CA18DET stock longblock limits

[Suit]

inb4 search bash, search is giving me a page not displayed everytime I search anything about stock ca18det limits but works for other shit still, go figure right?

im planning out my next build for my coupe and I have been looking at a few things and I kind of want to dip into these mysteriously high rpm capable 4 cyl rb platforms :yum:

want I want to know is what have you ca18det guys seen and made on the stock ca longblock? as with most of my builds I will do a full gasket kit with a nice hg, full bolt ons, and whatever fuel system and management I need to support the boost, basically everything I need to conservatively make more power on this motor than it can handle (that's the point). How far have you guys taken these little buggers stock before they have thrown a rod or cracked a piston? or anything for that matter. Post up your numbers, dyno sheets, and stock motor stories! Lets see some good stock numbers!

and if there is already a GOOD discussion thread on these motors, please post a link! as I said the search button doesn't seem to work for "stock ca18det limits" right now. may just be my computer? :wtf:

thanks in advance guys!

[Croustibat]

This is a stupid question to ask, because as for all engines, it depends how you use that power, how often you use it, the condition of the engine when you cranked up power, and if you did it right or not ( supporting mods like new injectors, boost controller, bigger MAF, a real tune, no cheap ebay stuff, bigger radiator, FMIC, proper engine bay sealing, new oil pump and so on). It also depends on the conditions and on the fuel used.

Basically, a healthy CA will take around 1.2bar boost from a T28 or a gt2871r (or anything in between) and be still reliable, with hi octane pump fuel or e85, and will make between 300 and 350HP. Some people report 1.4 bar is OK, but then they either stop posting, rebuild or sell their engine within less than a year. Anyway if you really use these 300-350HP, the gearbox wont last (guess how i know)

But if you dont open the engine first, you wont be able to check how healthy it is ... its main problem comes from poor maintenance, which clogs breathers, which in turns prevent oil from going back from the head, which in turn kills rod and crank bearings.

They can push in the 500HP range with forged internals,cams, head work and a gt3071r, with e85 fuel . But this will kill the gearbox quite fast. It can also go higher, but it starts to be really expensive AND hard to do. Friend of mine is aiming for 600+ currently, with a 9000rpm shift point :D It is not his first attempt, he really knows his stuff, and he has quite a lot of parts (custom crank, solid lifters and so on). It starts to be difficult and expensive after a 450/500HP threshold though. And of course there is mobnes, who spends his time killing gearboxes in his 700+ HP CA18DET.

Thing is, if you want info on these engine, you are on the wrong forum. Find an english board, these engine come as OEM in S13 there.

[Suit]

This is a stupid question to ask, because as for all engines, it depends how you use that power, how often you use it, the condition of the engine when you cranked up power, and if you did it right or not ( supporting mods like new injectors, boost controller, bigger MAF, a real tune, no cheap ebay stuff, bigger radiator, FMIC, proper engine bay sealing, new oil pump and so on). It also depends on the conditions and on the fuel used.

Basically, a healthy CA will take around 1.2bar boost from a T28 or a gt2871r (or anything in between) and be still reliable, with hi octane pump fuel or e85, and will make between 300 and 350HP. Some people report 1.4 bar is OK, but then they either stop posting, rebuild or sell their engine within less than a year. Anyway if you really use these 300-350HP, the gearbox wont last (guess how i know)

But if you dont open the engine first, you wont be able to check how healthy it is ... its main problem comes from poor maintenance, which clogs breathers, which in turns prevent oil from going back from the head, which in turn kills rod and crank bearings.

They can push in the 500HP range with forged internals,cams, head work and a gt3071r, with e85 fuel . But this will kill the gearbox quite fast. It can also go higher, but it starts to be really expensive AND hard to do. Friend of mine is aiming for 600+ currently, with a 9000rpm shift point :D It is not his first attempt, he really knows his stuff, and he has quite a lot of parts (custom crank, solid lifters and so on). It starts to be difficult and expensive after a 450/500HP threshold though. And of course there is mobnes, who spends his time killing gearboxes in his 700+ HP CA18DET.

Thing is, if you want info on these engine, you are on the wrong forum. Find an english board, these engine come as OEM in S13 there.

"Basically, a healthy CA will take around 1.2bar boost from a T28 or a gt2871r (or anything in between) and be still reliable, with hi octane pump fuel or e85, and will make between 300 and 350HP. Some people report 1.4 bar is OK, but then they either stop posting, rebuild or sell their engine within less than a year. Anyway if you really use these 300-350HP, the gearbox wont last (guess how i know)"

and a little bit of

"They can push in the 500HP range with forged internals,cams, head work and a gt3071r, with e85 fuel . But this will kill the gearbox quite fast. It can also go higher, but it starts to be really expensive AND hard to do. Friend of mine is aiming for 600+ currently, with a 9000rpm shift point :D It is not his first attempt, he really knows his stuff, and he has quite a lot of parts (custom crank, solid lifters and so on). It starts to be difficult and expensive after a 450/500HP threshold though. And of course there is mobnes, who spends his time killing gearboxes in his 700+ HP CA18DET."

answered my question rather well, the other parts you posted were either addressed or really just not needed lol. a little more back story:

the rb in my hatch now has 30psi in the 6th cyc so while that is getting a 30 shortblock it also is being purposed for track only since I now have this coupe. The motor will be a daily, already said I would open motor with new gaskets and get new pumps which entails making sure I have a good motor (who wouldn't do this stuff when shipping a random motor from japan?), said I would have more than sufficient fuel and management to bring the motor its limits, and no it wont be with ebay parts. will be on 91 octane also. Like I said, the support to get it there and everything as such isn't in question, the question is how far the ca will go and seeing as your gearbox didn't last past 350whp, that seems like a good starting point to find where these motors limits are.

[Suit]

and this part of your post kind of bugged me


Thing is, if you want info on these engine, you are on the wrong forum. Find an english board, these engine come as OEM in S13 there.

a s-chassis forum is the wrong forum for a motor that came oem in a s-chassis?
sr20s came oem in the silvias in japan and you don't see people on this site being sent off to Japanese boards. rb's came oem in skylines and you don't see people being sent off to skyline boards, they are actually probably the most talked about platform on this site.

just saying man.

[fliprayzin240sx]

What he's getting at is that there isnt a whole lot of CA guys in here. Why? Because everybody goes SR. Its not exactly easy to find CAs nowadays, might as well one in good condition. If you go to an overseas board where people had access to 88-90 Silvias, you'd have more chances of finding folks with build info.

[Suit]

What he's getting at is that there isnt a whole lot of CA guys in here. Why? Because everybody goes SR. Its not exactly easy to find CAs nowadays, might as well one in good condition. If you go to an overseas board where people had access to 88-90 Silvias, you'd have more chances of finding folks with build info.

I realize but also feel that would apply to any motor, and dont see why that means these motors can't be discussed on the forum. not trying to start any arguments guys.

But regardless, Croustibat did answer my question;

...

Basically, a healthy CA will take around 1.2bar boost from a T28 or a gt2871r (or anything in between) and be still reliable, with hi octane pump fuel or e85, and will make between 300 and 350HP. Some people report 1.4 bar is OK, but then they either stop posting, rebuild or sell their engine within less than a year. Anyway if you really use these 300-350HP, the gearbox wont last (guess how i know)

...

They can push in the 500HP range with forged internals,cams, head work and a gt3071r, with e85 fuel . But this will kill the gearbox quite fast. It can also go higher, but it starts to be really expensive AND hard to do. Friend of mine is aiming for 600+ currently, with a 9000rpm shift point :D It is not his first attempt, he really knows his stuff, and he has quite a lot of parts (custom crank, solid lifters and so on). It starts to be difficult and expensive after a 450/500HP threshold though. And of course there is mobnes, who spends his time killing gearboxes in his 700+ HP CA18DET.

...

thank you, this fully answers my question.

[Croustibat]

[...]already said I would open motor with new gaskets and get new pumps which entails making sure I have a good motor (who wouldn't do this stuff when shipping a random motor from japan?)[...]


I'd say approx. 95% of the people posting on this board believe in the "brand new engine from Japan with no miles on it" fairy tale. I am being generous though, i think they are more than that.



and seeing as your gearbox didn't last past 350whp, that seems like a good starting point to find where these motors limits are.

Keep in mind i dont daily mine, when i use it, it goes fast and hard. I did rebuild the gearbox 3 years ago (broken reverse and 1st gear). Now it is making noise again (bearings this time). I wonder wether going Z33 gearbox when it lets go, or just slap a V8 and its drivetrain in it and call it a day. I have seen a crashed C63 AMG for sale, it might be fun ...

dont see why that means these motors can't be discussed on the forum. not trying to start any arguments guys.


I didnt mean you could not discuss it here, just that people here dont really know this engine, as it is just not available in any car except imports. In Europe, this is a standard engine, so we develop it a lot. An AMERICAN S-chassis forum, where the standard engine is a 2.4L NA truck engine is indeed not the place to find relevant information about the little CA18DET. You can try though :D

[Mikester]

To answer the OP:

A nicely built CA is an absolute BEAST when properly configured. However, note Rudi's comment (very skilled/knowledgeable builder/fabricator) about an SR being the better choice here (http://www.zeroyon.com/index.php?showtopic=42760&hl=ca18det)...

[Suit]

when down the road the 3 liter gets worn out (hope not) or I just decide to move on I would like to move into the v8 side of things, 5.3 lsx motors can hande some good numbers with some boost!!! and they are CHEAP.

Well guys since there appears to be little info on the zilvia site on the CA, might as well contribute to it. Once I get situated, around September or October i'm going to pick up a ca freshen her up a bit and get her to speed, i will shoot 350whp, this will be a little bit of learning experience for all of us. Keep i'm mind in an over 5,000 foot elevation so I probably will have to run a little more boost to get there, hopefully running a bigger turbo will help counter this somewhat but who knows we will see. As well as being a new experience with me with the ca motor, I will get to see how long it will last as a daily. even if it goes, its not like I don't have a bunch of ka blocks and trannies in my garage lol
kind of outlining the setup, should be a little something like:

-full gasket kit
-new pumps
-new timing belt
-oil filter relocation/oil cooler (have all the parts just need an adapter plate for a ca)
-intake mani
-top mount turbo kit (locally fabricated manifold externally gated downpipe and front mount intercooler) probably going to use a bigger turbo to be easier on the internals probably gt3071r
-750cc injectors maybe smaller I like to have more than enough room, high flow fuel rail, bosch 044 fuel pump, adj. fpr, accompanying lines
-as for management I will probably go with a pfc d-jetro
-then the general things like fat alum radiator catch cans tial bov and wg u-ego and failsafe and such

im excited for this guys! and i cant wait to hear how the ca sounds too, never heard one or even looked up a youtube video lol, i will save it for when she fires up! :D

[Suit]

To answer the OP:

A nicely built CA is an absolute BEAST when properly configured. However, note Rudi's comment (very skilled/knowledgeable builder/fabricator) about an SR being the better choice here (http://www.zeroyon.com/index.php?showtopic=42760&hl=ca18det)...

I completely agree that there are better platforms than the ca to build or daily, if i was going for best bang for my buck i would go rb20 for my daily since i know those will do easy 350-400whp as a daily. Main reason im going with the ca is to do something new, experiment with something i haven't seen or been around before. Its all for the experience Mikester! that's a very good link though man thanks appreciate it! (even though i had to make an account to view it lol) :wiggle: