how to tune up sr20det?

[blueballa]

***********---------------********* BEFORE YOU POST SOMETHINH.. CHECK THE MOFO DATE*************----------------!!!!!!

hey you guys, there's this guy in town and he has a redtop sr20det, but he says it needs a tune up.

where can i go to get a tune up (good one) on that engine?and roughly how much would it cost?

im in northern cali. sac area.

( hes selling the car for 3k. im thinking bout buying. but i dont want it to be all f***** up.)

what do you guys think?

also, he says i can test drive.

heres a discription of the car:

The Goods: 1989 240sx SE Fastback Clean Title (100k on body) Power windows Flip up Sunroof Always used Mobil 1 full synthetic Redtop SR20DET w/ Grex Metal Headgasket (40k approximately) HKS Solid Lifters Koyo Radiator w/ Slim Fan and Controller (controller needs to be hooked up) Iridium Plugs Tein HA Coils w/ Camber Plates 7/8 VLSD 180sx Rear Centerpiece H4 Headlight Conversion HKS Pod Intake HKS Hi-Power Exhaust (Installed by Midnight Performance) Custom Down Pipe (intalled by Midnight Performance) Custom Test Pipe (installed by Midnight Performance) Greddy Turbo Timer Trust Boost Gauge Mine's Racing ECU Greddy BOV, Recirculating Apexi Intercooler Oil Cooler w/ oil filter relocator Spec Stage 2 Clutch w/ Fidanza Flywheel Alarm (needs to be hooked up)

The Bads: Cracked dash Left fender is messed up Needs to be tuned Needs a tuneup No Stereo Broken Ignition Needs Paint Job Dead battery

let me know what you would do. <IMG NAME="icon" SRC="http://images.nicoclub.com/forums/image ... ninja2.gif" BORDER="0">
Modified by blueballa at 12:28 PM 11/14/2009

[boro drift]

Drive it and get back to us with the issues.

[blueballa]

yeah, i understand. but the thing is.. ive never drove a car with a turbo.

basically, i dont know what to expect.

[boro drift]

basically, i dont know what to expect.

Ok, common problems on an SR.

1. Idling problems. Car should idle around 850 and be stable. Sometimes after revving the engine the rpm will dip around 300 and try to stall. watch for this.

2. Missing or backfiring at cruising speed. This usually means boost leak but can be related to other problems. Watch for this also.

These are two of the most common problems people encounter with this engine, including myself. Other than that, just treat it like a normal test drive. Last thing, with all the mods on the car, it should pull pretty hard.

[nzmoman]

Ok, common problems on an SR.

1. Idling problems. Car should idle around 850 and be stable. Sometimes after revving the engine the rpm will dip around 300 and try to stall. watch for this.

2. Missing or backfiring at cruising speed. This usually means boost leak but can be related to other problems. Watch for this also.

These are two of the most common problems people encounter with this engine, including myself. Other than that, just treat it like a normal test drive. Last thing, with all the mods on the car, it should pull pretty hard.

it seems like you need to find someone else to go with you. Someone with experience with a turbo motor, preferably an SR. You risk getting into a ton of crap with an SR if you don't know what to ask, and you don't have experience with them.

but lets correct a few little things

1. The BOV is recirculated. You should have no stalling or fluctuating idle problems if you do then you have a problem2. If you have a boost leak you will know pretty quickly. Before you get the car drive it. You need to get the boost up. IF the car sputters and bucks like a mad dog then that is the sign of a vaccuum leak. You and the guy who owns it will need to find the leak and take care of it before you hit the road. 3. The car is not very modded its relatively stock. 4. The owner needs to get it tuned before you drive/buy it. There are too many little things that can be wrong that 'seem' like it needs a tune up but they can be big issues. Tell him if he gets it tuned and you buy it that you will cover that bill..you'd be paying it anyway. But don't take it and go to get it tuned and find out you need to put tons of money into it.

You need to take some time to check some cars out in person and drive and get under and SR car before you go buying one on your own. It is easy to get ripped off because of people who don't tune their engines and break stuff. The fact that this person has not tuned their motor should make you even more cautious.

[Kalypso]

3000 is good, if you have a garage, and some spare time, you can refurbish the whole motor and various sensors for about 500$

then slide it back in... and enjoy.

[blueballa]

1. The BOV is recirculated. You should have no stalling or fluctuating idle problems if you do then you have a problem2. If you have a boost leak you will know pretty quickly. Before you get the car drive it. You need to get the boost up. IF the car sputters and bucks like a mad dog then that is the sign of a vaccuum leak. You and the guy who owns it will need to find the leak and take care of it before you hit the road. 3. The car is not very modded its relatively stock.

What is a BOV? like i know its a blow off valve, but what is its function.

how can i turn up the boost? and how much do i turn it up?

how much hp, do you think its pushing out with those few mods?

[Kalypso]

- a BOV is a blow off valve, it takes extra boost pressure thats been built in the intake tract and releases it when the throttle closes.

- with the stock turbo I say about 220 - 250 hp. but the mines ecu might remove the rev limiter and add a few tricks to increase power.

- dont turn the boost up past 12 psi, its outside the turbos efficiency. keep it around 9 or 10. and it will respect you.

the good thing, is that its a well built motor otherwise thus.

[blueballa]

i just found out that the sr20 was dropped a couple of years ago.

it was last tuned up last year.

it needs a tune up because its been sitting for about a year.

and that there are no known engine problems.

[Thoughtful_One]

I would find out why the HG was changed out since the engine is relatively stock.

Also, people don't normally buy solid lifters for daily use... Solid lifters allows you to safely rev higher.

Says it needs a tune?

Hate to burst your bubble, but I would stay away, especially since you don't seem that familiar with the engine or turbo-chargers.

A little negligence with turbo-charged engines = a lot of money to fix broken parts.

[blueballa]

whats a HG?



are solid lifters bad to have in a sr20?

[Thoughtful_One]

If I were you, I would stay away from getting this car (or any other modified car) until you're more familiar with these engines.

HG = headgasket.

SR's come stock with hydraulic lash adjusters to close up the distance between the valves and the cams, though they are not well-suited for high rev's. Solid lifters don't automatically close up the gap like the stock ones do. WIth these, hgiher revs are possible with smaller chances of damaging your valvetrain. Someone else with experience can fill you in with the details of solid lifters.

If you think you need to go out and get someone to do a tune-up on the engine, I would not buy this car until you are more familar with cars in general, and the SR specifically.

[blueballa]

i understand. and thank you.

i was wondering, what if i buy this car and do a rebuild on it?

remove the lifters and put in stock ones.

all that stuff.

i think i can get the price down from 3000.00 to 2500.00 if not lower.

i wouldnt mind putting in 500 for a rebuild.

do you know whats essential for a rebuild?

or should i just let this car go?

cause i really want to get a 240 with a sr20.

( it would be a huge upgrade from a 240 coupe [sohc])

[Thoughtful_One]

i understand. and thank you.

i was wondering, what if i buy this car and do a rebuild on it?

remove the lifters and put in stock ones.

all that stuff.

i think i can get the price down from 3000.00 to 2500.00 if not lower.

i wouldnt mind putting in 500 for a rebuild.

do you know whats essential for a rebuild?

or should i just let this car go?

cause i really want to get a 240 with a sr20.

( it would be a huge upgrade from a 240 coupe [sohc])

Wow, you're really persistant...

You say you want to do a rebuild, yet you don't know what's involved with a rebuild.

It's not a matter of there being solid lifters in there now, and you taking them out. It's a matter of them being in there the first place.

It's like if you bought an engine, and there being 1200CC injectors in the engine. More likely than not, the engine was really pushed at one time. Taking the injectors out won't fix the problem...

Find a stock swapped SR with little to no modifications.

After all the money you spend, you could've bought an engine and at least had a shop swap it in.

Let it go... (that's my opinion)

If you knew more about engines, I would say go for it, but you don't have enough knowledge yet...

[Kalypso]

on top of that, you keep saying "tune up" but I dont think you know whatyou mean.

if you get this motor, plan to click the search button alot.

[blueballa]

yeah you guys are right.

im just gonna let it go..

but thanks for all your guy's help.

very appriciated.

[Sil80315]

don't feel bad blueballa. I deal with people like you all the time..

I always seem to have kids come to my shop saying they want 240 with an sr and as soon as i start talked about pricing and a few things about the motor..they start stepping back and have no idea what im talking about and get discouraged and back out.

If you don't have any knowledge about the chassis and the motors that go in them, I would do a lot of research on "how motors work" to start off and then maybe you can learn about turbo swapped motors and their parts.

[Kalypso]

yeah you guys are right.

im just gonna let it go..

but thanks for all your guy's help.

very appriciated.

read the sticky in the RWD sr20det forum about engine stats,zerothread/306956

then read positron's thread from front to backhttp://forums.nicoclub.com/zerothread?id=302985

once you've done those things come back and ask us you're remaining questions and we can guide you.

you'll know the motor top and bottom.

[blueballa]

haha wow. its been more than a year since ive talked about his car.. but now its in my DRIVE WAY. lol holys***.. Nico members are the greatest.. any 240 owner that has issues & is clueless always incompany by someone that isnt..

its been more than a year and ive learned so much.. looking back to this thread, i think," did i really ask whats a HG?? or a BOV" ahahah f*** lol.

well heres a update: i forgot about the car just like i said. i listened to the information given to me.. i studied theses cars. and last summer i bought a sr20det ( the one i posted above in 2008) for 2200. but i didnt buy it from the same guy.. that guy sold it to a dude 15 minutes away from me.. and i snatched it from him.. hahah wow. i had no clue. i guess it was ment to be..

but i have a question now.. how do i know if i have hks soild lifers?? i bought some bc springs and retainers and greddy RAS and some hks cams. im going to swap them in soon. i have a feeling they're isnt any solid lifters in the car.

and as for the greddy HG lol. there isnt a reall way to check that either huh?

[Kalypso]

things have changed for me also! i used to have a sr20det coupe, i parted everything out, and now I have a sohc hatch on the way!

- hg there really isnt anyway to check... unless you want to remove yours and install a new one and look inside. (sometimes you can look at the edge of the block, and if the seam of the gasket is shiny, then you know its new. )

who told you it was a Greddy? why don't you believe it?

- solid lifters... you'll have to open up the head and look. here's how you do that. http://www.nicoclub.com/articles.php?id=238409

you could go ahead and rebuild the motor... i dont know why someone would lie about solid lifter.

[blueballa]

things have changed for me also! i used to have a sr20det coupe, i parted everything out, and now I have a sohc hatch on the way!

- hg there really isnt anyway to check... unless you want to remove yours and install a new one and look inside. (sometimes you can look at the edge of the block, and if the seam of the gasket is shiny, then you know its new. )

who told you it was a Greddy? why don't you believe it?

- solid lifters... you'll have to open up the head and look. here's how you do that. http://www.nicoclub.com/articles.php?id=238409

you could go ahead and rebuild the motor... i dont know why someone would lie about solid lifter.

lol. damn.. I still have my coupe that i got for free and now i have this sr that i got for dirt cheap.

as for the HG, it was listed by the seller. it not a main concern to me. i was just wondering. and why would you add solid lifters if everything in the head is stock?? thats why i believe there isnt any solid lifters. but yeah i got that thread already bookmarked. im going to rebuild all that anyways. but thanks kalypso.. you gave me some great advice.

i got 5 240sx in my family. lol