What's the difference between the two? I figure the cylinders are smaller and I think the cams are different, but are the rods and crank the same? What else interchanges?

Would it be a crazy idea to bore out a ca16 block to ca18 specs and get a fresh block that way?

Bore is smaller, pistons are smaller, valves are smaller, no oil squirters, no crank girdle, over-the-top intake manifold, and there might have been some minor differences with the ignition system IIRC.

Would you be able to bore it out to CA18 specs and put a CA18 head on it? Might be nice for a core if possible.

Yes, the block casing is the same, the CA16 just has REALLY thick cylinder walls, LOL!

Interesting. So why don't people use these more often?

Because they only made them for one year and so they're not common? I've never actually even seen a CA16 in real life.

The CA16DE looks like the CA18DE, but in the U.S. pulsars, the CA16DE was only available for 1987 pulsar SE. Most parts from the CA16 and CA18s respectably are the same except pistons, HGs, etc. Bearings, pumps, seals, timing belt and parts and even head bolts are interchangeable.

I wish I'd asked this earlier. There was a cheap one here a while back. Seems like a good way to get a freshly bored block for stock pistons.

I think they lack oil squirters though. Something to keep in mind if you're wanting to use stock pistons.

For the individual that must have oil squirters, you can actually add oil squirters to whatever block you want to. The CA blocks have enough casting to make this happen (experience taught me this ). If you can tune, your pistons can survive without them. And if you can really tune, you can take a CA18DE, convert it to a turbo application and get reliable/modest power out it. Just like float, you'll have high compression to give you good low rpm torque and the added power from the turbocharger will compliment that in the range of 2800rpm and beyond. Again, if you can't tune, don't even bother. Just get you a stock CA18DET and go from there.

Good point. Right now I'm using stock tuning @ 9 psi. I want to got 15 PSI one day, but replacing engines sucks.

This block is so rusty, though, that it wouldn't be the end of the world. I have a medicine bottle full of chunks from the drain on the block. This is after vinegar and scraping through the freeze plug holes.

Runs great, though.

Intake and exhaust cams on the CA16 have 8.5mm lift, as opposed to the CA18's 7.8mmIN/8.5mmEXH. They all have the same 248-degree duration, but the timing on the CA16's intake cam is the same as the intake cam on the CA18. Swapping to CA16 cams is the same as the double-CA18-exhaust cam swap, but does not require degreeing the (exhaust) intake cam to account for the different cam timing one would get by swapping their stock CA18 intake cam with the CA18 exhaust cam.

I did a bunch of measuring and took pictures if anyone cares. Its probably on the internet somewhere...

Also I am not dead, if anyone was wondering.

I'd be interested in seeing what you found. Thanks