What usually goes wrong with 240sx 89-94'?

[T07N]

I'm getting ready to spend like 3 grand on one of these and I'm wondering what usually goes wrong before I decide to buy. Let's say around 150k what usually goes wrong? Give me a list of some things you had to fix on your 240sx. Thanks!

edit: changed 180sx to 240sx to reduce the flame-o-meter

[turknjd]

no one here has a 180sx

[FaLKoN240]

That BJorklover guy has a 180.

But anyways, first, stop trying to be JDM, you won't impress anyone.

Second, nothing helps more than searching.

The only things I can think of that are common that will really bother you are:

The DOHC timing chaing rattle.

and the Check Engine light.

Other than that, you gonna have to search.

[Nan Desu Ka?!]

unless the steering wheel is on the right side, you have a 240sx son, not a 180sx. call it what it is, not what you wish it was, or what you think will make you sound cool.

and just so im not a complete ass:
-timing chain guides/tentioners
-o2 sensors going to crap so u have a CEL
-bad grounding in electical system
-missing interior bolts/snaps (i know im rollin with probably 2/3 of the original interior hardware)

make sure it had its oil changed on time and regular maintainence type stuff. papers to prove it are ideal. good luck with your purchase.

[OdessaS13]

depends how u will take care of it/ milage it has on it now/ how it has been treated before. you should know the factors that contribute to a shitty car.
if you dont know whats wrong with it already take it to a mechanic you trust and have them inspect it.

sorry i dont have a 180, i have a 240sx so i cant really help out with what goes wrong list :Ownedd: j/k

- timing chain
- check if clutch is still ok
- regular maintinance
- misc. rattles inside car but keep in mind you are buying a 11- 15 year old car

nissan engine ussually last well over 150k as long as you take care of it it will take care of you

[aznpoopy]

timing chain
oil leak

besides that, just about everything else will need some attention
you'll probably run into gremlins that'll leave you stranded a few mornings each year

[irritatedmax]

along the lines of the timing chain, when my brother bought his, the timing chain had become loose enough to wear on the aluminum cover and acutally wore a hole in it so the aluminum cover had to be fixed as well. also, check the oil and coolant to see if there is any oil in the coolant or coolant in the oil, thus signaling a possible blown head gasket.

after you buy it (if it is a manual), switch your manual transmission fluid and the differential fluid. if it is an automatic with high miles (over 100k) and the transmission has never been serviced there have been reports that a flush will acutally cause damage to the transmission and as a result not function properly. so, like someone said above try and get paperwork saying the car has had regular maintanence.

[exitspeed]

Usually what goes wrong is a kid gets one and crashes it within a month trying to be a D1 star. Then things go right and he parts it out to us.

I hope that answers your question...

[mrmephistopheles]

no one here has a 180sx

Oh? I guess I don't own 2 of them then. :-/

Figments of my imagination I guess...
http://www.fochkopf.com/images/180sx/dfq.jpg
http://www.fochkopf.com/images/180sx/fucked.jpg

[ranisron]

RUST!
Oil leak!
Timing chain rattle
Worn out bushings and shit like that...

Regular maintenance will knock out most of the issues... though rust is the enemy.

[justinhustle]

an ex honduh owner buys it, wrecks it or gives up because hes not mad dorfito tite on day 1

[TheSquidd]

Problems I've had:

-A/C Compressor
-Timing chain rattle
-Mysterious cloud of black gunk on my rear...
-Exhaust hangers
-Engine mounts/Trans mounts (fun to play 'hold the shift knob still on the freeway')
-Transmissions go out
-Bent rod
-Hehe I said rod.
-HUD Cluster goes out
-Starter Solenoid
-Windshield wipers
-Dents
-Bulbs blowing, everywhere.
-Bulbs coming back on... confusing.
-Fuses go out constantly
-Valve cover gasket leaks
-Power steering leaks

I miss my BMW =(

[TwoFourO]

Fuel Injectors, Water Pump, and Fuel Pump

[SR240DET]

ok.. first of all.....

1. DL FSM
2. read the damn FSM
3. inspect your car according to FSM
4.fix what ever the FSM said is broken
5. kick your self in the nutts for not reading the FSM

[axiomatik]

-instrument panel lights work intermittently
-injectors leak
-alternator goes bad
-water pump leaks
-suspension bushings rot
-thousands of annoying interior rattles
-a/c needs to be recharged.....

[wootwoot]

Its a 16 year old car at the oldest, so everything.

[Avante]

Everything goes wrong.

[cr00k_lyn]

Everything goes wrong.


ha :spank:

[OdessaS13]

I miss my BMW =(
:rofl: damn thats when you know shit is really bad

[Silverbullet]

i'd have to agree... anything and everything will go wrong LOL

[TheSquidd]

Hahah. Yeah full coverage insurance for a 21 year old and a BMW is a biatch. So, 240sx with liability only it is!

Oh another problem, brakes suck.

[raz0rbladez909]

a couple problems i've had are alternator gone bad, original battery will most likely suck if it still has it like mine did, pop up motors may be bad, power windows may be stuck up or down, rear wiper never works, previous owner could've been a dumb**** and removed the sunroof hoses so your whole interior needs to be stripped for fear of mildew stench being stuck in the car, cracked dashes if you care about cosmetics, low gas light does not work ever so dont depend on that especially if you are going uphill lol. hmm what else hatch struts are more then likely bad, fuses may be blown, old rotted bushings, oil leaks, blah i can't think of anything else at the moment lol :D get ready to fix anything and everything tho

[BigVinnie]

Timing chain replacement and upper timing chain guides
2nd gear (POPPING) out of gear, possibly new syncros
Master and slave cylinder replacement
Power steering hose replacement
Rack and pinion replacement
Replace rear, front, and oil pan gaskets/seals
Change all fluids(engine,transmission, LSD/open diff)
I would just do this anyways(replace all spark plugs, wires, distributor cap, and rotor, along with the O2 sensor)

Did I miss anything????????

[T07N]

an ex honduh owner buys it, wrecks it or gives up because hes not mad dorfito tite on day 1

No drifting yet, daily driving car only. No drifting yet. Will have to practice in a cone setup parking lot if I wanna try drifting. I'm not stupid. My accord 95 is completely stock and I'm not a ricer in anyway. You're very typical if you think low of all honda owners. Shows how much you know.

After hearing all this, buying a 240 sounds like I have to spend a bunch of money on it. So I will wait for a very good one to come by or not buy one at all. Thanks for all the comments.

[WhiteNissanS13]

kids get them and try to be some d1 super star, someone sees them, follows them home, within a week the car is stolen.

[nrg]

Engine falls out when driving fast.

[Irukandji]

an ex honduh owner buys it, wrecks it or gives up because hes not mad dorfito tite on day 1


waterpump leak
thermostat takes a shit
radiator leaks
sup3r jay De3 em Driftazz killing the supply of these diminishing cars

[91rusty240sx]

leaky injectors
dirty throttle bodies
cracked coolant resorvoirs
oil leaks
trans leaks
blown shocks
blown springs
bad timing chain guide
bad valve cover gasket

[aznpoopy]

lmao...

going by the replies so far, it seems like what usually goes wrong is basically everything.

[reefer1114]

people being nice this week??? wtf? in between new posts and quick links...use it!

[OdessaS13]

hahaha this thread should be titled..."How to: Scare the shit out of someone wanting to buy a 240"

[hi.im.kaji]

hahaha this thread should be titled..."How to: Scare the shit out of someone wanting to buy a 240"
:bowrofl:......

[Nan Desu Ka?!]

hahaha this thread should be titled..."How to: Scare the shit out of someone wanting to buy a 240"


i think it worked too. lol :Ownedd:

[axiomatik]

blown springs

wtf?

msg length

[non2os13]

and it seems that ka24e's blow a head gasket every 70k miles. like it was written in the bible to do so.

[captain hammerite]

oh yea, and they spin rod bearings at 170k miles too. Just bought this car and the engine didn't even last two weeks.....i'm so pissed

oh well, sr20 time :naughty:

[jd-17]

in 4 months ive had to replace

-power steering lines
-rack and pinion
-oil pan
-o2 sensor
-pressure sensor (i think)
-im swapping auto trannies on friday
-rear main front main and all the other main seals (lol)

basically a good chunk of money

[trsilvias13]

the question that easier to answer .. what is good about buying a s13? the answer is potential . what can be wrong? everything . the only thing i never heard a complaint about is the rear quarter window . usually intact and good condition.

[smellslikecurry]

RUST and Newbies!!!

[jd-17]

oh yea to add to mine my driver side door latch was stupid and it jammed on me so i had to get out of the window or climb out of the passenger side for 2 weeks

[2iv0 sx]

oh yea to add to mine my driver side door latch was stupid and it jammed on me so i had to get out of the window or climb out of the passenger side for 2 weeks
:rofl: that sucks... on my car the timing chain has been replace


i also hear rattles under my dash? anyone know what that is?

[mwhite29]

For being a group of enthuisuits, you all are pretty damn immature. So just because so and so wants to buy a 240sx, it makes him a drift fanboy or a inital d fanboy. I dont even own a 240 or 180 or silvia or but I am very interested in buying one, I've came to this community because of the assload of info it has on its tech and fourms. Also it has a great links page. I think you should all grow up and be a little nicer to somone. It dosent matter what you call your car just as long as you love it...
max.

[smellslikecurry]

For being a group of enthuisuits, you all are pretty damn immature. So just because so and so wants to buy a 240sx, it makes him a drift fanboy or a inital d fanboy. I dont even own a 240 or 180 or silvia or but I am very interested in buying one, I've came to this community because of the assload of info it has on its tech and fourms. Also it has a great links page. I think you should all grow up and be a little nicer to somone. It dosent matter what you call your car just as long as you love it...
max.

waaaaa waaaaaa waaaaaaaa waaaaaaaaaa waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa waaaaaaaaa :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

[HyperTek]

a major problem with all 240sx 89-98 is the newbe factor to understeer and hit a curb. Might want to look into those problems right there.

[P4rD0nM3]

I'll say o2 sensor and timing chain.

[!Zar!]

For being a group of enthuisuits, you all are pretty damn immature. So just because so and so wants to buy a 240sx, it makes him a drift fanboy or a inital d fanboy. I dont even own a 240 or 180 or silvia or but I am very interested in buying one, I've came to this community because of the assload of info it has on its tech and fourms. Also it has a great links page. I think you should all grow up and be a little nicer to somone. It dosent matter what you call your car just as long as you love it...
max.
His question was anwsered many times over. To've called it a 180sx at first is a hint that all he cares about is being jdm gay. True you can call your car whatever you want to, but that's like the lie you can be whatever you want to be when you grow up; cute but not a reality.

And the anwser to this thread. = magnetic curbs.

[sciamop]

hahaha this thread should be titled..."How to: Scare the shit out of someone wanting to buy a 240"

Seriously, these cars are pretty reliable. I also have a 1990 Coupe with 150K heavily neglected miles. It has a ton of little problems (biggest: leaky injectors and rust) but it has been fairly bulletproof for the last 2 years/30K miles.

The dealbreaker should be a rusty car. I've seen a couple S13s with the front driver's wheel well completely rusted-out. Bad. I'd also skip the less-than-stellar automatic transmission.

If it breaks: there's Zilvia.net for n00b questions, the aftermarket is gigantic, used parts are cheap/easy to find and the car itself is VERY easy to work on.

[TheTimanator]

I bought my car without and engine that had been sitting for at least 3 years in florida. Had to replace the gas tank b/c it was rusted out, window guid b/c the cable broke, and recently had my altenator rebuilt. But nothing I couldn't handle myself. I've put over 35k on it in the last 2-3 years I've had it running.

[axiomatik]

Ah, I forgot that I've had to repair/replace both power window units after the cable came off a pulley, jammed, and fried the motor. My power locks also are problematic because the plastic gears in the lock actuators wear down over time and don't mesh well. And my speedo (digital) doesn't come on in cold weather until it has warmed up in the car a few (up to 20) minutes (though I think I found a fix to that).

In the 10 years I've owned my '89, I've had to do the following:
-replace alternator
-replace battery (twice)
-replace leaky water pump
-replace radiator
-replace radiator hoses
-recharge a/c
-replace dry-rotted exhaust hangers
-replace cat
-replace leaking t/c bushings
-replace dry-rotted upper strut-mount bushings
-replace leaky fuel injectors
-replace worn-out headlight combination switch
-replace clutch
-replace leaking master brake cylinder
-I currently need to replace clutch master cylinder
-clean crusted-up AIV reeds
-replace rusted-out exhaust
-replace rear rotors and calipers
-fix both power windows
-fix power locks
-replace passenger-side mirror after the glass fell off
-replace one wheel bearing
-replace exhaust manifold gasket
-blew my headgasket - leading to my SR
-replace all accessory belts
-replace spark plugs and wires (probably should have done cap & rotor too)
-replace o2 sensor
-repair oil leak
-caulk leaking tail lights
-replace the little anchor for the floor mats so they don't slide all over

Also, only a single line on my rear defroster works, my dash has 2 big cracks, two of my dash vents are broken, my washer fluid filler tube is broken and the cap disintegrated. No rust though! since it spent 14 years in Phoenix and I don't drive it in the winter up here. There are probably a few more things that I forgot about, but that gives you a pretty good idea.

So, in summary, you might have to fix a few things on a 15 year old car.

[sciamop]

So, in summary, you might have to fix a few things on a 15 year old car.

What's truly amazing is that this nondescript low-buck late-80s automobile is not only still on the road, but also the center of attention for a cult-like legion of devotees!

All hail the S13.

[vvtisupra]

knock sensor and egr valve

[sweet89s13]

so far everyone has named about the same thing. fucking do some reasearch about the car or dont fucking buy it wannabee. its old shit breaks you want something reliable or easy go back to be a ricer or buy brand new, this is a passion not a handout for wannabes get a clue

[undercoverdjay]

Oh? I guess I don't own 2 of them then. :-/

Figments of my imagination I guess...


Thats Crazy I dont assume these are in the US are they?.......I have a heck of a knock off (RHD, Quarter Glass, SR, Tail lights, Shaved rear markers, etc etc) but it'll never be an authentic 180SX. Still rolled off the line as an RMS13.
Funny though I've seen LHD conversions and KA's swapped into 180SX's. Maybe we should just have a swap meet with the Japanese so everyone is happy.


So as not to post useless information everyone here has literally named everything that goes wrong. Minor interior pieces are a pain in the neck. If its a base model(not an SE) any option it doesnt have, the block that takes the place of those missing options never seem to wanna stay in. I.E. Where cruise control is located(bottem left of the drivers instrument cluster by the wheel) the power mirror switch on the center console next to the cigarette lighter always cracks and falls in the elusive void, and the cigarette lighter housing itself always pulls out. Its funny because courtesynissan.com actually advertises these pieces(with the exception of the cruise control block) on their website because they're such a commonly replaced part in S13's

Other than the basic junk that goes wrong with 10-16 year old cars, they hold up really well. I love my S13's. Congrats on your purchase man.

Chris

[Zemus]

-Tree
-Curbs
-Poles
-Fenders
-Bumpers
-Collisions
-Tires

[NemeGuero]

No drifting yet, daily driving car only. No drifting yet. Will have to practice in a cone setup parking lot if I wanna try drifting. I'm not stupid. My accord 95 is completely stock and I'm not a ricer in anyway. You're very typical if you think low of all honda owners. Shows how much you know.

After hearing all this, buying a 240 sounds like I have to spend a bunch of money on it. So I will wait for a very good one to come by or not buy one at all. Thanks for all the comments.
We can all sleep better knowing you won't buy a 240.

[ghostchild316]

I cant believe nobody mentioned the craptacular dust boot on the transmission and shifter that allways seems to be shredded or gone on older models :wtf: