Question for any engine swappers out there

dalin80

dalin80

dalin80

Soldato
Joined
20 Apr 2007
Posts
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OK i know we probably dont have a lot of you out there but i have seen a few posts from various folks, can anyone recommend a decent ideally UK based company that make adaptor plates for fitting different engines to the original gearbox.

Looking for something to attach a 1.8t lump from a 200sx to a mk3 golf gti box.

Would be nice if i didnt have to spend a month trying to make something up myself.

ta.
 
You are actually putting a ca18det into some other car? You do know they have a chocolate bottom end? and most of the s13 guys swap them out for the SR.

Sorry can't help with the fixing plate.
 
Bottom end on the one we have is shot already but a £100 for a complete working engine (even if slightly knocky) plus wiring loom, ecu and all ancils was unrefuseable, even if the project turns out to be unworkable we should easily make that back on the bay selling for bits and carry on with the original plan of a VAG 1.8t.

But that wouldnt be very original.
 
I can't help on the plate but it sounds like a bit of a mission. Aren't there any issues with input shaft diameters etc? I guess you would need a custom clutch as well?
 
Theres a long list of things to be sorted but indeed mounting the drivetrain is our biggest concern, we cant use the 200sx box becuase its FR layout, current thought is keeping the box, clutch and flywheel of the gti and somehow perhaps through the use of many tiny wizards getting it all mounted to the crank.

Which is todays problem really, deciding wether its at all possible or worthwhile before sinking the time into starting the project.
 
It does seem like an odd swap when the VAG 1.8T is already FWD, been done before and is possibly the better engine?

Is there no Nissan FWD gearbox that will bolt up to the C18DET? I would find it strange if there were no primera or sunny gearboxes that would
suit and this would be easier than getting an adaptor plate fabricated?
 
Pigeon said:
It does seem like an odd swap when the VAG 1.8T is already FWD, been done before and is possibly the better engine?

Is there no Nissan FWD gearbox that will bolt up to the C18DET? I would find it strange if there were no primera or sunny gearboxes that would
suit and this would be easier than getting an adaptor plate fabricated?
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Its a case of how much it costs to get the nissan in and running compared to how much it costs to buy the conversion kit for the VAG lump.

It would certainly be easier to fit the VAG lump but it risks being 'oh another one of those' and more expensive initially due to price of the lump and ecu which we already have a running nissan lump for almost the price of a tank of fuel, ok it needs the bottom end sorting but thats bread and butter work.

Iam currently looking into another nissan box and the prices of adapting the gear linkages and driveshafts but without much luck so far.

The target either way is MOT-able in 24 months so i believe we have enough time to research many options as required, thats presuming we dont just ditch the golf and leave the engine in the 200sx but thats not as interesting.
 
I'd be looking for an old Nissan Bluebird to pull the box out of as I think they used the ca18 engines so should line up and they're fwd. An old (late 80's) sunny would probably work as well but I don't think they ever used a turbo version so the box may not be strong enough.
 
The sunny N13 i believe used a NA version of that 1.8 lump, and the Bluebird definately did, and it used the 1.8 turbo in the hot version, didnt they also do a FWD Silvia? that im sure had the 1.8 aswell.
 
The CA box is compatible with the SR ones so I suppose you could use one off a Primera or something. This isn't really what he wanted though.
 
Clarkey said:
CA's are pretty much junk to start with, I hate to think what kind of troubles you will have mounting it the wrong way round :/
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The CA18DET is a pretty decent engine and tunes well. It's not quite as reliable as the SR20DET but it revs a lot better.
 
Sounds to me like a lot of ball ache for an engine on its last legs that isn't exactly reliable even when fixed..
 
i know Reyland do one to fit a 1.8t 20v to a Rover PG1 gearbox - might be worth asking them if they do owt.
 
Scubascorpion said:
Sounds to me like a lot of ball ache for an engine on its last legs that isn't exactly reliable even when fixed..
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They aint that bad. Big ends tend to go on un-cared for/higher mileage cars, but I personally know of a CA thats running approx 400bhp on standard internals.

Have to agree that it would be easier making a fwd sunny/primera box fit the car than make a vag box fit the engine.
 
cheers guys, everything is still well in the research and pricing phase at the moment, we are reluctant just to get the 200sx running and back on the road as its barely a rolling chassis and a golf gti with a 1.8t nissan lump would be far more interesting project even if it takes 10x longer.
 
but wouldn't a vag 1.8t just drop straight on the mounts and pair up with the golf box?
 
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