Real Quick Question: Spec V content

What motor does the 2002 Nissan Sentra Spec V have in it? Some sort of SR20?

Found this cheap... http://atlanta.craigslist.org/atl/cto/2143439896.html

QR25DE

I have heard bad things about them reliability wise and they are hell to insure. $1100 for 6 months versus $400 for 6 months for my '93 Civic for full coverange for me.

That idiot who can't spell wrote: I have heard bad things about them reliability wise and they are hell to insure. $1100 for 6 months

you have helped in my decision.

Those SE-Rs using the QR25DE don't have the same turbo potential that an SR20DE has. A 2001 Sentra SE has a SR20DE.

The S15 Sentras have torsion beam rears.

I had an 02 Sentra SE-R auto. It had plenty of torque stock, but the LSD in the spec V would've helped put the power down. I never AutoXed it, though. I believe the seats are different between the regular SE-R and Spec V. Overall, it was a pretty fun little commuter, even with the 4-speed auto.

I have a 03 SpecV and I love it. Since the engine is gone from that one you won't have this problem, but the QR25DE up until 04 I believe suffered from precat failure which would make the engine go BANG prematurely. I was beginning to have such failure until about 40K miles ago and replaced the exhaust manifold with a XS Racing header. To me it has been pretty easy to work on too.

^^ +1 I've owned mine since new and love it.

If you were looking for a fifth gen Sentra, I would jump on the SE with SR20DE.

DukeOfUndersteer wrote:

That idiot who can't spell wrote: I have heard bad things about them reliability wise and they are hell to insure. $1100 for 6 months

you have helped in my decision.

Always glad to be off assistance plus you need that money to buy the turbodiesel Mercedes truck.

That idiot who can't spell wrote: and they are hell to insure. $1100 for 6 months versus $400 for 6 months for my '93 Civic for full coverange for me.

Thing is, the Civic is 10 years older. My insurance stayed virtually the same when I went from a 93 Mustang to my 03 Spec V. But then again, I'm married, over 25 and I live in a state with reasonable insurance rates. For full coverage on 2 vehicles, my wife and I pay $117 per month.

But a Neon SRT-4 was $625.

That idiot who can't spell wrote: But a Neon SRT-4 was $625.

What!? That is flippin crazy. And the funny thing is, a SRT-4 will walk all over a SpecV!

That idiot who can't spell wrote:

DukeOfUndersteer wrote:

That idiot who can't spell wrote: I have heard bad things about them reliability wise and they are hell to insure. $1100 for 6 months

you have helped in my decision.

Always glad to be off assistance plus you need that money to buy the turbodiesel Mercedes truck.

haha, if i do, i want a feature in the magazine!

jlm_photo wrote:

That idiot who can't spell wrote: But a Neon SRT-4 was $625.

What!? That is flippin crazy. And the funny thing is, a SRT-4 will walk all over a SpecV!

I know that is what confused me so much about that car. I also quoted a few other new model sports compacts and the story was about the same.

I wouldn't be too scared of it if you think you can do the swap yourself. I've seen reman'd engines for around $1.5K. For $3500 and some sweat equity, you can't beat it. Another $200-300 for a catless aftermarket header and you should be golden (and get a decent power bump to boot). Yes, an SRT-4 will beat a Spec V in a straight line, but I've had no problems dispatching them at autocross events. (Could also be that the local SRT drivers are just terrible) Its the current gen GTI's that always kick my butt.

I'm told they are expensive to insure for young drivers, but that doesn't apply to me!

I've also seen many people do 3.5L swaps from Altima/Maxima. Seems like too much weight up front and too much trouble to me. Stock 2.5s have 175hp/185ft.lb tq. If it were rwd, I'd never sell it.

jlm_photo wrote: I've also seen many people do 3.5L swaps from Altima/Maxima. Seems like too much weight up front and too much trouble to me. Stock 2.5s have 175hp/185ft.lb tq. If it were rwd, I'd never sell it.

a warmed over SR20 will put out near that, and will weigh less, and will last forever, and can take so-so levels of boost without barely a whimper. SR20DEs > QR25DEs

This ties in neatly with a thought I had the other day. Do the QR25 and SR20 share a bellhousing bolt pattern? 'Cuz an SR20DET added to a Spec V would solve (almost) everything I didn't like about that car when I drove it. (I could live with the torsion beam, but man, that ugly-ass red-orange upholstery would have to go).

And yes, I realize that I could get an SE 2.0 and put the DET motor in, but it lacks the other bits of kit that makes the SE-R fun.

Only the '02 had red seats. My '03 has silver inserts.

psteav wrote: (I could live with the torsion beam, but man, that ugly-ass red-orange upholstery would have to go).

My seats are silver/black. I have to say my car is very mild looking, save for the front bumper. But I prefer the 03 front end to the revised front end like the 05's. But that is just personal opinion...which doesn't count for much.

In reply to jlm_photo:

No, I very much agree that the earlier front end was better looking. I didn't realize that the orange upholstery was a one year thing. The car I drove was a teal '02, with the ugly upholstery. Pretty color for the exterior, but it definitely didn't work with the orange.

So apparently I would want to look for an '04 with a blown motor.

I've got an 01 SE and I love the dickens out of that car. People get it confused with an SE-R all the time, and usually by the time I tell em that its not, but the engine is the one out of the old SE-R, people have done lost interest.

Still though, that car took my dog to the vet, brought my baby home from the hospital, took me on my honeymoon....

I freaking love that car~!

psteav wrote: This ties in neatly with a thought I had the other day. Do the QR25 and SR20 share a bellhousing bolt pattern? 'Cuz an SR20DET added to a Spec V would solve (almost) everything I didn't like about that car when I drove it. (I could live with the torsion beam, but man, that ugly-ass red-orange upholstery would have to go). And yes, I realize that I could get an SE 2.0 and put the DET motor in, but it lacks the other bits of kit that makes the SE-R fun.

I've seen 6-speed transmissions bolted up behind SR20 powered sentras and G20s and I assume that the transmission is from a newer SE-R.

Man, I can't believe there's no love for the orange/red "Hooker package" interior.

If you hate the red interior (a lot of people do, I have mixed feelings about it myself), but like the early front end (most people do) you want an 03.

kazoospec wrote: Man, I can't believe there's no love for the orange/red "Hooker package" interior. If you hate the red interior (a lot of people do, I have mixed feelings about it myself), but like the early front end (most people do) you want an 03.

+1 on that one. Although I can't say the red interior would be terrible in a red car. Just any other color than the basics (ie. red, black, white, silver) would make it stand out like a sore thumb. Like the post said earlier...that interior with a teal exterior...ouch...