# CA18DET into B12



## fugiot (Jun 27, 2003)

Ok, So I've decided to scrap my cursed B13 and put a CA18DET into my 90 B12. I've read that it's a direct swap. I need the motor and the tranny. Thing is, I can't figure out which cars a FWD CA18DET came in. Wasn't the usdm 200SX with the CA18DET a RWD car? What car am I looking to pull it out of? And anything else I need to know, or should the shop be able to just go from there?


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## boost_boy (May 25, 2002)

fugiot said:


> Ok, So I've decided to scrap my cursed B13 and put a CA18DET into my 90 B12. I've read that it's a direct swap. I need the motor and the tranny. Thing is, I can't figure out which cars a FWD CA18DET came in. Wasn't the usdm 200SX with the CA18DET a RWD car? What car am I looking to pull it out of? And anything else I need to know, or should the shop be able to just go from there?


You'll need a motor, tranny, engine harness, ecu, AFM, and from a KN13 pulsar preferably with CA18DET you'll need: Tranny, flywheel, starter, axles, complete shifter with rails, and if you chose to use the CA18de's tranny, you will need it's clutch pedal, clutch master and slave cylinders, mounts and bolts as well. Best thing to do is go find an '88 pulsar SE if you must put a CA18 in your B12 sentra. 

No car in the U.S. had the CA18DET. The SE pulsars came with a CA16DE in 1987 and a CA18DE and 1988-89 and only the GA16i in 1990. The 200sx cars had the CA18ET which you don't want to use, so you'll need tofind an importer and import an a fwd or an AWD CA18DET. You cna use a RWD motor, but I strongly recommend against that since those are usually beat down from drifters and racers alike. Hope that helps and good luck!

Dee


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## DSMPOWERED (Sep 20, 2005)

boost_boy said:


> You'll need a motor, tranny, engine harness, ecu, AFM, and from a KN13 pulsar preferably with CA18DET you'll need: Tranny, flywheel, starter, axles, complete shifter with rails, and if you chose to use the CA18de's tranny, you will need it's clutch pedal, clutch master and slave cylinders, mounts and bolts as well. Best thing to do is go find an '88 pulsar SE if you must put a CA18 in your B12 sentra.
> 
> No car in the U.S. had the CA18DET. The SE pulsars came with a CA16DE in 1987 and a CA18DE and 1988-89 and only the GA16i in 1990. The 200sx cars had the CA18ET which you don't want to use, so you'll need tofind an importer and import an a fwd or an AWD CA18DET. You cna use a RWD motor, but I strongly recommend against that since those are usually beat down from drifters and racers alike. Hope that helps and good luck!
> 
> Dee


In your opinion, what's easier: a CA18DET swap or an SR20DE swap? Which is cheaper?


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## jjkamikaze (Jan 2, 2006)

i have been searching for an 88 pulsar ca parts car for about a year with no luck. finding sr cars is much easier but the swap is easier with the ca. sr is for very mechanicaly inclined with access to welders and such.


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## boost_boy (May 25, 2002)

DSMPOWERED said:


> In your opinion, what's easier: a CA18DET swap or an SR20DE swap? Which is cheaper?


Putting a CA18DET in a B12 is much easier than putting an SR in. As for cheaper, and if you're doing it yourself, the CA is cheaper as well. The pulsars are becoming a rarety, but they do exist and are still somewhat plentiful, but it all depends on where you live.

Dee


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## SuperStock (Dec 31, 2003)

after watching that old vid of boost boy racing the old grey b12, my interest in the CA18DE(T) swap was rekindled. 

someone should start a b12 CA18DET swap thread

...ive had my eyes out for a running 88-89 SE for a while


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## jjkamikaze (Jan 2, 2006)

SuperStock said:


> after watching that old vid of boost boy racing the old grey b12, my interest in the CA18DE(T) swap was rekindled.


i would love to see some videos of some swapped b12s. anyone here have links?


SuperStock said:


> someone should start a b12 CA18DET swap thread


+1


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## winstonsmith (Nov 10, 2004)

Yeah you have to get a CA18DET from Japan. No US cars had those, though Nissan really should have made that an option for the N13 Pulsar since the early Pulsars had a turbo option. I don't remember which Japanese Nissans had a FWD CA18DET though. Was it Bluebird?


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## fugiot (Jun 27, 2003)

boost_boy said:


> You'll need a motor, tranny, engine harness, ecu, AFM, and from a KN13 pulsar preferably with CA18DET you'll need: Tranny, flywheel, starter, axles, complete shifter with rails, and if you chose to use the CA18de's tranny, you will need it's clutch pedal, clutch master and slave cylinders, mounts and bolts as well. Best thing to do is go find an '88 pulsar SE if you must put a CA18 in your B12 sentra.
> 
> No car in the U.S. had the CA18DET. The SE pulsars came with a CA16DE in 1987 and a CA18DE and 1988-89 and only the GA16i in 1990. The 200sx cars had the CA18ET which you don't want to use, so you'll need tofind an importer and import an a fwd or an AWD CA18DET. You cna use a RWD motor, but I strongly recommend against that since those are usually beat down from drifters and racers alike. Hope that helps and good luck!
> 
> Dee


Damn, how much more could possibly be involved in an SR swap aside from custom motor mounts?


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## DSMPOWERED (Sep 20, 2005)

boost_boy said:


> Putting a CA18DET in a B12 is much easier than putting an SR in. As for cheaper, and if you're doing it yourself, the CA is cheaper as well. The pulsars are becoming a rarety, but they do exist and are still somewhat plentiful, but it all depends on where you live.
> 
> Dee



I have an entire B13 SE-R with a bad engine in my backyard, waiting to be pillaged. Will that make it cheaper than a CA18DET? This is the Buy-American midwest...I've seen one B12 besides mine in the last month, let alone a pulsar. :thumbdwn:


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## Red_Coupe (Mar 20, 2003)

fugiot said:


> Damn, how much more could possibly be involved in an SR swap aside from custom motor mounts?


not too much more. your CA16de/CA18DE was stock in the euro b12 ZX coupe. the CA uses the master/slave braking system. and there is a few little things I'm missing. fug. if you want to know go to nicoforums. boost boy haunts there he is the man to get the knowledge from.

Dee also went into great details about this subject. if you dig a bit you can find great amounts of info on this swap here. check out all boost_boys ca or b12 topics.


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## Red_Coupe (Mar 20, 2003)

DSMPOWERED said:


> I have an entire B13 SE-R with a bad engine in my backyard, waiting to be pillaged. Will that make it cheaper than a CA18DET? This is the Buy-American midwest...I've seen one B12 besides mine in the last month, let alone a pulsar. :thumbdwn:


that's because all the midwest b12's have this thing called body rot.. this not good.


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## Red_Coupe (Mar 20, 2003)

Red_Coupe said:


> not too much more. your CA16de/CA18DE was stock in the euro b12 ZX coupe. the CA uses the master/slave braking system. and there is a few little things I'm missing. fug. if you want to know go to nicoforums. boost boy haunts there he is the man to get the knowledge from.
> 
> Dee also went into great details about this subject. if you dig a bit you can find great amounts of info on this swap here. check out all boost_boys ca or b12 topics.


hey here I found a RZ-1 from the land of the rising sun


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## Nissan300ZXZ31Turbo (Dec 9, 2004)

Well... I put a GA16DE in my B12, and it was not fun. I imagine using a CA18 or CA16 would not be very much fun either, unless you took the entire engine, chassis, and body wiring harnesses from the donor car. I just finished putting a CA18ET in an '88 Pulsar NX SE, and I will have you know it has quite a kick... so do not discredit that engine either. It is only an 8-valve, and is hard to find, but it is pretty potent in a FWD application, pending you have a FWD CA18DE or CA20E transmission. By the way, does anyone know if the engine wiring harness from a CA18ET is close to that from a CA18DE... the harness I have is not in very good shape...


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