buying a Ca18det

[ElijahKnapp]

i'm going to look at an s13 fastback with a swapped ca18det engine, and was wondering what to look for while i'm checking it out. the guy says it idles high(around 1400) because of a "vaccum leak". i was wondering what else could cause that and what are some easy ways to check. also just wondering what are some common things wrong with these engines that i should look out for. thanks.

[Croustibat]

do not buy it, simple as that. High idle can hide low compression and bad oiling. curing boost leak is easy, if the seller does not do it, it hides something else.

considering how old these engines are, you need to prepare to rebuild whichever engine you buy, simple as that. Prices went up some years ago, so you are looking at a 2000/3000$ price tag... in parts only (for a crank, bearings, rods, pistons, and valves)

Then add 1200$ for a turbo, 500 at least for an exhaust mani, 400 for a FMIC, 200 for radiator and hoses.

Then you can have something remotely reliable ( but you will soon want a MAF, injectors, remap, a clutch, a gearbox and a HLSD or clutch lsd).

this comes from a country where ca18det is the stock oem installed in s13. I have seen quite a lot before buying mine, and spent years modifying it.

[g35gabby]

do not buy it, simple as that. High idle can hide low compression and bad oiling. curing boost leak is easy, if the seller does not do it, it hides something else.

considering how old these engines are, you need to prepare to rebuild whichever engine you buy, simple as that. Prices went up some years ago, so you are looking at a 2000/3000$ price tag... in parts only (for a crank, bearings, rods, pistons, and valves)

Then add 1200$ for a turbo, 500 at least for an exhaust mani, 400 for a FMIC, 200 for radiator and hoses.

Then you can have something remotely reliable ( but you will soon want a MAF, injectors, remap, a clutch, a gearbox and a HLSD or clutch lsd).

this comes from a country where ca18det is the stock oem installed in s13. I have seen quite a lot before buying mine, and spent years modifying it.

you can get a FMIC for pretty cheap state side, and A GT28R is barely 1200.

I don't think rebuilding is even that expensive. Assuming the crank can be turned and the engine doesn't need a fuck ton of work, it should be less than a 1k total if that. Assuming it isn't really something stupid that is the entire issue.

(maybe it is a difference in exchange rates?)

My opinion. Bring a compression tester (you can rent them from any auto parts store) and see what the compression is. Listen for Vac leaks, they are so stupid easy to fix, I have a hard time believing that is the issue. if it was you would know where it is and fix it as a seller....

These are stout engines if you take care of them properly and are even pretty hard to kill assuming you change the timing belt on time and don't be a complete idiot about things. If the compression works out good, Then it might be worth considering, if not... pass, it isn't worth the hassle.

PS why would you change the exhaust manifold? the stocker is good for 300HP last i checked. less you are planning to build it really really hard I don't even know why you would screw with it. being LHD most of the aftermarket manifolds require work to even fit them, so good upgrades are hard to come by w/o going custom.

[Croustibat]

You can get a lot of cheap parts for these cars and engines, true, but you know most of them are utter crap. Quality comes at a price, i learned that the hard way. "buy cheap buy twice" has never been more true.

I also know the rebuild cost of these engines. Swapping bearings and hoping is not rebuilding. A crank is 700€ from nissan alone, forged pistons and rods are together are more than that. Gasket set is north of 150, oil pump is around 250, water pump and timing belt kit around 150, valves tend to need a change too. The list goes on, and that is even before paying a machinist to control and work on the block and head.

that being said, a forged CA18 is nearly unbreakable. Getting 450/500hp out of it is quite common without going into expensive fabwork. More than that and the budget skyrockets, but 700HP is still doable (without NOS, methanol, water spray nor race fuel). As long as there is oil, water, no det and breather system is clean, it won't break.

but there is no point in rebuilding it to stop at 300HP. Mine is still going strong after 220.000km of (ab)use. So either get a GWO engine (good luck with that) and do the usual stage 3 mods, or get one that needs a rebuild and go 400+. Although to be honest, i'd get an sr20 for anything north of 350hp if you want to stay jdm turbo 4 pots.
I am more and more inclined in building a cammed V8 now though :D

Now, seriously, the OP is looking at an engine with serious issues and should consider it as "rebuild needed". Frankly i would not touch it with a pole, sorting an engine can be a pain, and is surely the reason the seller says "it is a boost leak". Unless he is getting the car VERY cheap (cheap as in "a car without engine"), he should look for another one.

[g35gabby]

You can get a lot of cheap parts for these cars and engines, true, but you know most of them are utter crap. Quality comes at a price, i learned that the hard way. "buy cheap buy twice" has never been more true.

I also know the rebuild cost of these engines. Swapping bearings and hoping is not rebuilding. A crank is 700€ from nissan alone, forged pistons and rods are together are more than that. Gasket set is north of 150, oil pump is around 250, water pump and timing belt kit around 150, valves tend to need a change too. The list goes on, and that is even before paying a machinist to control and work on the block and head.

that being said, a forged CA18 is nearly unbreakable. Getting 450/500hp out of it is quite common without going into expensive fabwork. More than that and the budget skyrockets, but 700HP is still doable (without NOS, methanol, water spray nor race fuel). As long as there is oil, water, no det and breather system is clean, it won't break.

but there is no point in rebuilding it to stop at 300HP. Mine is still going strong after 220.000km of (ab)use. So either get a GWO engine (good luck with that) and do the usual stage 3 mods, or get one that needs a rebuild and go 400+. Although to be honest, i'd get an sr20 for anything north of 350hp if you want to stay jdm turbo 4 pots.
I am more and more inclined in building a cammed V8 now though :D

Now, seriously, the OP is looking at an engine with serious issues and should consider it as "rebuild needed". Frankly i would not touch it with a pole, sorting an engine can be a pain, and is surely the reason the seller says "it is a boost leak". Unless he is getting the car VERY cheap (cheap as in "a car without engine"), he should look for another one.

I can agree to some of that. 300hp is way more than 90% of the CA owners state side ever really make.... assuming they ever get them running in the first place. I doubt mine made much over 200whp, and Good god that thing was a blast to drive. Much like SR's are very capable of making power if you build them, state side a FMIC, bump of the boost, and tune are about as "built" as most will ever see (they are just going to slide it into a wall anyway). I can agree it would be much more fun and entertaining to go forge everything and stuff, just realistically he is probably on budget and a stock CA rebuild and just enjoying it for what it is, is probably more real.

I would bring a compression tester, assume that needs a build, and let the compressor tester do all the proving. If it does, then a blown engine is less than $200 shipped (in value) anywhere around the country, so figure $600 (maybe more if the shell is really nice). If it does pass a compression test, Then it MIGHT be worth poking around and seeing what the previous owner might have missed. "vac leak" is just straight dumb.... "I can install an engine, but fuck I can't figure out where it is leaking air, I wish it made a noise where it is leaking"..... Could even be just some dumb ass who tried to set their idle with the throttle cable instead of the proper valves, which is oddly common.

I don't like assuming it is dead, but I would rather bring the tools to prove to myself it wasn't in great shape. 25 year old engine or not....

Ps for what Croustibat is suggesting in rebuild costs, you could import a 89 K's almost once you factor in the price of the car. Granted it won't touch the power he is building, but it won't have a USDM/JDM slapped together harness either.