a few technical questions

Curt · Nov 30th, 2003, 04:04 AM

(still working on removing cylinder head)

what's the easiest way to remove....
- Throttle body
- Timing belt cover

and also, where/how do i change whatever fluid is in the transmission/clutch... i looked everywhere for a drain bolt and/or fill hole, but couldn't find any...

(i've since removed all vaccuum lines and most of the wiring going to the engine <took a while because i was marking everything alphabetically so it all goes back together quickly and properly>)

pmftv · Nov 30th, 2003, 06:42 PM

what are you planning to do?? Remove your whole engine? or just the head??

taking the timing cover off is a pain in the ass...I had to break mine to get it off. I couldn't get to one of the screws and i was sick of fiddling with it and dropping my torque...so i got pissed and broke it off...

as for the throttle body...I like to take it off with the intake manifold still on it...one big piece...but it depends on what you're doing with your engine.

let us know.

Curt · Dec 1st, 2003, 10:11 PM

i'm taking the head off to replace a connecting rod

i guess i meant to say intake manifold rather than throttle body, sorry...

the engine is going to stay in the car..

figured i'd swap out the timing belt while the head was off if it wasn't much more work, as i don't know how many miles are on my car and its never been changed...

Lazarus_023 · Dec 1st, 2003, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curt

i'm taking the head off to replace a connecting rod

i guess i meant to say intake manifold rather than throttle body, sorry...

the engine is going to stay in the car..

figured i'd swap out the timing belt while the head was off if it wasn't much more work, as i don't know how many miles are on my car and its never been changed...

yeah, timing belt has to come off anyway, but tell me: whay are you not taking the engine out?

BeEleven · Dec 1st, 2003, 10:32 PM

The hardest part there is gonna be the vacuum hoses...the intake comes off fairly easily with a couple open end wrenches and a limber wrist. Just make sure you know where everything goes when you're done. You'll need a star shaped screwdriver for the timing cover (I broke mine off and replaced it with phillip's head though) and a 19 mm socket on a breaker bar to pull of the crank pully...everything else is fairly straightforward under the timing cover.

Curt · Dec 1st, 2003, 10:45 PM

i've already removed all the vaccuum lines.

downloading a CA18DE manual at the moment, i read there was one in .pdf format on imesh but i can't find it.

and i don't want to take the whole block out because its more work than i need to do just to replace a single connecting rod. although it would give me a little more room to work, i think its extra work for nothing.

oh, and anyone have an answer on the transmission fluid?

Curt · Dec 6th, 2003, 08:17 PM

to update, cylinder head is off and the new conrod is fitted to the piston. however i am in need of a conrod bolt (or two) for my #4 conrod, and may have to order a whole other conrod because nissan tells me they can't get just the bolts anymore.
other than that its a matter of preparing the head/block for the new gasket, installing the new timing belt and putting it all back together.

some helpful hints i've picked up...
- you don't have to take the intake manifold off the head to remove the head
- there is a bracket in the back that has to be removed to seperate the intake manifold from the block.
- take off water pump pulley and jack the engine up an inch or two to allow you to wiggle the timing cover around the front engine mount (if you plan on leaving the engine in the car)

if anyone can get me connecting rod bolts for the CA18DE, email me at curty2@hotmail.com by monday dec8/03 (as i'm going to order another con rod on monday if i can't find any)

minute rice sentra · Dec 6th, 2003, 09:23 PM

are there any salvage yards or anything near you?

Curt · Dec 8th, 2003, 07:58 AM

there are, but no CA18DE's... and noone can find me a conrod bolt.
is there a list of engines that share the same size conrod bolts?

Myetball · Dec 8th, 2003, 08:23 AM

I'm not sure about this but you might try finding a Stanza or 200SX with a CA18ET or CA20E. The bolts may interchange.

Curt · Dec 16th, 2003, 06:35 AM

well i went out and ordered a second conrod, which is now fitted to piston #4 and both pistons are in the engine.
up next..
- torque the conrod bolts (i didn't have the torque specs til this morning)
- remove lower timing cover (was trying to avoid doing this by not moving the crankshaft, but i was forced to to get the conrods in)
- reinstall cylinder head
- reinstall timing belt/covers

Gsolo · Dec 16th, 2003, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Curt

well i went out and ordered a second conrod, which is now fitted to piston #4 and both pistons are in the engine.
up next..
- torque the conrod bolts (i didn't have the torque specs til this morning)
- remove lower timing cover (was trying to avoid doing this by not moving the crankshaft, but i was forced to to get the conrods in)
- reinstall cylinder head
- reinstall timing belt/covers

you doing this in car?

Curt · Dec 26th, 2003, 08:22 AM

everythings back together..
i started her up a few days ago, and she runs, tho there's some noise in the crankcase (#3 crank journal only had about 0.1mm of clearance rather than the recommended 0.4mm, and i'm thinking this could be the source) so i'll have to remove the conrod and mill a lil material off the crank.

any tips on how to set the CAS on a CA18DE, i don't like the whole "turn it til it runs good", there must be a more measurable way.