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Clocking the SR T25 Turbo

The turbo found on the SR20DET motor is an upgrade that virtually every CA18DET owner has run at one point or another. Where the CA18DET T25 turbo is good to about 12psi and looses boost towards redline, the SR20DET T25 can run around 14psi and will hold steady till redline with the .80 exhaust housing. Additionally, there are tons of SR guys swapping out their factory turbo so finding SR...

CA18DET Vacuum, Boost, Water and Oil Routing Reference

Like most Nissan motors, the CA18DET has a maze of vacuum lines that quickly become confusing to those unfamiliar with the motor. The following is a quick guide of what needs to be hooked up and where in order to get your CA18DET up running. Upper Intake Manifold (rear) Read below for the explanations and click here for a larger view. Connects to the passenger side valve cover at the front of the...

Lightweight Aluminum One-Piece Driveshaft Install on S13 240sx

Installing a lightweight single piece driveshaft on the 240sx offers a few benefits over the factory 2 piece unit. First, your driveshaft is considered a rotating mass and as such, any weight saved on your driveshaft translates into a quicker, freer revving motor. This effect is similar to installing a lightweight flywheel on your car. Second, the single piece design of an aftermarket driveshaft...

Installing a SR20DET Lightweight Flywheel and Clutch into the CA18DET.

Background Even with the abundance of OEM parts available for the CA18DET, there seems to be a very striking lack of affordable lightweight flywheels. Clutchmasters and Spec make several clutch kits for this motor but for the time being there really isn’t a true, US market, bolt in replacement flywheel. Of course, there is always the occasional JUN lightweight flywheels that pops up on ebay...

Oops, I got too comfortable with open source.

I messed up. I got so comfortable with open source software that I neglected the internet explorer crowd. To all of you using internet explorer for your browser needs I offer my most sincere and humble apology. I will go ahead and tell you what happened so the people who already live in browser bliss will know what the hell I am talking about. Basically, each web page you view is just a set of...

Introduction – What is Drifting?

According to the all knowing wikipedia: “Drifting refers to the difference in slip angle between the front and rear tires of a car. When the rear wheels are slipping at a greater angle than the front wheels, the car is drifting, or over-steering. The rear end of the car appears to chase the front end around a turn, while the front tires control the actual direction of the car.- wikipedia...

CA18DET Swap Guide (Part 1: Removing the KA24DE/KA24E)

Part 1 of the CA18DET swap guide deals with removing the factory engine from your 240sx but before getting started I will cover a little background information regarding the CA18DET motor and engine swaps in general. But first and foremost, if you do not have the Factory Service Manual (FSM) I urge you to download it now. (1989-1994 Nissan 240sx (S13 – 180sx) CA18DET) This manual can help...

Part 5: CA18DET Engine Woes, Time to Build it Better

Some of us get lucky, we import a motor from Japan, swap it into our car and drive off into hybrid heaven. But sometimes things just don’t seem right and unmistakably, as I pile the miles on my latest CA18DET, it has started to feel off. The smoke the car leaves behind after trips to redline is less concerning than the strong gas smell present at the next oil change. Since crankshafts that...

Walbro 255lph Fuel Pump Install (s13 240sx)

The Walbro 255lph fuel pump is a must for any heavily modified and/or swapped 240sx. They are inexpensive, reliable and flow more than enough fuel to satisfy the thirsts of even heavily boosted motors. Note: These procedures should be performed in a well ventilated area away from open ignition sources. (i.e. gas fumes are harmful to breath and they can ignite) Depressurize the factory pump First...

Part 4: Liquid Intercooling (The Path Less Travelled)

The CA18DET motor comes from the factory running 7psi of boost and sporting a small, inefficient side-mounted intercooler that becomes relatively useless at boost pressures above 10psi. Since project CA18DET will see two iterations, one sporting a t25 at 12psi and then a ball-bearing t28 at 14psi, the side-mount has to go. Most will choose to upgrade to a front mount intercooler (FMIC) when...

2007 Mustang GT – Hypertech vs Diablosport Predator (Drag, Drive, Dyno)

Let the games begin, the utilitarian Hypertech is ready to face off against the eloquent Diablosport Predator. Add one part extravert, an uncanny ability to be in the right place at the right time and if it exists, a gene for luck, and you’ve got my older brother. And this time he’s scored a free tuner from Hypertech to be used in his 2007 Mustang GT. All he has to do is let them do a...

DC Header Install

The KA24DE motor found in the US market 240sx is not the most powerful motor in the Nissan parts bin, however, with a few bolt-ons this motor can really come alive in its Naturally Aspirated form. One such bolt-on is the DC 4 into 1 header that yields a claimed 12hp over the stock header. Set up As with most installs, the car should be parked on a level, clean surface with the parking brake...

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