1986 XE S12 - Project Serenity

Wonderingraven · 07:05:59 PM / 21-Jan-17

When I get a moment, I will be switching from the V belt system back to the W belt, on the side note the W style Alt is failing just a reminder for myself and I do not have a replacement at this moment in time.

When complete I can finally time it correctly.

Wonderingraven · 08:56:26 PM / 07-Apr-17

Well after all of that I am pulling the bartco motor and seeing if there is something I can do either with the other ca18 or bring the ca20 down to the machine shop to fix the cracks.

The bartco motor wont start even at the normal TDC, it needs to be set at +60, and even then I can't time it. (technically 1/4 off of TDC)

Wonderingraven · 11:41:46 AM / 12-Apr-17

Well more comparing between motors, I have pulled the ca18e out and did a rotation test and the rods seem to have 2" less travel in the ca18et than the ca20e I should have taken pictures with the measurements. but I am not sure if the ca18 / ca20 rods are that different, crank, and / or pistons I am a bit confused at this point but this is a mysterious ca18et motor from the start.

Back to going all out on the ca20e block I've put the head but installed the cam / cam gear for the ca20 on this ca18e head as they are the same heads all around. In theory this should be like a fully rebuilt system since it is in theory rebuilt.

CA20 block I thought I had blown up from the head gasket failure but that was a mistake on my part.

2/3 of the motor has been assembled and installed adding in the accessories and should be able to fire it up either tonight or tomorrow night after work.

Wonderingraven · 02:37:00 PM / 15-Apr-17

and she is now working.

https://youtu.be/9yNcI2WbJZg

CzechSilvia · 01:24:58 AM / 16-Apr-17

As for not being able to set the timing, is the only problem that the timing lines on the crank pulley and the arrow on the lower timing belt cover don't line up as they should when the engine in fact is on TDC? If so, try to get the bolts out of the crank pulley and rotate it. The crank pulley assembly on mk1 engine is not foolproof, it can be assembled wrong. Not sure about a mk2 engine, it might be the same...

Wonderingraven · 11:45:36 AM / 16-Apr-17

the timing is different from the ca18et and ca20e to the ca20e ecu, so I swapped out the ca blocks and it is now running just fine.

Wonderingraven · 09:04:19 PM / 30-Apr-17

On a new note, she is working good. I took a nice test drive and worked out great no issues, no hesitation just like she would before.

Here is a walk around video.
https://youtu.be/_DE7A6Tk574

sideways_s12 · 11:00:19 PM / 06-May-17

2 down 1 to go! nice work!

Wonderingraven · 11:17:34 AM / 17-May-17

So I have did some investigating, and turns out my exhaust manifold gets almost 800F and my head is also pinged that high as the heat from the exhaust is also hitting the head.
This I believe what warped and damaged the previous head. I might proceed with a header wrap after tuning down the advancement as per suggested.

After that I am going to work on prepping some A/C install as I have a stock piled parts and going with propane as an r12 replacement.

CzechSilvia · 10:57:45 AM / 20-May-17

I wonder how significantly the cylinder head temperature will change after you wrap the exhaust manifold. I think most of the heat on that side of the cylinder head must be from the exhaust gasses going through the head to the manifold.

Wonderingraven · 12:08:59 PM / 20-May-17

That is the same question I've asked myself, will know more when I have the time to do it.

Wonderingraven · 12:38:15 PM / 19-Jun-17

Drove it out of an emergency this morning to acquire a replacement battery for my 350z.

My Maf fell off going to the gas station my tube is also in bad shape so I am going to research if I can just install a custom CAI instead of this long black oem.

sideways_s12 · 08:06:47 PM / 24-Jun-17

I've seen people use the aftermarket pipes on them so you should be good...

Wonderingraven · 11:16:48 PM / 27-Aug-17

I did a thing and fixed the intake a bit.
Used a few items that wasn't with the intake for the ca20e and it works great so far.
https://youtu.be/sJdJi_a0q-8

CzechSilvia · 07:30:27 AM / 28-Aug-17

I see you have already wrapped the header. Did it affect the cylinder head temperature?

Wonderingraven · 07:35:46 AM / 28-Aug-17

Yeah, it doesn't get as hot as it did before if I recall.

Wonderingraven · 05:10:23 PM / 23-Oct-17

I have to wrap the headers better but so far everything smooth except for a strange metal on metal noise from the transmission.
I couldn't see if there was an issue or not but I also had a small leak in the rear of the motor.
I pulled the transmission out and checked and safe keeping replaced the clutch kit, with new clutch release bearing etc... the old ka stuff retrofitted to the ca20 was about to go anyways and the pressure plate is a bit oldish.
I had a new clutch kit so I spent over 8 hours on sunday pulling the transmission, install clutch and remediating all the leaks I had and put it all back together.

Needs more gas but I also re-registered it with new classic vehicle plates.

Wonderingraven · 02:33:39 PM / 06-Dec-17

2018, Serenity is going to get a change.

Right now I am in the process of doing a few things here.

the main plan is down to 2 cars together 1 350z and 1 S12 so that means I need to rid myself of the current collections

Project Fairlady Silvia,
SEv6 is technically the drift missile because of the structural damages it has before I owned it and it was covered up and as the vg30 parts are already hard to come by and no actual bolt on kits to go turbo and such I will most likely retire the shell and either hold onto the motor for a future swap or sell to a local ratsun guy.

Black car going back to Jason (Sideways_s12) the idea is to get it back up and running with the ca18det and I acquire the orange s12 that he has in which if I acquire that, it will most likely be the ca18det my car #2 with the s13 conversion to the front suspension taken from the Fairlady silvia above including the rear 800lb springs in the rear, louvers from the serenity project and stereo system and then most likely sell project serenity as a running ca20e car.

Red car, I am still going to attempt to restore it to a point of a running and driving ca18et turbo car and then sell it as well.

By the end of 2018 I want to see my drive way filled with only 2 of my cars left.
if I don't acquire the orange car, the plan heads to the dark blue instead with the ca18det setup, s13 coils etc as a backup plan since it is 2/3 restored already.

Wonderingraven · 11:24:20 AM / 17-Jun-19

Quick update.
Break lights stopped working (except the trunk one) so troubleshooting comes to a halt due my brother broke my tester light and multimeter and still has not replaced them.

I am acquiring an KA24E pulled running from a friend I know. ka24e from an automatic s13, this will replace the ca20e that i have inside soon.

Wonderingraven · 09:49:04 AM / 19-Jul-19

So on 07/17/2019 I lost my mom who was also my best friend passed away suddenly from
This project has been my back burner as a daily restore project and she just got turned into my next project of focus and replacing my Z as a daily driven car.
Ever since I bought the Z my mom wanted this car for her or another one just like it due to both she loved the color and that she can actually see over the hood. She was a good driver and always preferred as stick shift over an autotragic.

This morning, I had a FB memory with this car and made this post and instead of retyping I'd figure I'd just screen shot it and post it.