RB20DET Vs CA18DET

[floodshark]

If not then decide to go from there, people seem to have much higher power outputs in mind when they go for engine swaps then they really need (IMHO).  If i was you i'd probably drop in the CA, get around 130rwkw (a nice power figure that is achievable on all stock gear), use it like that for a while as you sort your suspension, brakes, cooling and all that jaz.  Then when everything is good then start chasing more power.

Exactly, my STi is stupidly fast and it looks all fun with that big 300hp,but when all is said and done its only putting around 220-230hp to the wheels and the damn thing weighs a good ~3400 pounds. For a car as light as the S12, putting 300 at the wheels for just street driving is a bit excessive in my opinion.

[Radracer_S]

From what I've read about your comments on which to get Smalltar_The_Impaler, ask yourself, "Am I a weeked warrior or testosterone hulk?" Cuz it does answer the your question. Fastasy did a good job on explaining your options. If this is going to be your daily driver, I would go with ca18det. Why the rb20det besides the price? I hear kids doing these swaps "just for bragging rights" PLEASE! Wait till you go a bend, I say. Then they change the subject. lol

[Smalltar_The_Impaler]

Yeah, it's true that bigger isn't always better, and the fact that I have to use the car as a daily driver as well means that a smaller, more fuel efficient engine is better therefore, I'll go for the CA18. It's the swap that makes more sense for what I need anyway. Now all I need is to find a cheap 200SX somewhere nearby.

[ravenS13.5]

The KA series? Nah, I prefer engines that weren't carved out of stone by angry mexicans.

That's just wrong dude. At least give credit where it's due. There is a guy on kat.org that is dynoing over 718hp to the wheels. There was already a guy that drove and still drives a 500hp ka-t on stock internals for over a year with no problems. Those angry mexicans know what they are doing amigo. I think you are smart to go with the ca18det personally....just lay off the ka. They are fine for some of us. CA= batch fire system at high load for the win...lol. There's some computer power right there...hehe

Sorry, not trying to pick a fight......I just get tired of people bashing ka's....sorry, I knew you were joking...

[Smalltar_The_Impaler]

I suppose for a 2.4L 4 banger they're not that bad, I'm just kinda pissed that they didn't give us a SR20DET in north america (in the 240SX). I mean, maybe if they gave us an option between the two engines or something, I wouldn't be so bitter about it, but the 240SX is just such garbage compared to the Silvia. horrible suspension, 4 Bolt pattern , no LSD in a bunch of models, and I bet you they were extremely close to giving it drum brakes just for kicks AND THEN THEY GAVE IT A TRUCK ENGINE!!! I mean, I suppose it's not the engine I hate, it's the 240SX. They took a normal S13 and they made it worse. That's an atrocity, and now it's stupidly overpriced just cause... Errrgh. Err, sorry about going off. Must... think happy thoughts.

[Nebuchernezzer]

lol they could have given you the CA18DE Q's, then you'd be pissed .

[Smalltar_The_Impaler]

w00t? It was a DE? I thought it was a DET. Well, I suppose it could have been worse then.

[Nebuchernezzer]

There were 4 engines offered in the S13 (CA18DE, CA18DET, SR20DE & SR20DET) in japan and two in the S14 (SR20DE & SR20DET).
As far as i can tell the US got basically the non turbo (Q's) spec with the KA24 substituted for the CA18DE or SR20DE.
Better then a jap spec Q most likely with it's larger capacity.
Silvia Q's aren't exactly firecrackers...

[Smalltar_The_Impaler]

True, but did they also have that wonky suspension. Seriously, the US 240's on stock suspension drove a lot like like Volvo 240's. Wavy, wafty and with Hicas, dangerous.

[Nebuchernezzer]

No idea i've never driven an S13 on stock suspension, most stock one i've driven was my mates SR20DET 180sx on lowered springs, it felt fine, not to different to my S12 on aftermarket springs with brand new shocks actually.
Stock suspension after 15 years or so is pretty crappy anyways, just upgrade it.

[AkiraS12]

Hate to tell you, but JDM S13s had 4x114.3 bolt pattern too. What does a bolt pattern have to do with anything anyhow? The KA24 is no laughing stock either, you can get some serious numbers out of it. The torque alone is what makes it great.

[Smalltar_The_Impaler]

Well, it's not like it's a big deal, but the car was designed to be sporty... I mean, in coparison, my old Festiva had four bolt pattern. It's just on of those things that symbolizes sportiness. I mean, you don't see a Skyline or a Supra with four bolt wheels, do you? Ehh, in the end everything I'm saying is unfounded and pointless anyway, I'm just pissed off at the car because it's nothing I was hoping it would be. To me, it was just a dissapointment.

[Julie]

the vg30e cars are 5 lugs. the other 2 variations we got here are too slow to need a 5 lug in stock form, guess nissan decieded that

[Radracer_S]

the vg30e cars are 5 lugs. the other 2 variations we got here are too slow to need a 5 lug in stock form, guess nissan decieded that

I assure you julie that gregorio's VG30e stock is not slow. I had a hard time going up the mountain trail and keeping up with him.  

[Nebuchernezzer]

Non turbo skylines are also 4 stud, only the top of the range R32/R33 Turbo GTSt/GTS25t variants and GTR got 5 stud .  The other models (around 6 of them) got 4 stud.  Even the 'everything except a turbo' GT models got 4 stud.

[ravenS13.5]

I suppose for a 2.4L 4 banger they're not that bad, I'm just kinda pissed that they didn't give us a SR20DET in north america (in the 240SX). I mean, maybe if they gave us an option between the two engines or something, I wouldn't be so bitter about it, but the 240SX is just such garbage compared to the Silvia. horrible suspension, 4 Bolt pattern , no LSD in a bunch of models, and I bet you they were extremely close to giving it drum brakes just for kicks AND THEN THEY GAVE IT A TRUCK ENGINE!!! I mean, I suppose it's not the engine I hate, it's the 240SX. They took a normal S13 and they made it worse. That's an atrocity, and now it's stupidly overpriced just cause... Errrgh. Err, sorry about going off. Must... think happy thoughts.

So, I'm curious...tell me all these "suspension differenses(chuckle), between the usdm 240sx and the JDM silvia? The brakes on SOME models is different....and yes a few models came with LSD...but so did some here. And the "TRUCK" engine you say?....the Ka24de was first used in the 240sx...not the truck...it had a carbed ka24e for a few years after the de came out. So the truck had a 240sx engine. Please know what you're bashing before you do so, thanks. I really doubt you've done more than surf the "net", to come up with this kinda half-knowledged kinda hatred for an engine that we were lucky to have compared to what the other guys said the silvia Q had. Also, I've SEEN KA-t set-ups putting out over 400hp to the wheels....(I happen to like KA's)...and they still kept it four bolt. Suspension is the same....save for extemely minor differences between the s13 and the usdm 240sx....please, quit bashing 240sx's and their "TRUCK" engine..Thank you..

[Julie]

I assure you julie that gregorio's VG30e stock is not slow. I had a hard time going up the mountain trail and keeping up with him.  

who?

[vg30e_x2_200sx]

I assure you julie that gregorio's VG30e stock is not slow. I had a hard time going up the mountain trail and keeping up with him.  

I think you missunderstood her. She was saying the other vatiants are too slow in stock form to warrant needing 5 lugs. Not that the SEs are slow.

[panda s12]

Well, I've decided to go with the CA18DET in the end. I've read a whole lot of information on the swap as well as pretty much any other swap into the 200, but I haven't actually done it firsthand. I'll go with the CA18 for now which will also give me some much needed experience, and tune it up with my dad as well as I can. Once I've learned a bit about it (and the car in general), it's not like I can't sell the engine and get a RB20 later. In retrospect, It's not like I need all that power. The places around where I live where I have the ability to push the car without ramming into oncoming traffic are probably too cornery and bumpy to put all that power down anyway. I'll do my research and for the rest I'll be depending on your Guys' help. BTW, thanks for all the info.

go supercharged vg33 now thats unique

[Smalltar_The_Impaler]

Non turbo skylines are also 4 stud, only the top of the range R32/R33 Turbo GTSt/GTS25t variants and GTR got 5 stud .  The other models (around 6 of them) got 4 stud.  Even the 'everything except a turbo' GT models got 4 stud.

Yeah, but the non turbo skylines aren't exactly sporty. They weren't turbocharged, had four doors and most of them sold were automatics. That's kinda what you bought if you wanted a skyline to haul your family around in.

So, I'm curious...tell me all these "suspension differenses(chuckle), between the usdm 240sx and the JDM silvia? The brakes on SOME models is different....and yes a few models came with LSD...but so did some here. And the "TRUCK" engine you say?....the Ka24de was first used in the 240sx...not the truck...it had a carbed ka24e for a few years after the de came out. So the truck had a 240sx engine. Please know what you're bashing before you do so, thanks. I really doubt you've done more than surf the "net", to come up with this kinda half-knowledged kinda hatred for an engine that we were lucky to have compared to what the other guys said the silvia Q had. Also, I've SEEN KA-t set-ups putting out over 400hp to the wheels....(I happen to like KA's)...and they still kept it four bolt. Suspension is the same....save for extemely minor differences between the s13 and the usdm 240sx....please, quit bashing 240sx's and their "TRUCK" engine..Thank you..

Ok granted, the 240 that I owned might have not had that good a suspension being an old car, seeing that I haven't driven a silvia or a brand new 240, it was probably just a biased comment, but the fact that it very mildly faster then my pulsar (which was two years older) was not very impressive. I can't say that I'm an extreme specialist on the engine, but I'm not completely clueless. The car had pretty much exactly the same engine (the KA24E) as my friends Nissan Truck . The 240 was a 1990 and so was the truck I believe. There isn't much more to like about the fact (or so it seems) that nissan sent us a bottom of the line silvia and then dropped in an engine that was pretty much used for a truck and a small van I believe. Justifing the engine that saying by adding a turbo and upgrading it it will push over 400BHP is kinda useless, seeing that with enough money you could do the same with pretty much any engine you can find. Oh I also forgot to mention, I don't feel lucky having had the KA24E at all, I would have gladly taken the CA18DE. In the end though, I am willing to end this argument right now with no one crying over an engine, but in my personal opinion, the 240 was garbage and the "truck" engine was just Nissan's way of either being lazy about some kinda emmisions problem or giving us the big fuck you.

Hmm 15 posts down and already I pissed someone off. I should really just go do this on the 240SX forums, that would piss everyone off.