Tuning a ca18det

[giant killer]

Thinking about getting a s13 with a ca18det swap. My question is how easy is it to extract power from it. What is a good way to increase boost? After the normal blot ons, what is the next logical step?

[Nathan]

Well, the next logical step is certainly to run a search here on NICO, all of this stuff has been discussed a million times so you probably wont get any kind of answer other than....search. To further help you, I will now direct you to the large red button at the top righthand side of the screen

[giant killer]

i did thanx... but yu never know when someone else has something to input on the subject that hasnt already been covered.

[slw240sx]

well assuming the install goes off with out a hitch, and the motor likes to run and you get it running right before you decide to upgrade parts .. then bolting on parts isnt hard .... extracting power is just adding on better equipment like turbos ,injectors, intercoolers, or upgrading the pistons and head... its all simple and exspensive just like any other motor work out there... now tunning is the difficult part thats the computer tweaking the getting the most out of your fuel air mix before melting pistons... its not hard just time and knowledge consumming ... many of us arent to that point yet.. but for us that have done all the work on our cars, will find that as we go on this stuff gets easier for us .. we are constantly learning what works good on out setups what out motors respond to and how much they will take before selfdestructing .....

take your time do alot alot of reading of our older threads talk to some of us personally on AIm or here.. soak up as mucch knowledge around here and other car sites as you can ... you gain much from these adventures .. and itll make your experiance with motor sports more enjoyable.....

[giant killer]

thanx for the advice, and i deffiently want to know more about the s13 chassis and ca18det as well. I owned an aw11SC, my first car which got me into the whole waste my life on a car deal,(but its worth it) and I learned everything i could about it. Are there any good links to companies or dealer's where I could source parts from?

[Nathan]

my mistake...there is just so many stupid people that ask questions that have allready talked about who dont search If you did, then good job...turning up the boost isnt too hard, you could just use a manual boost controller which is quite cheap, or you could go with a more expensive and nicer electronic boost control. The stock turbo is good up to around 14psi but the sidemount intercooler sucks so a good upgrade early in the game is to get a front mount intercooler. There are lots of options for good intercoolers, you could spend a bunch and get a blitz or hks or something, or you could even junkyard it and use a starion, supra MKIV, or Isuzu NPR core and then fab up some custom piping for it!

[giant killer]

yah well I've been looking at buying a ca18det powered s13. He already has a FMIC and a manual boost controller. How much boost can I turn it up too before the t25 starts becoming inefficient? He also has a apexIafc, z32 pump, overbored TB, mines ecu, dont know if I am going to purchase them with the car. So how much can I turn it up if it was stock?

[Nathan]

not much higher than 14psi, I'd limit it to that if you have any hope of it lasting...besides, much more and it's out of its efficiency range and nothing more than a heat pump.

[giant killer]

not bad for stock i guess. I am am am used to having only set boost levels, and the IC's in the aw11 are pretty bad for heat soaking so used to it. I would probably do the water squiter mod i saw since where i live it can get pretty warm. What companies make good rads. for the s13? Would they have to be ca18det specific of could i just go to the wreakers and find whatever fits?

[drumma022]

Alot of power can be made without doing anything to the engine per say... with bolt-ons, it has been proven for the SR to hit 400+ rwp at 18psi...

[paul_s13]

Alot of power can be made without doing anything to the engine per say... with bolt-ons, it has been proven for the SR to hit 400+ rwp at 18psi...

I have trouble believing some of the power figures that fly around the states, I just don't believe that figure at all, A friend of mine done a piston on his SR with only 340bhp @ the fly and the fuelling was spot on.

Unless your BHP measurement (SAE) is that much different from the European standard (DIN).

[Siddhartha]

We have dyno slips....

[rtsol]

i dont know about the uk, but in australia, the chassis dynos absorb ALOT more power than the ones here.

[paul_s13]

That could be it, a friend of mine found a conversion factor for DIN to SAE and it worked out that my car has 400+bhp

[Nathan]

Yeah, from what I've seen of you guy's power over at http://www.sxoc.com you have a lot less than guys in the US but have the same modifications, there must be a difference in dyno's or you crazy brit's just lack the skill

[paul_s13]

there must be a difference in dyno's or you crazy brit's just lack the skill

And the motorsport capital of the world is.........the UK :pface

[boost_boy]

yeah, 400rwhp@18psi from an SR20DET is kinda pushing it! I'll give it at best 360rwhp, but 400rwhp is abit high for those motors. My friend put out something like 350ish rwhp@18psi and "POOF" went the SR20:D

[Nathan]

I was just joking around paul no offense meant! BUT, we do have ya'll beat in the pickup truck department!! not that it's really something to be proud of...

[paul_s13]

I was just joking around paul no offense meant

None taken mate! I was mucking around too

[boost_boy]

That car looks hard, Paul!

[paul_s13]

That car looks hard, Paul!

Thanx!

I had trouble getting a decent screen grab, hence the dodgy quality