Reliability

[Fries]

As a whole the 240sx community is know for beating the living shit out of our motors. This makes it harder and harder to find a well running engine in most vehicles. I've dealt with my share of shitty motors and everyday I read about motors blowing to high heaven, sometimes right after a rebuild!

I currently have a s14 sitting in a storage unit motorless. The previous owner "rebuilt" a sr20det attached a huge T3 turbo and tuned via SAFCII. End result was a blown motor and me with a good shell.

I want something with some fun factor and reliability. It seems even t28 Sr20's blow up constantly, Ka24de's dont last even with an OEM rebuild and VH45 swaps just aren't documented. I know this leaves out the LSx crew, but I feel the reliability has been well documented and they are great motors. Just $$


So lets get some insight! Post up your motor swap (ka24det counts) and the amount of miles you've put on it since it's been running and any issues with it up until this point.

[Te37]

Sr20det blacktop swapped into my s14. Everything was done THE RIGHT WAY, this wasnt some drive way swap. Motor was rebuilt using all new factory parts. AC was done with custom lines, battery was relocated to the trunk, it was rewired nicely and not rushed with a spagetti looking mess. I currently have 20k on the motor and havent had any issues relating to the reliability of the motor. IMO the best was to go is back to factory, these motors were built and put together to take boost so why mess them up with aftermarket pistons or rods...etc(i know they might be stronger)? This is my daily so i dont need crazy power, i put down 260 with an s15 dbb turbo on 13ish psi and i am satisfied. I am tuned with SAFC 2 and using greddy EBC. As long as you change the sparkplugs once in a while and oil every 3k miles it should last a extremely long time. And please for the love of god use good quality parts...thats what makes your build last!

Mistakes i have made - how i fixed it:
used ebay manual boost controller - Greddy EBC
used crappy efans - SPAL efans
used cheap fan thermostat - (fixing soon) dif fan controller
used shitty xs power manifold that warped - fixed with Tomei manifold
used original oil feed line for turbo, cracked - fixed with SS lines

Learn from my mistakes...DONT CHEAP OUT, do it right or dont do it.
http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn257/KILLERSKITTLE/b2533ff7.jpg

[Rag]

Keep it simple with an oem oriented build. Thank me later.

[slydin240sx]

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm215/thaghosthunter/ohlookthisthreadagain.jpg

another stupid thread.

[jholman]

My red top was super reliable. Would of ran forever stock.

[garagespec]

an SR wont blow up even at 400 whp on stock bottom if tuned. I hate how people talk about motors blowing becasue some stupid ass kid had one and broke it. No wonder some of them break. You wanna know why 2Jz's dont break? because the people that buy them have the sense and money to do them right.

I had an SR drift car for 4 years, never did anything to it except try to murder it. 400 whp, stock bottom. It was dialed. Whatever you get, do it right and dont cut corners and it will last

[fliprayzin240sx]

^^^Exactly. Even doing a basic SR swap, if you take the time to get it from a reputable shop, thoroughly inspect it, replace maintenance parts (water pump, oil pump, thermo, belts), maybe even freshen it up with new stock HG mated to ARP head studs, bang out the oil pan, leave it stock and it should be good to go. Do it right the first time so you dont have to do it again later down the road.

[DJ-of-E]

I want something with some fun factor and reliability. It seems even t28 Sr20's blow up constantly, Ka24de's dont last even with an OEM rebuild and VH45 swaps just aren't documented.

You have to remember the average age of the community and the very old saying "you get what you paid for."

You think an average 21 year old could afford $3500 for a properly oem spec rebuild w/ new parts like water pump and oil pump? Remember that more power = more heat = more wear & tear.

[memphis180sx]

people do alot of "hillbilly riggin" also and then claim they did'nt but look at 1uzfe swap a few pepole make mount kits and trans adaptor to fit a sr trans or r154. but if a sr swap is done right and treated right they will run forever.

[DisEpyon]

To the OP, all those engines you listed are reliable. Explain to me your reasoning in a educated and detailed way why they are not reliable? Dont just say something and not explain why.

Its the owner of the car that determines reliability. This statement does not need an explanation because its true and thats all there is to it.

END OF THREAD

[TheRealSy90]

We bought an sr'd 240 in LA, and drove it to Boise, ID and back to AZ like 4 days after we got it, never had a problem.

[Piggy]

rb25 - 15,000 miles I've put on it, unknown total, runs perfect.

2jz - 250,000 miles on non-rebuilt motor, only water/timing/oil done at recommended 60k, no issues.

[mantas]

Same - rb25 with probably more than 100k on it and not one problem minus the turbo which i neglected. The only thing my rb sees is abuse. No warm ups, no cool downs, redlining, etc.

[Darren]

machines with hundreds of moving parts are going to break when they are not maintained, no getting around it. Doesn't matter what motor you put in your car, if not maintained or tuned properly it's gonna break...

[xpinoyxmk]

A PROPERLY rebuilt motor(ka, sr, rb, 2jz) will last years with you beating on it everyday, as long its TUNED CORRECTLY and you do REGULAR MAINTENANCE.

I've seen a 7xxwhp ka-t daily driven and its been running for over a year and counting. I'm pretty sure it could be done with all the other motors too. Too me if its being daily driven, 4-5xxwhp/wtq is the max i would do.