guys, i need some re-encouragment, my b12sentra project, is it worth it???

WMengineering · Aug 30th, 2003, 07:40 PM

well....this is the latest devolopements with my sentra.....
i got my motor..it looks beautiful....the car is filthy looking but under the dirt it looks beautiful....
heres my problem, i can see this is going to be a project, quiet a bit of time invested.
i dunno if i love the car enuf!!!!!i like get excited about it, then i drive my civic...and it makes me forget aobut the ca18de i jsut spent 8hun bucks for........
i feel liek im gonna have to commit....and for what?
i have no idea what the car will be like when i drive it.
i have free riegn right now on ym grammas credit card(how i got the motor) to dump any amount of money it takes to get the car back on the road and in great condition...
i think im having cold feet.

i realize this is a nissan forum, and you al love your cars, i love mine too dotn get me wrong.
but i cant help but keep running the thought through my head aobut how i could afford that H23a1(153 lb.ft of torque) for my civic that i have been dreamin of for years, for what this sentra project is costin me........is it worth it to go ahead on this sentra?
god am i trippin? hehe
any comments welcome guys...help me here.

MyClunkyAss12er · Aug 30th, 2003, 08:24 PM

nissan rarer, nissan faster, nissan better(if taken care of). nuf said.

Red_Coupe · Aug 30th, 2003, 08:51 PM

do you mean h22? and the ca18de swap will cost less then most..
not like my Sr20 swap I'm looking at 2500 just to get the car running again...

Myetball · Aug 30th, 2003, 10:31 PM

Well, you'll never know if it is worth it unless you finish. It sounds like you are running through all the stuff you need to do in your head and it's making you freak out.

I would suggest getting everything down on paper, or a word document. List all the things you want to do, all the parts materials you need to do it, then prioritizing, planning, and making a schedule.

One thing I have noticed is that you seem to be spending a good bit of mental effort on thinking about unusual mods to the engine. I'd suggest getting the thing built with the fewest mods and then working on it from there.

My kid was over today to pull the motor out of his Talon. He was spending most of his time searching the web looking for replacement parts that he can't even afford right now. I asked him how much work he was getting done surfing the web. A couple weak excuses later and he was back in the garage tearing things apart. Point is it takes too much time dreaming about what may be. Better to grab a wrench and start making things happen.

Red_Coupe · Aug 31st, 2003, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Myetball
Well, you'll never know if it is worth it unless you finish. It sounds like you are running through all the stuff you need to do in your head and it's making you freak out.

I would suggest getting everything down on paper, or a word document. List all the things you want to do, all the parts materials you need to do it, then prioritizing, planning, and making a schedule.

One thing I have noticed is that you seem to be spending a good bit of mental effort on thinking about unusual mods to the engine. I'd suggest getting the thing built with the fewest mods and then working on it from there.

My kid was over today to pull the motor out of his Talon. He was spending most of his time searching the web looking for replacement parts that he can't even afford right now. I asked him how much work he was getting done surfing the web. A couple weak excuses later and he was back in the garage tearing things apart. Point is it takes too much time dreaming about what may be. Better to grab a wrench and start making things happen.

Quote:

Well said my friend....

that is ,I bet 99% of anybody on here has ,or will do the same thing ... I have for sure..

Myetball · Aug 31st, 2003, 01:38 AM

Something I forgot to mention. Most of us, myself included, get into the swap game because we are dissatisfied with the amount of power in our B11 or B12. However, the amount of money and work involved makes this much more than a cure for low horsepower. This is a passion. A desire to do something we love to do and in the end have something worthwhile to show for it.

Will we ever finish? Of course not because once we get our initial project out of the way, the next mod or project is waiting in the wings. Will me CA18DE powered B11 be fast enough? For a good while it will be but I still have DET burning in the back of my brain.

These cars are big boy's hobbies. I used to build model cars when I was a kid. Basically I'm doing the same thing on a larger scale. It's what I love to do and I'm not going to give up no matter how long it takes.

Do you have to love your Sentra? Hell no! Do you have to love the project? Of course not. As long as making something out of virtually nothing is what keeps you from taking a Glock to work then go for it.

So, in closing Mr. WMEngineering, less talk and more action. Less thinking and more doing.

Oh, and don't ever go to work for the post office

Just messin' wit ya. I hope you keep the project going.

I think you touched a nerve...when I consider the amount of time and money I've already spent, the idea of abandoning the project is unthinkable.

boost_boy · Aug 31st, 2003, 08:40 AM

Quote:

Point is it takes too much time dreaming about what may be. Better to grab a wrench and start making things happen.

Man, this ought to be a sticky for anyone wishing to venture on making their present car better than it is. "WM" I don't really know what you're really looking for in your sentra, but I'll share this with you: I have a friend with a JDM H22A with stainless steel valves, racing valve springs and blah, blah, blah as well as a 75 shot of drugs. He's the brother of the guy that used to own the S2000 who now owns a dead 3rd gen RX-7 that he can't afford to fix anymore and that his parents won't fund his projects anymore. With the amount of money poured into my friend's accord to have that H22 and with the problems he's had, I could've built another duplicate B12 resembling my girlfriend's. The point I'm trying to make is, doing projects is a love/hate thing whereas you love to see what the outcome is going to be, but you hate the amount of time and effort it takes to complete or wondering if it's ever going to be completed. I know this because I've been there and done that. I worked on that white car yesterday from 0830-2030hours non-stop and lord knows it hurt, but the results was one hell of a test ride and the satisfaction of knowing that I built it. So in closing and like "Myet" said,

Quote:

This is a passion. A desire to do something we love to do and in the end have something worthwhile to show for it.

Quote:

So, in closing Mr. WMEngineering, less talk and more action. Less thinking and more doing.

Quote:

I think you touched a nerve...when I consider the amount of time and money I've already spent, the idea of abandoning the project is unthinkable.

And if you really think your civic will out perform a B12 sentra with a CA18DE, you are thinking wrong. I used to put the smack down on the 99-00 civc si with their glorified B16a engines, B13's & B14's with their glorified SR20DE engines as well as countless other ricers. No the CA18DE is not the baddest N/A engine in the world, but damn near close and you will never know it until you've actually applied yourself. Or like "Myet" said once before "Do it right or pay someone else to do it" and this goes for all of you.

nastynissan · Aug 31st, 2003, 09:47 AM

Myet and Boost...... VERY WELL SAID!!! Ive not done this paticular swap but have done several others as bad and Probably Worse..... Dont you just LOVE it when you wake up on a Sat morning SORE from working on the project the night before until 12, 1,, 2 in the morn. You wake up Cussing the car, yourself, and the people who talked you into this project(mainly yourself)... Yet an hour later your back at it. Under, over, and inside the car... Rolling around in the Grease, Busting knuckles, Misplacing Tools and parts..........................................

But there is NOTHING like the feeling you get when it FINALLY fires. And for a FEW brief moments you are THE MAN, you are THE SHIT, NOBODY can knock you off you HIGH HORSE...

And then its time for ANOTHER project.....

boost_boy · Aug 31st, 2003, 12:28 PM

Once again, another awesome quote from a fellow wrencher "nastynissan"! I'm off to the junkyard again as the P/S that I put on the white car does nothing. I'm tired as hell from a non-stop bout yesterday, but it's my love for it that keeps me coming back. Like I said 400+whp out of the white sentra or bust! I did a few 20psi bursts last night and I can just say this, the CA18DET is a beast after 10psi.

Nismo87R · Aug 31st, 2003, 02:28 PM

i think nobody has worst luck then me i been trough hell and back with my sentra after almost a yr of my sentra beeing in the back i finally fixed it and drove it last night my u dont how good it felt to dirve the car(even tough its a e-16s) i been broken down the freeway aleast every 3 months theres always some thing wrong with it but u know what i love this car no matter that i gone trough all the bullshit with it. but i dont give up man its just how much u love ur car. but i do hate with a passion my carburetor that son off a b**** is always brakeing down so make next thing was to get rid of it just finally go all out and make it a project seeing that i love my car so much i stick out with it and now im in the process of doind CA18DET SWAP i almost got eveything minus some parts that i need from boost boy its a little hard right now with a baby on the way (2 months) and not haveing a job but i promise that by the end of this yr BOOST BOY wont be the only CA18DET SENTRA out there. time to take out these hondas out here the bug more than my broke down carb

Webfoot · Aug 31st, 2003, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by nastynissan
Myet and Boost...... VERY WELL SAID!!! Ive not done this paticular swap but have done several others as bad and Probably Worse..... Dont you just LOVE it when you wake up on a Sat morning SORE from working on the project the night before until 12, 1,, 2 in the morn. You wake up Cussing the car, yourself, and the people who talked you into this project(mainly yourself)... Yet an hour later your back at it. Under, over, and inside the car... Rolling around in the Grease, Busting knuckles, Misplacing Tools and parts..........................................

But there is NOTHING like the feeling you get when it FINALLY fires. And for a FEW brief moments you are THE MAN, you are THE SHIT, NOBODY can knock you off you HIGH HORSE...

And then its time for ANOTHER project.....

Shees, I don't know who to quote. This is so inspiring, I think I'm gonna start another Sentra project. This time a B12 HB.

nastynissan · Aug 31st, 2003, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by boost_boy
Once again, another awesome quote from a fellow wrencher "nastynissan"!

Thanks man it tis preciated......

Hell .....A man could almost get teary eyed reading this thread... LOL

MyClunkyAss12er · Aug 31st, 2003, 05:45 PM

:cries:.........:cries some more:.......:bawls:....nissan heart and soul, right here right now.....amazing....

boost_boy · Aug 31st, 2003, 07:21 PM

It's just time for the underdog gang to come up and claim some of the spot light! I'm not even looking for the fame, but it urks me that so many wanna be go fasters missed a very important part of nissan's history and they are the E15T and the CA18DE/DET motors respectfully. They deserve accolades and should not be looked down on because of their size or age or power output. I don't mind waging and all out speed contest with the average 4cylinder turbo or non-turbo car to include any SR20 powered car state side, any honda powered car stateside and any other that think they can offer as much quality, performance and reliability all in one package. I'm not hating on the others, by all means you are free to use whichever weapon you want, but when a fellow B12 nissan sentra owner asks for help and compares his car to his honda, he needs "Jesus" because I don't see many honda civics or some integras giving the CA18DE that much hell. And the CA18DET with a few dollars spent is a legal weapon. Like I stated in another post, I took the white car out last night for it's maiden voyage and for some reason the car went straight to 25psi and I was time warped down a quarter mile stretch of public street so quick, that I decide to take the damn car home and park it (too dangerous). I say guys, we don't have to be minority in this game of import performance. And If I have to, I will lead the way to our clame to fame that b11-b12 sentras are all the others fore-fathers and we will make them back that ass up when they get out of line. I tell all others "Who's your Daddy"!

B12er for life............

Dee

SuperSentra4203 · Aug 31st, 2003, 07:45 PM

WMengineering, man, I feel the pain. I don't know how many countless times I wanted to get rid of my old B12 to pick up a Mazda 626 and prepare it for a FE3T swap, but the fact is, we are Nissan Junkies who want to be recognized, get credit, and feel good that we take something so different, so difficult to build up, and it turns out to get credit from someone who dogged on it before. Just think of the big grin that will last for who knows how long after you fire it up the first time. Knowing you are original, only one of very few who prove the Nissan Underdogs can be better than anything. There are so many people who mod Hondas and the parts are so easy to get, it's almost like not doing much work at all. The amount of pride will come when you relize all the blood, sweat, and tears you have shed come to an end and your beast is ready for the world. Imprint this in the back of your mind forever- The Few, The Proud, The B12 Junkies. I shall quote boost_boy if I may, which will be put on my rear window
"B12er FOR LIFE" So I say to you, put the H23 Project on hold, as there will be other times to do this, help us put the B11/B12 Sentra on the map!!

CA18DET- $800
Wiring harness- $400
Trips to ER- $500
Mics. Parts- $500
Owning a wicked B12- Priceless