Ca18det Into Ke55 Yes Just Like Everyone Else

[guitar mad]

Ok so been scaning the net for the last several months, trying to sorce as much info as i can,

basiscly i have a 1980 ke55 , my daily driver, i want to put a ca18det into it ,I'm finding alot of conflicting info and people have done this and done that ,can't seem to get the whole picture tho ,so can any one who has done this or has a mate with this done offer up some info to clarify what ive learnt so far???

 

so this is what i have : the ca18det will fit into the engine bay no problem, as for the engine you just have to make up engine mounts to fit to the standard x-member?????????????????????????

 

you don't have to cut the firewall or the tunnel at all when using a standard s13 ca18 gear box?????????????????

as for mounting the gear box you can just make a custom xmember to suit,

the gear stick will sit 3-5 inches back from the standard hole,so just cut new hole and plate over the old????????????

 

 

 

and the drive shaft can be created from a datsun drive shaft using various yokes?????????????????????

 

and the other thing the diff?? now ive read that you can use r31 skyline diffs, with one side cut down and the axel shortened to suit, cut the old mounts off the rolla diff and mount them to the r31 diff,?????????????????

 

 

and the other thing the front strut/brake upgrade , ive read all sorts of crazy combinations but what realy works well???????????? i need bigger disks and bigger calipers ,but also changing the struts may well effect the camber,

ive read of people using ra60 struts , with ke30 lower balljoint arms?????????? xtcorona???? realy a bit lost with all this wealth of info

 

can any one shed some light on the things ive read and comfirm if they are correct, maybe sugest a good way to do things ,

 

pretty serious about this build ,but want to be armed with correct info before i take it all on,

 

all pics and info welcom !!! help me get this thing started! :bash:

[oh what a nissan feeling!]

1. yes, new front mounts, new gearbox x member

 

2. Depends how you fit it, if you hang the gearbox a bit lower it will fit, people do it, and it works ok.

 

The other option is a bluebird series 3 gearbox, they are shorter and fit well.

 

3. Shifter may come very close to the seat brace, depend how you mount the whole setup. Yes plate the other hole.

 

4. Yes, any dirty old datsun shaft has the right front yoke.

 

5. No, make new mounts out of plate steel, about 6mm thick.

 

6. Yep, it all affects the way your car steers, the best geometry is what it has already.

Be very careful with how you change it.

[guitar mad]

thanks for all that sounds like I'm on the right track then,

so engine mounts and gear box mounts no problem,now i just read some where that using the ca18 bell housing and a rb30 gearbox together will actuly give you a shorter gear box and the shifter hole nearly lines up perfect with the rollas gear stick hole, would this be a better option than the ca18 gear box by it self or the bluebird series 3 gearbox???? or the blue bird one is pretty close and be better than stuffing round getting 2 gearboxes????

 

now hanging the gear box a bit lower should fit ok ,would that mean mounting the engine it self as low as possible to the cross member ?????

 

also for the drive shaft i take it you need to use a datsun one that has removable uni joints so you can fit a differnt joke to the diff end yes? and what about lenght of the drive shaft would that have to be cut down or lenghtened?????

 

also I'm looking into the fuel system side of things came across a diagram that i thing would suit well ::::

 

 

 

or would it be better to use a lifter pump in the fuel tank to fill the surge tank rather than an external pump like described in this techy post :::

 

 

http://www.rollaclub.com/faq/index.php?tit..._AE86_Fuel_Tank

 

 

any advice what i should do for the front brake upgrade????

Edited June 8, 2009 by guitar mad

[oh what a nissan feeling!]

Tailshaft has to be shortened and remade, all you need is the front bit really.

 

diagram is correct.

 

The rb20 gearbox is stronger, but you will have to change the front half of the box.

 

The series 3 box is worth nothing, and is a bolt up fit, but is not as strong.

 

If you use any of these 2 gearbox you will not have to hang the gearbox down.

[guitar mad]

Tailshaft has to be shortened and remade, all you need is the front bit really.

 

diagram is correct.

 

The rb20 gearbox is stronger, but you will have to change the front half of the box.

 

The series 3 box is worth nothing, and is a bolt up fit, but is not as strong.

 

If you use any of these 2 gearbox you will not have to hang the gearbox down.

 

 

awesum thanks for the help ,anyone want to offer up any pics of this actualy been done/????? i see theres a few who have done it to coupes and ke20s but can't find any pics of a ke55

i wanta see mounts and engines in engine bays of rollas ! any one at all?????????

 

 

 

 

 

 

well this is my car anyway the one I'm thinking of doing this all to ,

[oh what a nissan feeling!]

sorry not me, mine's sr,

ssdd though :y:

[guitar mad]

sorry not me, mine's sr,

ssdd though :y:

 

 

oh well thats ok then i just scored an sr engine so may i pick your brain ???? lol!!!!!!!

i couldnt get a ca18det was just to much of a mission but an sr20 just came up so i snaped it up quick ;-)

so i guess not this hole post was a waste of time hahahhaha well I'm still going for the r31 diff,

 

so i guess now the question is can i still use a ca18 gear box or bluebird one or the rb30/ca combo box?or are the sr20s a different size gearbox? hmmmmm thanks in advance ;-)

[oh what a nissan feeling!]

No same box in sr20 and ca18, different bellhousing though.

 

 

so for the bluebird box, it would now need the sr20 front half put on it as well. :yes:

[guitar mad]

woo 8/ my engine arived to day pretty happy to see this thing turn up, so now i just need a billion other parts lol,

 

ok so i can use a sr20 bellhousing and blueburd series 3 box and should fit semi ok?

 

what year of blue bird should i be looking for ? mite have a mission to the wreckers and have a hunt around,

 

cheers

[oh what a nissan feeling!]

as already mentioned, series three, rwd ca20 powered, the series 1 and 2 were L20 powered. about 84? model.