# Looking into buying a 240



## rice rocket (soon) (Oct 28, 2002)

Well i just got a good promotion at work, i was wandering what 240 i should get whats the best s13 model ect. what should i be looking to spend


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## '91 240sx (Feb 17, 2003)

i paid $1500 for my s13, on average i would say you should be willing to pay $3000 or maybe a little more depending on the shape of the car.


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## vsp3c (May 15, 2003)

i got my 240sx hatch for 1700$ (in us$) but they usually run about 3grand..

there is 2 major kinds of 89-94 240sx.. the coupe and the fastback(hatch). they are both basically the same. some coupes came in covertibles but they are usually automatic and have HICAS (4 wheel steering) so not very good to mod.. unfortunately, only 240s with HICAS have LSD in them.

i advise that you get a coupe or a hatch. the 240 is an awesome car.

after you get the 240sx, what kind of mods are you planning?? if any??


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## rice rocket (soon) (Oct 28, 2002)

i want a header if they make them, cai, 5zigen with 2.5inch from header back, all go no show


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## Bumpin (Feb 18, 2003)

If your gonna go with a S13 then go for the hatchback. Those look the best out of the S13's.


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## rice rocket (soon) (Oct 28, 2002)

yeah thats what i was planning on for insurance reasons, and looks what engine did they have ka24e or ka24de? the is is an iron block and the de is a aluminum block correct? and i can buy a header for this engine right?


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

ALL KA24's are Iron block/aluminum head.The difference is that the KA24E is a SOHC 12 valve engine and the KA24DE is a DOHC 16 valve engine.The DE also has the piston coolers(from what I have read) like the SR20DET whereas the E doesn't. The D denotes dual overhead cam and the E electronic fuel injection.Absence of the "D" makes it SOHC by default in Nissan engine nomenclature.


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## Bumpin (Feb 18, 2003)

Very nicely said himilefrontier! Bravo!


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## rice rocket (soon) (Oct 28, 2002)

do the 240's have rear independant suspension? and what is the gear ratio? what ka motor does the 1989 1990 240 have?


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## vsp3c (May 15, 2003)

the 89-91 240 have ka24e and 92-94 have ka24de

if you want all go and no show, screw the ka24. they only produce about 150hp. most likely, the ka in your 240 will have a lot of mileage and will be in poor condition.

all the nice silvias that you see running 12?? they don't have a ka24 in the engine bay.. they are ALL SR20DET's. the reason people buy 240sx is to do the sr20det swap.

DO A SR20DET SWAP!!!!!!
this engine was MADE for the 240sx. the nissan people in US were just being gay and put the ka24 in the 240. (u dun see toyota ppl in US putting corolla engines in supras)

s13 sr20det red top : 200-205hp
s13 sr20det black top: 200-205hp (slightly newer than red tops)
s14 sr20det: 220hp
s15 sr20det: 250hp (5000-7000$ for the front clip)

these engines will have mileage around 40-80k and will be in good condition. since the sr20det is a turbo, you can stop thinking about the header. instead, think about a HKS turbocharger, a blitz downpipe, blitz exhaust, and a APEXi intercooler. sr20det is an amazing engine and it is the reason why silvias/240sx are so great.

cai wont do much for a sr20.. the turbo will tho =) 5zigen is crap. made in taiwan, rust after a while..crap go with blitz/hks/apexi. visit www.phase2motortrend.com for more info. they specialize in 240sx/sr20det swaps and will give a lot more info

anymore questions?? get the SR20DET!!!!!!


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## '91 240sx (Feb 17, 2003)

vsp3c said:


> *the 89-91 240 have ka24e and 92-94 have ka24de
> *


actually the 91 and up have the ka24de and anything 90 and below has the ka24e. and you could also do the rb25det swap if you had the money to do so, its a little more difficult than the sr but it can be done


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## vsp3c (May 15, 2003)

my bad.. i don't wanna give any execuses so i will just take the blame..

anyways.. yes you could do the rb25det swap if you had the money. both the sr and the rb are awesome engines. i think that modifying a rb would be more difficult than modifying a sr. there are a lot of places that has sr parts but rb is a skyline engine and it could be possible that rb parts may not be as common. maybe im wrong...

'91 240sx.. can you agree/argue to this?? i will be fine if you flame me to death.. =) forums are meant to pass knowledge to others and if i learn along the way, that's even better


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## '91 240sx (Feb 17, 2003)

vsp3c said:


> *my bad.. i don't wanna give any execuses so i will just take the blame..
> 
> anyways.. yes you could do the rb25det swap if you had the money. both the sr and the rb are awesome engines. i think that modifying a rb would be more difficult than modifying a sr. there are a lot of places that has sr parts but rb is a skyline engine and it could be possible that rb parts may not be as common. maybe im wrong...
> 
> '91 240sx.. can you agree/argue to this?? i will be fine if you flame me to death.. =) forums are meant to pass knowledge to others and if i learn along the way, that's even better *


no flaming from me as far as parts for the sr being easier to find, i know where i live sr parts would be easier, but with the internet im pretty sure you could find parts rather easily for both engines,


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## rice rocket (soon) (Oct 28, 2002)

well you see i'm only 17, but the whole intention of buying a 240 is to drop a sr20, or later on drop a 300 twin turbo into it and see how it flies, but right now those are only dreams, i have to get the car first, plus i work at mcdonalds, But i do make 8.50 an hour


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## '91 240sx (Feb 17, 2003)

im only 18 and i know what you mean. i want the rb25 but i know it'll cost a hell of a lot more, i wanna pay for everything up front, but i think im just gonna save up like $3000 and then try to get like a $10000 loan so i can do most of what i want at around the same time. but if your going to pay it all up front id say go with the sr20


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## vsp3c (May 15, 2003)

car = 3000$ or less (i got mine for 1700)
sr20swap = 4000$

that's 7000$ right there.. cheaper than a brand new kia but will kill hondas =)


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## rice rocket (soon) (Oct 28, 2002)

i can get that engine, tranny, and ecu for about 1500-2000, it's just a matter of getting the time to go it


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## bizzy b (Apr 13, 2003)

you can get anything you need for the KA24, including headers from hotshot or GReddy, take your pick. see all those 240/silvias running 12's with the SR20? did you notice how they were brought there on a trailer? the SR20DET swap IS NOT EMISSIONS LEGAL. yeah, it might be cool for the first year, while they think you still have the KA, but what about when you go back for registration the second year? the KA24DE on the other hand will easily produce just as much hp and lots more torque with the same mods. sure, you need to get a turbo kit but it won't cost you any more $ than an SR20DET swap and will come with a T4, so you won't have to replace the SR20's measly T25 after you've already thrown $4000 at it.


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## vsp3c (May 15, 2003)

yes it is true that the sr20det cannot pass the emission tests..

so what do you think all the sr20det owners do?? slip some bills while shaking hands with a shady mechanic =) it is the only way. you cant put a catylic converter or a get some other weird piping to pass emissions.. you just have to find a crooked (a little cruel but o well..hahahah) mechanic and pay him to pass emissions. yes it is a pain in the ass and this is one of the reasons why the ka24 has replaced the sr20 in the silvias(240sx)


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## rice rocket (soon) (Oct 28, 2002)

yeah but i don't have to worry about emmisions, where i am from, it's great, my friends with the rx7's also love it


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## drift240sxdragqueen (Oct 23, 2002)

vsp3c said:


> *yes it is true that the sr20det cannot pass the emission tests..
> 
> so what do you think all the sr20det owners do?? slip some bills while shaking hands with a shady mechanic =) it is the only way. you cant put a catylic converter or a get some other weird piping to pass emissions.. you just have to find a crooked (a little cruel but o well..hahahah) mechanic and pay him to pass emissions. yes it is a pain in the ass and this is one of the reasons why the ka24 has replaced the sr20 in the silvias(240sx) *


u gotta pay em before they do the testing...
NOTE: the machines used today are hooked right up to the state
so once its done u fail they know... u gotta pay em before and they will prob use like their own car in your place.

vsp3c how would u have ur own car when ur only 14...
u saved up 1700 to buy ur own 240sx or is this your bro's that ur gonna get handed down to you? not bashing j/w


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## rice rocket (soon) (Oct 28, 2002)

any common probs with this car? it's not like my sentra is it?


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## vsp3c (May 15, 2003)

no. my dad bought the 240sx and he's driving it right now. he has a jaguar xjs that we're doing a ls1 swap on.. just waiting for the jag to finish.. until the jag is finished, it's gonna be his car. when i turn 16, he's gonna give it to me. its all good.

no problems at all. black paint's a little faded but my dad's gonna paint it before he gives it to me.


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## nx2000 (Jan 24, 2003)

The only way I would put an sr20 in my car is if I got it for under 1000 bucks. SR prices are only rising . Why buy an engine with 205 bhp when you can get an RB25 with more than that at the wheels???? For about the same price to boot. Also have you looked at turbocharging the KA??? It is a formidable engine too. I was going to swap a DOHC into my 1990 and throw a DIY kit on it, but swapping is a pain in the ass...I basically gave up and am parting out the engine. So instead I am saving my pennies for an RB20 ( i have moddest HP goals so it is cheaper to get an Rb20 than sr or rb25)


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## Gripen (May 24, 2003)

Go with a 91-93 240SX for the dual overhead cams. Don't get HICAS or ABS though. ABS was still in its infancy ten years ago, a person would be better at the brakes. I prefer the coupe because it is a slightly more rigid body than the fastback (plus i want the silvia conversion). Also, if you had a choice between the Standard model and the SE, go with the standard. The SE trim came with the heads-up display. The display has to project onto the windshield, but onto a certain area with a special film or something. Its just higher costs when it comes to replacing the windshield.

God knows the SR20 is a great engine and it has a huge aftermarket support. The RB is a wonderful engine and has a large aftermarket to support it, just not here in the US (damn!). Some companies do keep parts readily availble for it, but only for the RB26DETT (HKS, JIC, Greddy, etc.) But not much. If you want parts for them, you might want to become friends with one of the importers around your area.

If you're thinking about modifying your car from the start, go with suspension and braking mods first. Spending money to mod the KA24 when you're gonna swap to an SR20DET is a waste of money. HKS (www.hksusa.com), JIC (www.jic-magic.com), BOZZ Performance (imports Cusco, www.bozzperformance.com), they have a lot of great suspension pieces. If you want to continue the JDM theme, for brakes, go with ENDLESS (www.endlessusa.com). There are a lot of tuning companies that specialize in the 240SXs here.

Anyhow, i've totally changed the subject. When you find a 240sx, definately test drive it, but also take it to a mechanic who is knowledgable in them. Sure, you'll have to pay like $70, but it can save you thousands in the long run. 

www.afterdark-tuning.com
www.jspec.com
www.enjukuracing.com
www.srswap.com
www.sr20parts.com
www.pdm-racing.com
www.importfan.com
www.takakaira.com


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## vsp3c (May 15, 2003)

totally agree with gripen

it is true that rb25 makes more power than the sr20, but it is a little harder to install...wiring wise... i believe there is only about 20 240sx in US with s14sr20det and rb25det that has working a/c. wiring it so that A/C does work is a huge pain in the ass...

SR vs RB vs KA has been argued over A LOT of times... we have agreed that all three are great engines to mod/build...

not all of us has the money to do a rb25swap... like gripen mentioned, not as much aftermarket parts for the rb25...

on suspension, another company to look at is Tein. not all of us can afford get ENDLESS brakes... 300zx brake upgrade isn't a bad idea, but some modifications will be needed on the calipers...(unless you do a 5lug convesion)

while you are working on suspension/brakes, consider the 5lug conversion. you will open yourself to a WHOLE LOT wider selection of rims... the 240sx has 4x114.3 bolt pattern: not so popular. 5x114.4: basically the most popular

upgrading exhaust before the swap isn't a bad idea either. even if you do the swap, the exhaust will stay... any dual 60mm+ or 80mm+ exhaust will do. i personally recommend Blitz NurSpecR or HKS Hiper.


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## Gripen (May 24, 2003)

Sorry about the brake thing, I know that they're expensive (just trying to create a psuedo-JDM silvia here). Stillen, Brembo, Baer, Wilwood, Stoptech, FastBrakes, they all have kits available, but you can basically fit any Z32, R32, R33 brakes onto the S13. Just need to redrill the rotors to fit the 4x114.3. You can make a 5-lug conversion for yourself, check with www.sr20parts.com for more info and kits on that. I've heard that Attain in japan sells 5-lug hubs designed for the S13, but that was from NPM. I haven't found any other info on them though. Check with the November 2002 issue of Sport Compact Car magazine for info and insight on the 5-lug conversion.

About Sr20parts.com, their last update was about two years ago, i sent them an email regarding their deluxe 5-lug kit (includes forged aluminum rear uprights from Z32), but that was a week ago and i haven't gotten a reply yet. I do hope that they're business, but I doubt it.


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## rice rocket (soon) (Oct 28, 2002)

to be honest, i don't really care about, rims and body kits because they won't make me go any faster, like i said i want all go and no show, good old sleeper look.if i do do anyhting i will mod the ka, and maybe later on, really later, swap in a sr, or turbo the ka. but the brakes are a good idea, they would mostlikely be the first thing i rip into


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## vsp3c (May 15, 2003)

you have to have rims to go fast. the stock weighs like a kabajillion pounds...(not really but they are heavy...) don't forget to get tires. an aftermarket sideskirt for you 240sx can't hurt. it will give a more agressive look but still have that sleeper look..get something real simple and clean..


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## Gripen (May 24, 2003)

If you're on a tight budget, but would like some nice lightweight wheels, the Kosei K1s will do. If you've got the greenbacks, Velox Performance (www.veloxperformance.com) has a line of super-lightweight (and strong: can support 620-690kg compared to the 500kg industry standard) wheels. Volk Racing and their reliable TE37s, Advan RG, Enkei RPF1... There are more out there, but this is just off of the top of my head.

A good set of lightweight rims will make you accelerate faster because it doesn't take as much energy to get them to spin compared to steel wheels, it also helps with braking. Remember, any rotating assembly acts like a flywheel, the lighter they are, the easier they are to spin with a certain amount of energy. So, this includes the propeller shaft, drive shafts, disc (or drum) brakes, wheels and tires.


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## drift240sxdragqueen (Oct 23, 2002)

*legal issues*

u agree with bizzy b

these swaps will be illegal and hey if u wanna pay from 20-100 dolars every year just to pass inspection then by all means, but don't forget wut i said the computer are now hooked up to the state... you take the chance of getting ur car in some serious doo doo... and u just waisted all of the dough to swap a SR in their or RB... but hey, i could always get away with it

go to a place where the inspection person is an azn  
"if you give me 200 dollars i'll make sure ur car passes inspection"
lol too funny


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## Gripen (May 24, 2003)

dood, not kosher...


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## rice rocket (soon) (Oct 28, 2002)

I don't ever need to get a inspection, on my car, because i live in a rural county, god i love canada. About the rims, i know that the more rotating mass, there is that it will effect, braking, acceleration, but i really don't like rims, they make me look like i have money, and then your car gets fucked


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## Gripen (May 24, 2003)

Hmm... true, depending on where you live. This is why i love japan so much, you can have a wildly tuned ride and be at ease about it because there isn't much crime there. People are more respectful with tuners there, even the cops let you race around (as long as it is safe).

Well, at least ditch the steelies for the stock 240sx aluminum ones, or if you're gonna go with the 5-lug conversion, just pick up some Z32 stock alloys. It won't look flashy like the aftermarket alloys, but at least it'll be lighter.


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## rice rocket (soon) (Oct 28, 2002)

yeah i was going forthe stock alloys anyways, they come on the car, they look ok too so why mess with a good thing


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## vsp3c (May 15, 2003)

i have those... horrible...ugly...o dear god, they are horrible...

...hubcaps...   

i want volk gram lights


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## 93blackSER (Feb 1, 2003)

if you're planning on keeping your stock 4lug pattern and stock wheels, Brembo makes rotors for the 240sx that are the same size as stock rotors but come either slotted or cross-drilled depending on your preference. they are around 150-175 for the front set depending on where you get them. grab those and a set of Endless brake pads and some stainless steel brake lines and you'll be all set for the braking department.


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## rice rocket (soon) (Oct 28, 2002)

yeah, thanks for the info, now i just have to start saving


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