Some "FYI" for people buying CA's

[minutericesentra]

I just found out recently that my DET is not what I was expecting and I think everyone should know all the differences between the different versions of the DET's. Ok, first of all, when I bought this engine (AWD CA18DET)I knew that I was getting the earlier version since it didn't have an intercooler sitting on the valve covers and I was aware there were differences in the head concerning the intake manifold, what I didn't know was that the crank girdle did not come on this version and the intake valves are smaller than later versions and this version has a different shaped combustion area(I guess that's what it's called) on the head, which leads me to think that I may have problems with valve/piston interference when I go to put on a different head. Here are some casting #'s and stuff:

DET block- "D42"DET head- "D42 2L"DET in. valves- "41"DET ex. valves- "41"DET crank- "D4240"DET rods- "D4240-2"DET pistons- "D4210"

Here's some #'s from my CA18 pulsar:

DE block- "D42"DE head- "51E 3R"DE in. valves- "51"DE ex. valves- "64"DE crank- "D4240"DE rods- "D42-2"DE pistons- "51E"

So basicly I've got a DE bottom end with oil squirters and turbo pistons, I'll check the rods tomorrow and see if I got ripped there too, I hope this info helps people avoid being in the same dilema i'm in now, I'd like to thank Dee for helping me out so far, he's been invaluable with helpful info, if anyone else can throw up some more casting #'s or some other way to compare the different CA's please feel free. Here's some pics-http://community.webshots.com/...uhybdshould have some more pics up later too.

[slw240sx]

i thought the det block was a DE block with piston squirters turbo pistons,crankgriddle , and rods?

[boost_boy]

The rods are the same as the DET units; just you're missing the girdle. Get a girdle from someone as well as the main bolts and call it a day on the bottome end. I've used the older DET pistons in one of my engines with historical success, but I didn't disassemble the motor, so I wouldn't have know it didn't have a girdle in it.

Dee

[pulsar gtr]

My first none intercooled det FWD came without any crank gridle.I think they only applied the gridle on the 1988-1991 engines, which has the same block/crank/gridle as the pulsar ca18de in North AmericaIf you decide to get a gridle for your engine, I think you need to replace the oil pan as the det oil pans are longer than the dePULSAR GTR

[minutericesentra]

i thought the det block was a DE block with piston squirters turbo pistons,crankgriddle , and rods?

That's also what I read, but that's not what I found in this case, no crank girdle here and the rods are the same as far as I can tell besides the # on them.

The rods are the same as the DET units; just you're missing the girdle. Get a girdle from someone as well as the main bolts and call it a day on the bottome end. I've used the older DET pistons in one of my engines with historical success, but I didn't disassemble the motor, so I wouldn't have know it didn't have a girdle in it.

Dee

I probably will snatch up a crank girdle, so I can find one on any RWD CA? I didn't think the pistons would really be an issue, just wanted to be sure.

My first none intercooled det FWD came without any crank gridle.I think they only applied the gridle on the 1988-1991 engines, which has the same block/crank/gridle as the pulsar ca18de in North AmericaIf you decide to get a gridle for your engine, I think you need to replace the oil pan as the det oil pans are longer than the dePULSAR GTR

Hang on, the pulsar is supposed to have a crank girdle too??? Mine didn't, am I just getting really screwed here or something? I was wondering about oil pan clearance as well, I won't even get to that point for a while though.

Ok, I added piston and rod #'s up there, the rods have different #'s but appear to be exactly the same??? Here's a pic-

[pulsar gtr]

Nissan pulsar with ca16de didn't come with a gridle, only the ca18de pulsar did.

PULSAR GTR

[minutericesentra]

That's gay, my DE doesn't have a crank girdle, maybe they just had that in canada, not the US?

[SSSCA18DET]

Local Aussie CA18de's didn't come with a girdle, only CA's here with the girdle are the S13 engines.

The AWD motors (FWD) didn't have a girdle in the early non intercooler version, unsure of the later model though.......

Can anyone clear this up?

[Draynag]

I dont know what a crank girdle is. Can you post a pic of one or the FSM page scan?

[minutericesentra]

This one has one-http://www.ratdat.com/B12turbo/400_3150.jpg

This one doesn't-http://community.webshots.com/...DCUbH

[nab911]

What exactly is the crank girdle?

[boost_boy]

What exactly is the crank girdle?

THe crank girdle supports and strengthens your bottom end!

And that picture was of a nasty CA18 bottom end. Anytime you see a crank girdle being black with burn oil, that engine has been thrashed and neglected over a long period of time. Rods and mains are on their way out the door.

Dee

[r34 gtr]

i was about to say.. my crank girdle is perfectly clean, you cant scrape any residue off it to save your life.

- tim

[cortina-mk1]

here is couple of pics for those who dont know what the girdle looks like

pic1

[cortina-mk1]

and another

pic2

[minutericesentra]

Mmmm... eye candy, what kinda goodies you got in there?

[Draynag]

Alright!!:ylsuper

Great pics, thanx.

So its basically reinforcement of the mains, so the crank doesnt want to torque out of place? I hope i understand it right.

BTW, i compared the same diagram of the DE and DET FSM.It didnt have any explanation, just showed the girdle bolted in or not.

[minutericesentra]

yep, you got it, it helps keep everything in place under all those hundreds of horses, Some people say the DE is supposed to have one and some people say it doesn't, I didn't have one on mine, maybe it's a regional thing?

[NeedCAforS13]

my pulsar fsm shows no crank girdle... its for an 1988 Pulsar with either the CA18DE or the GA16DE... the rods also look small, but that could just be the picture:)

Sean

[minutericesentra]

It's not the pic, the rods are ridiculously puny looking, I can't believe they put the same rods in the early DET's! And that's GA16i not DE which means yours is for an '89-'90 pulsar since the non SE pulsars in '88 had the E16i, the same indestructible engine that's in my sentra. I don't see anything about a girdle in my '88 pulsar FSM either.