Nissan 200sx S13 CA18 and SR20 mpg?

[tom163]

Looking for s13 owners or anyone who had experience with these to give me a rough idea on fuel economy on either the CA18 or SR20 engines when going steady off boost etc....i've been told about 30 mpg and 30+mpg when on runs etc etc.

Cheers

[xiodene]

I would say 25mpg would be more realistic. That is what I used to get from my CA18 S13 when I had it and was driving carefully. Around 19/20mpg when having fun.
The SR20 is supposed to be a little better on fuel though.

Expect it to be awefull of fuel, then be happy when it turns out to only be bad

[Negative Creep]

It was a few years ago now, but my S13 was high 20's around town, high 30's on the motorway. When it wasn't busy breaking down or rusting.

[tom163]

Cheers guys....negative what engine was yours?

Cheers

[JSquaredJim]

My 475 BHP S14a with the sr20 managed 35 on a run and mid twenties when having fun. They are brilliant machines.

[roscopervis]

I averaged between 27-32mpg in my 280 hp S14a. Best I had was about 40 on a motorway run (no slow driving either), worst was 23.

[Jazoli]

I had a CA18 S13 12 years ago running 256bhp and it did high 30's off boost at 70mph and 30mpg at 80mph, around town it was about 25-27 or so, if you were on boost a lot it could drop as low as mid to high teens.

I wouldn't mind another but most are knackered and rusty now, big end shells were a common problem on the CA18.

[tom163]

Great stuff! better than I expected

[Negative Creep]

tom163 said:

Cheers guys....negative what engine was yours?

Cheers

CA18. As others have said it was fun, but only when it worked. Got it up on the ramps on day to find the rear beam completely rotten. Problem is it's hard finding one that hasn't been modified by someone with more enthusiasm than talent, or that's ended up sideways into a kerb

[Lloydie33]

My C18 was lightly modded - really a shame not to do at least a mongoose exhaust (lower EGT) and an old thrupenny bit on the turbo actuator... Didn't affect the economy too much - 25mpg mixed A/B-road, 20mpg moderate hooning about.

Just to say...Any significant pinking (det) tends to do the big ends. Rings a weak point - allows blow by, causes oil vapour to be fed back in to inlet which carbonises then burns out exhaust valves! Turbo gasket often fails - use original Nissan ones. Good engines are reliable, it's tricky to find one...

[300bhp/ton]

tom163 said:

Looking for s13 owners or anyone who had experience with these to give me a rough idea on fuel economy on either the CA18 or SR20 engines when going steady off boost etc....i've been told about 30 mpg and 30+mpg when on runs etc etc.

Cheers

Steady and off boost are not something the s13 does very well. Off boost it's 10x slower than a 1970's 1 litre Fiesta with a flat tyre and a missing spark plug.

Nudge ever so slightly into the boost and it'll try and bounce off the red line and headbutt the horizon.

Great car and I loved it, although the frantic nature of the engine could make it tiring if you weren't in the right mood. 23-26mpg is about all I ever got from it. Maybe 28mpg on a long motorway run.