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  • PHeller

    Dec. 28, 2008 3:57 p.m. PHeller Reader

    I was originally asking all kinds of questions about this car...but when it came down to the purchase day, I picked it up. I may have been able to find something with less miles or a little less rust for the same money, but considering I'm losing my rental this weekend and I don't have time to fiddle with fixing a car...this was it.

    It ain't pretty, but it sure is fun. I've driven a 89' Fox Wagon, 94 Dodge Shadow, 92 Plymouth Sundance, and 99 Escort ZX2, so this is my first real sporty car I've owned for any length of time (except for the RX7 I bought and sold in a month).

    1989 Coupe, bone stock.

    Goods: - Very little rust - 167,000 miles - No drips - Everything works - Interior isn't broken or cracked

    Bads - Interior is dirty/smelly - Rough idle - Key broken in passenger door - Shifter is the sloppiest thing ever

  • Black Stig

    Dec. 28, 2008 4:27 p.m. Black Stig Reader

    THAT is a nice picture!

  • aussiesmg

    Dec. 28, 2008 4:27 p.m. aussiesmg HalfDork

    Now just bolt in either a turbo or a SR20DET

  • wherethefmi2000

    Dec. 28, 2008 4:30 p.m. wherethefmi2000 Reader

    NICE pick up

  • RedS13Coupe

    Dec. 28, 2008 4:40 p.m. RedS13Coupe New Reader

    Thing is looking damn good man, but they aren't exactly sport stock Getting some good shocks and stiffer springs helps a lot. Have fun with it.

  • ReverendDexter

    Dec. 28, 2008 4:54 p.m. ReverendDexter Reader

    Congrats! Have some fun with it! S13s are definitely on my short list, though I've yet to pick one up.

  • HiTempguy

    Dec. 28, 2008 6:06 p.m. HiTempguy Reader

    Rough idle

    Rev the snot out of it. Problem solved ;) It always seems to work for me...

  • David S. Wallens

    Dec. 28, 2008 6:59 p.m. David S. Wallens Editorial Director

    Congrats. My parents bought a 240SX new in 1991 and still have it. They're great cars.

  • Dec. 28, 2008 7:41 p.m. djsilver

    Congrats! 240sx forums in general have a high noise to information ratio but this one is pretty good; http://forums.freshalloy.com/

    At 167k the best thing you could do for handling is probably new struts & shocks. They also have a big rubber bushing that breaks down in the front suspension on a piece called the "strut rod" and it's much easier to replace the whole thing than to change out the bushing. Tirerack is currently having a blowout on adjustable KYB AGX's. (They also have sport springs on sale

    http://www.tirerack.com/suspension/Susptabl.jsp?autoMake=Nissan&autoModel=240S... I usually recommend Koni's but they only make an insert that requires you to cut the old strut apart and gut it.

    The shift probably just needs a couple of pieces of plastic replaced. www.nissanparts.cc is a good source of OEM stuff with decent prices.

    The engine is a tank as long as you keep up with timing chain guides and don't run it hot.

  • PHeller

    Dec. 28, 2008 10:39 p.m. PHeller Reader

    It's an KAE, so I assume even if I ignored the timing chain, it couldn't do any damage it broke.

    How hard is replacing the noise chain guides?

    Rough idle is likely a vacuum leak, plugs/wires/cap, or maybe coolant sensor...at least that what my game plan is.

    I think I'll pick up an ISIS brand short shifter to solve those issues...at $60 bucks its hard to go wrong.

    I need to pick up some brake pads, and a cheap exhaust ASAP. This thing is too quiet and I can't help but think about the rusty crimp bent monstrosity under my car.

    Certainly is no shortage of information out there about them.

  • Lugnut

    Dec. 28, 2008 10:43 p.m. Lugnut Reader

    Looks great! I had a fastback pignose and I really enjoyed it. Everyone says SR20, LS1, whatever, but you know, I still really got a lot of fun out of that car with the stock 12v.

    Kill some cones. Enjoy it!

  • PHeller

    Dec. 28, 2008 10:49 p.m. PHeller Reader

    djsilver wrote: They also have a big rubber bushing that breaks down in the front suspension on a piece called the "strut rod" and it's much easier to replace the whole thing than to change out the bushing.

    Is there another name for these "strut rods". I see a lot mentioned about tension rods, TC Rod, etc which are cheap and come with hardened bushing already in place.

  • Gearhead_42

    Dec. 29, 2008 9:05 a.m. Gearhead_42 HalfDork

    PHeller wrote:

    Is there another name for these "strut rods". I see a lot mentioned about tension rods, TC Rod, etc which are cheap and come with hardened bushing already in place.

    That's them... a spherical bearing at one end, and adjuster, and a flat with two studs or bolts in line with the rod at the other end. If you aren't going dorifto-ing, look at the parts from SPC Performance

    SPC Performance

    I bought a few parts from these guys: IAP Direct

    They're on evilBay too, if you're into that sort of thing...

    If you are going dorifto, you get what you pay for, up to a point.

    Edit: While we're on the subject, two of my favorite outlets are 240sxmotoring and frsport. add a dot com to either and you've got your website. For drool worthy suspension look at SPLParts

  • PHeller

    Dec. 29, 2008 8:40 p.m. PHeller Reader

    I got the car on a lift today, it's not too bad looking under there.

    The front frame rust areas look pretty good.

    The rear however, looks like the rust proofing came a bit late...the rails are filled with foam.

    All in all, I would'nt call it a "rust free shell", but its in pretty good shape. Enough so that I don't have to worry about stuff falling apart, but just bad enough that I'm not afraid to mod it either.

    I found a header cheap on ebay, but its got the PCV welded shut, as well the EGR input...I'm thinking that might cause problems.

 

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