Ca18Det Into Ke20 10,000 Budget. Is It Possible?

[Triz]

Hi Guys,

I'm looking at putting a ca18det into my '72 Ke20. I have a $10,000 budget and just wodnering if it is possible to do that conversion with this budget. And what custom parts will need to be made. Like engine mounts? cross memember? gearbox Tunnel?

[B.L.Z.BUB]

How hard do you want to go.

 

Daily driver or show and shine never driven?

[Triz]

How hard do you want to go.

 

Daily driver or show and shine never driven?

Hey Bro. Still a daily drive. i want to be quick but not to pathetic for street.

[Jono.C]

Engine Mounts, Gearbox Crossmember, Possibly rack and pinion conversion as you may have clearance issue's, Bigger diff (maybe r31) which will need to be shortened and mounts moved etc, loom, ecu, intercooler plumbing, fuel system surge tank etc, shifter hole cut, hydraulic pedal box and clutch setup.

 

Then there's brakes, sway bars, suspension etc, handbrake cables, fuel lines, brake lines, etc.

 

There's lots of little things people forget when doing a conversion which means big bucks.

 

It's do-able but you'd be far better off if you can do atleast some of it yourself

[Triz]

Engine Mounts, Gearbox Crossmember, Possibly rack and pinion conversion as you may have clearance issue's, Bigger diff (maybe r31) which will need to be shortened and mounts moved etc, loom, ecu, intercooler plumbing, fuel system surge tank etc, shifter hole cut, hydraulic pedal box and clutch setup.

 

Then there's brakes, sway bars, suspension etc, handbrake cables, fuel lines, brake lines, etc.

 

There's lots of little things people forget when doing a conversion which means big bucks.

 

It's do-able but you'd be far better off if you can do atleast some of it yourself

Yeah id try do as much as i can myself. To save to Coin. But yeah i have 10k and can't spend anymore. I don't watn to get into and run out of money =/

[Jono.C]

I'd honestly suggest going SR20det instead of CA18det. If you're going to the trouble of the conversion i'd atleast try and use a good engine.

 

Ca18's are alright but not as good as sr20's, sr20's are more reliable, more common for parts and generally easier to gain power from.

 

A mate of mine gets 238rwkw on 22psi from a ca18 but thats had nearly your whole budget spent on the engine.

 

It's up to you but i'd look into an sr20 instead.

Edited March 27, 2011 by Jono.C

[Triz]

I'd honestly suggest going SR20det instead of CA18det. If you're going to the trouble of the conversion i'd atleast try and use a good engine.

 

Ca18's are alright but not as good as sr20's, sr20's are more reliable, more common for parts and generally easier to gain power from.

 

A mate of mine gets 238rwkw on 22psi from a ca18 but thats had nearly your whole budget spent on the engine.

 

It's up to you but i'd look into an sr20 instead.

yeah there is big disscusions about ca or sr. Sr will be a lot more expensive? and i think i wouldnt manage it in a 10g budget?

[Jono.C]

SR20det isnt really that much more expensive, depends where you look, you're better of buying privately than from wreckers, Just last week a mate got word of an sr20det with loom ecu and box etc for sale, so we went over for look, $450ono he said. Done

 

They pop up cheap on ebay or from unfinished projects.

 

I'd rather save a bit more to get the engine i want than build the one i can afford at this second. But thats just me

[Triz]

SR20det isnt really that much more expensive, depends where you look, you're better of buying privately than from wreckers, Just last week a mate got word of an sr20det with loom ecu and box etc for sale, so we went over for look, $450ono he said. Done

 

They pop up cheap on ebay or from unfinished projects.

 

I'd rather save a bit more to get the engine i want than build the one i can afford at this second. But thats just me

Yeah thats cheap. But yeah you gota look for the bargins. But I'm still unsure of the 10k budget?

[Sloth]

(I'll give me usual 2 cents)

 

Without knowing the specifics of what you'd need to for this particular conversion I'd say you'd be pushing right on the budget (and if you can't go anymore you'd hate to fall a couple of grand short). When I did Project Management at Uni one of the things that was discussed was that most projects run upto 20% over time/budget, I think this is something that holds true for software projects and car projects. It's probably best to work out the maximum that you can spend and then aim to spend less than that (if you only have 10, set your budget at 7 or 8), that way if you need extra cash you have a little bit of flex room. If you get to the end of the project and you haven't spent all the money then you've got some extra coin to splurge on some niceties (rims, tyres etc).

 

The other thing you have to think about is wether you are going to get it engineered or not. I'm not sure what the laws and costs are over in NZ, but in Australia you need to get almost any modification engineered (technically even things like changing your rims can count as a modification) with an engineers certificate costing anywhere from $500-$1500. Also there are certain things that aren't legal (usually increasing the displacement by more than something like 30/40%??) so replacing a 1.2/1.3 with a 2l could be right on the limit.

[Triz]

(I'll give me usual 2 cents)

 

Without knowing the specifics of what you'd need to for this particular conversion I'd say you'd be pushing right on the budget (and if you can't go anymore you'd hate to fall a couple of grand short). When I did Project Management at Uni one of the things that was discussed was that most projects run upto 20% over time/budget, I think this is something that holds true for software projects and car projects. It's probably best to work out the maximum that you can spend and then aim to spend less than that (if you only have 10, set your budget at 7 or 8), that way if you need extra cash you have a little bit of flex room. If you get to the end of the project and you haven't spent all the money then you've got some extra coin to splurge on some niceties (rims, tyres etc).

 

The other thing you have to think about is wether you are going to get it engineered or not. I'm not sure what the laws and costs are over in NZ, but in Australia you need to get almost any modification engineered (technically even things like changing your rims can count as a modification) with an engineers certificate costing anywhere from $500-$1500. Also there are certain things that aren't legal (usually increasing the displacement by more than something like 30/40%??) so replacing a 1.2/1.3 with a 2l could be right on the limit.

 

Haha Your Two Cents is helpful!

Well in Newzealand There is a certification System befor you can get a WOF (warrent of Fitness). you take it to a place and they checkout all your modifications and see if its all safe and done properly etc and thats around 400-500 NZ dollars. Oh and in New Zealand There is none of that. CC to Weight Ration thing. Like you could put a 5l v8 in a ke20 and itd be algood if you don't it all properly etc? if you get what i mean?.

 

Yeah i have 10g and i want to do the ca18det or sr20det. I'm not to worried about the power difference. i know theyre both good engines and both have advantages and disadvantages. I think I'm heading along the ca18det line jsut because of the 10g budget.

[Sloth]

The CA vs SR debate gets a little religious. I've heard pros and cons for each side. I think out of the box the SRs make more power, but they both put out a decent amount with a little work you can get decent power out of either (and they'd both have a lot more power than what you currently have).

 

My old housemate has a CAdet S13 and everyone is always telling him he should've got an SR. But with 228rwkw out of the CA he's not complaining.

[Triz]

The CA vs SR debate gets a little religious. I've heard pros and cons for each side. I think out of the box the SRs make more power, but they both put out a decent amount with a little work you can get decent power out of either (and they'd both have a lot more power than what you currently have).

 

My old housemate has a CAdet S13 and everyone is always telling him he should've got an SR. But with 228rwkw out of the CA he's not complaining.

Yeah i always here about ca vs sr arguments!

theyre both allgood and both cna make a plenty of power. I just want to know if i can do it in a 10g budget. i think if i did ca18det id make it more than i would with a sr20det

[ke70dave]

you sir, need to open up microsoft excel start a new spread sheet, and call it "ca18det conversion"

 

then start researching, and start finding out what you need to get done, make a list. then get your phone book out, and start ringing around different places and getting ideas on how much stuff costs, add it into the formentioned spreadsheet, and keep a tally on the total.

 

asking "can thisbe done for $10k", is a waste of time. some people have probably done the conversion for under 2k, mates with free parts, mates with skills. others have probably spent 25k, by dropping off their car at "insert rip off performance shop here" and picking it up 3 weeks later.

 

for reference, we put a ca in my maters 86, torago diff, engine mount "kit" he got from somewhere. made our own intercooler pipes, wired it ourself. prolly got away with the entire conversion for $5k.

 

it was only a standard ca18turbo (well standard + good exhaust, good front mount intercooler and 12psi), and it was damn quick, you don't need any more in a ~1000kg corolla.

[dopedx]

A mate of mine here in chch just put a ca18det into his ke70. Cost him 12grand but he did absolutly nothing just dropped car off paid and picked it up. Had a hilux diff before it went in but had an lsd center added, brakes upgraded, mounts and so on and so on. For that 12 it was also completly certed. With 10grand it can be done with shopping around workshops. There was a full ca18de set up on trade me last week come with engine, engine mounts, gearbox, loom, computer the lot for $600. I know its not turbo but would be a good starting point in my opion. Why not go for a 4age turbo I know its been done a million times before but because of that there is unlimited info on the conversion and theres a few set ups on trade me for under 2grand complete. Just a thought. Or on the other hand you could buy a car already done for that if you didnt want the work or headache and that way you know exactly what the end product will cost you. Sorry if I sound like I'm going on but just trying to help out.