# Need Help ASAP. 89 240SX SE sounds like a diesel!!



## Prelude Guy (Jul 19, 2004)

Hey all,

As some of you know, I am looking at a used 89 240SX. Well, I went to look at it today. The paint is in REALLY good shape for its age. The interior was even better. The front seat was a little worn but a lot less than I was expecting. Also, there wasn't any signs of rust, even the rear hatch (no rear wing).

It has 147K miles. It is white, has alloy wheels, moonroof (manual), tires look to have only a few thousand miles (VERY meaty Michelins), had a Blaupunkt CD headunit. The exhaust looks to be in good shape too. The AC even still works!!!

Now the bad;
The cars looks to have sat for a while. When you start the car up (it actually didn't hesitate to start), it sounds exactly like a diesel. When you push on the gas....it almost stalls out. However, if you push on the gas lightly with even pressure, the RPMs will rise, still sounding like a diesel. The noise is coming from underneath the valve cover. 

Does anyone have an idea what could be wrong with it??

The guy is asking $750 for it. I think that is VERY good deal for it. I just wish I didn't have to tow it. Ity would be FANTASTIC if the issue with the car was a fairly simple fix. Any ideas??

Please help as soon as you can. I told him I would call him back tomorrow to let him know if I wanted it.

Thanks!!

Andy


----------



## 180SX-X (Sep 21, 2003)

if its like a clicking sound(i dont really know wat a deisel sounds like) its proly the oil, so check that...check to see if the MAF has good connections...make sure everything is hooked up right...if the car is 750, i would jump on it if its in the condition you sta it is...


----------



## Prelude Guy (Jul 19, 2004)

Yeah, I guess I will have to find out how I will get it back to my house.

This issue is similar to when I accidentally put Prelude VTEC sparkplug wires on my NON VTEC Prelude. I just don't remember it sounding like a diesel.

Do you think this issue could be related to either the spark plugs, dist. cap, rotor, wires?? Maybe a distributor issue?? Maybe the timing belt tensioner issue I posted about a few days ago?


----------



## Kelso (Apr 29, 2003)

well shit dude. even if the motor is completely fucked, you have a deal there. if it is jsut a spart plug problem though, i would laugh my ass off. man...that guy would be kicking himself in the ass...


do you have any friends with trucks? if not, you could maybe get like AAA or somebody to tow it for you. dont hesitate, just take that car


----------



## Prelude Guy (Jul 19, 2004)

Kelso said:


> well shit dude. even if the motor is completely fucked, you have a deal there. if it is jsut a spart plug problem though, i would laugh my ass off. man...that guy would be kicking himself in the ass...
> 
> 
> do you have any friends with trucks? if not, you could maybe get like AAA or somebody to tow it for you. dont hesitate, just take that car


Yeah, I am going to have to get a tow truck to bring it back to my house. It's 40 miles away from my house though. :/

Hey, if the timing belt guide issue with these cars is the culprit....would a car with the timing off have the same symptoms as the ones I list??

I am HOPING all I have to do is have it towed to the Nissan dealership close to where the car is sitting right now to have this issue fixed and then I can drive it home. Wishful thinking, I know...but you never know. :dunno:


----------



## 2Fast2Furious (Jun 27, 2004)

Definitely check the timing because for some reason it changes itself over time on these cars. For that year, your timing should be at 15 degrees +/- 2 degrees BTDC. To adjust it, loosen the screw holding the distributor in place and turn the distro counterclockwise to advance the timing and clockwise to retard the timing. A good tune up, changing the plugs, wires, distro cap and rotor, fuel filter, air filter, PCV valve and O2 sensor should do the trick.


----------



## Prelude Guy (Jul 19, 2004)

2Fast2Furious said:


> Definitely check the timing because for some reason it changes itself over time on these cars. For that year, your timing should be at 15 degrees +/- 2 degrees BTDC. To adjust it, loosen the screw holding the distributor in place and turn the distro counterclockwise to advance the timing and clockwise to retard the timing. A good tune up, changing the plugs, wires, distro cap and rotor, fuel filter, air filter, PCV valve and O2 sensor should do the trick.


Well, I bought the car. :thumbup: 

I will try this when I have it delivered to my house. I hope it is a simple fix.


----------



## 93blackSER (Feb 1, 2003)

how long has it been sitting? does smoke come from the exhaust when you try to rev it? it's one of 2 things, or maybe both 1- rod knock (which would be why it's been sitting) or 2- lifters ticking (from sitting and getting dried out). if it was the lifters, it would still rev ok tho. it's most likely a rod knock, so the best bet is to get a junkyard engine. it'll take 2days at the most for an inexperienced person to do a swap. 

my advice: check for smoke. pour in CD2 lifter treatment, pour in some new gas, and let it run for a while, like 20minutes. if the noise gets quieter, it was the lifters. if it doesnt, it's a rod knock and time for a new engine.


----------



## Prelude Guy (Jul 19, 2004)

93blackSER said:


> how long has it been sitting? does smoke come from the exhaust when you try to rev it? it's one of 2 things, or maybe both 1- rod knock (which would be why it's been sitting) or 2- lifters ticking (from sitting and getting dried out). if it was the lifters, it would still rev ok tho. it's most likely a rod knock, so the best bet is to get a junkyard engine. it'll take 2days at the most for an inexperienced person to do a swap.
> 
> my advice: check for smoke. pour in CD2 lifter treatment, pour in some new gas, and let it run for a while, like 20minutes. if the noise gets quieter, it was the lifters. if it doesnt, it's a rod knock and time for a new engine.


The car has been sitting for about 4 months. The car does not smoke when you rev it. 

The noise sounds like it is coming from directly underneath the valve cover. Symptom of rod knock??


----------



## Prelude Guy (Jul 19, 2004)

Guys, I think I just found the answer. I did a search and this is what I came up with. Read post 13. That sounds EXACTLY what my issue is!!

http://www.nissanforums.com/showthread.php?t=3575&highlight=timing+guide

My VIN starts with a J too.

I am going to the dealer tomorrow to see what's up!!


----------



## 93blackSER (Feb 1, 2003)

it could be ticking lifters. pour in CD2 Lifter treatment and let it run for about 15minutes. the noise should almost or completely disappear. that recently happened with my engine. junkyard engine that was sitting for about a year.


----------



## hot_rod_kid (May 10, 2004)

i know the noise you mean exacttly !!!!! my ka24e does tha same exact things, and its the rocker arms themselves ! it SOUNDS almost like someone rebuilt the engine and never tightened a single bolt ! 

the intake and exhaust arms each have theit own shafts they ride on, oil comes up through the bolt holes, into the shafts, and then travel through the rockers arms to oil the cam surface and the lash adjusters 

this design is fine .... untill something plugs! i had excessive lash adjuster noise so i dissassembled my intake side and found that a majority of the supply holes in the shaft were PLUGGED !!!!!

picture the face of a clock, the oil comes up from the "6" position and into the shaft, and from there, oil supply to the cam suface is at like the "4" position, oil supply to the lash adjusters is the "8" position

4 of my 4 oclock holes were plugged, 5 of my 8 oclock holes here plugged, and because at least one hole on each rocker were plugged, every one of my rocker arms was oil starved, tearing up the shaft and all the rockers. 

but since i dont have the $ at the moment, i took everything apart, cleaned everything as good as possible - 2 of my rockers have plugged lash adjusters still - but i put it all back together and now theres only maybe 1/4 of the old noise it used to make. i still have to make it to the junkyard to pick up a replacement intake side assembly , but it actualy runs much better now and wont be to expensive to get the parts i need at the yard (but new nissan replacement rockers are 50 each! ouch!)


----------



## 1fastser (Sep 30, 2002)

Prelude Guy said:


> Guys, I think I just found the answer. I did a search and this is what I came up with. Read post 13. That sounds EXACTLY what my issue is!!
> 
> http://www.nissanforums.com/showthread.php?t=3575&highlight=timing+guide
> 
> ...


Just take the valve cover off and look at the top chain guide...you should be able to tell if it's broken. The dealer will stick you in the pooper and not even give you a reach around unless you've got hookups.


----------



## 1fastser (Sep 30, 2002)

Prelude Guy said:


> When you push on the gas....it almost stalls out. However, if you push on the gas lightly with even pressure, the RPMs will rise, still sounding like a diesel. The noise is coming from underneath the valve cover.


This doesn't sound like a simple chain guide issue, sorry.


----------



## 24DSx (Aug 13, 2004)

1fastser said:


> This doesn't sound like a simple chain guide issue, sorry.



Your Right, I had the "chain guide" problem on my 240, it ran fine, but if your car almost dies out when you punch it, maybe you have another problem or more than one.. if that deisel (clicking sound) is coming from the #1 piston area under the valve cover, then it's most likely your chain guide broke off and is making the noise.. but it wouldnt cause your engine to run bad.. pull it off and check it.. valve cover gasket is like 30 bucks.. :crazy:


----------



## surfer240sx (Dec 15, 2005)

i have kinda the same problem from wat i was told it was the wrist pins for the pistons that are worn... like it had nitrous on it


----------



## otakuspeed (Mar 15, 2004)

Hope you get lucky like I did.. I just picked up a 2nd 240 for 700 bucks. The owner thought the motor was blown but all it needed was some plug wires. Runs like a champ now

Doh, just realized this post was 2 years old...


----------



## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

Prelude Guy said:


> Now the bad;
> The cars looks to have sat for a while. When you start the car up (it actually didn't hesitate to start), it sounds exactly like a diesel. When you push on the gas....it almost stalls out. However, if you push on the gas lightly with even pressure, the RPMs will rise, still sounding like a diesel. The noise is coming from underneath the valve cover.


- If the noise has a loud thumping metallic sound to it, then it's probably shot rod bearings; you can pull off one plug wire at a time while the motor is idling to see if the noise goes away to determine which cylinder is bad.

- If the noise is a ticking sound, then the hydraulic lifters are the problem.

- If the noise is a loud rattle at the front of the motor, then the timing chain has a problem.


----------



## 93superHICAS (Aug 9, 2006)

i can solve the problem, for about 2 dallars at the junk yard, it the metal pice that holds the rockers in place and there pretty common to break, my freind has the same prob, like that and its fixed but just buying a new clip, very easy, yeah his sounded like that too, but with the slight rumble or a greedy exhaust.


----------

