I picked up this 1990 EXA on Ebay and got it home last night, it will take me a while to hack into it but I have 2 questions:

FIRST Question: what to keep and what to 'recycle'.

SECOND Question: The car drives but previous owner says that it overheats and needs a new 'Piston rack' - his words. I am planning to rebuild the motor anyway but what tha?? is a Piston rack?

It only cost me $307.00 (less the 45 cents in change lying around in the car) - whatever I can't use in the 1200 Ute can go to whoever

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they were ca18de werent they?

the bucket seats go alright in a 1200..

Yep CA18DE motor - no turbo. I am happy to stay with that

yo pm

Thanks for the heads up Tommo. I looked at the engine mounts on the exhaust side and there are bolt holes near the centre of the motor unsued I will have to get underneath to check the firewall side before I go too far. Does anyone else know if all the CA18's are identically cast with holes for east-west AND north-south mounting?

pretty sure FWD and RWD engines are interchangable. manifold has the throttle body on the opposite end, but that just unbolts and bolts back on to the front

exhaust manifolds are different
mainly cosmetic stuff that is different

I have 2 ca18des one from a 1989 180sx and the other an 89 exa
Another difference is the exa has no main bearing ladder bar.
I prefer it without as its not needed, the block has so much
webbing for strength its over-engineered.
The sumps are different too with the exa having a bat wing on
one side.

could an exa sump be used in a 1200 ??
and would and exa turbo sump hold more oil or would it be easyer to wing a s13 CA sump ?

Thanks guys, At least now I can pull the motor out and start on the rebuild - I was thinking about the 'Piston Rack' and the only thing I can come up with is that the guy misheard his trusted adviser telling him it might be a 'Piston Crack'. I pulled out the dipstick and there's no oil (or milk) evidence so I will need to drain and check. The original plan was to do the normal rings, bearings, and reco the head but whatever the case I won't be cutting corners to get it into the Ute.

I would also like to know if the EXA winged sump will fit in a 1200. Could be a easy way of getting more oil for the high revs. Also would a oil cooler unit that held say 1lt do the same thing?