CA21DET Build

Discuss topics related to the CA18DE and CA18DET series engines.
1200ute
Posts: 39
Joined: Thu May 06, 2010 1:44 am
Car: Datsun 1200

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Is the clutch ca or cd specific? Could you let me know where you bought it?


tommey
Posts: 367
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 12:12 pm
Car: S13 ca18det

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No, the clutch is universal so you would have to modify your flywheel or make a new one.
I bought it via Erics performance.

Edit: You have to add material to the ID on the CA flywheel to make this work, but the CD flywheel has enough material and is more suited for this purpose.
I use cromoly flywheels because its safer.

blownhemi
Posts: 296
Joined: Tue May 19, 2009 3:39 am
Car: S13 200SX CA18DET HX35
Location: Hungary, Eu.

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tommey wrote:No, the clutch is universal so you would have to modify your flywheel or make a new one.
I bought it via Erics performance.
What kind of splines do the discs have? How are you matching them to the transmission input shaft?

tommey
Posts: 367
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 12:12 pm
Car: S13 ca18det

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24x1, "standard" Nissan spline.
You order the discs with the spline you need.
What do you mean with matching the discs to the input shaft?

blownhemi
Posts: 296
Joined: Tue May 19, 2009 3:39 am
Car: S13 200SX CA18DET HX35
Location: Hungary, Eu.

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tommey wrote:24x1, "standard" Nissan spline.
You order the discs with the spline you need.

What do you mean with matching the discs to the input shaft?
I thought the discs you get with it were some kind of "universal" as well. It's all clear, then.

tommey
Posts: 367
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 12:12 pm
Car: S13 ca18det

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I find it odd that you US guys dont seem to use these clutches more.
They are very popular over here and in motorsport internationally.

blownhemi
Posts: 296
Joined: Tue May 19, 2009 3:39 am
Car: S13 200SX CA18DET HX35
Location: Hungary, Eu.

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tommey wrote:I find it odd that you US guys dont seem to use these clutches more.
They are very popular over here and in motorsport internationally.
A $600 clutch plus a custom flywheel for 1arm+1leg may be hard to justify, when a $350-400 SPEC or ACT holding 500Nm's of torque is enough for 95% of the import mod people.

But 1200Nm holding capacity with streetability for just $600 is definitely a good deal, except the custom flywheel part.

How do you make your own flywheels? Put a 20"chromoly disc (is there such a thing?) on a lathe, and turn it down the way you want it, then hammer the starter ring on it? Is that your self-made one in that picture, with the clutch assembled?

tommey
Posts: 367
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 12:12 pm
Car: S13 ca18det

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Agreed regarding it being overkill for many projects, another thing is that people like bolt-on solutions.

I buy a 400x40mm disc of chromoly steel and get someone to make them.
If i should do it myself it would take alot of time and i dont have all the tools needed for a job like that.
This flywheel has machined starter gear, but the normal practice is to take it from a stock flywheel.
Modifying stock flywheels i do myself, thats alot less job.

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IggyEGuana
Posts: 71
Joined: Thu Jan 17, 2008 10:04 pm
Car: 1986 200SX S12

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pretty sweet build. I think I remember you guys talking about the diesel engine on here before. If we had them in the US I'd play around with it. A bit overkill but seems like fun. Good luck

tommey
Posts: 367
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 12:12 pm
Car: S13 ca18det

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Thank you!
Anyone wants to guess what im going to make of this little 50mm thick piece of aluminium?
Image

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float_6969
Moderator
Posts: 19853
Joined: Mon Aug 26, 2002 1:55 pm
Car: CA18DET swapped 1995 Nissan 240sx (too many mods to list)
2015 SV Leaf w/QC & Bose (daily)
Location: Topeka, Kansas
Contact:

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A light saber?

blownhemi
Posts: 296
Joined: Tue May 19, 2009 3:39 am
Car: S13 200SX CA18DET HX35
Location: Hungary, Eu.

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tommey wrote:Thank you!
Anyone wants to guess what im going to make of this little 50mm thick piece of aluminium?
Honing plate?
Lower intake manifold?
Pistons?

1200ute
Posts: 39
Joined: Thu May 06, 2010 1:44 am
Car: Datsun 1200

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custom crank girdle!

boost_boy
Posts: 7162
Joined: Thu Nov 14, 2002 7:28 am
Car: B12 sentra w/built CA18DET, B12 sentra w/fully-built CA18DET, S13 coupe w/ CA18DET, S13 hatch w/CA18DET, 2002 maxima SE
Location: Miami, FL.
Contact:

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I don't know, but I hope this "Holy Grail" of a CA some day runs and perform to your liking. I truly believe in pushing the envelope a tad bit, so I'm eager to see where you are going with this. I remember one of our members from Australia with the screen name "meminto" had one hell of a build that actually got assembled, but the fire appears to have been blown out or I have missed something along the way.

1200ute
Posts: 39
Joined: Thu May 06, 2010 1:44 am
Car: Datsun 1200

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I was following Meminto's build as well, unfortunately life got in the way and he ended up parting out his vehicle. I heard that the engine ended up being sold for around $5000 to a guy with a datsun 1200 (not me unfortunately).

I agree, hopefully this build gets completed and used to the fullest.

boost_boy
Posts: 7162
Joined: Thu Nov 14, 2002 7:28 am
Car: B12 sentra w/built CA18DET, B12 sentra w/fully-built CA18DET, S13 coupe w/ CA18DET, S13 hatch w/CA18DET, 2002 maxima SE
Location: Miami, FL.
Contact:

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1200ute wrote:I was following Meminto's build as well, unfortunately life got in the way and he ended up parting out his vehicle. I heard that the engine ended up being sold for around $5000 to a guy with a datsun 1200 (not me unfortunately).

I agree, hopefully this build gets completed and used to the fullest.
He put so much love and devotion into it, but I completely understand about life. Hell, I have a very expensive and very well built CA18DET that I've never installed. It has solid lifters, Pauter rods, blah, blah, but it is not an essential for me at this time, so it just sits under a linen sheet in my garage. I'm struggling to finish the nissan sentra I'm working on now and it's due to my kids and my life and general, not the money as that is not the issue.

tommey
Posts: 367
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 12:12 pm
Car: S13 ca18det

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It`s for a torque plate :)
This project is going slow, but i am going to complete it.
I also have another CA18 project wich i would like to try with similar setup as the CD project.
Right now i am waiting for driveshaft and turbo so i can put my car together.

tommey
Posts: 367
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 12:12 pm
Car: S13 ca18det

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I started working on the honing plate, its somewhat time consuming with the equipment i have but it will get it ready soon.

Image

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I will have to use the holesaw from the other side also.
This is ofcourse only the first rough part, i will finish with the boring bar.

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louiswun
Posts: 119
Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2008 5:33 am

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I did the same thing, photo is here :)
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid= ... =640%2C480

tommey
Posts: 367
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 12:12 pm
Car: S13 ca18det

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Looks nice!
I will be using this in both the CA and the CD.
Firstly the concrete CA since thats the one i have pistons for now.

tommey
Posts: 367
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 12:12 pm
Car: S13 ca18det

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The CD crank will not spin in the CA block without modification.
I dont see the point of not using the whole CD bottom but if somebody wants to know i have checked.

CD to the left, CA to the right:

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Without girdle:

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CD crank in CA block:

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RetroRacer
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Sep 20, 2013 10:49 pm
Car: 1987 nissan 200sx (s12) coupe xe

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question Ive been slowly building up a ca20de (ca20 bloc with ca18de head) thus far in my build i have toemi( im sure i spelled that wrong) valve springs kit and cams the head has be machined and im at the point where im close to mateing the head and engine. i have allready drilled and tap holes for the new head studs and i had the water jackets enlaged to match the head but i ran into a issue with the dohc timming tensioner find a way to mount it and the correct locaton to mount it but apon a close look at the spare block i had it looks like i would be drilling in to a water jacket so i had a coustom mounting plate made at a metal shop to keep from drilling to far in the block also from ealyer test fitting a honda p13 timming belt seems to be the right size it was able to match the crank spline pattern and cam gear pattern. But heres where im stuck i need cam covers and intake manifolds, exhuast manifold and also a way to set up the ignition system so my question is what are you using or how are you gona set up the ignition system keep in mind im going from dizzy to coils? And sorry for the run on sentnce im kinda writing this in a hurry cause im at work. Thanks :)

tommey
Posts: 367
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 12:12 pm
Car: S13 ca18det

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I am using a 24 tooth wheel on the crank and 1 tooth on the exhaust cam for synchronisation.
Not using the CAS.
Not sure what i will do with the coils now, going to testfit the VW/Audi COP`s thats so popular.

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MeanGreenS13
Posts: 3483
Joined: Sat Aug 20, 2005 12:59 pm
Car: 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
Location: Ocala, FL
Contact:

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:ohno: The anticipation is killing me with this... I can't wait to see this thing burn fuel!!! Very impressive! I applaud you. I would never have the patience to do any of this!

tommey
Posts: 367
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 12:12 pm
Car: S13 ca18det

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Thank you!
I will try to post some more updates soon :-)

tommey
Posts: 367
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 12:12 pm
Car: S13 ca18det

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Finished my release mechanism:

Heres my release bearing mounted to the "adapter":

Image

Needed to adjust the distance between the bearing and the clutch so i had to make a "shim":

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Shim mounted:

Image

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The whole assembly:

Image

Now i just need to drill holes for the lines and it will be ready to go.

blownhemi
Posts: 296
Joined: Tue May 19, 2009 3:39 am
Car: S13 200SX CA18DET HX35
Location: Hungary, Eu.

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tommey wrote: I can confirm that oilpump fits, waterpump, gearbox and even engine mounts.
Im a little uncertain about the engine mounts due to the massive girdle of the CD.
I don't understand this entirely.. could you clarify it for me, please?
Do the engine mounts fit, or not, in the end?
What do you mean by girdle? The cast ribs and webbings on the outside of the block to make it more rigid?

Have you also put the block with the engine mounts onto the front crossmember as well?

Just to make sure, by gearbox, do you mean a CA18DET RWD gearbox?

Thanks in advance!

tommey
Posts: 367
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 12:12 pm
Car: S13 ca18det

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No problem! Just ask if I'm not clear on something.
They fit the block but I am not certain if the engine has to be spaced up a little from the mounts due to the massive crank girdle.
I have not test fitted it on the cross member yet.

And yes I mean the rwd CA box.

Seishuku
Posts: 498
Joined: Fri May 13, 2005 6:19 pm
Car: 1987 Nissan S12, 5-speed, SR20DE+T 50trim T3@15PSI, Megasquirt 1 029y4

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I've always wondered about using a hydraulic TOB like that... How much did that run you? I've been thinking about doing something like that for my SR (I've never liked the stock lever setup)

tommey
Posts: 367
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 12:12 pm
Car: S13 ca18det

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The unit itself costs about $250.
I have welded the stock lever hole shut because i never inteded on using that setup.


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