SR20 Head

[Calvin]

Hi guys,

I was thinking of getting an sr20det engine for my s13 and it got me thinking, for the extra 200cc is it really worth buying a completely new engine. Would it not be possible for me to get the vtec head off an sr20det engine and put it on the my ca18det block. I am aware I would need to change my management to stand alone.

Any ideas or advice?

Thanks
Calvin

[Daniel]

Gosh, I don't think you could ever get that working.

What are your goals for the car?

[Calvin]

I would like to get more power out of my car. But instead of getting a whole new engine i thought i would try something different with the sr20 head dictator management and big front mounted intercooler?

[Daniel]

How much power?

CA18 with a gt2871, Nistune, supporting mods and your golden.

If you want a SR then you should get one. Either way these toys of ours are expensive.

[Calvin]

How much would that turbo and extras set me back? I was thinking of going the rb25 route a while ago but i think that will get a little too expensive.

[rat]

You cant SR20 Head on CA18

[Calvin]

Ok, thank you. How much of a difference would a front mounted intercooler make to a stamdard ca18?

[k.y.l.e.]

Get a hole sr20det motor man, you wont be sorry not to expensive and good power gains from doing surporting mods, asrk me about price wise iv been threw alot crap with my sr but thats due to buying car with motor and motor was not looked after but almost redone the hole motor over but its a awsOme motor packs a punch for 2L 4cyl 16v if you look after the motor it will not let you down, let the big boys tell you calling out Pheonix s14, and other sr gurus.

[phoenix s14]

oh geesh here goes another essay...

The SR is a great motor and so is the CA18. A lot of guys have had problems with all the different motors so saying this motor is bad or that one is not fair. The CA was and is a great motor. It has its flaws which you need to adress but so does all the other motors also. Fitting an SR is a huge deal with the wiring etc and management etc etc but so is fitting any other motor. Speak to someone from your regeon about either sorting the CA lekker or who can help with a transplant.

Personally I love and hate the SR but will always root for it as I have had about 3 or 4 different SR vehicles. Like I said before.

1.Decide what you want to do with your car first.
2.Then select the right route to suit your needs and more importantly your budget. - Too many SX/Silvia/Onevia/sileightys not running on this forum.
3.Do not attempt the "blood from a stone" technique. - a CA will never make 1000HP reliably - not many 4 pots will...
4. Be clever about the parts you do select. Dont buy Chinese crap where you can. And if you can't afford all the Jap stuff then look for quality material and maybe make your own.

Most importantly when doing any mods make sure you do so carefully and that you have the right supporting mods to backup the everything. BTW a nice intercooler setup might not make much difference now but it will in the long run. Also make sure you have the car properly tuned by someone that can. even if it is stock. A nice exhaust, intake kit, front mounted intercooler, oil cooler and tune can go a long way on a stock motor. Remeber also that when an engine produces more power it is working harder. ( well a well tuned motor vs a well tuned motor with some mods ) with everything working harder things are more prone to break. Stuff gets hotter. so make sure you upgrade your cooling, that you have other supporting mods, And do A LOT of reading, googling, searching... the answers are out there you just goto take the time and read read read...

Hope that helps...

[Drillergy]

We should make a sticky on buyers guide and FAQ's.

We had it before on the old forum.

[Calvin]

Thank you for all the advice,

I don’t really know what I want to do with the car at this stage as it is my daily vehicle. I am thinking of options and different ideas for the not too distant future when I have a second vehicle available to me. The electronic side of things will pose the biggest challenge, however the mechanical side of things will not cause too many problems. I have access to all the necessary tools and equipment to do an engine transport as I did a Lexus 1uz-fe conversion on a hilux. I was just wondering if it’s worth going to all the trouble of management for a new engine when you only gain 200cc?? ( how much do those engines go for?) Would all that effort be better spent on an RB engine?

[phoenix s14]

Quick answer - no you are going to spend much much more fitting an RB. And then you still dont know what you want the car for... RB is good for power but messes with the chassis weight balance a bit and hence you really need to work on the suspension to get it right. Look at the D1 S13 with 6 pottters... the all cut away the fire wall to move the motors back for better balance. Stick to a 4 pot if you want a good all round car. If you only want to drag then RB... but before you do visit mazworx website and look at Rezlo Race car videos to see if an tiny 200cc increase is worth it... (please consider that those are not stock motors but the possibilities... mmmm)

SR FTMFW!... dont care what anyone says... there is only 1 better motor. RB26DETT N1.

[hentiebez]

start by getting all the supporting mod and equipment before you can even think of which is the best engine option, supporting mods are way more expensive than any engine mods are, do them right them all will be right, one thing i can say to you from my experience is to stay with the 4 pot mine is awesome, to many other things to change and modify for a six and i think it will cost you more ask rat if he think its worth it

my 2c