Oh boy, oh boy do I need help with my S14...

[Dillano609]

Hey everyone, my name is Dylan and I am new to the forums here. Yesterday I bought my first ever Nissan, and man, does it need work. It is a 1996 240sx with a KA24DE engine w/ a 5-speed. The car has a vacuum leak by the EGR valve, some bolts are non-existent, it leaks oil....bad, and I was told it needs outer and inner intake gaskets. Somehow it starts, it can even move, but dies after a few minutes. I only have a budget of $900 left to fix it, is it possible?

(I can have the body work done for free so its not a BFD, I posted another thread as to why I need bodywork, lol)

http://i369.photobucket.com/albums/oo132/Dillano609/240sxengine.jpg

[Sileighty_85]

Ummm either take it to a qualified mechanic or replace all the parts that are missing/ broke.

You seem to know whats wrong with it so make a trip to autozone and lowes and get the missing / broken pieces

read/ study this
Index of /manuals/96_240sx (http://www.240edge.com/manuals/96_240sx/)

sounds like you need to use em.pdf and ma.pdf

[Ceepo]

Just dive in and fix what is wrong with it, i personally dont know everything wrong with your car but write a list and order it in most important to least important and start tackeling it one thing at a time man, its a good learning experiance and some people will say, just get a sr20 and swap it, but because your new to the scene, fix this motor and get it running good :D

[Dillano609]

Wow, a million thanks Sileighty_85!!! I had a few mechanics come over and help me get it running better and they said that I would probably need the book for the engine to help get me further. That will very much come in handy.

Ceepo, thats what I plan to do first. I want to see if I can salvage the engine or probably, if it won't work out, I can go down to the junkyard with a few mechanics and have them help me take another engine out.

[miravete]

have you checked the ecu for error codes? or had the check engine flash to see whats wrong?

thats a good way to start. by finding out what the ecu sees "as malfunctioning" :)

[miravete]

i just noticed in your pic, that the negative cable isnt bolted down. maybe your grounds arent all bolted, thus why it turns off after a while.

[stevenwhite1989]

I think you have a KA24DE

[shinobis13hb]

Look up engine codes. Check your codes. Google is your best friend. If you find codes and need help pm me

[DALAZ_68]

sounds like you need jeesus...


seriously, DL the FSM...get ur Alternator checked...and battery...if ur shit is dying, it might be ur alt faulting out...thus not charging the battery too...

if i were you, and ive dont this be4...start measuring vac lines, and start replacing...you being in frosty weather like chicago, it could have cracked open hoses...especially with the heat to cold intervoles it deals with...but i wouldnt really know...i dont have snow...lol
GL

[GunmetalSR]

i say if u hav 1400 then go find a descent condition ka for 150 and do all the maintenance on the fresh ka and maybe a semi build so u know its strong and then from there suspension and wheels
by the way do all your own work...when i first got my s14 my gas tank busted and clutch went out and it was 400 in labor for the clutch and 400 for the gas tank and wow they both are really easy and i seriously regret wasting 800 bucks

[DALAZ_68]

FUCK SUSPENSION, and further more FUCK WHEELS...lets not get into anyof that stupid shit until his car actually RUNS PROPERLY shall we...

[GunmetalSR]

FUCK SUSPENSION, and further more FUCK WHEELS...lets not get into anyof that stupid shit until his car actually RUNS PROPERLY shall we...
thats why i said get it runnin first...honsetly if i could go back with the extra 3k cash i had i wouldve atleast had my motor semi built and had every gasket and do all the maintenance so itll be incredibly reliable and then when all problems solved my personal suggestion is coils, alignment and wheels

[Dillano609]

I think you have a KA24DE

Thanks dude, I for some reason when I originally posted this thread I was thinking the KA20DE, it occured to me later it was a KA24DE because of the name 240sx, this certainly isn't a 200sx, lol.

miravete, I noticed that too when I got the car, but strangely I can't find where it is supposed to be bolted down to. I know a few ground wires aren't plugged in, one example being the cord for the radio which was butchered, but i'll need to look deeper into this mess.

shinobis13hb, I can find a place that will check engine codes for me for free, but I need to get the car running first. Unfortunately, the people who had this car abused the hell out of it and I think they took out the port for where you plug in the OBD II computer, unless i am looking in the wrong place. Thanks for the offer, I'll PM you if i have any questions. =)

Everyone else, thanks for the suggestions, i really would like to do upgrades, but getting it running first trumps everything else o the upgrades would be worthless. TBH I really would like to do a suspension upgrade seeing as how I think the car was lowered, i think they cut the stock coils like morons.

[onefst240]

teh negative wire shuold bolt onto the battery tray. well atleast it does on the s13.

[miravete]

teh negative wire shuold bolt onto the battery tray. well atleast it does on the s13.

yeap. its actually on the rim of the battery tray. but then again you can bolt it down to any where on the chassis as long as its tight.

[I LUV MY S13]

As far as the grounds those can be bolted pretty much anywhere on the chassis..

The oil leak, well do you have any idea where its coming from? Front or rear of the block? Oil pan/pump? In between the Head and block?

What I would recommend is just doing a "semi rebuild" by just replacing all the gaskets and seals and vacuum lines. Check your ECU for any codes. Trace all wires and make sure they're in proper use and properly installed/grounded. Then just follow up with typical maintenance: Spark plug/wires, Air/Fuel Filter, Throttle Cleaner through Intake, Oil Change, Tranny/Coolant Flush, and Clutch/Brake Fluid Bleeding.

After all that You should have some cash left over and honestly save it, seeing that your 16 and all.

Good Luck

[rollout240]

so I would say check all your vaccums which you did. fix all of that. then check your ecu! you have a ka24de with probably the de ecu. if you look at your maf. thats not a ka24de maf.

im not an expert but i dont think its reading the right air/fuel ration crap to the ecu. if your running the stock ecu change the maf to the dohc and see where that takes you.

good luck.

[Dillano609]

As far as the grounds those can be bolted pretty much anywhere on the chassis..

The oil leak, well do you have any idea where its coming from? Front or rear of the block? Oil pan/pump? In between the Head and block?

What I would recommend is just doing a "semi rebuild" by just replacing all the gaskets and seals and vacuum lines. Check your ECU for any codes. Trace all wires and make sure they're in proper use and properly installed/grounded. Then just follow up with typical maintenance: Spark plug/wires, Air/Fuel Filter, Throttle Cleaner through Intake, Oil Change, Tranny/Coolant Flush, and Clutch/Brake Fluid Bleeding.

After all that You should have some cash left over and honestly save it, seeing that your 16 and all.

Good Luck

I think the leak is coming from the rear of the engine, but I'm not sure.

I think I like the idea of a "semi rebuild", not really in the mood to go down to the junkyard if this one at least starts. However, I have never owned a car with so many problems, I don't know which gaskets, seals, and vacuum lines need to be replaced. I think some vacuum lines just aren't connected, I had to plug in alot of stuff when I had a few mechanics over and it ran better and we didn't get to everything. Aside from the intake gasket, I have no idea what to replace. I have a mechanic who specializes in imports who is going to look at it today and if the "semi rebuild" is the only option I would like to start looking at parts. What seals and gaskets do I need to replace? Also, do I need to remove the engine to get it done or can it stay in the engine bay?

One last thing, I'm not sure if I can check the ECU because I think the dumasses who owned it last took out the port unless I am looking in the wrong place. The port for the computer should be next to the hood latch, right? How much would that repair cost if it is no longer there?

[I LUV MY S13]

I would recommend replacing the intake gaskets, valve cover, front and rear main seal (probably the cause of your leak), EGR gasket, fuel injector O-rings, and anything else that looks brittle..it would be easier to work on everything with the motor out, also, you may be able to find anything else that may be wrong and it gives you an oppprtunity to clean the engine bay and block.

It is suppose to be near the hood latch, but your also able to check directly behind the ECU, atleast on the S13 you can. Try googling it, you'll find instructions on how to do it.

If that harness is no longer near the hatch i have no idea what it would cost to fix.