exact same as a SR. a 3in exhaust, fmic and you will be running about the same power as a stock redtop sr.

[TheSnail]

I made a ca car once to flip. All I did was add a t25 off of a sr. The new owner then took it and dynoed 224rwhp on 14lbs. Which is just as good as a redtop. The only thing wrong with a ca is it's tiny stock turbo. As far as install, its as easy as it gets. I've done two ca swaps in one day.

[SampaGuy]

yep

sr20 (2.0L) on stock sr20 t25
makes same power as
ca18 (1.8L) on stock sr20 t25

hmm which one is a better engine? lol

sr20s are newer though so usually are in better condition

[TheSnail]

You can find both crap sr's and crap ca's. Though I personaly go and see a rb or ca in person before I buy em, since the only "crap" was due to the Iron blocks rusting from water sitting in the coolent passages for many years. So just go to J-hot and find you a nice one. Here is a pic of the ca flip car. Simple, clean, stock + sr turbo = nice 224rwhp daily driver.

[Big J]

\and lol@outpower an SR.

They are rated at 30 hp under a red top, so gaining 75 with a sr20 turbo would out power a modest sr20. 224 rwhp is say 250 at the crank. My math might be off, I went to public schools. AND there is no need to worry about rocker arms shot peening the valve cover at high rpms .

Thank for all the good info guys. I've priced some clips, and the 180sx's are a lot less than the silvia clips right now. I figured the sr turbo was a bolt on, and also that there are plenty sitting around to be had cheap because they get set aside after an sr upgrade.

[Big J]

Where is this J-Hot you speak of, I only know of Nad Auto around the ATL?

[SampaGuy]

jhotimports.com

jarcoinc.com

[sebastianHoff]

a ka-t would be better than a ca18. im partial to the sr, since i have one, but i would have a hard time justifying a swap that doesnt really make more power than the stock motor. $1800 or what ever a ca costs could make a really nice ka-t.

[TheSnail]

I dont know about listing prices. Most Ca's I've bought were around 1100. Prices vary greatly, nor it’s luck, source, or how desperate you are. Ive paid 1300 for an SR, and 4800 for an SR. Ive paid 1200 for two compete RB's and 5400 for one RB. Ive paid 1250 for one CA and less then 600 for one CA. Putting price ranges in three categories is very broad. The most satisfying money spent are the exteems which were the $4800 SR and the $600 CA. Thats a huge margin. As for the red tops ive bought, there is nothing that the CA cant do as good or better. In fact, the "flip" car with the sr turbo was the -$600 one. I went to J-hot and picked up a auto CA for $470. Clean, low miles, not abused, and no-one wanted it because it was auto. I went to the junkyard and asked to buy the bellhousing off their 1984 200sx, but they said they would rather sell me the whole tranny for 200 then spend their time over petty change. So I went home, got the tools, came back pulled the tranny, took off the bellhousing (the tranny is useless, it's short and uses a shift linkage like a 300zx) and they sold me the bellhousing for $50. I came home, mated a ka tranny to the bellhousing, slapped on a sr turbo ($80), stock CA flywheel, pressure plate and new disk ($48), threw the engine in, and then it goes and dyno's 224. So for around $600 there was a clean, non abused and powerful engine in the engine bay.

On the side note, Big_J if you want, I can give you a hand free of charge. I need something to do and I need to get out the house.

[Big J]

Thanks for the offer to help. It's a friends car, and he has to sell his truck first. When we get around to it I'll hit you up, but it's going to be a few months off.

[Maki]

ca18 for the win. its about time someone desided to start using these. great motor just no one wants them cause its a 1.8 and 175hp but good potential espesially when we get them all day long for 1200. let me know when you start looking for one. i can get it for you.

[Big J]

I'd really only like to do it with a front clip, unless you can convince me otherwise. Let me know how much.

[sebastianHoff]

I dont know about listing prices. Most Ca's I've bought were around 1100. Prices vary greatly, nor it’s luck, source, or how desperate you are. Ive paid 1300 for an SR, and 4800 for an SR. Ive paid 1200 for two compete RB's and 5400 for one RB. Ive paid 1250 for one CA and less then 600 for one CA. Putting price ranges in three categories is very broad. The most satisfying money spent are the exteems which were the $4800 SR and the $600 CA. Thats a huge margin. As for the red tops ive bought, there is nothing that the CA cant do as good or better. In fact, the "flip" car with the sr turbo was the -$600 one. I went to J-hot and picked up a auto CA for $470. Clean, low miles, not abused, and no-one wanted it because it was auto. I went to the junkyard and asked to buy the bellhousing off their 1984 200sx, but they said they would rather sell me the whole tranny for 200 then spend their time over petty change. So I went home, got the tools, came back pulled the tranny, took off the bellhousing (the tranny is useless, it's short and uses a shift linkage like a 300zx) and they sold me the bellhousing for $50. I came home, mated a ka tranny to the bellhousing, slapped on a sr turbo ($80), stock CA flywheel, pressure plate and new disk ($48), threw the engine in, and then it goes and dyno's 224. So for around $600 there was a clean, non abused and powerful engine in the engine bay.

On the side note, Big_J if you want, I can give you a hand free of charge. I need something to do and I need to get out the house.

see i've never worked with a ca before, did the wiring for one but thats it. i still maintain that a ka-t using discarded sr bits would make you the most power for the money. on a side note i paid less for my rb25 than i did my first redtop, so i guess prices dont really matter.

[illeagle]

I was considering this swap also...was hard trying to find parts for this motor. and I do not know what is interchangable with it either, so most of the parts I found were in Australia, UK, or Japan...and shipping is more then the price of the part

and there is a JHOT here in Augusta...I am personally going to do an SR swap just because parts are easier to find, I am a name brand junkie

[Outphase]

Hey if you guys want to do a CA swap... tell me... we need some extra hands.

[Big J]

I'm allways down. NO cell phone though, hit me up in a pm.

[illeagle]

Hey if you guys want to do a CA swap... tell me... we need some extra hands.

where? in Augusta or in ATL?

[SampaGuy]

I was considering this swap also...was hard trying to find parts for this motor. and I do not know what is interchangable with it either, so most of the parts I found were in Australia, UK, or Japan...and shipping is more then the price of the part

u can use a lot of parts from a ca18de (came in usdm pulsar), and anything more specific is, like u said, attainable by importing

[Big J]

u can use a lot of parts from a ca18de (came in usdm pulsar), and anything more specific is, like u said, attainable by importing

Thanks, you saved me from having to find a USDM I could substitute parts from

This really makes me want to get my own 240.

[Outphase]

Right now ATL... the swap is in ATL :0

[sebastianHoff]

Thanks, you saved me from having to find a USDM I could substitute parts from

This really makes me want to get my own 240.

hey slow down there buddy, we only bought 240s cause back in the day they were fast, cheap, and didnt have that weird fwd juju goin on. they arent that cheap anymore and they werent that great to begin with.

[illeagle]

def not cheap...money pit!

[SampaGuy]

def not cheap...money pit!

cheap compared to all the other money pits u could get

[AFSil80]

cheap compared to all the other money pits u could get

Damn straight.

Also, check out www.ca18det.org

Has parts listings and numbers if something were to crap out. Lets ya specifically know what to ask for when going to the parts store (if you're too cheap to go thru stealerships like myself.)

[HalfBaked]

A stock ca18 makes barely more WHP then a stock ka24de...

[EmotorsportsE]

Never thought I'd see a thread about CA swaps getting popular. I still like the RB20's. We're building 2 more CA's right now. One in a FWD Pulsar, and another one for a 240. I'll post pics.

E

[sebastianHoff]

A stock ca18 makes barely more WHP then a stock ka24de...

i'd have a hard buyin a motor that would make my 0-60 times worse.

[Big J]

i'd have a hard buyin a motor that would make my 0-60 times worse.

I'm not buying it, it's a friends car, I'm just doing the work. The 0-60 sucks with the blown head gasket.

[AFSil80]

A stock ca18 makes barely more WHP then a stock ka24de...

And still weighs less by a reasonable amount...

[Outphase]

lol. I love the irony.

[Okay]

glad to see more CA swaps....I'm working on mind now and I stripped the oil inlet line!!! Anybody has one around the house? You're welcome to contact me if you want to help/chill/learn....i doubt about the learning part since this is my first swap.

[BigTs13]

im also looking for one...help would be great.

[Okay]

if you're looking for one then try jarcoinc.com They gave me a great deal. Dee(boost_boy) on nicoclub.com can get you one also.

[1sick6]

isnt the ca so old that if you put on a t25 turbo and put more than stock boost it wont be able to handle it? the bottom end might be strong but still its an old engine right?

[NinjaHobo]

Most are at least 15 years old. So, they're not THAT old.

[1sick6]

the few people people i have talked to say its almost not worth it cuz you would want to put a t25 at least on it probably and run more than stock boost and that would kill the engine quickly... im still a noob but thats my ....i would go for a ca18 too except for that ^^^