CA20DET vs SR20DET

ccursed_s1324 Oct 2009, 18:44 · edited

Hi there. I realy need some help please. I admit, I am no Pro with motors, Only know the basics 😕

To the point - CA20 vs SR20. What is the best? What is the pro's & con's, Strenghts & weaknes, ect.

I want to get myself an SR20DET conversion but it is not so cheap. So this brings me to my other option that i need some advice on.

I have got a CA20 Block. This motor comes from an old 2L Skyline 8v. I Heard that the block of the CA20 is realy strong. And with the block i have got a 16v CA18DET Head that fits on the CA20 block.

Please need some advice!!!
Gary57??

This is the CA20 setup in my garage.

PPinkfluffybunnys24 Oct 2009, 19:46

CA20 FTW

I have an SR aswell, It a good motor but the hype killed it

PM me, If you want to sell that turbo set-up

ccursed_s1324 Oct 2009, 20:05

Also what sould I do with the ecu setup? Wil the standard CA18DET ecu work on the CA20? Coz I'd like to get the A/C working.

ppoizenmoderator24 Oct 2009, 20:08

cursed_s13 wrote:

Hi there. I realy need some help please. I admit, I am no Pro with motors, Only know the basics 😕

To the point - CA20 vs SR20. What is the best? What is the pro's & con's, Strenghts & weaknes, ect.

I want to get myself an SR20DET conversion but it is not so cheap. So this brings me to my other option that i need some advice on.

I have got a CA20 Block. This motor comes from an old 2L Skyline 8v. I Heard that the block of the CA20 is realy strong. And with the block i have got a 16v CA18DET Head that fits on the CA20 block.

Please need some advice!!!
Gary57??

This is the CA20 setup in my garage.

bud is that the ca20 block cos if it is then i think i have the same block cos thats the first other ca18det looking engin with the dipstick that comes out the front

ccursed_s1324 Oct 2009, 21:05

@poizen - Have a look at your engine nr. If it is a CA20 the nr should start with ca20******

ppoizenmoderator24 Oct 2009, 23:03

well mine says ca18 but i think it looks like it engraved and not stamped

still doesnt explain why my dipstick is in the front of the motor

can anyone post pics of their engine number of the ca18 part

RRiekertadmin25 Oct 2009, 00:39

mine looked the same as yours...

ccursed_s1325 Oct 2009, 13:57

Any advice on the topic plz 🙄

rratadmin25 Oct 2009, 14:21

The CA20 botton end will be a lot weaker then the SR20. SR20 has more Parts available and Cheaper

Just two things off the top of my head. SR20 is the way to go but if you already have a CA20 give it a try. It will be something different and no one else has got one here.

RRiekertadmin25 Oct 2009, 14:36

rat wrote:

The CA20 botton end will be a lot weaker then the SR20. SR20 has more Parts available and Cheaper

Just two things off the top of my head. SR20 is the way to go but if you already have a CA20 give it a try. It will be something different and no one else has got one here.

The man has spoken!! haha

ccursed_s1325 Oct 2009, 15:40

I Found this on Wikipedia :

"There was never a factory-produced twin-cam CA 2.0L motor, nor a turbo version. However the blocks are similar, and it is possible to fit the DOHC CA18DE/T twincam head to the SOHC CA20 block. However the DOHC/SOHC manifolds are different and the timing pulley/belts are not compatible. Despite this, CA20DET turbos have been built. The cheaper alternative to a CA20DET is a newer SR20DET. Parts for the SR20 are less expensive and more readily available.

This is no easy task, however. The rods of the normally aspirated CA20 series of motors are not up to the task, and many tuners use modified Mitsubishi 4G63 con-rods in this application. With a larger bore than the CA18, custom, flat topped and forged pistons are a must if boost is to be reliable. The CA20 also did not include the crank girdle support which vastly increased the harmonic resistance of the CA18. But the crank girdle from a CA18DET block will fit the CA20 main caps. The CA20 also did not include the under piston oil squirters of the CA18, but like the crank girdle, oil squirters from a CA18DET block can be fitted to the CA20 block."

rratadmin25 Oct 2009, 17:07

cursed_s13 wrote:

I want to get myself an SR20DET conversion but it is not so cheap.

However the DOHC/SOHC manifolds are different and the timing pulley/belts are not compatible. Despite this, CA20DET turbos have been built. The cheaper alternative to a CA20DET is a newer SR20DET. Parts for the SR20 are less expensive and more readily available.

This is no easy task, however. The rods of the normally aspirated CA20 series of motors are not up to the task, and many tuners use modified Mitsubishi 4G63 con-rods in this application. With a larger bore than the CA18, custom, flat topped and forged pistons are a must if boost is to be reliable. The CA20 also did not include the crank girdle support which vastly increased the harmonic resistance of the CA18. But the crank girdle from a CA18DET block will fit the CA20 main caps. The CA20 also did not include the under piston oil squirters of the CA18, but like the crank girdle, oil squirters from a CA18DET block can be fitted to the CA20 block."

Well the SR20 sounds cheaper. Anyone else got anything to help?

PFB might have some better advice to add, Think he was looking into this.

ccursed_s1325 Oct 2009, 17:17 · edited

Well I bought the motor with the car and the guy I bought it from said the motor allready has Mitsubishi conrods and bmw pistons and I cant even remember the extras. On the dyno paper it showed 225rwk @ 0.8bar

The thing is the thermostad was faulty and then blew head gasket.

So it is rebuld the CA20DET or buy SR20DET. And I want to do the CA20DET, that would be a unique motor for me. But stil I need expert advice. ect What pistons, crank, ecu .... 🙄

rratadmin25 Oct 2009, 19:03

Sounds like everything has been done, keep the CA20 then. Get the head checked, fix the thermostat and new head gasket.

No one here has done a CA20 so i am sorry to say that you are going to have to check oversea's forums to see what pistons etc people have used.

ggodzilla25 Oct 2009, 19:37

what rat said,you already have the motor, get the head chaecked, replace the gasket,you will have somting no one else has, atleast this way if the motor pops you didnt waste toooo much money, and can venture to the sr20side of things.and will give others someinsite into something different than a ca18 and sr20 ,a more frankenstein motor,like the Rb30det( rb30block with rb25/rb20det head)

CCharlvdw26 Oct 2009, 07:51

What ecu are you using now? I can check how to get the air con running without a ecu at all. If you want?

ccursed_s1326 Oct 2009, 10:24

@Charlvdw

When I bought the car with the motor in it, it was running on a Gotech. Then the headgasket blew. Then I removed the motor and got myself the standard CA18 and connected the gotech to the standard motor. Was struggling with places to tune the ecu and then eventually Turbo Toys/Boys (something like that) in Krugersdorp blew the standard turbo en came to the conclusion the ecu was faulty. Then I got myself the turbo from an RB25 and also installed a Dictator...

So I am now running A Dictator. I'd like to use the standard CA18DET ecu and it is stil in my car but I dont know if the ecu is working and I also need the standard harnas and airflow meter that I dont have.

CCharlvdw26 Oct 2009, 10:28

cursed_s13 wrote:

@Charlvdw

When I bought the car with the motor in it, it was running on a Gotech. Then the headgasket blew. Then I removed the motor and got myself the standard CA18 and connected the gotech to the standard motor. Was struggling with places to tune the ecu and then eventually Turbo Toys/Boys (something like that) in Krugersdorp blew the standard turbo en came to the conclusion the ecu was faulty. Then I got myself the turbo from an RB25 and also installed a Dictator...

So I am now running A Dictator. I'd like to use the standard CA18DET ecu and it is stil in my car but I dont know if the ecu is working and I also need the standard harnas and airflow meter that I dont have.

How did you mount the rb turbo , did you build a mani for it?

ccursed_s1326 Oct 2009, 10:36

Well the mani that was on the CA20 with the T4 was just by luck the same for the RB turbo, it was a direct fit. 😀

CCharlvdw26 Oct 2009, 10:50

cursed_s13 wrote:

Well the mani that was on the CA20 with the T4 was just by luck the same for the RB turbo, it was a direct fit. 😀

Lucky bastird! 😀 Ill check the air con pin out for you tonight, you still have the std ecu plug in the car?

22 posts