I Want Everyones Opinion Please!!! Engines

[kermit55]

i got a 4age 16v out of a ae82, comes with box, loom, computer and most of the things are still on the engine. i wanted to turbo this but come across a guy who wants to swap his ca18det for mine and a lil bit of cash his way. I'm just wondering what you guys believe is best to do? i am planning to do this conversion in a ke70 or possibly a ke55 so all the advice will help me out ALOT... also i want the car to be an all round car. but mainly fast streeter, and maybe a lil bit of drifter. also i want to get 300hp out of it but knew it would be a lil too expensive to do to my 4age so thats why i opted to do this

 

SO THE BIG QUESTION IS TO CROSS-BREED OR NOT TO CROSS-BREED?

 

 

cheers

[Rollaboy2608]

From my own experience, CA18 motors across the board are ridiculously unreliable...now wait for the abuse.....

[Xany]

From my own experience, CA18 motors across the board are ridiculously unreliable...now wait for the abuse.....

 

Depends on what you do to them really.....Protorque metal headgasket will get you a fairly reliable engine, i've had a little experience with these engines and the ones i've seen don't give up that easy. I don't know where they get the reputation that they are an unreliable engine.

[Trev]

Id prefer the 4AGE over the CA as i know how reliable they are.

 

The CA would be cheaper to mod as nearly everyone makes a bolt on for them but it all depends what you want, I myself have never seen a tuff N/A CA before :)

 

I would just go for the 4AGE as you don't need 300hp to drift, Just ask Beally...

[Xany]

The CA would be cheaper to mod as nearly everyone makes a bolt on for them but it all depends what you want, I myself have never seen a tuff N/A CA before :)

 

I don't know where you guys get the info that he wants to swap an N/A motor.....it clearly says CA18 "DET"....which would designate a turbo motor. I based my first post on the DET motor as well....i know the N/A engines can be very shitful.

 

Either way, if he wants 300hp out of one of them he's gunna have to spend some moolah on them.

Edited September 19, 2007 by Xany

[Trev]

I don't know where you guys get the info that he wants to swap an N/A motor.....it clearly says CA18 "DET"....which would designate a turbo motor. I based my first post on the DET motor as well....i know the N/A engines can be very shitful.

 

Either way, if he wants 300hp out of one of them he's gunna have to spend some moolah on them.

 

You totally missed my point, What i was getting at was it is that easy and cheap to get bolt on for a CA that you never see a tuff N/A one, Obvious that you need to read what is typed or i need to re-word what i say.

[irokin]

I think you'll find bolt-on goodies for CA18s harder and harder to come by. There's still more than the 4As but no where near as many as the SR20.

 

And sorry Trev you're making absolutely no sense....

 

CA18s are unreliable because people aren't prepared to do the work to make them reliable under abnormal conditions. RB26s suffer from terrible oil control problems from the factory. If you bolt a set of semi slicks onto a standard GTR and go circuit racing you'll likely end up with a dead motor. Therefor serious RB26 owners spend time and money solving the oil control problems. Likewise CA18s (I suspect) also have problems with oil control (going by the number of spun big end bearings Ive seen). So either you spend the time and money researching and implementing solutions or just put up with unreliable motors. You can't blame them for failing because of your neglect and abuse.

[Jordan]

CA18s are unreliable because people aren't prepared to do the work to make them reliable under abnormal conditions. RB26s suffer from terrible oil control problems from the factory. If you bolt a set of semi slicks onto a standard GTR and go circuit racing you'll likely end up with a dead motor. Therefor serious RB26 owners spend time and money solving the oil control problems. Likewise CA18s (I suspect) also have problems with oil control (going by the number of spun big end bearings Ive seen). So either you spend the time and money researching and implementing solutions or just put up with unreliable motors. You can't blame them for failing because of your neglect and abuse.

 

The CA does have an oil related problem, and that's that the head in some cases cannont drain oil fast enough back to the sump to keep the pickup submerged. This can be solved with-

• 1: A dry sump, where by oil is litterally sucked out of the motor
  2: The "Acusump" or whatever it's called, which is a pressuriesd oil resivour wich when low oil pressure is registered it feeds oil to the system
  3: Extend sump
  4: Tapping another oil drain from the back of the head on the Port side.
  

I've got an extend sump for mine, and will likley put in an auxillery oil drain. It's cheap insurance. Side note: my example makes 150RWkW on 10PSi at 8000, peak power is at 8000.

 

As for cheap reliable power, hey're great. when you get your motor, pop the head off get it faced and install a metal head gasket (saves doing it later,) RB20DET AFM, S4 RX7 injectors, RB30ET (VL) turbo fue pump, T28 and a remap and say hello to 180RWkW every day of the week.

_____________________________________________________________________

 

ON the 4AGE front NA (Which I'm doing as well in my RT40 Corona) Big pistons, big carbies and big cams (the cams are on hold for funds but the rest is being strapped together at the moment with a standard rebuilt head.) It'll be peaky, loud, cammy and rawcus. Just the way I like it. Heping for 100RWkW

 

Truth be told the 4AGE is probably a better motor, (the thing that eats me about the CA18 is that the water outlet goes though the inlet manifold.) More fun to drive, I love the scream of my CA18 on boost, sounds so racey, but then again the 4AGE have a tune all of it's own. So they are equally fun to drive, but for different reasons. CA will be cheaper to get more power from, it's also a larger motor (do not confuse with "Cheaper to mod.")

 

As for which is a better swap

Cost can't be a deciding factor. I couldn't decide so I've got both :)

 

Cheers

jordan

Edited September 19, 2007 by Jordan

[Jono]

i think the choice between 4age and ca18det depends on

 

a) what sort of output you want from a standard motor

b) what sort of mods you will do to the motor

c) how much you want to spend

d) all of the above

 

e.g. i have put a smallport 4age in my ke20 and now i've decided to turbo it at extra expense which i'm more than happy to do. if i didn't want to spend the extra money i'd be negged and might be thinking i wish i'd put a ca18det in instead as i still needed custom engine mounts and modified gearbox crossmember and aftermarket engine management.

[irokin]

The CA does have an oil related problem, and that's that the head in some cases cannont drain oil fast enough back to the sump to keep the pickup submerged. This can be solved with-

1: A dry sump, where by oil is litterally sucked out of the motor
2: The "Acusump" or whatever it's called, which is a pressuriesd oil resivour wich when low oil pressure is registered it feeds oil to the system
3: Extend sump
4: Tapping another oil drain from the back of the head on the Port side.

I've got an extend sump for mine, and will likley put in an auxillery oil drain. It's cheap insurance. Side note: my example makes 150RWkW on 10PSi at 8000, peak power is at 8000.

 

 

OK it does sound alot like the RB26 problems (considering its pretty much a cut down RB anyway). Theres no one solution that will fix the problem. Not even a dry sump will fix it without other work.

 

You need:

Oil restrictors in the head

Enlarge oil return gallerys (drill + die grind)

Cam baffles (to stop oil being blown out to the catch can)

Sump baffles

External head oil drain

 

I can't think of any more at the moment (and ive gotta go to work) but you get the idea.

[Rollaboy2608]

Head problems seem to be the norm here. I saw on 2 seperate occasions snapped cams, also numerous broken cam gears and the normal Nissan electrical problems. Not that this is confined to the one engine type, but snapped cams?? thats in the head design

[kermit55]

ok so you guys think i should swap my 4age for a ca18det?

[kermit55]

ok so you guys think i should swap my 4age for a ca18det?

 

ok ok thanks for all the advice but i have decided to be an inbred lol... love my 4age too much.

[love ke70]

turbos are way fun. which ever way you go, so long as its turbo itll be awesome :)

[irokin]

Head problems seem to be the norm here. I saw on 2 seperate occasions snapped cams, also numerous broken cam gears and the normal Nissan electrical problems. Not that this is confined to the one engine type, but snapped cams?? thats in the head design

 

More details. Its not unusual for ANY OHC motor to snap camshafts on installation (even post install) or removal.