180sx Tuning Guide
Welcome to our Nissan 180sx tuning guide. This is a basic overview of the most commonly used tuning parts for the 180sx. If you are new to s13’s and you would like to learn more about the modifications that a lot of the owners perform on their cars then have a read of this article. This article covers both the CA18DET and the SR20DET.
This is a large subject and I will need to regularly update it so if there is something I have missed which you want to know about then just drop a comment and I will try to give you the correct info.
I won’t go into very much detail on each component to avoid getting bogged down in technicalities but if you are interested in learning more about how something works then feel free to consult our friend Wikipedia!
Modification list
Induction kit
An aftermarket induction kit is normally the first modification people do to their 180sx. The idea is they have less restrictive filters then the standard sealed airbox, thus they should intake more cold air which should increase horsepower slightly.
In reality most induction kits are negatively affected by ‘heat-soak’ from the hot air circulating the engine bay and because of this they might actually lose you a couple of horsepower unless they are properly sealed like the standard airbox.
The real benefit of the induction kit is the throaty roar it makes upon acceleration and the neater visual appearance in your engine bay.
Performance exhaust
The standard Nissan 180sx exhaust is thin, restrictively angled and - for later models - suffers from a greedy catalytic converter. A performance exhaust will feature larger diameter tubing, a more logical path to the backbox and will normally eliminate the catalytic converter.
This is an essential modification to your 180sx, you will get a better throttle response, a sporty tone (depending on make and model of exhaust you choose), and instantly the boost pressure will rise which will gain you more horsepower.
Boost controller
Most turbo cars run their turbos at ‘actuator pressure’, this is the lowest possible pressure the turbo will run at but still spin effectively. Manufacturers do this to enhance the life of the turbos (more pressure = more strain on turbo components), a boost controller allows you to manually increase the boost pressure running through your turbo.
You have to be careful and follow the tuning guidelines, but if you have the correct supporting mods ie. performance exhaust, colder spark plugs, aftermarket fuel pump - there is nothing stopping you from increasing the boost on your standard T25/g turbo and gaining up to 50bhp depending on which engine you have.
Turbo upgrade
Turbo upgrades are the ultimate way to increase your 180sx’s power output. Engine upgrades, headwork, cams etc all help in increasing horsepower but it *all* centers around your turbo charger. Stock 180sx’s run T25’s (in ca18det form) or T25g’s (in sr20det form) which are both very small turbos. They spool nice and quick and give a little punch but if you want to really unleash your engine’s potential you need to start looking into a turbo upgrade.
A common upgrade is a Garrett T28 variant, these have larger housing and can flow significantly more power at not a massive financial outlay. With a basic T28 variant and the correct supporting mods and increased boost pressure you should be able to run 300bhp (flywheel).
For more of a serious upgrade you can switch to a top mounted setup (standard 180sx turbos use a bottom mount setup, so the turbo hangs under the manifold, the problem here is larger turbos require more physical space then is on offer in a bottom mount configuration and so swap to an inverted bottom mount - or top mount as its known).
With a medium to large sized top mounted turbo and the associated supporting mods you should be able to run a reliable 350-400bhp on a stock sr20det and 300bhp+ on a built ca18det.
Aftermarket ECU
An aftermarket ECU is a wise investment at any stage of tuning. With a programmable ECU a tuner can fine tune your car’s fueling and timing so your engine is running at optimum efficiency. This can mean more horsepower, better miles per gallon and a safer running engine.
Many people upgrade their cars with exhausts, filters and intercoolers but leave their ECU standard. This is a very short sighted way of tuning because without an optimised ECU you will be running too rich or too lean and either way this *will* damage your precious engine.
ECU upgrades don’t have to cost the earth, you can buy a programmable ‘daughter-board’ which is a small board that attaches to your stock ECU and allows a tuner to setup your car to its modifications. This can cost from as little as £350. At the other end of the scale is a feature packed standalone ECU such as the Apexi Power FC (pictured). This ECU not only allows for custom tuning but also provides many useful engine monitoring options. This is retailing at the moment around the £800 mark.
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