v6 to ca18det or sr20det????

Started by rage · Apr 24, 2006 · 13postsSMF 2010–26

rageApr 24, 2006, 4:41 am · #1

hahaha

ravenS13.5Apr 24, 2006, 4:57 am · #2

As too the original question.....they are both nice, I\'ve never had a ca18det to compare my ka\'s to, so I won\'t be a poser and say one is better than the other.

NissanFanJun 3, 2006, 2:06 pm · #3

I have a 87 nissan 200sx with the vg motor in it, between the ca18det and the sr20det, which one is fairly easier to install and since i have a v6 is there anything special i need to do? anyone have a rough estimate on how much to do the swaps on each one??

thanks alot

sam31183Jun 3, 2006, 9:13 pm · #4

since you have the v6 you need the 4 cylinder s12 cross member and engine mounts. It is cheaper to do an ca swap...and imo you can use the money you save to put a couple of parts on the ca to make it almost as powerful, if not more powerful then an sr..but that is an opinion. Use the search button and decide for yourself.

NissanFanJun 4, 2006, 9:12 pm · #5

so i just need the 4 cylinder crossmember and motor mounts? is there anything else? what about the ecu wiring, is there anything special i need for that? and what ca18det should i get?

PremoJun 4, 2006, 9:37 pm · #6

please do this to an s12 w/a CA and sell the SE lol. seriously though, it would be ALOT easier to do that. yes, the harness would have to be replaced, its a ENTIRELY different engine! use the search button. where are u located? wanna sell your SE?!?!?! ill trade ya for a turbo or a NA car

seishukuJun 4, 2006, 10:29 pm · #7

I still want to see the SE and Turbo/XE crossmembers side-by-side. I'd really like to see what the real differences are.

PremoJun 4, 2006, 10:41 pm · #8

seishukuI still want to see the SE and Turbo/XE crossmembers side-by-side. I'd really like to see what the real differences are.

if i remember ill try and snap off a foto of the engine bay in my Z-31 and floodsharks turbo s12 as they're both sitting in my backyard w/the engines removed

sam31183Jun 4, 2006, 11:48 pm · #9

yah, but the z31 front x member is even different from the se front x member.

Most ca18dets you find are going to be from an jdm 180sx...or from an uk 180sx. You can get fwd ca18dets from like bluebirds and crap...but that will be a bit more difficult to swap as you will need parts from the jdm 180sx as the intake manifold goes the other way...i belive...i could be wrong. On the very rare case you find an s12 ca18det, i would try to avoid it unless it has an full harness, ecu, maf....even then it isnt quite as good an engine as the 180sx 18det because the tb goes over the valve cover and doesnt handle high boost as well as the 180sx intake mani/head. Also to take the valve cover off you have to take the tb off...and it is just a pita...haha.

PremoJun 5, 2006, 9:43 am · #10

sam31183yah, but the z31 front x member is even different from the se front x member.

Most ca18dets you find are going to be from an jdm 180sx...or from an uk 180sx. You can get fwd ca18dets from like bluebirds and crap...but that will be a bit more difficult to swap as you will need parts from the jdm 180sx as the intake manifold goes the other way...i belive...i could be wrong. On the very rare case you find an s12 ca18det, i would try to avoid it unless it has an full harness, ecu, maf....even then it isnt quite as good an engine as the 180sx 18det because the tb goes over the valve cover and doesnt handle high boost as well as the 180sx intake mani/head. Also to take the valve cover off you have to take the tb off...and it is just a pita...haha.

duh, lol. at least it would give an idea on the engine mounts though... shit, come to think about it, my Z-31 is a turbo so it wouldnt matter anyway as that too is diffent.

PremoJun 5, 2006, 10:26 am · #11

duh to me...not to you..lol. just realized i probably looked like a dick there :P

sam31183Jun 5, 2006, 9:50 pm · #12

nah, its cool man, no hard feelings on this side.

PaulSep 17, 2006, 5:56 am · #13

Yeah I know a Guy who has Built 5 S13's and he has had a KA24E, KA24DE-T (296rwhp) a SR20DET (289rwhp) and a CA18DET (278rwhp) and something else but he likes his CA the best, when he does his next one will probly be a CA. These were all his own personal cars and he perfers the way the CA feels and responds even though his KA-T and SR had more power

Also nobody on here has mentioned weight of these engines, Every single one of these swaps will increase the weight of the car. The CA18DET weighs around 40lbs less than an SR and the KA weighs almost 50lbs more than the SR with no turbo hardware attached to it, so a KA24DET S12 would weigh more than 100 lbs more than a CA18DET swapped S12 Plus thats all weight on the front end of the car and if you are trying to get the best handling out of your S12 then extra weight is bad. So in all respects I would go for the CA18DET