Opinions on engine choices

Post by **rousie13** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

I was debating on what engine to put in my car next winter while it's off the road. I was debating between an SR20, CA18 and turboing a KA. What engine will be the most reliable for a daily driver and be the cheapest to get running with decent horsepower?

Post by **lessthanjakejohn** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

S15 SR20 by a mile

Pros

You wont have a lot of trouble with it breaking (almost none)It has the most recent partsIt has the most HP(out of the SRs) and can easily be upped by 10-20 for almost no drop in reliabilityYou get a sweet 6 speed

Cons:

A few thousand more.

Post by **lessthanjakejohn** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

What do you define as decent HP? 250-270? What year 240 do you have?

Do you have a nissan shop nearby?

Post by **SilviaLuvr** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

i would say go wit the S13 motor. there are more out there. there are more parts. it comes wit a 5 speed and you can get more power out of em. the 6 spd's in teh S15's are weak, your better off wit an S13 motor.

Post by **MainEvent212** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

yeah that and it has a much better flowing head than the rest of the SR's...most "potential" by far...

unless you wanna be unique and turbo a new KA...but that costs more...but earns you lots of cool points

Post by **'91 240sx** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

i would have to say s13 redtop. like silvialuvr said, ive heard the 6spds are weak and alot of times in japan they replace them with 5spds anyways, and youll have to do more customizing to get everything to fit with the s15, i think you have to customly do the driveshaft, not sure if i remember right though

Post by **lessthanjakejohn** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

First of all, He wants this as a daily driver. I guarantee many people buying CA18dets, S13 & S14 SR20dets are having all sorts of trouble because they must constantly replace worn out parts piece by piece.

Second of all, S15 trannies are in no since 'weak' I dont believe that it is possible to have a high hp car as a daily driver. If he did want one, the S13 and 14 trannies probly wouln't do much better.

Third of all. If you want 300-340 hp get a S13 SR20det and rip is apart. Replacing ever piece of composite and rubber material. Major metal replacement parts are probaly not going to be needed. Then put back the engine properly and make sure it is cleanly and thourougly done. At that point you can put on a turbo kit and an FMIC and be good to go. An advantage of this is no fancy wiring verse the S15 and you learn a ton about your engine.

Post by **rousie13** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

I do have a Nissan shop close by....I have a '91 fastback......and yeah 250-270 to the back wheels is about all I'm looking for in the end. So no one recommends the CA18? Also, I've done something like this before, so should I see if I can get someone to help me who has done this or just have it installed for me?

Post by **lessthanjakejohn** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

Whatever you feel is the best. IF you have the entire winter and are free on weekends I would do it by myself. It would be great to be able to know exactly how much time was put into your car, and you would not have to worry about shady parts/shops.

Ca18det is not worth the trouble for the power that you are looking for.

Post by **Exar-Kun** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

I like the ca18det, mostly because of its nice stable block and valvtetrain, overall its a solid motor, starts with less HP, but I like it. Im going through a KA254DET or CA18DET debate right now....its all going to come down to adam.-chet

Post by **rousie13** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

Are the CA18's pretty reliable as a daily driver?

Post by **Nathan** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

CA's rock dude

I'm a huge fan of good old cast iron, screw that aluminum crap...I'd either turbo a KA (with a rebuild of course) or get a CA. Here's how I look at it, stronger block, better valvetrain, strong bottom end with the forged con rods etc. and it revs a bit better than the SR. Basically, the only thing the CA looses to the SR is displacement and .2 liters isnt enough to matter really. You get either one and start turning the boost up and you wont see a huge difference. Also, CA's are just as reliable as any other nissan engine...they are all quite reliable if you take good care of them and dont expect to make 500hp on a stock block.

Post by **lessthanjakejohn** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

Nathan, I knew you would come here. I was saying not to get one because they wouldn't fit his needs readily. A CA is a 10plus yeaer old engine. Its going to have a ton of parts that are bad. Therefore i think it is easier to rebuild the entire thing before using it, but why for only 260 hp?

Post by **[Zero-S]** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

Exar please tell me that was a typo... KA254DET??

Post by **Cyberkreig** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

i have an S13 SR. Its a great fun car, but dont rely on it to get you anywhere. parts availabiltiy has become a big hassle. If i had it to do over i'd go with the RB25 (more power, same parts hassle), or ka24det.

Post by **lessthanjakejohn** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

What if you get someone who has contacts in japan, or someone in Japan to send you a year worths replacement parts and everything to rebuild your motor twice?

Post by **slw240sx** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

if my CA breaks somthing i goto the local auto parts store and buy it, that simple..... daily driver! sure with out much mod and with some preventitive mantience measures like with any other engine thats *cough*cough* that old... like a KA24de from a 91-94 isnt as old as say a *gasp* Ca18det from a 91-94 !! sure things break , thats why if you cant afford it dont buy it !! im daily driving mine since my KA decied to poop on me !

Post by **Onizuka** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

i dont think CA18det's were made in 91-94, at least not in the s13 chassis. because im certain that SR's came in all silvia's and 180sx's from 91 on.

Post by **lessthanjakejohn** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

slw240sx wrote:if my CA breaks somthing i goto the local auto parts store and buy it, that simple..... daily driver! sure with out much mod and with some preventitive mantience measures like with any other engine thats *cough*cough* that old... like a KA24de from a 91-94 isnt as old as say a *gasp* Ca18det from a 91-94 !! sure things break , thats why if you cant afford it dont buy it !! im daily driving mine since my KA decied to poop on me !

\

i remeber you having a **** load of problems with your car. Is it all good now?

rousie13, what have you decided?

Post by **rousie13** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

I'm still debating on the motor. Will probably depend on the total prices for the motors(poor college student). I'll probably have around 3500-4000 next winter for the motor, so not sure what will be the best route for that amount. I'm probably leaning towards the KA24DET or CA18DET to be different though.

Post by **lessthanjakejohn** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

cool, and S15 would be different too

Post by **rousie13** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

Yes it would, but that motor is a little out of my price range on this car anyway.

Post by **lessthanjakejohn** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

i know...

If you do the turbo KA will you rebuild your engine and then buy a kit or what?

Post by **rousie13** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

I was debating about getting an engine from a junkyard with low miles(not sure how good of an idea that is) and then turboing it or if I would rebuild my motor(never done any major engine work so not sure if I could do it). But if I keep my motor, it's definately getting rebuilt.

Post by **lessthanjakejohn** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

You have the entire winter right...and you can always learn to do something right...

Rebuild yours, it will be fun

Post by **rousie13** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

Actually I'm at school and just home on breaks, so not sure if thats enough time to rebuild it myself. I'm home for about a month straight during the winter though. It would be nice to say that I did that and didn't pay someone else to do it.

Post by **krazy skwerel** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

i want to be really different and super charge my ka24e ive only heard of a few people doing this. but alas it prob. will not happen and ill go ca18det cause i like the cast iron block and can get parts for it from the autozone and such.

Post by **rousie13** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

Thats the same reasons I'm thinking about going with the CA18DET and you can get the motors fairly cheap considering other options.

Post by **98TURBOKA** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

The turbo ka I have sitting in my car has been treating me right. I was always feared the availability of parts on the imported motors.

Post by **Nathan** » Sat May 17, 2003 5:37 pm

LTJJ...am I really getting that predictable? haha...I'm just a sucker for the unusual and cheap...hence the CA

If he wanted drop it in and dont touch it reliable, good power, then the S15 would be a good option, I just think the cost is a bit prohibitive. As for KA24DET's...they scare me...I think it might be a project down the road!

Opinions on engine choices

Opinions on engine choices

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