Engine Swap for a 87 Nissan Pulsar NX

Post by **RetroDriverZ** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 4:10 pm

Hey everyone,

I have a serious issue with my 87 Pulsar, its been garage kept for more than a decade and I am now the second owner. My uncle owned it and he really didnt take care of it while it was being stored and I did a few replacements to get it fully running. Then winter came and I started noticing how 5th gear pops out and had this annoying jolting while I press the gas. The colder it is the tougher the jerking gets and I am mostly tired of the popping out of 5th gear and I am on the edge on wanting to get an engine swap.

It has an E16i engine and I am aware for how weak it is as well as how unpopular it is. I have been trying to find the right engine to change it with and its difficult to find the right Nissan engine that is compatible with it including that its FWD.

I really need help in finding that engine and tranny so that I get the car running in top shape like its supposed to, the exterior and interior is in perfect condition but works like a beat up car.

I would appreciate if you guys give me some leads so I can prepare myself and try to save up. I rather try to revive it than get a new car knowing how difficult times are.

Post by **darens13** » Thu Mar 19, 2009 5:19 pm

it would be sweet to use the sr20de out of a sentra ser. for now i would do a tune up and just try to baby it until you decide what you are going to to. good luck!

Post by **RetroDriverZ** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 5:19 am

I did that already when I had the timing belt done and still did it. I just cant put up with it jerking everytime its cold out. I had some hope about the SR20DE engine, although I need to know if it matters if the engine works with FWD or RWD, or is it the tranny that matters? I wish the pulsar wasnt FWD so I can just get on with a CA18DET engine.

Post by **Gold Digger** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 5:45 pm

RetroDriverZ wrote:I did that already when I had the timing belt done and still did it. I just cant put up with it jerking everytime its cold out. I had some hope about the SR20DE engine, although I need to know if it matters if the engine works with FWD or RWD, or is it the tranny that matters? I wish the pulsar wasnt FWD so I can just get on with a CA18DET engine.

You need to find a FWD SR20DET engine out of either a early-mid 90's Nissan Bluebird SSS or a Nissan Pulsar GTi-R. Just get the engine, harness and ECU.

After you have procurred those, get a FWD tansmission from any of the FWD stateside SRs.

There was a guy I met about 6 years ago down in KC that had a FWD SRd second gen Pulsar. Stock internals, boost controller full custom turbo back exhaust, small FMIC it ran mid 12's in the quarter.

It's not cheap, but it's doable.

Post by **joecrotch** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 11:40 pm

Hey there that popping out of fifth sounds like a bad fork. Or it could just be bad trans oil I would change out the fluid in your trans for some redline tranny fluid and see if that makes a diff before you write it off. For the motor I would seafoam it get all that carbon out It really does make a difference made my 720 run like it was a brand new truck!

Post by **RetroDriverZ** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 5:16 am

Thanks guys, I have a few updates to mention though. The jerking was the vacuum hose this whole time and I am getting my tranny swapped from a rebuilt one from an 87 Sentra. I dont know if its from a 1.6 one or 1.8. I still want to swap it but I am looking into a CA18DE engine but those are really hard to find, so like which websites would have the SR20DE for FWD cars?

Post by **Mr1der** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 12:40 pm

a transversed CA18DET would probably be a more direct and time period correct swap, but an SR would be more economical in the long run

Post by **leesredgt** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 6:55 pm

Do we not have a NX section on Nico?

Post by **RetroDriverZ** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 8:44 am

that engine is hard to find mr1der, but I somewaht ran into a GA16i engine, will that be an easy fit also?

Post by **Mr1der** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 10:06 am

eh...it'd save towards an SR instead of bothering with a GA

I think the NX is grouped with the Sentra forum as they're on the same platform.

Post by **MinisterofDOOM** » Sun Apr 19, 2009 8:22 pm

GA16i would be a big waste of effort. It's a throttle-body injected motor with pretty much zero potential. Even the EFI versions aren't worth bothering with. They're dependable and easy to work on, but they're not really ideal project motors. A sideways SR or CA will have a lot more potential.

Post by **Mr1der** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 1:30 pm

SR20VE

Post by **mazikowski** » Mon Apr 20, 2009 5:54 pm

Get a CA18DE transmission out of an 88/89 Pulsar NX SE (would be best to get a whole car, possibly wrecked in the back or something so you can get all the FWD bits you need off of it) and a CA18DET from an S13. The FWD transmission bolts up fine to the RWD CA block.

The SR20 swap would be too much effort/money/etc IN MY OPINION compared to the CA18

Post by **r34 gtr** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 1:34 pm

^ Truth.

The SR was never meant for the NX chassis, and as a result, making one fit would be extremely difficult. Especially when the CA18 bolts directly in.

A CA18DET makes the pulsar NX into a cruise missile.

Post by **RetroDriverZ** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 6:04 pm

All I can say is thank you for giving me specific info, I know an SR20 swap would be a rewarding project but isnt a good idea for economic sakes, I would feel better with a CA swap for a good boost but as far anything goes I might just leave the NX how it is, for now I will just take care of it, get it run good and have all electric currents working (Dash, lights, speakers etc) and getting it repainted since its color started fading while staying at a garage for a long time.

Post by **Adayintk** » Mon Sep 28, 2009 2:29 pm

I'm going with a JDM CA18DET Turbo Nissan Silvia / 240SX Engine Swap Engine for mine and was woundering what all i will need i have. Head Block Turbo Intake Manifold Sensors Exhaust Manifold Fuel Rail Injectors Throttle Body Alternator Power Steering Pump Engine 5 Speed RWD Transmission Wiring ECU all for $1.450 dont really need the Tran's but it came with it lol.

Post by **dropitnraceit** » Thu Nov 12, 2009 3:36 am

i have a 1988 pulsar motor that i bought to put in my 87 but i sold the car the motor was bought from asap motors with 40k on it and it is still on the crate it came with never installed or touched it with any tools plus have an auto tranny to go with it the engine code is ca18de its the dohc 16v motor letme know if you r interested my number is 585-857-6649

Post by **Gold Digger** » Tue Nov 24, 2009 3:41 am

Adayintk wrote:I'm going with a JDM CA18DET Turbo Nissan Silvia / 240SX Engine Swap Engine for mine and was woundering what all i will need i have. Head Block Turbo Intake Manifold Sensors Exhaust Manifold Fuel Rail Injectors Throttle Body Alternator Power Steering Pump Engine 5 Speed RWD Transmission Wiring ECU all for $1.450 dont really need the Tran's but it came with it lol.

You bought a RWD SR for a FWD car? You do realize that a RWD engine and FWD trans won't mate up right? Or that the exhaust mani and engine mounts for a RWD engine are different than a FWD one?

Did you research what you were doing before you spent your money?

You just wasted money on an engine that won't fit unless you spend a ton more to convert your car to RWD.

Post by **RetroDriverZ** » Thu Dec 10, 2009 1:41 pm

Once again its winter and alot has been done on the Pulsar NX, now I have a huge issue with it existing in this weather, my car constantly jerks and it feels like it wants to totally shut down, I press the accelerator and it feels like im being pulled back at times. Could it be because its a carbourated engine and it cant take conditions below 10 degrees? I was looking into putting a CA16de fuel injected engine and i would love it if someone can just give me a straight answer about how difficult would of be converting my pulsar nx xe to an se model? its the same year same model what big adjustments should I be aware of?

Engine Swap for a 87 Nissan Pulsar NX

Engine Swap for a 87 Nissan Pulsar NX

Re: Engine Swap for a 87 Nissan Pulsar NX (RetroDriverZ)

Re: Engine Swap for a 87 Nissan Pulsar NX (darens13)

Re: Engine Swap for a 87 Nissan Pulsar NX (RetroDriverZ)

Re: Engine Swap for a 87 Nissan Pulsar NX (RetroDriverZ)

Re: Engine Swap for a 87 Nissan Pulsar NX (joecrotch)

Re: (Mr1der)

Re: (leesredgt)

Re: (RetroDriverZ)

Re: (Mr1der)

FN-QR

Re: FN-QR (r34 gtr)

Re: Engine Swap for a 87 Nissan Pulsar NX (RetroDriverZ)

Re: Engine Swap for a 87 Nissan Pulsar NX (RetroDriverZ)

Re: Engine Swap for a 87 Nissan Pulsar NX (Adayintk)

Re: Engine Swap for a 87 Nissan Pulsar NX (RetroDriverZ)

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