You should be able to find the s12 SOHC ca18et for cheap over there, and while they arent as strong as other nissan motors, people seem to have no probs running them at about 15psi with the addition of an intercooler (And I dont mean a big one) You could try and source an engine from Club-S12
and they should be able to help with power-ups etc..Good Luck

Quote:I like these motors alot, but remember that an SR20 is a real tight fit in a 1200, and it still cost you ~$1200 just for engine and tranny alone, not including the conversion parts and labor on top of the stand alone system. NA s14 motors are hard to come by here as importers are busy meeting the demands of the det craze (and there definitely is one goin on), and the latest trend is to sell the complete front clip, because most s13/14 owners want the Silvia front end, too, blah blah blah ...

My biggest drawback on choosing a drivetrain swap is ME. I have never owned or worked on a turbo or s charger. The part that freaks me out is all the required OTHER stuff that goes with say the CA18 or SR20. The MAJOR thing that needs to happen is, keep it simple enough for me to service it. On a scale of 1-10, my automotive knowledge is a 5. The budget needs to stay under 5K USD for the drivetrain. Otherwise I'll just go get a '66 Mustang convertable................I'm leaning to a a14/15 w/ or w/out turbo or s charger w/ 5 speed. Keep it small, light & "simple". I'll also want a quasi race suspension/brake setup. Thanks again all for the fantastic info!

Quote:5k can get you quite a bit if only your ME level was higher. The problem may be (it sounds like) that you may need to pay someone to do the work. The other disadvantage to that you will be dependent on whoever did the work since you may not be able to service it entirely yourself. You are at an advantage now because the ca18/sr20 conversion does not freak out most guys until too late, when they've already got thousands into the project.

Hey, what about buying syl's car that already has a ka24de project started?

Syl decided to keep her. Man I wanted that sedan body! Nice and clean!

Mustang convertible? That's what I have - EFI and I practically never have to work on it, like maybe replace one part every two years. I've never even had the spark plugs out in five years.

But isn't this about about the Datsun?

To answer Matt's question, yes, I agree that newer EFI engines are more reliable than old systems, but also I think they are easier to work on; easier to diagnose, easier to keep running great. Sure they have more components, but when they get old, 90% of the time they same stuff needs attention as does non-E cars: vacuum leaks, bad plug wires etc. Then the rest of the time the built-in diagnostics help the mechanic.

If someone didn't know how to work on either old cars (points, carbs, etc) or new cars (no points, no carbs), I think starting from scratch the EFI would be easier to learn how to work on. If anyone else is a master of BOTH systems (like Matt and myself), let them comment. Those of you who find EFI "mystifying" are not really qualified to say one way or the other except to say "I understand carbs, so I'm sticking with them". And that's not necessarily a bad thing either but maybe you are missing out on the choices available.

In other words, don't be afraid to dig in and learn how EFI works. There are some good books at the library that explain it, but mainly just borrow your parents car read out the diagnostics just to get the hang of it. For pre-1996 cars you need no special equipment (Fords require a voltmeter, GM a paperclip, Chryslers need nothing).

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FWIW, a Z20E/Z22E transmission will bolt up to the KA24E, and will fit the standard tunnel with a massage from a BFH. I only point this out to say that you MIGHT get away with not cutting it.

Quote:Yeah, I forgot about that option, but it sounds like he'll do an A15 before he does that. Wait a minute ... does he even have a car to put this in? Have we been spending all this time and energy debating a hypothetical engine transplant.

No. You haven't. ............It's official, I need a digital camera.......... All this rumor & inuendo about "does he even have a car" blah, blah, blah!

Dude, if I could afford it, I would get some fuel/spark computer (tech3,motec,etc), two TWM DCOE style throtlebodies, and rest of the crap needed to convert my engine to EFI.
I'm sure it would be pretty rough to get dialed in, but I'm sure it would be easier to tune with a laptop than filing down needles or drilling out jets.
I also like the idea of a system that can make adjustments (via O2 and MAP sensors) depending on current conditions.