Ca18det Dimensions - Trying to find out if it will fit  

SMiTHBRo

www.nissansilvia.com

Download the S13 service manual off there, gives exact dimensions of the motor, gearbox etc

Failing that you could contact Nissan, I have their software (Nissan FAST) and it has dimensions as well.

I'd post them myself but I'm not at home, good luck

pigs13

engine by it self is roughly 60cm in length 50cm in width and 60cm in height

Ztlohmak

I checked through the service manual but could not see any complete measurements, thank you for the link though, seems to be a lot of articles and information on the CA.

600mm high - its a very tall motor. From the ground to the max hood line height is 750mm - 800mm. I guess by using a dry sump, it would take a few centimeters off but not really worth the money.

My best option would be the 12A NA, but would it perform well? (The car weighs about 730kg)

johnjohnmulley

my friends 12a extend port he is hoping for around 230hp at the rears. it would be insane in your 730kg car. the stock 12a isn't all that much but it'd still be pretty fun in your car. light engine also.

metalhead

I think your mate's dreaming...

But yes, a 12a, especially with an extend port, decent carb and exhaust will be massive fun in your car. Even a stock 12a will be quite fun. I had a stock 12a (cleaned up ports, but not extended), stock carb and reasonable but not great exhaust in an ~820kg rwd 323 and it was a great fun car to drive, ~120rwhp and ~14second quarter mile, quick enough to beat almost anything that's stock on the street and great fun to drive, with a fair bit of untapped potential. I reckon an n/a 12a will be great fun in your car.

A couple of things to consider though: Is there room in the tranny tunnel for a rotary gearbox? I don't know but would imagine that your car would probably have a pretty small box and tunnel. Will the diff hold up to the power? Are the brakes adequate? Can you mount the engine and gearbox without modifying anything unreversible? Most rotors are mounted off the front of the engine, and use a crossmember between the swaybar mounts. I don't know how your car is setup and whether it will allow this. If you're a bit tight for space, the earlier boxes (up to and including series 3 rx7) are a fair bit smaller, but also weaker than the later (series 4 rx7 on) turbo gearboxes. Have you attempted anything like this before? Make sure you are very certain of what you are doing and how you are going to mount everything before you start the project.

Good luck with it mate, will be an awesome beast if you go through with it.

rotang

If the biggest you can go normally asipirated is a 2.2l naturally aspirated motor doesn't that make a 12a illegal?

Ztlohmak

Thank you for the advice Metalhead. It will be the first time attempting anything like this, and at the moment I have to say its overwhelming even just reading through the Code of Practice for Light Motor Vehicles, there seems to be so much to consider.

Everything on the car will have to be upgraded, and most of it will have to be custom. Im mostly worried about the rear end, as it originally came with chain drive, so the chassis would have to be modified to suit the new diff then there is the rear suspension, it doesnt seem to end.

The rotary is 2290cc so just alittle over (730kg was rough estimate), I guess when the car gets weighed, make sure the car has a full tank of fuel . Its funny how f20c (240hp) motor is "legal" yet 100hp 12A NA is "illegal".

metalhead

Honestly, if you haven't done anything like this before, it needs that level of modification, and you are considering doing this to your original matching numbers car, then my advice would be don't do it. If on the other hand you are considering doing it to another shell that requires work anyway then go ahead. The issue being it is all too easy to abandon such a project half way through, and it would be a pity to chop up a nice original car to modify it like that. If you could put it in without substantial modifications, and keep it reversible, then I'd say go ahead, but don't chop up an original car, especially when you haven't done something like this before. If however it's another shell that requires work anyway, then go ahead. Take your time, plan it carefully and have the patience to see it through and it will come out well. Keep in mind though that it will take a lot more time and cost a lot more money than you will expect.

If you pay someone to do it it will cost you ridiculous money, if you can do it yourself (or at least a large amount of it) you will learn a lot of new skills, understand the car a lot better, know that your hard work went into it and save a lot of money. It will take longer though.

Don't enter into this lightly. I have a car that's in the shed that I started building nearly 2 years ago. It already had a fair bit of work done when I started. It has so far cost me a large sum of money and a great deal of time and is still a bare shell and a pile of parts in my shed. That's doing it all myself. It will be a great car when done, but it still requires another few thousand dollars and many hours of work before it will reach that point. Take it from me, it WILL cost you much more time and money than you expect or budget. But if you can stick it through it will be 100% worth it.

Ztlohmak

My thoughts exactly, plus the car is worth 'x' amout of dollars when original and running, soon as its apart and not running its only worth 1/4 of its original price.

Metalhead you have been a great help, I really appreciate it. They have to make it look so easy on TV