Roll Call for 4WD Sentras

Post by **blownb310** » Sun Jan 04, 2009 4:06 pm

Who's got one and where are you from? I enjoy these unique B12's and learning of where else they were sold in the US. I know the northeast had them, and I know of one in Colorado and Illinois as well.

I've owned three of them over the years, an '87, an '88, and my current '89.

I know these have got to be getting scarce today, but if you've got one, or know of someone that does, please chime in here, post pics, etc.

Mike

Modified by blownb310 at 6:12 PM 12/30/2009

Post by **MyNISMO314** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 12:51 am

never knew they made the sentra awd

Post by **blownb310** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 2:13 am

Yup, so far I have heard from people in Colorado, Illinois, and the New York/New England area. I'd like to know if they were sold in any other areas in the US and abroad.

Post by **nametakennow** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 8:04 am

There were some AWD Sunny (Sentra) models in Japan, but I don't know the specs on them.

Post by **blownb310** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 1:26 pm

I've had three of these 4WD Sentra wagons over the years, an '87, an '88, and my current '89.

[Bear with me I took digital pics of print pictures] Here's my white '87:

The 87's and 88's used part time 4WD with the button in the shifter to engage the rear wheels.

Yeah it was a bit rough. I bought it for $125. Needed lots of work. My son and I took it out on frozen Round Lake in NY to practice ice driving it a bit. I am switching it over to 4 studded tires here. It's now in my back yard as a valuable [to me anyway] parts car.

My current red '89:

This was with the GA16DE swap but before the turbo.

With 14" B12 Sport Coupe wheels.

Same view but with B14 SE-R wheels.

Here's are a couple portraits next to my '92 SE-R:

I know that these have gotten to be quite scarce today, but if you've got one, or know of someone that does [or did], please chime in here, post pics, etc!

Mike

Post by **nametakennow** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 8:08 pm

That's actually damn cool, especially with those B14 wheels.

I'd be intrigued to see what engines would fit on one...

Post by **moersfelng08** » Sun Jan 25, 2009 6:00 am

It might be more feasible to swap an AWD GTI-R & trans into this than other sentra models. There's a shop working on an AWD B13 here in Wisconsin and I know they're having one hell of a time with all the stuff they have to convert and fabricate.

Post by **Businessman_24** » Sat Jun 13, 2009 6:52 pm

What shop that you know of is attempting this?

Post by **ABNRML4U** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 12:24 pm

I am wondering if you can Drift with a Awd Sentra? That would be nice.

Post by **blownb310** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 4:05 pm

ABNRML4U wrote:I am wondering if you can Drift with a Awd Sentra? That would be nice.

With only 70 h.p. ['87 and '88] or 90 h.p. ['89], it would need to be snowing out to drift.

Post by **blownb310** » Sun Jun 14, 2009 4:14 pm

Mine's got a turbo on it now, but drifting is still only possible on snow or ice.

Great fun though!

Post by **RockoS13** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 1:56 pm

That look likes a fun car!

Post by **chai029** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 3:56 pm

miss the awd sentra, i had one before and its a great car btw...but now I really would love to have one back.

Post by **yellowspecv02** » Tue Jul 28, 2009 6:47 pm

chai029 wrote:miss the awd sentra, i had one before and its a great car btw...but now I really would love to have one back.

Four-Wheel Drive not equal to All-Wheel Drive

Post by **blownb310** » Wed Jul 29, 2009 1:45 pm

yellowspecv02,

Yes, but can you please explain the difference for us? The '87 and '88's are 4WD with a switch in the shifter to engage/disengage the rear wheels. For 1989 Nissan deleted the transfer case shift solenoid and added a viscous center diff like modern WRX's and other cars have. That makes it AWD. Would you agree?

Post by **blownb310** » Sun Dec 27, 2009 6:12 pm

Well I did turbocharge my GA16DE and she really runs great now. There's an entire write up about it HERE.

I use it primarily for winter tsd rallies up in the mountains of VT and western NY. Here's a pic from an ice race up in Maine.

Anyone else having fun with their 4WD B12's?

Mike

Modified by blownb310 at 8:19 PM 12/27/2009

Post by **vegas2.0S** » Mon Dec 28, 2009 6:39 pm

1) What is your ga16de putting out in HP?

2) where did you get the turbo from? Was it a full kit with inter cooler and mounting hardware or did you have to fab some stuff up?

Post by **blownb310** » Tue Dec 29, 2009 6:06 pm

vegas2.0S wrote:1) What is your ga16det putting out in HP?

2) Where did you get the turbo from? Was it a full kit with inter cooler and mounting hardware or did you have to fab some stuff up?

1. I never dynoed it, and don't plan to, but I would say it is putting out between 140 and 150 h.p.

2. There is an entire thread about the turbo kit and the fuel management I cooked up HERE. Did it all for less than 2-k!

Mike

Post by **kevinyoung03** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 9:57 am

It will be good for you because it will provide a good driving balance to your vehicle.

Post by **AZhitman** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 10:14 am

kevinyoung03 wrote:It will be good for you because it will provide a good driving balance to your vehicle.

Practice your Engrish someplace else, spammer.

GTFO.

Post by **AZhitman** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 10:38 am

Mike, that thing is cool as al hell.

There are some here in AZ. When I was in HS, my best buddy's parents had a white 87 they bought new. They traveled up on the Mogollon Rim a lot during the winter, and wanted the 4wd capability for that.

Seems to me they got 200K+ miles out of it, and donated it to a single mom who's still driving what's left of it.

Post by **blownb310** » Wed Dec 30, 2009 5:51 pm

AZhitman wrote:Mike, that thing is cool as all hell.

There are some here in AZ. When I was in HS, my best buddy's parents had a white 87 they bought new. They traveled up on the Mogollon Rim a lot during the winter, and wanted the 4wd capability for that.

Seems to me they got 200K+ miles out of it, and donated it to a single mom who's still driving what's left of it.

Thanks for the reply Greg. That's a new state on my list of B12 4WD's.

I don't know if I am the leading B12 4WD guru in the US, but I seem to know more about them than most. Over the years, I've discovered some of the finer details about them that are unknown to most. There are several things that are unique to the 4WD B12's from all of the others. For instance the power steering racks have a faster ratio. I don't remember the exact number of turns lock to lock, but I compared it to a reguler FWD B12 several years ago and it was significant. They also have about an inch of increased ride height via taller front steering knuckles/hubs. The rear struts and springs are unique to the 4WD's as well. The struts are longer and the springs are cone shaped. In other words they are tapered smaller at the top. I think I bought the last pair of factory 4WD B12 Tokico rear struts through Nissan in about 8 years ago. The final drive gears are also quite steep at 4.47's, compared the the other B12's, which will have either 3.65's or 3.89's. Then there's the tubular undercarriage "cage" that protects the engine and transmission from damage during off road situations.

Another detail is that all 4WD B12's were throttle body fuel injected, not carbureted like the other '87 2WD Sentras. Yes, the 4WD's [and the Sport Coupes] got fuel injection one year earlier than all other B12's.

One shortcoming [in my view] of these cars is that no power upgrades were afforded to the 4WD cars to make up for all of the additional weight and load the 4WD system added to the car. They all got the same 70 h.p. E16i [for 87 and 88] or 90 h.p. GA16i [in the 89's], that the standard B12's got. Nissan literature says that a 1990 model existed, but I have never seen a single copy in person. Can anyone verify that a 1990 4WD B12 was available here in the US?

Lastly, only manual 5 speed transaxles were used in the 4WD B12's, [thankfully, no automatics were available].

Mike

Post by **AZhitman** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 5:12 pm

Good stuff.

Any time you want to contribute your expertise and know-how, there's a lot of us here to soak it up.

Oh hell - I just realized you have 2 210's. Let me know if my wife starts stalking you (she's owned 4 210's).

Post by **AZhitman** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 5:15 pm

Side note: According to my source here, the 1990 models were leftover 89's. Maybe that will help.

Nissan did that quite a bit, even back in the Datsun days.

Post by **blownb310** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 8:32 pm

AZhitman wrote:Side note: According to my source here, the 1990 models were leftover 89's. Maybe that will help.

Nissan did that quite a bit, even back in the Datsun days.

Thanks Greg,

That explains why I've never seen a '90 4WD B12. You must have seen my signature on another forum to have noticed that I have a '77 B210 and an '81 210 as well. Love the old RWD compacts too.

Cheers,

Mike

Post by **AZhitman** » Thu Dec 31, 2009 8:44 pm

blownb310 wrote: You must have seen my signature on another forum to have noticed that I have a '77 B210 and an '81 210 as well. Love the old RWD compacts too.

Ummm, nope.

<--- It's right there.

BTW, that "other" forum is dead. We killed them.

Post by **blownb310** » Fri Jan 01, 2010 6:41 am

AZhitman wrote:
Ummm, nope.

<--- It's right there.

Ahh, of course. Silly me. I'll add a sig with all of my current beloved Datsun/Nissan compacts.

Edit: Sigs aren't showing up for me, even though I've got that option turned on. Oh well.
Modified by blownb310 at 12:36 PM 1/1/2010

Post by **blownb310** » Fri Jan 01, 2010 7:41 am

I am also very interested in the [as far as I can tell] Japan only 4WD B12 sedans as well. However, I have not been able to locate a picture of a real one. Only these pics of a die cast model from Ebay:

Yes, of course I bought one.

I'd love to find out specs on these. Anyone speak Japanese that can perhaps search and find anything out about these on a Japanese site?

Post by **AZhitman** » Sat Jan 02, 2010 4:14 pm

Sig only shows once per thread - See top post in thread.

Post by **TOOQIKK** » Tue Feb 16, 2010 7:42 am

I GOT ONE!! HEHE i live in northern kentucky,just across the river from cincinnatithere is another guy that lives in cincy that has one too! i am in the process of rebuilding/restifying it......

over on the nissanforums dot com there is a thread with a few pictures of the progess i have made so far.....

also have the only awd-t n13 pulsar(its in my garge in 2000 pieces as i rebuild it.....

Modified by TOOQIKK at 10:36 AM 2/16/2010

Roll Call for 4WD Sentras

Roll Call for 4WD Sentras

Re: (MyNISMO314)

Re: (nametakennow)

Re: (nametakennow)

Re: (moersfelng08)

Re: (Businessman_24)

Re: (ABNRML4U)

Re: (blownb310)

Re: (blownb310)

Re: (RockoS13)

Re: (chai029)

Re: (yellowspecv02)

Re: (blownb310)

Re: Roll Call for 4WD Sentras (blownb310)

Re: Roll Call for 4WD Sentras (vegas2.0S)

Re: (kevinyoung03)

Re: (AZhitman)

Re: (AZhitman)

Re: (blownb310)

Re: (AZhitman)

Re: (blownb310)

Re: Roll Call for 4WD Sentras (blownb310)

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