# Sentra has snowballed (CD17 Q's)



## DLy (Sep 4, 2007)

Alright...I planned on my '87 B12 (E16s) being my econo box to keep miles off my '06 Legacy GT...and it's gotten out of hand. I purchased a weber carb thinking my initial problems were fuel...and I've since decided to rebuild the entire engine. I've gotten the head back last week so it's all about putting everything together with my rock auto rebuild kit (which is crap, but sufficient.) 

So here's my question... I'm doing a lot more driving than I thought, driving six+ hours a week (to clarksville, biscuit.) I'm thinking a CD17 will probably be a wicked solution to fuel economy. I'm already aware that they were only available in B11's here in the US...but in the B12's everywhere else. Car-part.com is showing several engines being available across the US. A good rebuild and one should be solid. 

My questions: 

It "should" just bolt right in, right? I'd be using my tranny and most everything that doesn't come with the long block. 

I'm guessing there is no ecu and that it's carb'd? I've never owned a diesel before, but are somewhat familiar with them. 

Manual fuel pump or electric? 

Also, I have 5th gear pop out...what are my solutions (besides a bungie cord?)


Thanks for being patient with me guys...I feel so much better knowing there is support for my sedan poop box (it's 1980's dark brown. lol)


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## sonicgundam (Aug 15, 2007)

this isn't a good idea. you will need EVERYTHING from the CD17 fuel system for whichever year vehicle it came out of. 

diesels are direct injected. no such thing as a carb. they work completely different from gasoline.

if you wanted better mileage, i would say go with a rebuilt E16i and rebuild the tranny and put a new clutch kit on it.


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## DLy (Sep 4, 2007)

I'm not opposed to labor...if the results are worth it. I had heard rumors of its great mpg. I'm also interested in running a second fuel cell for veggie oil. The CD17 will be built while the car has a fully rebuilt E16s, so time is not an issue. I just need as much info as possible (like you just gave me.) 

Further questions: Because the engine is injected I'm guessing I'll be running a high pressure electric fuel pump. Am I going to be dealing with an ECU now? 

If I choose to rebuild my 5sp, won't I just have reoccurring pop out issues because it was a design flaw? I know they have a B13 solution, but never heard about a B12 one. 

Sonic, I see you're in Canada... do you find many CD17 engines at all up there? I figured you guys got way more than we did. 

Thanks again guys...


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## leadpaw (Mar 4, 2008)

The cd17 is mech injection with a bosch ve injection pump. All the wiring required to run this engine is: the eng temp,oil pressure sensors,glow plug wiring,starter,alternator,and the fuel cut solenoid going to the injection pump. all others are not required to run and are for emissions.There is also no external electric fuel pump, the fuel is supplied soely by the vacuum created by the injection pump.










the transmission from an e16 will not fit the cd17 due to it being derived from the CA series engines, so you will need a CA16/CA18 tranny yet i doubt the gearing is right for the diesel. 


My cd17 has given me up to 48mpg on 205/50/15size tires.


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## BeyondBiscuits2 (Jan 18, 2006)

I'm sorry to hear you have to drive to Clarksville; it isn't exactly the most exciting place in the world to visit (or reside). By the way, if you're up in Clarksville on Friday nights, there is usually a big car meet at the Toys-R-Us car park.

Back to the questions at hand. Finding a CD17 diesel engine is probably easier than finding a CD17 transmission. I suppose you could use a CA16/18/20 transmission as Leadpaw suggested, but the gearing would probably be "very" off. Engine mounts are more than likely different as well; though the CA-series mounts might work? Sounds like an interesting project to undertake.

As for 5th gear pop-out on Sentra transmissions; I have my original GA16i transmission with 250,000+ miles on it, and never had pop-out. Could this be because I am running the GA16DE engine? I am quite curious as to how to fix (or avoid) this problem myself, as I don't want it to happen to me since I drive 3 hours pretty regularly between Chattanooga and Clarksville and 5th gear is rather nice to have for that.


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## DLy (Sep 4, 2007)

As usual you guys come through for me. Leadpaw thanks for the diesel details...you made the swap seem fairly strait forward...so long as I can source a tranny. I'm probably going to give this a go eventually. 

Biscuits, I'm looking in your general direction when it comes time....haha. I'm very mechanically inclined, but it always helps having a chassis expert on hand.  I've taken my Legacy back to stock (from 350hp/410tq back down to 250hp/250tq.) so I don't have anything special to roll out to the meet in...but will probably start once I sell the LGT and buy my new toy.


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## BeyondBiscuits2 (Jan 18, 2006)

Good luck for you; West Somerset Wrecking in Somerset, Kentucky has a 5-speed diesel transmission listed at $200. Their phone number is 1-800-345-0460. Give 'em a call and see if they are full of it; listing is for a 5-speed CD17 transmission year 1984.

Also, the car meets have been moved across the street to the Red Lobster / Books-A-Million car park after some "complaints" were filed against us. No need to drive anything special, we've got all sorts of cars that come out.


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## fordmodelb (Mar 19, 2009)

Note: if MPG is your goal, you want the M4 rather than the M5 as the EST EPA fuel economy is 50 vs 43. See link for EST, COMB, and HWY ratings for the 1984 Nissan Sentra Diesel with A3, M4, and M5. I was thinking about switching my M4 for a M5 until I saw these numbers. My original window stick shows 50 MPG EST--hard to find anything new in the States that offers that mileage.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/FEG/epadata/84guide.txt


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