Carcrazy's 1990 Nissan 240SX Build Thread

[Carcrazy]

What, does that title say what I think it does!?

Yeah, it does. I got sick of wasting money on a 1.8l Corolla.
Long story short, I was saving up for a full exhaust (from the heads back - it would've been sick) for the Corolla, but when I was having a conversation with one of my friends and he mentions his father has an old 240 lying around that he's parked. Well, he was considering sending it to the junk yard when I offered to take it off his hands and I was able to get it for CHEAP.

$300 clean and clear - needs a new head-gasket. I was hoping y'all could help me out on getting it running properly?






They said it went to the shop because it was puffing white smoke. They paid a technician to fix it but said it still wasn't right when they got it back. Their guess is it's the head gasket as I said but what are other ideas and things to check? Should I go ahead and buy injectors or spark plugs or is there anything else that might be worn? The only car I've ever worked on is a 2009 Corolla, remember?

Also, what fluids do I need to drain and replace before I try to drive it?

At this point the plan is to get the engine running to get a basic understanding of that, ride it for a year or so (or until it dies) so I can get really used to a stick while I save up around 2k for an SR20DET swap.

Other plans are a full weld-in roll cage, stripped down interior (once the new engine is lined-up) shocks & coilovers, etc.
It's my own little track car.

[boganbusman]

KA24E . . . . . oh my.

If you think the head gasket has popped then you need to check that first.

Is the car losing any coolant? You need to pressure-test the cooling system and see if water is going into the cylinders.
What did the mechanic do to the car to try and fix it?
When you say it's not running right, how exactly is it not right? Misfiring? Running rough?

If you're not sure about what you're doing then it might be best to take it to a good mechanic and get it diagnosed properly. Then once you know the problem, you can try to fix it yourself. There's no point pulling the head or changing this and that without knowing what the problem is. And it's hard for me to diagnose over the internet without having a lot more details.

[Carcrazy]

I've been told the only problem it had was it was blowing white smoke out of the exhaust, which as far as my knowlege tells me it was burning oil. But I'm not sure, I'm having to have it towed here from out of town but until I get my hands on it I'm not sure I feel comfortable driving it across town to a mechanic.

Once I get it I can start it up and tell you everything to know if you'll kinda' point me in the direction as to what I'm looking for. They said it started and ran fine other than that smoke but I'm not so sure. They wouldn't screw me over though and even so $300 for a rolling chassis isn't bad.

I don't mind the idea of me breaking the engine by trying to fix it myself - I learn by taking things apart. Plus I mean, it's a KA24E. If it was from a '91 and had DOHC it might be a different story, but as of right now it's an engine swap car anyway.

[viper16]

White smoke is not oil.
Blue Smoke = Oil
Black Smoke = Fuel
White Smoke = Coolant

[Carcrazy]

So what do you believe needs to be repaired?

[boganbusman]

If it's a lot of white smoke then I would say the head gasket, but it could also be a cracked head or a cracked block.

You need to get the car in your hands first, then we can start doing something.

[Carcrazy]

I'm *HOPING* I can pick it up this weekend. I need someone with a car that can actually tow... >.<

[viper16]

you dont have access to a truck?

[Carcrazy]

If we can't get something we already own to tow it then I'll have to ask one of my friends if they'll tow it with their DD. The good news about living in NC is that you never have a lack of friends with trucks.

My mom has an old Lincoln Aviator that would tow it just fine, but you know, she refuses to help me with the issue since she says racing in general is stupid... but that's another story. I just don't want to have to pay a friend $60 for gas.

[Carcrazy]

Okay, update!

Got the car Saturday morning... had to get up at 5:45 after not getting in until after 3am from our football game.

Got 'er home, jumped her up, and after a try or two she ran on her own. We tried to jump her and drive her on to the trailer we brought, but the engine cut off as soon as he (the old owner) let his foot off the gas.

Anywho, I got a little history on the car. He bought it in late 1990, drove it for nearly twenty years, then gave it to his daughter to learn to drive stick on. She apparently let it run out of coolant, and one day while he was driving it the gasket popped after overheating. He took it to a mechanic who "fixed it" and didn't even tell him what he repaired... hope he didn't pay a lot for that.

Back to the point...

In regards to the head-gasket:
-There's very clearly water in the oil, it's also about 50% fuller than it should be because of it.

-There was no coolant at ALL in there. Or if there was, I burned it when I cranked it for two or three minutes yesterday night. (I didn't check it... I'll admit. It's my first toy, for $300 it's meant to be a learning experience!)

-Temperature gauge doesn't work, so I can't for certain tell you if it's overheating. I filled it up with water today before cranking again but it still didn't work.

-White smoke... lots of it the first time it started. The neighbors weren't too happy I don't think.

Other shizz that's broken:
-Tach went today, I think

-Driver's seat has two tears and doesn't lock into position, (AKA: It's always reclined.)

-Shift knob was starting to tear, so I tore the leather off and found a base 240 knob underneath that I'm going to clean with some Goo-Gone.

-AC Belts are gone. It blows, but it also squeals like hell. Yeah, I didn't check them either.

-Battery may be dead. It's clamped to a charger now, but since it was made in 6/09, I'm hoping it's still good. I was expecting this, though. After all, it's been parked for almost two years.

-Paint's peeling... obviously.

-Brake lights stick on whenever the car is powered by another car (jump leads.) They haven't come on with the battery charger, but it's too early to tell if that's even working.

-Stereo is FRIED. I can't tell if the speakers are broken either, as all I get from them is a bunch of popping and static. Sounds like death...

-The gasket on the outside of the sunroof has dried out and began to chip earlier. There's another weather-gasket between the glass and the interior, so it won't (read: shouldn't) leak, but if water sits around the glass too long I fear it may rust.

-Needs a new hatch thanks to the OEM spoiler that Nissan made out of foam. Bravo, guys. (The only other rust I've found is on the driver's seat rail.)

-Old car musk. Can you say Febreze?

-Driver's door has some dents, as well as a door-ding in the driver's rear-quarter panel.

-Radio Antenna doesn't lift/retract on it's own. Of course, it's no big deal since the car has no working radio...

-Rough idle? I think not... this thing sounds like an 80's diesel-powered bus! (Of course it has two-year old gas and even worse-off oil, so I'm sure that's contributing.

Anyway, if the battery charges overnight then I'll hopefully be buying a gasket kit by FelPro pretty soon and putting in some wrench work. Though I have to get it up the driveway first, and that alone will be a war...

I'll see about making a VERY brief video tomorrow when I actually have someone to hold the camera. I did it today but my phone's on the fritz so the audio is rubbish, and on top of that the bottle I set the phone on slipped just as I was getting in the car to start it.

Still, I can't wait to drive this thing for the first time.

(Also, what do y'all think: head-gasket or cracked block? I'm hoping gasket just so I can tear it apart and not have to worry about wasting a perfectly good engine if I screw something up. I'd hate to install a $3000 SR20, or worse an RB25 then break it later of my own doing.)

[viper16]

If she ran it with no coolant you are gonna need to make sure the block and head are not warped or cracked. Also cranking for 2-3 minutes straight is not good unless you want to fry your starter and some other stuff. Also if you have water/oil mix DO NOT run the engine. Water oil mix eats bearings like crazy.

[Carcrazy]

I'm not exactly in it for the long haul, but I needed to turn the car on long enough to figure out what was wrong with it.

If it goes "pop" I'm not really going to be heartbroken... just plain broke for a while.

Plus I should add that if I do a proper rebuild and not just what I'm referring to as "slap a headgasket on a hoon around for six months" I'll do just that, a proper rebuild. Everything but forged internals and turbo piping.

[boganbusman]

I would definitely get the head checked. There's no point in slapping a gasket on there if the head has warped or cracked.
Also use new head bolts.

Is the cooling system very rusty and brown? If so, you will probably need a new water pump, radiator, thermostat and some hoses. And a few bottles of coolant flush.

Otherwise if you don't want to spend anything, just run straight water. Using proper coolant will make it more likely to leak.

[Carcrazy]

What should I be looking for with the head, just warping? Can't I do that with a straight edge?
What about valves and stuff?

In regards to the cooling system, what should I be looking at? It looks like if it's leaking at all, it's only a very little bit. As for rust, like I said, other than the trunk lid there really isn't anything significant.

Also, should I just get an AllData-DIY subscription and start working on tearing down the block, or should I wait a month until I have my gaskets in? I'd rather have something to occupy my time and be able to confirm what the actual problem is via visual inspections and the such, but other than just wrenching away I've got no idea where to start.

[boganbusman]

The head needs to be pressure-tested as well, to check for cracks. You can't do that on your own.

The cooling system just needs to be clean and leak-free. Head gaskets usually don't just pop on their own. It's likely that the coolant leaked out from somewhere else and caused it to overheat, or the thermostat could also be at fault.

If you plan on tearing down the whole motor, then you might as well do it now. I wasn't sure if you really wanted to spend money on the car or not.

[Carcrazy]

Yeah, I've got about a $500 budget (not including tools,) give or take, to get it running. After that I may decide to cut my losses and start looking for another engine.

Think it's enough?

[Carcrazy]

Alright, so I've looked up a bit of info and also downloaded a tear-down video that I'm going to follow, but I've got one hurdle to get over before I can actually get crackin'.

In an effort to save my back from thousands of tiny cuts due to the grass in my yard, I'm going to have to drive it up the driveway. Is actually driving it for a minute or two going to risk damaging anything, and if so what can I do to minimize the chances? I'll try to push it up first but I don't really think it's going to happen.

The good news is I picked up a new battery yesterday, and also figured out how to repair my brake lights.

Thanks again... =P

[boganbusman]

$500 is pushing it, but if you're lucky it should be enough.

The engine should be fine if you just run it for a short while, as long as it has oil in it.

[Carcrazy]

My dad was looking at the engine with me earlier and noticed that the water pump looks brand new; there's hardly any dirt on it at all. I'm guessing this is what the mechanic fixed whenever he had it - there's no way he tore down the block, it's too dirty on the outside even if it has been sitting for a year and a half.

I'm going to ask a friend who works as a mechanic for Toyota to come and look at it as per my dad's request, but if he says he can't come over for a week or so I'm just going to start the tear-down tomorrow. Once I get it apart I'll see about taking the head to be machined and inspected... depending on the condition of the block I may take it as well just to be cleaned up. I'll check the prices on aftermarket pistons while I'm at it... after all, there's no replacement for displacement, right?

[boganbusman]

I'll check the prices on aftermarket pistons while I'm at it... after all, there's no replacement for displacement, right?

Uhhh I really think you shouldn't do that. If you change the pistons it's going to create a bunch of problems.

- You will need new piston rings as well, and the cylinders will need to be honed. That's assuming the cylinders are in good condition.
- Tearing out the bottom end is not a fun job when the engine is still in the car.
- Any change in displacement or compression ratio is going to require mods to the engine management system. Something like an ECU flash tune, or a Power FC, or a standalone. And a wideband O2 sensor. These all cost money.

If you start doing all these things then the money is going to run out pretty quick.

[Carcrazy]

So, the $500 build just blew up in my face.
(Sorry for cell pics. More sorry they're uploaded to Facebook!)

Been a little busy lately..


I've learned two lessons so far.
1 - ALWAYS bag and label your bolts. (Boy should this be fun to get back together!)
2 - When someone warns you your head may be cracked, try and listen.

Anyway, I've torn the engine down to the short block, finally. Pulled the head off after eventually tracking down the proper instructions for setting piston 1 to TDC by the crank and then spending upwards of three hours trying to get the cam-sprocket bolt off... (don't ask.) Nonetheless, pulled it expecting to find a piece of silicone blown to pieces... boy how naive I really am. Since reading up on the difference between composite, copper, and multi-layer metal head-gaskets, and the signs of a damaged or improperly installed head-gasket, I've figured out that one of two things has happened.

Either the mechanic who worked on the engine last (he did replace the head-gasket, I can tell this by the number of missing bolts and what's left of the lovely Fel-Pro label) was utterly incompetent and didn't clean the block like he should've, or the head is certainly cracked. Moral of the story is that this thing looks fine.

(That's not a crack on fire-ring #1, it's a piece of carbon, or, something...)

I'm taking to head to a local machine shop to see if they can check it before I waste money on resurfacing, plus since they're going to charge $60 to replace the valve seals I reckon I'll read up and see if I can do that myself. If it's cracked, though, replacing it is out of the picture, there's no use in spending $400 on an engine that's going to be replaced. (I *may* end up buying another '89 I've found for $600, but that's a long shot at this point.)

Update over, can someone fill me in on what's going on here, port wise? I'm really curious, and it irritates me not being able to know what's actually going wrong in the engine. I understand some are for oil and others for coolant, but I don't really know what's what, or why the headgasket only has holes for some ports at the rear-end of the block and not for those around the front three pistons.


Thanks for the help guys, and sorry for neglecting to update. =P
(Also, I got a concussion recently and I'm still not up to 100%. Please excuse me if I said anything stupider than my usual. I read through it but eh, you never know.)

Bonus shot of the head:
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos- ... 5959_n.jpg

[boganbusman]

There's a good chance that the head is to blame, either it's cracked or bent like a banana.



Red holes - coolant
Green holes - head bolts
Yellow holes - oil drains
Blue arrow - oil feed

[Carcrazy]

Awesome, thanks Bogan.

In light of only having a working KA short-block, I may scrap the SR/RB25 swap idea. I doubt I have the patience to wait a year before this thing runs - I may just buy a new head, re-build the bottom end and start looking into an FI build.

I'll update the thread when I actually have something worth updating.

[Carcrazy]

And in an unexpected turn of events... here's a new engine!


Engine Pic 2 / 5 Speed

KA24DE from a 1993 S13 Coupe: $250 done and done; should come with most accessories (p/s pump, etc.)
It burns oil and evidently also has an oil leak, so it needs a re-build, but it'd still be damn cheaper than trying to find a head for the SOHC, even if I do have to hit up a junk-yard for an ECU harness and tach.

I tripped over this little find browsing a local Nissan forum and it instantly perked my interest, fortunately or unfortunately, I found a crack on a coolant port on the head while I was testing it with the feeler gauge to see if it was warped. (Big surprise... it was.) The final deal-sealer was when the owner said he'd throw in the tranny free just to get it gone.

He ripped it out in anticipation of installing a 2JZ, between this and the oil leak he was willing to sell it off pretty cheap. I should be taking delivery Friday when I can get my hands on my buddy's pickup again. My guess is it's been bored up a bit with high-compression pistons, because he said the kid he bought it from installed "some SOHC parts to make a high-comp KA." Doesn't much matter since if he didn't, I probably will. No sense in importing a lower-displacement SR20 if I can turbo this one and get more power for the same money... plus I get to tinker with it.

So tell me what you think - hopefully, if all goes well, I can get this thing running by Christmas.
(Still won't be cheap, buy hey - what project car is?)

[boganbusman]

I think $250 is a ripoff for a KA24 that needs a rebuild!

If you want it running by Christmas then you should have found a good engine......