New here! Getting a s13, what should I look out for.

[joshfng]

So I'm coming from the Honda world and ready to build a real car. I've been in talks with a guy that has a red 90 240sx hatch that we're going to be trading straight up for.

From everything I can tell the car is pretty clean and he says it runs and drives well. I'll be going to look at it next week. Before I go I just wanted to check with some of you about what I should be checking or looking out for since I'm new to the S platform in general.

The car has the sohc K engine in it right now and I was told the tranny is good. Open diff also. He has a partial sr swap he's including, full OEM head and a short block minus pistons and rods (piston #4 started to melt he said).

I'll be trading him a b18 swapped civic that's turbo'd so he's including the sr stuff with a gt28 (I think that's it) turbo and greddy fmic and piping w/ vortec bov. It also has a real apexi dual tip exhaust and rims.

I'm sure I'll be on the forums a lot reading up and posting the progress of my build after I get the car.

Thanks in advance!

[jesse_s13]

Post a picture of your car and his car

Honestly it sounds like you are getting a shitty deal. He's trading you a stock is 240 with a boat anchor engine for a turbo civic.

[joshfng]

Here's my civic.




And the s13

[WristWork]

If everything checks out and it drives good, tell him to forget about the swap and have him put cash on top. If you want a swap find a clean complete swap later down the rode.

[gbaby2089]

Your car looks like an average POS.
His looks like giant POS.

Get cash on top or tell him to screw off.

[joshfng]

Originally Posted by gbaby2089

Your car looks like an average POS.
His looks like giant POS.

Get cash on top or tell him to screw off.

Besides the k engine sitting it what makes it a giant pos? I'm not new to swaps and was already planning a sr20 swap. No offense intended just looking for honest opinions.

[KiLLeR2001]

It's not called a "K engine". Time to leave that Honda lingo behind.

KA24E = SOHC ('89-'90)
KA24DE = DOHC ('91-'94)

[joshfng]

Originally Posted by KiLLeR2001

It's not called a "K engine". Time to leave that Honda lingo behind.

KA24E = SOHC ('89-'90)
KA24DE = DOHC ('91-'94)

It's the KA24E, the only reason I said "K" was to ensure you guys knew it wasn't swapped already.

[gbaby2089]

We can see that from the pic, or you could call it a KA like everyone else in the world.

[joshfng]

So are there any problem areas specific to these cars I should watch out for when I check it out?

[andy107]

Originally Posted by joshfng

So are there any problem areas specific to these cars I should watch out for when I check it out?

look for RUST RUST RUST. Most common are frame rails, rocker panels, shock towers and such. Sunroof's on s13's sometimes leak. So check the interior floor pan to see if the water has sat for a long time, making a big rust hole in the rear floor pan behind the seats. Hatches sometimes leaks as well, bringing water into the trunk area and settling into the spare tire area.

Please use the search button on this forum for any questions before you post. I believe a few years ago, Super Street covered a 2 page article on what to look for when buying your S-Chassis.

Also, take note that you may have to shell out more cash for parts. You can't just always walk into the junk yard to find 240 parts as easy as any Honda's. It's a whole different "attitude" being a 240 guy than a typical Honda guy.

[Scope240sx]

That turbo civic looks & sounds a lot more fun than that 240..
Just get one with a dohc KA n call it a day.

[cured13]

look under seats for coins, grab them and run away!

[blessedhellrider]

$1500 tops for the 240 ,does the a/c work,power windows ,uncracked dash,hud?

[mantas]

I would keep the civic even though i dont like fwd. That s13 looks like dookie and not worth the extra parts he is throwing in. Seriously sell the civic and buy an s14 will be much happier.

[Slippin'eight-nine]

Is there anyways you can afford to keep the civic as a daily
and just buy the 240?
Its not gonna be half as reliable as your Honda trust me.

[Reece]

Eh. Seems like you're getting a shit deal. Stock 240 with a shit swap and shit wheels for a boosted B Series Civic? Hell no, even if it is a B18B. Don't do it. The only way I would do it is if he put a decent amount of cash on top. I wouldn't do it.

[Link]

just that pic shows some rust (i think) in front of the rear wheel. i want his mudflaps :'l

[kevinzhou]

i seen that car on craigslist and its super rusty

[SupaDoopa]

First thing I noticed looking at the picture is the rust. The fact that it's in plain sight probably means underneath is a fucking hornets nest.

The places you're most likely going to find rust on that car: Rocker panels [obviously], where those mud flaps mount [remove them and I'm sure all that moisture destroyed that metal], under the battery, frame rails, engine bay by shock towers, and the spare tire well. If the rust is out of control i.e. you can push your finger through the frame rail, go home and keep your car.

Just because the trade was offered doesn't mean it's a good idea. Honda kids buy shit like your car for stupid money. You may be better off selling it and using that cash to find something cleaner. Chances are you'll find a S13 in better condition with a small list of minor mods.

It's your car and your decision but the fact you can already see rust in the picture, I'd shy away unless the deal was stupid in your favor.

[UniqueAutoCreations]

Here some maintenance items that are prone to problems the S-chassis in general. Keep in mind that all these cars are 20+ years old now so they will need a little TLC if you want them to perform like new again.

-Clutch, brake pedal stops, these are a hard plastic stop that usually rots out leaving your brake lights on and killing your battery or keeps you from starting your car. Nissan has replacement for a few dollars. s13's take 3

-Rear cradle bushings, There are 4 large bushings that hold the rear suspension assembly on the car that tend to get torn especially if someone had been driving aggressively. These can be replaced with urethane S14 bushings by burning out the old rubber and keeping the outer steel sleeve or you can get aluminum ones but they can have a tendency to rattle.

-Inspect front and rear ball joints, inner and outer tie rods, and the worm gear that connects the steering column to the rack for play. These can not only cause you to have a less responsive steering setup but also be dangerous too. There are many options for most of these but the rear control arms are probably the biggest pain as there is no direct replacement for the ball joint itself. You have to Jerry-rig a Sentra ball joint in there, if memory serves me correct, or purchase a whole new lower arm which is expensive.

-Front tension rod bushings are usually torn or starting to tear. Energy has replacement bushings for them but most people just replace them with adjustable arms that have hiem-joint instead of a bushing. Adjustable arms here give you adjustable caster which is good to have. Caster is like free camber when you are turning w/o having to wear the inside of your tires out when going straight. If you get adjustable ones make sure to get some good ones. No ebay knockoffs. Knockoff's can fail and trust me, that's scary.

-Brake lines are probably rotting off the car so now is a good time to replace them with braided ones.

-Motor mounts are also probably torn. Your choice here on what you want.

Hope this helps.