so can anybody set me strait whats the better peformance engine to the swap on my 87 sentra. and why which 1 has more performance products. Please so 1 help Boost boy or hybird.
Honestly, I would lean towards the CA18DET for its bolt in capabilities. The SR20DET swap is a bit more involved having to fabricate the engine mounts.
For performance parts, I believe that stateside the SR20 has the CA18 beat. It is the most popular engine that nissan offers right now and probably the only Nissan engine that you can walk into a rice shop and actually have a chance of them stocking parts for. However, I've been to Japan so I know that there is just as many performance upgrades available for the CA18DET. They are just harder to get.
In the end it really doesnt matter. Big horsepower turbo set ups are usually built custom. You can pick your turbo and have a beautiful manifold welded up and there you go.
I would go for the CA18DET. It can bolt in and is iron block. The SR is aluminum block. If you overheat the SR, you can be shit outta luck. I heard the CA is more reliable, and since it's iron block, can support more boost safer. IMO the CA can have better preformance, just the parts can be hard to find.
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1996 Cutlass Supreme SL (not stock) 1 of 2 CS's w/ Grand Prix HUD and Dash!!
Mods - Custom Catback w/ Dual Flowmasters, Custom 3" FWI, 17" ADR Rims, SilverStar Conversion, Grand Prix HUD Swap, Grand Prix Dash, GMPP Trailing Arms, Carputer w/ Lilliput 7" Touchscreen, Kicker ZX200.4 Amp, HP Tuners MPVI Tuned http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...wserwerwer.jpg
For performance parts, I believe that stateside the SR20 has the CA18 beat.
Hybrid is absolutely correct in the fact that the SR has a better support group than the CA18. The aftermarket is not in a CA18 owner's favor, but for standard replacement parts, stroll on down to your local nissan dealer and order parts for the 1988 nissan pulsar with 1.8 DOHC motor.
Quote:
so can anybody set me strait whats the better peformance engine to the swap on my 87 sentra.
Cost-wise the CA18 would win hands down, unless you have access to someone that can help you with the SR's mount fabrication. I have done a study on SR20 powered vehicles against my own CA powered B12 sentras during their evolutions and the results were pretty amazing. A standard CA18DE in a B12 sentra against the standard SE-R or NX2000 with SR20 is an excellent battle and it will come down to the drivers and how hard they are willing to push their engines. In N/A form, my CA18DE powered sentra knocked off every SR20DE powered car (stock for stock) that I ever played with and even the SR guys were truly amazed. SR20 motors have a viscous LSD whereas the CA18's tranny has an open diff. The SR20's have rocker arms and the CA18 has a true cam to lifter set up (no rocker arms) which equals quieter valve train. The CA18 has a belt and the SR has a chain which equals the CA18 to be easier to service. The SR has more torque than a CA18 because of it's bigger bore and longer stroke, but not by too much. The SR has 140hp and the CA18 has 125hp and the torque is parted the same %age. From 1000rpm to 3500rpm, the SR works way harder than the CA18, but from 3000 to 7500 the CA is screaming wickedly and can keep going whereas the rocker arms will limit the SR to around 7200 (could be wrong) safely. Though the blocks of the SR's are of alloy content, they are pretty tough and can take a good doggin', but if you lean out the engine you risk a chance of destroying that alloy block and that's going to cost you. SR20DET's run anywhere between $1000-$2500 whereas the CA18DET costs anywhere between $500-$1500 depending on year of engine. The CA18 has proven to be more of a beast on the highway because of it's free-revvin characteristics whereas the SR powered cars always sounded like they were hampered by something (Everyone that I've raced or watch perform). For us FWD sentra owners, I'd recommend the CA18 because of what's available in the U.S. market as far as standard parts. Trannies is the big issue here! The SR20's trannies "suck blowfish guts" and I don't know what nissan was thinking when they designed them. This was nissan's "Broke" era and it showed. SR20 owners are limited to that particular tranny whereas CA18 owners have multiple trannies they can hybrid "As I have ". CA18's share the same standard nissan oil filter as the maxima, stanza, GA16I, GA16DE and possibly more whereas the SR is a one of a kind deal. It will all come down to what you want as both engines are marvelous in their own reicht and should only be compared for budget reasons. If you want big power and got big money, get the SR20. If you want big power and limited bread, but are willing ot build at it, go with the CA18. the special trannies I'm referring to are experiments I've come across that will allow CA18 owners to have a helical LSD and trannies are very hard to hurt. No 5th, 4th, 3rd, 2nd gear pop-out here. In the 7 years I've been experimenting with CA18 and their trannies, I've never lost a tranny because of gears popping out, etc, etc. For a wicked-nastyb beat-up anything on the street combo I recommend a CA18DET and CA16DE tranny out of the 87 pulsar SE is the "Lick". Gearing is key here! This is the way that the CA18DET owner can bridge that 30hp difference between the SR20 (our Secret). Why do you guys think I can make supra owners and the likes scratch their heads when they find themselves not being able to close the gap between them and my crappy sentra. But I do caution you, once you reach speeds of over 150mph, do not try perform slalom actions or you will die. Yes, you will be able to reach these speeds and more without a whole lot of effort. The actual swaps for both the SR20 and CA18 is a bee-with an itch, but the CA18 into a b12 is mechanical bolt-in. The SR (Like hybrid said) is more of a cut and weld deal that is very do-able, but if your ass don't have no wiring skills, you are on your own. I can only do it for you! I cannot and will not try and help anyone on something they started because I don't want to be responsible for your ECU popping transistors and burning up
I have written this piece to the best of my knowledge and I will not write it again (takes too long). For anyone else coming into the forums and wanting information on the pros and cons of such swaps, you guys please refer them to the archives and not to me or hybrid unless they want me to perform the swap for them that is the only way I can give you what I know and what worked for me. Good Luck to all and to all "Up Yours" Damn I got crazy jokes this evening............
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You must pay to play! Boost ain't cheap! {x2 B12 Sentras with CA18DET engines}.
boost_boy
Last edited by boost_boy : Feb 19th, 2003 at 11:48 AM.
Man, I can't believe I read that, let alone you typed it. Well said.
I am going to do a CA swap into a B12 shortly. As for wiring, break it down into sections, label all the wires, put the whole thing together, and your good to go. As for 150mph+ in a B12, if you want to do that, you had better be a skilled driver with big balls, and some sort of rear wing for added stability at high speeds. The SR is a great motor, but I prefer iron block motors. They tend to be more reliable. Since B12's are so simple compared to most cars, I think a motor swap in them will be the best investment and overall, easier. It doesn't take much to make a B12 own almost anything on the street. Plus with added power, you can actually use all 4 seating positions at once. I always limited me and another person in my car.
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1996 Cutlass Supreme SL (not stock) 1 of 2 CS's w/ Grand Prix HUD and Dash!!
Mods - Custom Catback w/ Dual Flowmasters, Custom 3" FWI, 17" ADR Rims, SilverStar Conversion, Grand Prix HUD Swap, Grand Prix Dash, GMPP Trailing Arms, Carputer w/ Lilliput 7" Touchscreen, Kicker ZX200.4 Amp, HP Tuners MPVI Tuned http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f3...wserwerwer.jpg
hey i went to a shop called CAR-TUNE and i asked if the can do a swap on my car they told me that they can put in the GTI-R engine into my sentra running out the door for 3,800 which less the a shoped called sleeper motorsports which will do it for 5,000 i really considering the ca18de-t but theres no swap that will do that and i have verry little knowleged of mechanic work so im pretty much set on the SR20DET unless theres anybody that u guys know out here in southern cali. im pretty much 2 hrs away from hybird.
The Sr20 hype is what's in! The CA18DET is an exotic engine to most shops and they don't want to be responsible for something they know nothing about. The gti-r swap for $3800 isn't bad at all as long as you're going to drop your car as is and come back to a car with a Gti-R engine which to me my friend sounds like a scam. You will pay more than that, trust me! Ask hybrid if he wants to make your money! Be prepared to spend anywhere between $3000-$6000 easily. 6k with me will get you about 350whp and all the bells and whistles, but that's just me!
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You must pay to play! Boost ain't cheap! {x2 B12 Sentras with CA18DET engines}.
Like I said, unless that 3800 is for parts and labor, you are at looking at about 5-6 grand before it's all said and done for a measely 235ish hp? I don't think so.....Regular SR20DET swaps are waay too over-priced as well as the parts. You'll come out better getting a stock SR20DE and spend that money on pistons, rods headgasket instead of buying GTi-r motor. They're expensive and over-hyped, but they are strong. If you want the SR20 just build one from the ground up and at least you'll know what's in it for the amount of money you've spent. Question for you 87, what are your goals in terms of power output? Tell me that and your budget and I can tell you the god honest truth. Don't tell me a grand either because I we won't be talking about turbocharging anymore!
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You must pay to play! Boost ain't cheap! {x2 B12 Sentras with CA18DET engines}.
like i said i would love for u to do that swap boost boys and damm for that price i would be willing but there that factor u live in miami and i live in southern cali and i dont thing i can make a road trip other unless u fly down here.lol. like u said theres no shop out here that will do that swap either so im kinda screewed
". CA18's share the same standard nissan oil filter as the maxima, stanza, GA16I, GA16DE and possibly more whereas the SR is a one of a kind deal. It will all come down to what you want as both engines are marvelous in their own reicht and should only be compared for budget reasons. If you want big power and got big money, get the SR20. If you want big power and limited bread, but are willing ot build at it, go with the CA18. the special trannies I'm referring to are experiments I've come across that will allow CA18 owners to have a helical LSD and trannies are very hard to hurt. No 5th, 4th, 3rd, 2nd gear pop-out here. In the 7 years I've been experimenting with CA18 and their trannies, I've never lost a tranny because of gears popping out, etc, etc. For a wicked-nastyb beat-up anything on the street combo I recommend a CA18DET and CA16DE tranny out of the 87 pulsar SE is the "Lick". Gearing is key here! This is the way that the CA18DET owner can bridge that 30hp difference between the SR20 (our Secret). Why do you guys think I can make supra owners and the likes scratch their heads when they find themselves not being able to close the gap between them and my crappy sentra. But I do caution you, once you reach speeds of over 150mph, do not try perform slalom actions or you will die. Yes, you will be able to reach these speeds and more without a whole lot of effort. The actual swaps for both the SR20 and CA18 is a bee-with an itch, but the CA18 into a b12 is mechanical bolt-in. The SR (Like hybrid said) is more of a cut and weld deal that is very do-able, but if your ass don't have no wiring skills, you are on your own. I can only do it for you! I cannot and will not try and help anyone on something they started because I don't want to be responsible for your ECU popping transistors and burning up
that is the only way I can give you what I know and what worked for me. Good Luck to all and to all "Up Yours"
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