# 88 Pulsar Engine Swap



## Old_Dirty_Pulsar (Feb 21, 2003)

Hey there, I recently threw a rod on my Pulsar and I am in the process of lookin for a new engine. My mechanic is a little scared of doing a swap to the 1.8L (previously I had the 1.6L engine) so I need to have a complete list of the parts I will need to do the swap (EFI harness, bracketts, ECU, etc.) thanks for the help.


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## AVERAGE (Aug 9, 2002)

do a search


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## Old_Dirty_Pulsar (Feb 21, 2003)

I have searched far and wide, but i cant find any specifics, all I have heard is that the EFI harness is a little different.


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## boost_boy (May 25, 2002)

You had the E16i?


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## Rain-Xx (Jul 29, 2002)

No, I think in the '88s it was the CA16i


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## boost_boy (May 25, 2002)

There's no CA16i! There's a CA16DE, but that was used in the 87's. The 88's to 90 were CA18DE's in which the 89-90 CA18DE were weaker because nissan lowered the compression for some un-godly reason.


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## Old_Dirty_Pulsar (Feb 21, 2003)

i have a blown E16i

i heard a rumor today, it was that the e16i and the ca18de have different transmissions, is this true? can i convert from one to the other without having to buy a new tranny? My tranny is in mint condition...


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## boost_boy (May 25, 2002)

Just to answer some of your questions before they come out: You can't use any CA series transmissions on any E series and GA series motors and vice-versa for CA series engines on other trannies "No-Go". For your pulsar with E16i to accept a CA series transplant, you will need the donor car "Point-Blank". Nothing in your car currently/remotely (mechanically) resembles that of the SE pulsars. I recommend just getting rid of yours and go buying an SE to save you all the $$$ and drama because it's no piece of cake to the swap you're looking for either. Now if you had had an 87 pulsar SE and wanting to swap to a CA18DE, this is more a nominal swap, but still tricky!


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## Old_Dirty_Pulsar (Feb 21, 2003)

damn, thaks boost, i wish i could just get better low end! thats all i wanted out of that swap! Does anyone know what i can use to get better performance for the low end? Would it be worth it to get a supercharger?


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## boost_boy (May 25, 2002)

You want better low-end out of the E16? If this is the case, then other guys around here might be able to assist you with that. I'd say, take out throttle body injection and throw in a pair dual mikunis or webers.


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## Mervic (May 1, 2002)

I heard the GA16i engine will bolt on to your existing tranny. I dunno know if the swap will be easy.


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## Crazy-Mart (Jul 14, 2002)

ga engine wont bolt to e16 tranny....


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## Mervic (May 1, 2002)

One member of EXACLUB took a tranny from a E16i Pulsar and bolt it on to his GA16i. According to him it is a bolt on process.


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## Rain-Xx (Jul 29, 2002)

boost_boy said:


> *There's no CA16i! There's a CA16DE, but that was used in the 87's. The 88's to 90 were CA18DE's in which the 89-90 CA18DE were weaker because nissan lowered the compression for some un-godly reason. *


My bad, I was thinking of the GA16i in the later XE models.

'87 - E16i (XE model) / CA16DE (SE model)
'88 - E16i (XE) / CA18DE (SE)
'89 - GA16i (XE?) / CA18DE (SE)
'90 - GA16i

I think that's right.

FYI, apparently people complained about the lack of "Pulsar Power" when they were re-designed in '87 (compared to the competition). Thus Nissan popped in the 1.8 litre engine in the '88 models.  Wish I had one...


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## boost_boy (May 25, 2002)

Too many people are stuck on the hype of motors that are born into the 90's that the CA series has been over-shadowed, Cool They'll learn the hard way (Get smoked) And they ask you what engine is that and you tell them and they still don't know!


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## AVERAGE (Aug 9, 2002)

im sorry , a ca actually came stock in an 88 sentra se> wow, i didnt know that. so someone with an se has half the battle won then.


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## Old_Dirty_Pulsar (Feb 21, 2003)

I guess i will just get a newer E16i then... maybe this summer i can muster up enough money and free time to switch the tranny and engine out for an SR20DE or something... isnt that the Skyline's power plant?


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## boost_boy (May 25, 2002)

> guess i will just get a newer E16i then... maybe this summer i can muster up enough money and free time to switch the tranny and engine out for an SR20DE or something... isnt that the Skyline's power plant?


 Noooooo! If I didn't know any better I would think you were joking! The older skylines had the RB20DET.


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## Old_Dirty_Pulsar (Feb 21, 2003)

geez, sorry boost, I am new to nissans. Lemme tell you the history of my facination with cars...

My first was a 92 Ford Escort (RIP) <---POS!!!
while I had that car I started watchin a certain anime called "Initial D" I am sure a few of you are familiar with it. Well, I decided that I "HAD TO HAVE" a 1986 Toyota Corolla, so I started learning everything I could about that car.
When my Escort died (YES!!) I used the insurance money to buy my pulsar because it was a good deal and it was two years newer than the Toyota that I wanted.. and it kinda looked the same as that Toyota, besides, T-TOPS! wooohoooo!!! Anywayz, I drove it for a month knowing that the piston rings were bad and last week the engine threw a rod. That's when I came to you guys for help. So I am still fairly new at the whole Nissan concept, but dont get me wrong, I still love my car. I still wouldn't mind having that Toyota Corolla someday, BUT I, like many other non-honda owners can't stand Honda-ricers and the fat heads they get from having about 3 hp more than other ppl stock.

Pardon my ranting and raving. If you are still reading this, thanks.


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## Rain-Xx (Jul 29, 2002)

Old_Dirty_Pulsar said:


> *I still wouldn't mind having that Toyota Corolla someday, BUT I, like many other non-honda owners can't stand Honda-ricers and the fat heads they get from having about 3 hp more than other ppl stock.
> 
> Pardon my ranting and raving. If you are still reading this, thanks. *


Just remember, that Pulsar is rather light. I checked some old reviews of cars. Comparing a '88 Pulsar SE (With the CA18DE) to an '89 Honda Prelude Si, the pulsar has 10 less HP, however it weighs about 500 lbs less. So they need to rice out their cars to gain an upper hand. 

In your situation, you may just want to buy a different car... I got my Pulsar cheap ( spent about $1100 to buy and maintain it over the past 8 months ) but if anything relatively major went in it, I'd just go out and buy a whole new one.


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## Old_Dirty_Pulsar (Feb 21, 2003)

I dont have enough $$ to do that right now...btw, i got mine for $1150


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## boost_boy (May 25, 2002)

It would be so much easier to just buy a pulsar with all the goodies in it, but $$$ have the ability to make or break anyone, so I understand. Man they have an 87 pulsar SE here for like $250 running with a/c, but has a little knock (rod bearing). I see them all the time, but can't buy 'em all.


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## Old_Dirty_Pulsar (Feb 21, 2003)

Wheres that at boost??


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## boost_boy (May 25, 2002)

Miami! I tried to make my friend with a 95 200SX W/BB SR20DET (Frozen ) buy it as get around gear until he comes up with the money to buy another motor and he goes out and buy a 93 ford escort sedan for $1300. I gave up on him! But the car is possibly still there since I haaven't been in that area for a while.


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## Old_Dirty_Pulsar (Feb 21, 2003)

omg!! i have to find a way to get it!! and i was just there in november!! Can you do a little research for me? if i could get that one then maybe i can use it as a donor car for getting mine totally redone


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## boost_boy (May 25, 2002)

I'll check in a little while to see if it's still there! If it is I'll buy it for you (if you want it) and you can paypal me the ends I spent.


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## Old_Dirty_Pulsar (Feb 21, 2003)

All right! no problem, but how am i gonna get it to South Dakota?? Hmmm... Road Trip!!! or, does UPS ship things that big?


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## boost_boy (May 25, 2002)

Damn!!! The Dakotas???? Road trip is long over due! I got to deliver a car that I sold on ebay to Huntsville, Alabama tomorrow and I look forward to the ride.


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## Old_Dirty_Pulsar (Feb 21, 2003)

yeah, but alabama is waaaay closer to you than So. Dak., and I have to find a weekend off or something so that I can come and get it, I have no free time right now (school, work, bowling tourneys, etc...) I will have a butt-load of time in the summer, but i'm sure you dont want to keep it with you for 3 or 4 months for me... does anyone know if UPS will ship a car?


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## slacker066 (May 1, 2008)

i wanna switch my engine from an 88 pulsar nx 1.6 auto into an 87 nx1.6 manual.
just swap engines i dont know anything and i have to switch the control arm from the 88to the 87 just had it switched from the 87 to the 88 and it cost 500 so im doing all the work on my own from now on i need some help should i get a hanyes book or sumthing i can get and engine lift and all the tools im sure

how do i tell if the engines are the same???? and if the engine will bolt from the auto trans to the manual trans


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