What faults to look for in a used 240... - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

Tictakman · 03-10-2003, 11:04 PM

topic says it all. im going to be buying a 240sx very soon and wanted to know where the problem areas were on the 240s. ive heard stuff about the muffler guard rattling and the timing chain. anything else i should know about or look for.

the car im looking at is in Tenn, it has 130,000 miles on the chassis and 70,000 on the newer engine.

what do u guys suggest looking for or asking about?

thanks a lot

Zak

kapower · 03-11-2003, 01:09 AM

you should look for major body damage that has been covered up; like overspray on windows & in the wheel wells and taping on the body will reveal any bondo by the sound . a carfacts history report would not be a bad idea. most s13's have a rust problem on the hatch beacuase of a spoiler issue. check underneath the spare tire for water. also look for smoke coming from the shifter boot that is a common problem with 240's; most of the time it is just a $10.00 part cuasing the problem (the inner shift boot is usually torn letting some of the burnoff from the transmission seep in to the cabin) or it could be a more serious problem ( transmission seals could be leaking and driping on your exhaust on top of having a torn inner shft boot )99% of the time it is just the inner shift boot. that is all i can think of right now but good luck on finding a new ride

Fireball240SX · 03-11-2003, 06:08 AM

I have a bondo front end and rear quarter panel...but a Silvia front end will take care of that and the rear if its not that much bondo i might leave it for fun?

*HaLo* · 03-11-2003, 06:29 AM

check for holes in the floor underneath the downpipe before the catalyser...

also check for rust around the shocks towers, under the spoiler, under the 3rd brake light, etc.

Tictakman · 03-11-2003, 08:09 AM

arlight that sounds good guys. ill be lookig for that and im gonna look to see if the joints are wok out on the steering components etc. Are the steering racks and pumps good on the 240s? On my od car i know there was a bad history about the rack and pinion going out. Also, is there anything for the engine i should be looking for besides oil and antifreeze leaks?

Zak

n/arotary · 03-11-2003, 09:58 AM

I would look and see how bad of a timing chain rattle it has, if it has it at all. You can definetly hear it once you lift up the hood. You can do a search for "Timing Chain Rattle" on this board, and find out more information than you ever wanted to know.

Red · 03-11-2003, 12:30 PM

One thing I found on my 95 is that the muffler is rusting.... The shocks were GONE! not missing.. they just did nothing at all... Skueeky clutch peddle.. (Easy fix tho..) and umm Leaky Moonroof... (I hate that....) Trunk latch rattles.. (I hear thats easy to fix.) and all my O2 things went out right after I got it.... (I wish I had found this form sooner it would not have cost me 1500$$)

It is my 1st car tho... So I have a excuse

Just some things to look at...

91CRXsiR · 03-12-2003, 02:26 AM

well in the 1.5 years ive had my car

i have

replaced
-starter
-clutch master/slave cylinder
-2 fuel injectors
-front/rear brake pads [ twice ]
-rotors resurfaced
-muffler [ nothing wrong w/ it ]
-tires [ balding when i bought it ]

now things i still need to fix

-timing chain is starting to rattle
-alignment is off
-steering rack is leaking
-engine could use a flush

03-10-2003, 11:04 PM	#1
Tictakman Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 321 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	What faults to look for in a used 240... topic says it all. im going to be buying a 240sx very soon and wanted to know where the problem areas were on the 240s. ive heard stuff about the muffler guard rattling and the timing chain. anything else i should know about or look for. the car im looking at is in Tenn, it has 130,000 miles on the chassis and 70,000 on the newer engine. what do u guys suggest looking for or asking about? thanks a lot Zak

03-11-2003, 06:08 AM	#3
Fireball240SX Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Lancaster, PA Age: 42 Posts: 42 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I have a bondo front end and rear quarter panel...but a Silvia front end will take care of that and the rear if its not that much bondo i might leave it for fun? __________________ 2 Liter is my Weapon of Choice

03-11-2003, 06:29 AM	#4
HaLo from Canada, eh! Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Montreal, Quebec Age: 46 Posts: 5,201 Trader Rating: (0) Rides Gallery: HaLo Feedback Score: 0 reviews	check for holes in the floor underneath the downpipe before the catalyser... also check for rust around the shocks towers, under the spoiler, under the 3rd brake light, etc. __________________ -> HaLo Race Car: '98 E36 BMW M3 Daily Drivers: '23 Audi Q4 e-tron & '13 VW Touareg SOLD: 01 GPW Honda S2000 PARTED: 93 Pearl White 240SX LE Fastback w/SR20DET SOLD: 93 Super White 240SX SE Convertible w/Silvia Front

03-11-2003, 12:30 PM	#7
Red Zilvia Addict Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Vancouver, WA - Portland, OR Age: 44 Posts: 734 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	One thing I found on my 95 is that the muffler is rusting.... The shocks were GONE! not missing.. they just did nothing at all... Skueeky clutch peddle.. (Easy fix tho..) and umm Leaky Moonroof... (I hate that....) Trunk latch rattles.. (I hear thats easy to fix.) and all my O2 things went out right after I got it.... (I wish I had found this form sooner it would not have cost me 1500$$) It is my 1st car tho... So I have a excuse Just some things to look at... __________________ http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/509537 http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4287415487 http://www.zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=21036

03-11-2003, 01:09 AM	#2
kapower Leaky Injector Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: washington,tacoma Posts: 111 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	you should look for major body damage that has been covered up; like overspray on windows & in the wheel wells and taping on the body will reveal any bondo by the sound . a carfacts history report would not be a bad idea. most s13's have a rust problem on the hatch beacuase of a spoiler issue. check underneath the spare tire for water. also look for smoke coming from the shifter boot that is a common problem with 240's; most of the time it is just a $10.00 part cuasing the problem (the inner shift boot is usually torn letting some of the burnoff from the transmission seep in to the cabin) or it could be a more serious problem ( transmission seals could be leaking and driping on your exhaust on top of having a torn inner shft boot )99% of the time it is just the inner shift boot. that is all i can think of right now but good luck on finding a new ride

03-11-2003, 08:09 AM	#5
Tictakman Zilvia Junkie Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 321 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	arlight that sounds good guys. ill be lookig for that and im gonna look to see if the joints are wok out on the steering components etc. Are the steering racks and pumps good on the 240s? On my od car i know there was a bad history about the rack and pinion going out. Also, is there anything for the engine i should be looking for besides oil and antifreeze leaks? Zak

03-11-2003, 09:58 AM	#6
n/arotary Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 3 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	I would look and see how bad of a timing chain rattle it has, if it has it at all. You can definetly hear it once you lift up the hood. You can do a search for "Timing Chain Rattle" on this board, and find out more information than you ever wanted to know.

03-12-2003, 02:26 AM	#8
91CRXsiR Nissanaholic! Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: City of Industry, CA [626] Age: 42 Posts: 2,092 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	well in the 1.5 years ive had my car i have replaced -starter -clutch master/slave cylinder -2 fuel injectors -front/rear brake pads [ twice ] -rotors resurfaced -muffler [ nothing wrong w/ it ] -tires [ balding when i bought it ] now things i still need to fix -timing chain is starting to rattle -alignment is off -steering rack is leaking -engine could use a flush