n/a ca18de

[ca18datsun510]

so, just finished my n/a ca swap. runs great, will be hitting up the dyno on friday night. then the mods start.

anyone have an n/a s13 ca18de ecu?

[float_6969]

is this a Jspec RWD CA18DE? (ie does it have the crank girdle?)

[r34 gtr]

awesome! i want to hear what it puts down.

- Tim

[ca18datsun510]

yeah, its jdm. i picked it up pretty cheap. figured id mess with it while im rebuilding my det. gonna try putting the na one in another 510 or a roadster once i get the turbo set up in the 240. i miss my old 510 .

[Nunook]

Im REALLY interested. tell us how its goes.

I might be picking up a ae86 and thinking about putting the n/a ca18 in it. Would be looking for 10k redline though.

[float_6969]

Im REALLY interested. tell us how its goes.

I might be picking up a ae86 and thinking about putting the n/a ca18 in it. Would be looking for 10k redline though.

Good luck getting cams to fit that will make 10K worth it.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the CA, but if you want a REALLY GOOD n/a motor, get a honda or a toyota. MAYBE an SR20VE, but that's about it IMHO.

[themadscientist]

with a header, full exhuast, high flow filter and tuning the fuel curve I got 150hp out of a CA18DE. It wasn't that impressive really but with the Toda flywheel that lil sumbitch wound out like a Gixxer and could tailgate stock RB20DETs on a roll. Higher compression, some ITBs, highcams and solid lifters tuned to perfection I think you could get a solid 180-190hp but that's about it and it will never pull strong from a dead stop.

[BMAR240SX]

How far are you from queens and how much did everything run you im highly interested in doing this swap

[davidricardo86]

Good luck getting cams to fit that will make 10K worth it.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the CA, but if you want a REALLY GOOD n/a motor, get a honda or a toyota. MAYBE an SR20VE, but that's about it IMHO.

lol. i agree! Im jealous of Honda and Toyota for their variable valve timing technology! Damn, why couldnt my old school nissan motor have it ...

Hey isnt the SR20VE the motor that have variable compression ratio? I was looking at a magazine at school, and skimmed an article on this motor. Can someone elaborate a little more on it?

[themadscientist]

Variable timing is just one more thing to break. Give me a simple well designed motor over gimmicks. When the "VTEC kicks in" it is just a few ponies, not worth the extra BS. Build the motor with the target RPM range in mind and call it done.

[float_6969]

Variable timing is just one more thing to break. Give me a simple well designed motor over gimmicks. When the "VTEC kicks in" it is just a few ponies, not worth the extra BS. Build the motor with the target RPM range in mind and call it done.

Ofcourse simplicity is always best, especially in a racing environment, but when trying to acheive this in a normally aspirated form in a street environment, The variable valve timing and lift does have it's advantages. As you should all be well aware of, VTEC wasn't invented for power, it was invented to give good fuel economy and emmissions, but not have the car be a complete dog because of it.

If you really want some impressive variable cam timing, take a look at how ferrari and porsche do it. No dual cam lobes on one shaft, no bumpy dyno curve, just good quality power making technology.

lol. i agree! Im jealous of Honda and Toyota for their variable valve timing technology! Damn, why couldnt my old school nissan motor have it ...

Hey isnt the SR20VE the motor that have variable compression ratio? I was looking at a magazine at school, and skimmed an article on this motor. Can someone elaborate a little more on it?

Unless I'm way behind on physics, I don't think this is possible unless you have the ablity to change the shape of the piston while it's in the combustion chamber.

The SRxxVE engine is Nissan's VTEC, plain and simple. Dual lift lobes per cam, hydralic activation, ect. Don't quote me on this, but I also believe that the SRxxVE is able to advance and retard the intake cam as it does in the SR20DE(T) to help give an even more flat torque "curve"

[ca18datsun510]

yeah, honda is well known for great gas mileage in their indy cars and the nsx. anyway, broke my driveshaft so no numbers yet. im gonna go again later this week.

[float_6969]

yeah, honda is well known for great gas mileage in their indy cars and the nsx. anyway, broke my driveshaft so no numbers yet. im gonna go again later this week.

LOL, I like the blatent sarcasam there buddy, real nice

OFCOURSE it has other applications, but regardless Honda, like Toyota and Nissan were all trying to build motors that would make good power and still have good fuel economy in the late 80's early 90's. Nissan and Toyota tried to vary the port velocities via various configurations of butterflies in the intake manifolds. Of the Japanese, Honda was the first that applied the variable cam lobe idea. I'm not saying, in any way shape or form, that it can't be applied in a performance application. It's QUITE obvious that it can. But that doesn't mean that a SOHC VTEC civic is a sports car either.

[tyrannix]

Unless I'm way behind on physics, I don't think this is possible unless you have the ablity to change the shape of the piston while it's in the combustion chamber.

Physics-SCHmysics, you and your 'theory of gravity and inertia' ...I NEED TO ABBERATE AT MY OWN VECTOR. ... i need to hit a harmonic at MY OWN frequency

that is all

CJ

[tyrannix]

BTW:

a SOHC VTEC civic is a sports car

blatant out of context quote FTW

CJ

edit> even better one

Of the Japanese, Honda was the first that applied the variable cam lobe idea. it can be applied in a performance application. It's QUITE obvious that a SOHC VTEC civic is a sports car.

partially deleted, blatantly obvious, out-of-context quote FTW

[ca18datsun510]

LOL, I like the blatent sarcasam there buddy, real nice

OFCOURSE it has other applications, but regardless Honda, like Toyota and Nissan were all trying to build motors that would make good power and still have good fuel economy in the late 80's early 90's. Nissan and Toyota tried to vary the port velocities via various configurations of butterflies in the intake manifolds. Of the Japanese, Honda was the first that applied the variable cam lobe idea. I'm not saying, in any way shape or form, that it can't be applied in a performance application. It's QUITE obvious that it can. But that doesn't mean that a SOHC VTEC civic is a sports car either.

the sohc vtec came out many years after the indy cars, nsx, and b series vtec motors. but its ok. i still love you.

back to the original post. i picked up a jdm driveshaft yesterday. much better then the usdm one, its got 3 u joints, instead of the 2 u-joints and a rubber piece of crap design like the usdm one.

so hopefully friday i wil be hitting up the dyno. after i may just put aon a turbo i have laying around and see what happens. the header i bought off ebay is for rhd cars only and will not clear the lhd steering. oh well.

[float_6969]

How the heck did you even get the USDM driveshaft into the transmission? Did you remove the dust sheild? If so, I hope you kept it so that you can re-install it with the JDM driveshaft.

JDM driveshaft > USDM rubber POS Driveshaft

Sometimes I wonder about those Nissan engineers. I mean, I know what it was for, and all, but still, a rubber coupler on the driveshaft? Come on Nissan....

[themadscientist]

roundeye model have no powa, rubber okiedoki!

[float_6969]

roundeye love big torque, bad efficency, gas guzzler. we give truck motor and crappy rubber dampener. no turbo for you!

[themadscientist]

I take their women instead!

[ca18datsun510]

great now this damn thing wont run right.

ca's are cursed, im still convinced.

car was running fine, i was driving it around. drive shaft broke so i stopped driving it.

then it started running like poop. hard start, no idle, breaks up under accel. i changed the coolant temp sensor, and the gauge one while i was in there. car runs a little better, but still will not idle. check the tps, and it messed up. change it, now i have idle, but its still breaking up under accel. anybody have any ideas? im not in a real rush so i called it quits for the night, but im gonna mess with it tommorow afternoon.

[themadscientist]

You might be right about the CA being cursed. Every one I have been involved with has been both the most frustrating and most loyal motor. Stick with it. I would say start unplugging sensors and running it until you find one that doesn't change the situation, that's the trouble.

[ca18datsun510]

ok. heres what i have.

n/a ca18de, jdm, running on jdm ca18det harness and computer. n/a mafs.

car ran fine when first started. then it was having trouble warming up. changed coolant temp sensor, problem fixed. took car for a ride, and broke the driveshaft. parked car. started car, to drive to my buddies house to change driveshaft in his garage. running real wierd. clean up some vac lines, throw on another tps, and set it.car runs fine, but i dont drive it.then i go to start it yesterday, wont hold idle cold. revs fine, kinda brakes up. once it comes up to temp, it idles fine, a little high. rev the motor and it seems to miss and pop at low rpms, then overcomes it and is ok. unfortuneatly miss is right in the crusiing range of the revs(not sure of the exact rpm's, tach not hooked up)its been my experience that when a mafs goes bad, it will have similiar symptoms, but will not really rev past 2500-3k.i also discovered that if i put my hand over the intake, its seems to idle a little smooter, and revs smoother but still breaks up.

plugs are good, coil packs are good.

think the turbo comp is overdoing it for the injectors?

i may try wiring up a sohc mafs tommorow, is the ca/ka sohc mafs conversion same as sr? i think the colors are different.

thanks guys, my brain is burnt right now with school, so im not having much time to trouble shoot it.

[ca18datsun510]

heyoooo!!

well i havent touched the car since this last post, i started going out with this whor.... i mean girl, and kinda forgot about it. and add school and work in the mix and its doesnt look good for the 240.

but now the good news. the girl is gone, school is done, and im back to work in my new amazing job.

got up early this morning and felt like getting reaquainted with the old girl.

after about 15 minutes i realized all my problem was is a vacuum leak courtesy of the brake booster.

so im on the hunt for one of those, then i will be moving along with some mods and dyno numbers.

[r34 gtr]

make sure you give that engine hell for me. sounds like it deserves it for all the crap it has given you. 12.5:1 compression, ITB's, huge cams and you should be set. i want to see 250whp out of it or bust!!

[float_6969]

LMAO!!! 250whp out of a NA 1.8L. Now THAT'S funny schtuff!

[davidricardo86]

Unless I'm way behind on physics, I don't think this is possible unless you have the ablity to change the shape of the piston while it's in the combustion chamber.

The SRxxVE engine is Nissan's VTEC, plain and simple. Dual lift lobes per cam, hydralic activation, ect. Don't quote me on this, but I also believe that the SRxxVE is able to advance and retard the intake cam as it does in the SR20DE(T) to help give an even more flat torque "curve"

Oh its possible and its being done already. I wasnt too sure of it either but it was about Nissan engine technology. Saab is one of the few that have mess around with this too. Pretty interesting way to do it thats for sure.

Wikipedia:"Saab Variable Compression engineBecause cylinder bore diameter, piston stroke length and combustion chamber volume are almost always constant, the compression ratio for a given engine is almost always constant, until engine wear takes its toll.

One exception is the experimental Saab Variable Compression engine (SVC). This engine, designed by Saab Automobile, uses a technique that dynamically alters the volume of the combustion chamber (Vc), which, via the above equation, changes the compression ratio (CR).

To alter Vc, the SVC 'lowers' the cylinder head closer to the crankshaft. It does this by replacing the typical one-part engine block with a two-part block, with the crankshaft in the lower block and the cylinders in the upper portion. The two blocks are hinged together at one side (imagine a book, lying flat on a table, with the front cover held an inch or so above the title page). By pivoting the upper block around the hinge point, the Vc (imagine the air between the front cover of the book and the title page) can be modified. In practice, the SVC adjusts the upper block through a small range of motion, using a hydraulic actuator.

The SVC project was shelved by General Motors, when it took over Saab Automobile, due to cost.

[edit] Variable Compression Ratio (VCR) EnginesThe SAAB SVC is a very late addition to the world of VCR engines, the first being built and tested by Harry Ricardo in the 1920s. This work led to him devising the octane rating system that is still in use today. The company has recently been involved in working with the 'Office of Advanced Automotive Technologies', to produce a modern petrol VCR engine that showed an efficiency comparable with that of a Diesel. Many companies have been carrying out their own research in to VCR Engines, including Nissan, Volvo, PSA/Peugeot-Citroën and Renault.

The Atkinson cycle engine was one of the first attempts at variable compression. Since the compression ratio is the ratio between dynamic and static volumes of the combustion chamber the Atkinson cycle's method of increasing the length of the powerstroke compared to the intake stroke ultimately altered the compression ratio at different stages of the cycle."

[dat_twinkie]

Im REALLY interested. tell us how its goes.

I might be picking up a ae86 and thinking about putting the n/a ca18 in it. Would be looking for 10k redline though.

why would you do that in the first place... the stock 4ag has a lot of aftermarket support and is readily available in the states unlike the n/a ca18de.. and parts for it is pretty cheap compared to nissan and especially honda parts... there are plenty of people who have built their 4ag to go up to 10k..

[ca18datsun510]

LMAO!!! 250whp out of a NA 1.8L. Now THAT'S funny schtuff!

mmm vtec. i love my 99si daily driver.

[float_6969]

I should have said a NA CA18DE making 250whp would be pretty damn impressive.