Forged connecting rods Nissan - 1.8L 16V Turbo - CA18DET for forged pistons

The Nissan CA18DET engine

The Nissan CA18DET is the pinnacle of the CA family: a 1.8 L (1,809 cc) inline-four petrol engine with double overhead camshafts and 16 valves, force-fed by a Garrett T25 turbocharger paired with an air-to-air intercooler. With an 83 mm bore and an 83.6 mm stroke, multipoint fuel injection and piston oil squirters, it delivers 169 hp (124 kW) and 228 N·m, while staying eager and responsive low down thanks to its dual-port intake.

Built from 1985 to 1994, it powered now-iconic cars: the Silvia and 180SX (S13), the European-market 200SX (S13), the Silvia S12 RS-X and the all-wheel-drive Bluebird U12 SSS ATTESA. A true icon of drifting and Japanese tuning, it offers a sound, durable mechanical base. As soon as boost pressure rises, however, strengthening the rotating assembly becomes the top priority to withstand torque and repeated high-rpm runs.

Forged connecting rods

Forged 4340 steel connecting rods take over from the factory rods as soon as the CA18DET is pushed beyond its stock operating range. Designed for high performance, they belong in rally, drift, drag, circuit racing, hillclimb and time attack, wherever the engine is run well beyond its factory limits.

As soon as you raise boost, extend the rev range or aim for a significant power increase (Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4 and beyond), they become essential, ideally combined with forged pistons. Offered in an H profile, made for the high torque of turbocharged builds, they reliably secure the CA18DET bottom end for the long term.

Technical specifications of the CA18DET forged connecting rods

Torque and bolt stretch

Manufacturers recommend stretch-gauge measurement as the reference method: the instructions supplied with the kit always take precedence. The torque figures assume assembly with ARP lubricant.

Technical guide

4340 forged steel: what is it?

Connecting rod profiles

H profile. Its “H”-shaped section gives it great rigidity and excellent resistance to both bending and compression. Slightly heavier than an I-beam rod, it favours strength: it is the profile of choice for high-torque engines and sustained turbocharged builds. On a hard-driven CA18DET, it provides a reassuring safety margin against boost-pressure spikes.

How to choose your rod bolts?

The connecting-rod bolt is one of the engine’s most heavily stressed components: on every cycle it absorbs the inertial loads of the rotating assembly. On a build, the choice of ARP steel grade directly governs the power and rpm that can be run reliably.

ARP 2000 (tensile strength of about 220,000 psi, close to 1,517 MPa) covers the vast majority of builds: up to 150 hp per cylinder in 5/16" or 200 hp per cylinder in 3/8", and engine speeds up to 8,500 rpm. Versatile, reliable and with no special storage constraints, it is the reference bolt for circuit, trackday, drift, rally, drag and hillclimb.

ARP L19 (tensile strength of about 260,000 psi, close to 1,793 MPa) targets engines pushed to the extreme: up to 200 hp per cylinder in 5/16" or 250 hp per cylinder in 3/8", and up to 10,000 rpm. It is aimed at big-power builds (drag, drift, rally, circuit) subjected to very high cylinder pressures and sustained high rpm. In return, sensitive to corrosion and hydrogen embrittlement, it must be fitted and stored oiled, away from moisture.

Measuring bolt stretch

Buy the ARP stretch gauge →

The brands offered

ZRP is a Greek high-performance forged connecting-rod brand, designed in Athens by Alex Drakos. Each rod is precision-machined from 4340 steel, then weighed and matched per set (tolerance of about ± 1 g) for optimal balancing of the rotating assembly. Proven in rally, on circuit and in drift, ZRP rods have established themselves as a benchmark in the European tuning market.

Glossary

1) Small end 2) Small-end diameter 3) Rod beam 4) Rod bolt 5) Big end 6) Rod nut / bolt 7) Rod cap 8) Big-end diameter 9) Center-to-center

Vehicle compatibility for the Nissan CA18DET engine

The CA18DET engine powered several Nissan models, on which these forged connecting rods fit directly:

OEM reference: (set of 4 connecting rods).

Why it’s the most cost-effective solution?

Breaking a stock rod usually means losing the engine: a rod that lets go punches through the block and takes the crankshaft, pistons and cylinder head down with it. The bill for a full rebuild then far exceeds the price of a set of forged rods.

Moreover, returning to the factory configuration after a failure usually requires replacing both the rods and the pistons, which are damaged too. For a comparable budget, sometimes lower, combining forged 4340 steel rods with forged pistons brings far greater reliability and safety margin, plus a real ability to increase power. It has been the choice of European tuners for over fifteen years.

At equal budget: more reliability, more potential, more longevity.