what to look for when buying a 240sx sr20?

[MikeBeBoostin]

i been going around looking at 240s lately, but i do not know what i am really looking at. so help me out here.

when i go look at the car what should i look at?

i usually just check out the idle, any leaks, suspension, i make sure there no parts that were bent or welded back together. other then that what else should i be looking at ?

i bought a 3000gt vr4 with no knowledge of what i was looking at and i got fucked over in the end, so i do not want to make the same mistake.

thanks in advance.

[blackoutt]

Uh, make sure you kick the tires.

...but seriously? If you don't know what to look for other than visual cues you might not want a sr'ed 240 just yet. Read around a little more.

[MikeBeBoostin]

well i helped a friend with his sr many times, just i dont want to buy a sr off the street that is going to give me problems. such as overheating. what ways can i look and make sure it will not overheat ? when i tested the vr4 out it ran fine when i tested but the day i brought it home it did overheat.

[96Turbo]

i look closely under the chassis. make sure frame rails are straight, minimal rust, no damage, etc. Check out under the hood. Make sure the radiator support is straight, the battery tray isn't rusted to hell, brake fluid hasn't spilled all over the place, etc

Take it for a nice long test drive, beat the shit out of it, and if it doesn't blow up/fall apart/overheat, then u got a good one!

[n8RPS13]

Dude by a stock 240 and then buy a front clip or a SR from a reputable dealer. Its NEVER smart to buy a modded car if your not sure of what you're looking at. A couple things you can do is learn how to do a compression test, look at the coolant if there is oil in your water the head gasket is going bad or is bad regardless it needs to be changed, check for ANY leaks PERIOD!!! and pay for it to be dyno tested from a shop other than his. You might lose a hundred bucks but it's worth it not to buy a bad motor/car. Also ask to see if there is any play on the turbine. Its really easy to feel if there is. Just wiggle the impeller fan on the front side of the turbo. Hope this helps man:)

[lazysk8er2]

rust rust rust oh yea and rust...also check the wiring for hack job i got screwed by both of these

[MikeBeBoostin]

thanks alot. yea i know the headgasket thing, that is what happened to my vr4 the headgasket blew. i was also thinking of taking it to a local shop. the mechanic is offering me a clean title shell and he will do the sr20 swap into it for 4500. sound like a good deal ?

[BJManies]

As told to me by a very good friend of mine...

"Make sure its in time. Make sure the CAS is adjusted somewhat near TE center, and not all the way to the end. Find the ignitor and make sure that its stock. Drive it and make sure the turbo spools fine and it feels peppy and quick. Check the lines going to and from the turbo and make sure they are intact and not leaking or anything. take one of the intercooler pipes loose and see how much oil is on the inside of them. A little is alright, alot is not. Check the wiring harness and make sure no wires are loose or showing, etc. Also, check under the passenger dash where the harness attaches down there and make sure the connections are ok.."

Hope that helps.

[l2edken]

rust rust rust oh yea and rust...also check the wiring for hack job i got screwed by both of these

i cannot emphasis this enough, CHECK THE WIRING!!!
I recently bought a 89 hatch, motor was out of a 97... ok cool, drove it, it was great all good. Buy and and bring it home only to find a absolute mess hidden behind those panels... cut jobs here and there, NO solders for any split wire, simple twist em together, cover it in tape. Some were just twisted and left there. Cause a million and one shorts thus leaving me stripping the entire harness and starting from new, with local part outs and the help of everyone on these here great classifieds...

do yourself a favor and put the extra mile into checkin out the wiring, you might find yourself in a situation not far from mine!

:cry::cry::cry::cry::cry:

[sirfallsalot243]

Go with your gut feeling. If the car looks beat, or even just rough, dont be sucked in by the "omgz its an sr20" feeling. DONT go there with the intent on buying the car- DONT make a decision while youre there. If youre 90% sure you want it, put $100 down to have him hold it for a day or two. SLEEP ON IT. Dont let yourself get rushed into or pressured into a sale. If he wants to sell it, he'll hold it. If you decide you dont want it, walking away from $100 is a lot easier than stepping into a pile of dog shit.

[rican_nick]

if your close come buy mine :)

[MikeBeBoostin]

if your close come buy mine :)


haha dude i would love to buy your car. that is what i exactly want. but i can not afford something like that at the moment. that is why im searching for a s13 sr20 since they are around my price range.