No modern engine likes too much heat. You can cook the nuts off and A series all day and they can bounce back. If you're going to run a CA (hard) and not run a decent radiator/cooling fans etc then it can't be expected to handle the jandle. IMO it's ot really comparing apples with apples. More like raspberies with strawberries. Both pretty sweet, just some prefer one koind over the other. Mmmmmm..........raspberries!

i think one of the main problems with these new bigger engines in our bays in there's not enough room for the air to circulate around, i've got a ca20e in mine and without the elec cooling fans it overheats so quickly. my mates also got a mk1 esky and it has an sr20det with 300hp and he's got fairly serious overheating issues, it only ever really sees the track though.

edit: and never ever go with a ca20e, mine came with it already installed and i got it cheap but yeah it's a crap motor and i sometimes wish i either got a stock one or shelled out some more for a decent engine.

Like people have said it's just friendly rivalry.

Most people know that if you want to go fast either will be up to the task.

Engineering/Approval is still the biggest deciding factor in most cases. I know I tried to find away around the original tare mass in kg x 2.5 rule that exists in NSW and ACT. Most people use the commercial vehicle loophole when putting in SR20's, but I went CA18 just to be 100% legal (in my state).

I still wish the rules were more lenient and you could have more freedom to make crazy street cars

sr20 n/a should be fine in a 1200 as 2L is the max non turbo motor you can go and 1.8L being the max turbo motor you can go

We have huge hate here in South Africa about CA18 vs SR20 in the SX/Silvia clubs

95% of the time the people that say CA18 is the better than an SR20 is people that have never actualy owned and driven an SR20.

Easy facts:
Stock on stock the SR20 has more power and a lot more torque
modified vs modified the CA18 turns into a bottomless pit of funding due to the parts being very hard to come buy and the majority of parts needing to be changed to support decent power levels.

I have owned both in 200sx's and both were changed out for RB25's... I have also built probably 30 11 and 12 second SR and CA's by now of which all i do a 1200km break in... in my 1200 I stuck with a built A series though if i did go CA/SR it would DEFINATLY be SR due to added parts availability and more power and torque at no matter what level of modification/investment.

You are swapping a motor to make more power, why not go for the one that makes more power and is cheaper to modify as well.

I've had both, a ca18det 1200 and a sr20det 1600 (how common!) and both engines are good.

CA's are cheap - i bought mine for $500 with everything but it had a spun bearing. Once rebuild it handled all i gave it with ease. cast iron block and far superior valve actuation in the head make it a great little motor. there are a few things that you should do when rebuilding them and they will give you no worries. They are harder to make big power out of though and aftermarket goodies are harder to get.

SR's are good because they have bags more torque than a ca, aftermarket bits are a dime a dozen - forged pistons, cams etc but they have a bit of an average rocker arm setup and will be limited if chasing massive power by the alloy block but can make an easy 250+ kw on a standard bottom end.

Anyone who hates either in an datsun and only has eyes for the a series has usually not ridden in a datsun powered by them. In saying that, an a series that is built using the money you'd save from buying a later model motor would go fairly nicely.

personally i have love for all mentioned engines

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Such as?
I'm going to build a CA18det I scored for a box of bourbon and cola cans. So Any and all tips are welcome.

Oh just the usual stuff :

Rebore , balance ,forged pistons ,some aftermarket rods , solid cam setup adjustable cam gears , Arp bolts , ported head , and the biggest Mutha F*&%$er of a turbo you can afford .

Nick.

I'm doing an sr20de in a 1200, mostly because I wanted an NA motor but the further I get through the project the more I want an A Series! go figure :)

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That will be even more reinforced after a ride in my car Nick. I took Mark and John for a blast yesterday after the drags. I think they were suitablely impressed for a motor running 7psi.