Izento's CA18DET Build Thread

Discuss topics related to the CA18DE and CA18DET series engines.
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float_6969
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I hope the rods are OK! Thanks for the update


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Izento
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So I get my car back this week! It's been 2 months since I sent it to the shop (the machine shop took forever with my crank) and it's been 5 months since I got the rod knock. I'll have to baby it until I can get all of that older gas through the system as I don't really know the amount of time it takes for gas to go bad (the internet has several numbers).

I also got a can of spray paint that is AH3 color (maroon, or Cherry Red as Nissan put it). Hopefully it will make my white hatchback piece and front lip look half decent. More pics and news to come soon.

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Izento
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So, I got my car back a little while ago! Fresh bearings and running well. I also bought a couple of things while waiting.

It's hard to see the metal shavings in some of these pics, but once you spot how much it is (especially the 3rd pic, a whole bunch of copper), you'll realize that this filter saved my motor. I highly recommend Canton.
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Brembo blank replacements for the rear and EBC green pads to go with it. Maybe now I can lock up the E brake :)
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Basecoat AH3 paint.
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float_6969
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Glad to hear you're back on the road!

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Izento
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Here is my lip that I painted. I used 100 and 150 grit sand paper, then 1 coat of primer, 1 coat of paint and 1 coat of gloss. Came out pretty good and not too deep or too shiny, so it can match with my 20 year old oem paint.

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Izento
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Bought a new OLED commander (I tried rewiring the commander I had, but it looks like it's for the wrong ecu or something). Also bought a Prosport oil pressure gauge.

So far, the car is very close to having its tune done, but it broke down today cause of a dead fuel pump -_- Will have more news next week when I get it up and running again.

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Izento
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Damnit, turned out to be a popped fuel pump fuse -_- Wasted a Triple AAA tow, lol.

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float_6969
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How are you planning on tuning that FC?

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Izento
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float_6969 wrote:How are you planning on tuning that FC?
My local tuner is reputable with tunes, so I'm going to him. He already has tuned a PFC for a CA18 that ran in the Pro-AM and it didn't really blow up, so I have confidence in him. I'm thinking, 15 lbs of boost, nothing crazy, ~250 hp since I don't have pistons.

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float_6969
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Ah, OK, if you have a tuner that has the software to tune it, they're a great way to go. I had one and it was great out of the box and for small changes like MAFS and injectors, the handheld programmer worked, but for anything else, it was useless.

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Izento
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The results are in! A little less than I expected, but I'm still shocked when I step on the pedal, lol.

Pon Cams
Godspeed FMIC
Z32 MAF
Stock internals
Isis RS3871 at 15 psi
Stock manifold
2.5" downpipe & exhaust

225 whp / 205 tq Mustang Dyno

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float_6969
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I think with a little tuning and a boost controller, that rough spot could be cleaned up, and the top end wouldn't taper off. From the look of it, you could easily run that engine out another 500-1000rpm if the boost wasn't tapering off in the top end. Those PONCams help with the top end a lot more than I would have expected!

Overall though, that's a good looking dyno graph!

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Izento where are you located at? Nice dyno btw

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Izento
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Washington State. It's pretty cold up here right now, 42 degrees at 2:49 PM. So with that in mind, I might need to get it retuned in the summer.

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IggyEGuana
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3" exhaust would do wonders. Turbos hate back pressure. otherwise looking great

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float_6969
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He's not making near enough power to warrant a 3" exhaust. I would be willing to bet the back pressure on his system (post turbo) is negligible.

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IggyEGuana
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i have a 3 inch shorty exhaust with a magnaflow on a single cam CA turbo that makes 185whp. when I take it off and run open dump at the track it has more mid range and top end. Without a doubt the exhaust system is one of the most important parts. With turbos, less is more.

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Izento
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I do have a Japanese cat on there (might be harsher standards than USDM?) and my exhaust is honestly pretty s*** to begin with. All of this is definitely on my to do list. I'm not expecting massive gains on these replacements though as Float had said, my power level doesn't warrant 3" yet. And as most people seem to forget with exhaust gas, heat rises.

If all the heat rises in the exhaust but the exhaust is a large diameter, that means it will only fill up the top half of the tubing, leaving the bottom half empty. Think of what we were all taught in school, keep your head down in a fire. It's the same concept, as long as the room is big enough, you will inhale less smoke the closer you are to the ground.

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float_6969
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That doesn't really work with gasses flowing in a pipe. The turbulance of flow causes the gasses to mix. The difference is in a large pipe vs. a small pipe the velocity is lower in a large pipe.

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Izento
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I caved in and got a Catco 3" cat. I noticed that Enjuku sells them with the flanges for $150, but I'm just going to get flanges welded onto a universal one for cheaper. I'm also debating on getting the Isis MBSE dual tip exhaust. I want something more low key than a single tip canister, as I touge more than anything, but I want something that still performs at the track. I was thinking Apexi N1 as well, but I would need to find one used, as they are too expensive new. I also got some subframe spacers ordered, as I am tired of the rear shuddering when I burn out or whenever it's wet. More news to come. I'll get you guys picks of my old exhaust vs new.

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float_6969
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The owner of this forum also owns an exhaust company. new-exhaust-for-the-s13-s14-240sx-t48608.html. I have his 3", aluminized, long resonator, dual tip, and I love it. I wouldn't change a thing about it.

I've also had an Apex N1 Single and it was CRAZY loud, CRAZY expensive, and lasted MAYBE 2 years. The canister is only S.S. on the body and the tip. The BACK of the canister is coated steel and rusts out very quickly. I also had a friend with an N1 Dual that did the exact same thing.

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Izento
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Aluminum subframe spacers came in. No more wheel hop! I'll be installing these when I do my exhaust. Oh, also, I decided on the Isis MBSE 3" exhaust, I'll still get pics for you guys.

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Izento
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Got my 3" Catco Cat. Part #6907 if anyone is looking to buy one of these. This thing is massive! There is no way I even had close to 3 inch piping on my exhaust. It might even have been 2.25. I'll try and get a tape measure when I pull it.

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float_6969
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Don't ever use a 2-step/rev-limiter with one of these. I learned the hard way that it melts it and then knocks all the packing loose and shoves everything into the back of the cat and makes the engine stop running, LOL!

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Izento
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Got my exhaust today. Sadly, none of the exhaust shops around my area have exhaust flanges....how the hell does an exhaust shop not have flanges?! Anyways, ordered some through the internet and waiting patiently on their arrival. I also got my old exhaust off to check all my diameters for the proper flange sizes. My old exhaust has some terrible kinks in it that reduce the pipe to 2" along with the muffler exit which is less than 2". I'll get pics of that later.

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float_6969
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Same thing here with exhaust flanges. There is ONE really good exhaust shop here. The rest just weld everything together and don't use flanges.

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Izento
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I finally got my DIF 2.5" and 3" flanges welded to the cat! Costed me a total of about $115 compared to the $160+ I would need to spend on Enjuku and still get a 2.5" flange welded on one end.

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Weld quality isn't too bad. He definitely didn't dress them but I don't really care as no one will see it anyway. Now to install everything tomorrow. More pics to come. And yes, I'm going to get pics of that terrible old exhaust :P

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float_6969
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Another dyno planned for post exhaust?

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Izento
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float_6969 wrote:Another dyno planned for post exhaust?
I'm not that rich to do a dyno just for exhaust, lol. It would be a very interesting investigation though.

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float_6969
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I'll bet you can afford a butt dyno! LOL


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