what to look for in a 240sx

[2fast4you]

I was coming home from work tonight and was thinking how much fun it would be to have a 240 or something like that. Would it be cheaper to buy the car with the swap? If so what should I look for if it is. Roughly speaking, how much would it cost to do the swap myself? I know it would'nt be cheap.

[S14-Kidd]

A running motor

[ACDSupra7]

You're talking SR20 swap, right?

[driftxtreem]

I always like to pull up the rear seats and see if there are any pennies or candy. Like this one time at band camp this kid had one, and like we pulled up the seat, and like there was a whole joint in there, and like we smoked it, and like yea.

[PearlWhiteMike]

it sounds like you have alot more research to do. most of the people on here dont know what theyre talking about especially not with 240's, if you want 240sx specific information go to zilvia.net or freshalloy.com or nissaninfiniticlub.com or whatever floats your boat

it also sounds like you dont know enough about what youre getting into if you think you're gonna swap it yourself. its not exactly rocket science (i've never done one myself) but it'll take alot more time and money than you originally plan for

[PearlWhiteMike]

oh yeah and number one rule, get the CLEANEST car possible (IE no accidents, NO MODS) to start with. i would be very wary of any car that has already been modified, especially with an engine swap, unless it was done by a reputable shop

[SR_power19]

Its not hard(if your mechanically inclined) to do the swap on your own,especially if you have a clip, it shows you where everything goes basically,just have to swap it over into your car.I helped do the swap with two of my friends on my friends 240(sr swap). The only thing is u need a engine hoist, other than the easily attainable tools.There are plenty of "how to's" on swapping the sr into your 240.If your going to swap the engine right away might as well save money and buy a 240 with a blown motor aka 240 shell, they go for about $500.


P.S. Shops usually charge $1,000+ for "labor", which is a rip-off IMO since the swap is not that hard.Save yourself the money and do it yourself IF your capable.

[hachiroku-fc3s]

What is sad is now it's "THE SWAP"

[Ghost of Duluth]

Um pretty sure that it isn't quite as easy as getting a hoist and a clip. My friend used to work at Unstable Hybrids and if I remember correctly there are some wiring issues to deal with. Other than that, not too sure about the rest of it. Talk to people in your area first before doing anything. Make sure exactly what you need to do. Things are NEVER as easy as getting a hoist and a clip. There are always broken studs or bolts to contend with or rust or hell anything. You best bet is to get a shell like stated above. You can find em for dirt now a days.

[Skillzilla]

Some things to look for in a 240sx:

Hatchback-

rust under the lip of the hatch, almost every 240 has it, but some are bad.
check carpet in back for stains, mold, water damage
Make sure speaker covers in the back arent broken
use the hatch-pop lever to see if it works

Coupe-

I dont know, I have two hatchbacks


Both-

Look for dents, rust, etc. everywhere on the car.
check the wheel gap at all four corners to see if the suspension is tweaked
check both strut rod braces (they go from the frame rail to the control arm on either side). If they are bent, the owner most likely curbed it bad.
Check the front Fascia, see if it is cracked, all paint is there, etc.
Look at the doorpanels, they are prone to delaminating where the fabric meets the vinyl
dash cracks are common right above the gauge cluster
look for wear on the outside bolster of the drivers seat
make sure all the lights/signals work. wiring sux
Look for abused carpet, esp on drivers side, in the heel groove.
pull out the center trim and look for odd wiring going through it
turn on EVERYTHING it has, make sure it works (obviously a shell is going to make this harder)
If it has a sunroof, check the weather stripping there, and also on the doors at the windows back edge.
check head light motors. Take the cover off the motor and manually twist the knob. It should feel bumpy when it turns.


If it runs-

Have the owner start it cold and look for oil in the exhaust.
Hold a piece of paper to the exhaust and see if black spots come out
Pull out a spark plug and check the condition. It is the #1 thing most people dont replace
manually turn the crank if possible with a breaker bar. It should be VERY hard to turn
do a compression check
Do a fat burnout and bust a brake drift around the tree in the owners lawn. (j/k )

[Skillzilla]

Some things to look for in a 240sx:

Hatchback-

rust under the lip of the hatch, almost every 240 has it, but some are bad.
check carpet in back for stains, mold, water damage
Make sure speaker covers in the back arent broken
use the hatch-pop lever to see if it works

Coupe-

I dont know, I have two hatchbacks


Both-

Look for dents, rust, etc. everywhere on the car.
check the wheel gap at all four corners to see if the suspension is tweaked
check both strut rod braces (they go from the frame rail to the control arm on either side). If they are bent, the owner most likely curbed it bad.
Check the front Fascia, see if it is cracked, all paint is there, etc.
Look at the doorpanels, they are prone to delaminating where the fabric meets the vinyl
dash cracks are common right above the gauge cluster
look for wear on the outside bolster of the drivers seat
make sure all the lights/signals work. wiring sux
Look for abused carpet, esp on drivers side, in the heel groove.
pull out the center trim and look for odd wiring going through it
turn on EVERYTHING it has, make sure it works (obviously a shell is going to make this harder)
If it has a sunroof, check the weather stripping there, and also on the doors at the windows back edge.
check head light motors. Take the cover off the motor and manually twist the knob. It should feel bumpy when it turns.


If it runs-

Have the owner start it cold and look for oil in the exhaust.
Hold a piece of paper to the exhaust and see if black spots come out
Pull out a spark plug and check the condition. It is the #1 thing most people dont replace
manually turn the crank if possible with a breaker bar. It should be VERY hard to turn
do a compression check
Do a fat burnout and bust a brake drift around the tree in the owners lawn. (j/k )