1996 200sx engine problems. Any suggestions?

[Nismoaniak]

well the story goes a little something like this.

The car belonged to mom before it was "going" to be mine. its a 2.0 liter manual transmission. One day on her way home from work, she somehow blew the engine on the freeway. Shes a woman and doesnt know much about cars and says it just started losing power and finally gave out on the side of the freeway. She lifted the cars hood and some "white" smoke was coming out of the cars engine area but she wasnt to sure. So make a long story short-er' my dad takes it to his mechanic where it stayed for about two years untouched because we didnt have the money to fix it. Now that I have it back at home and want to fix it myself, im stumped. My dads mechanic said it needed a new engine because the water and oil had mixed together. I never checked it myself (My mistake =/ ) so I took both of theyre words on it. My uncle took a look at it and brought it to my attention that the oil and water has not mixed together and after alll this time there is still oil in the car, I connected the like three year old battery and to my surprise it still works; needs to be charged though. So after all this I accepted defeat early and decided to buy another engine, a used or rebuilt one. Problem is locating one for cheap. Too many shops are overpricing the engine. I have the 200sx and the other logos were stolen but by looking very carefully i believe i own a 200sx SE-R. Now originally im not sure if my car had a sr20 with the turbo or not; i see that the cars engine has some numbers handwritten on the engine, which leads me to believe that the engine has previously been swapped and does not have a turbo on it.

Where I need help with is information and or suggestions. Im not to familiar with cars and how to work on them but this is going to be my first project car and I expect to learn everything there is to learn about this car and I am willing to invest to get it running the way she deserves to be! Does anyone recomend me to check something on my engine to make sure it actually still works? If so how can I do that? I would really like to save myself the money and keep this engine, but if i need to swap it then so be it.

Please im all ears any info would be useful.

[nametakennow]

It depends on whether the engine locked up as a result of the coolant/oil mixture. Basically, the head gasket blew, so the question is how much damage was done when that happened. You can replace the HG and get it compression tested, then you'd have an idea of whether the engine is salvageable.

The stock engine is not turbocharged. You can swap in an SR20DE/DET/VE fairly easily. Honestly, for simplicity's sake, I'd go for a lightly used USDM DE in this case. It'll be the cheapest and probably have the most readily-available history so you'll know what you're getting into.

[Nismoaniak]

Yeah I was afraid that the engine might have locked up but I haven't checked it yet; although I am really soon. If it is a HG problem, there is no guarantee it would function a whole 100% and there would still be vibrations and such. Based on another car we have had in the past with a fixed HG problem. I agree with getting another engine, and like I said before its hard locating a decent priced one in my area. However I am not familiar with the "USDM DE," is it like the SR20 or alot different? Haha my apologies as I am new to the forum and even though I just did some research I didnt find an actual answer so therefore I am asking. Thanks a bunch!

[nametakennow]

USDM DE refers to the US Domestic Market (USDM) naturally aspirated, dual cam SR20. In essence the "base" version (and the only one sold in the States as factory equipment). Decent ones aren't hard to find and are usually cheap since the turbo (DET) and NEO-VVL (VE - think VTEC, but a bit different) are the more sought after.

[Nismoaniak]

Ohhh ok gotcha well thanks for the info im goin to lookin into finding one now.

[ABNRML4U]

Yeah, Man Good Luck I hope for the best.

[Classic_Fetish]

get a good charge on your battery and try and crank the engine over first and foremost... if it does turn over (try not to let it start) spend the 15 bucks and change the oil in it... check for water as it comes out... in 2 years of sitting if there was water in the oil it could have seperated and thats why your uncle cant tell its in there any more

after the oils been changed, check and make sure theres coolant in the car, just add water if its low, you dont need antifreeze right now...

once all this has been done, try and start the car... if there was water in the oil it probably overheated for some other reason, and blew the head gasket... if this is the case then the car might start and it might not... if it over heated bad enough the pistons will swell from the heat and lock in the cylinders inside the engine... this WILL cause damage to the inside of your engine... but doesnt mean it cant run like that... depending on how much damage was done... but it seems to me better to start with what you have and go from there...

aside from that, i dont know anyone thats used them, but i see US market (usdm) SR20DE's rebuilt on ebay from a local vendor... im pretty sure he ships them... they are normaly around 500 bucks i think... just a thought if nothing better comes along

[Nismoaniak]

ABNRML 4U thanks a lot appreciate it!

Classic_fetish thanks alot for ur info as well. It is definately i want to try. Since i have started school again i havnt got around to even taking a look at my car right now. Now the main question i have though is, what would be the most easiest and simplest way to try and turn over the engine? Now one way i tried to do that is, when i connected the battery, and tested the windows and such, i also tryed to start the car. It didnt start but im thinkin it might have been because the battery is almost dead. Would trying to push start the car work as well? The only downfall to that would be getting out of the drive way as it goes uphill, not a lot but man with the cars weight and the force of gravity it would be tuff. I will definately give it a shot and hope to get my car working

[Nismoaniak]

ok so since last time.. ima put it like this.

The engine did not turn over, and i found water in the engine after all, in the part where you actually poor the oil into the engine. i stuck my finger in there and sure enough i saw on my finger water and oil. so i decided 2 do more research again on buying another engine,.. man i keep getting let down!

i found an SR20DE for $598.00 total price. it is a used engine imported from japan. now around where i live, i have heard of places that import them, but EVERYONE says that they guarantee it has 50,000 miles or less. already thats a bit iffy to me. the lady said they guarantee the engine for 6 months and if anything goes wrong with it, they replace it for me. Another funny thing, they dont ask for my engine as a core! weird. she also assured me that they compression test the engine, but when i asked for a copy of that she said they dont have it for me; and i asked why but she never gave me a straight answer. so with that info i left and started pondering a bit. Hmmm what should i do? lots of things are iffy to me, but if i can get all she says in writing maybe ill go for it. I decided to ask my friends dad to help me in this matter, he is the type of person 2 make sure i dont get screwed over, and would make sure they include everything they say.

Now i asked the lady what the shop recommended i change on the car, parts wise. she said they recommend i change the following, "cam seal, crank seal, rear main seal, water pump." when i told my friends dad this, he didnt like it at all. he said i should run! I almost had a heart attack! thats not what i wanted to hear. he said "the engines busted, that means the Cam is warn, Crank is warn, might need to replace the head gasket, Pistons are worn" and then he also asked me for the year of my car and the condition its been in(non opp in the back yard etc.) so then he says.... "your going to want to replace the radiator, alternator, water pump, front U joints, master brake cylinder and more..."

He estimated about $2000 to fix all that. and that i have to do all the work my self. Basically he thinks the car is not worth it and that i should buy another car. oh and the whole reason he said that is because, the car has about 150,000 miles on it give or take. so apparently my car is only good for 200,000 miles. so thats why i have 2 completely overhaul my car.

Ohhh but i want my car 2 run sooo bad! please someone tell me this isnt true and that my car is still salvageable. i mean all it needs is an engine! right?

Allow me to describe my frustrations.. .... yea that about summs it all up.

HELP! Please lol AY ya yay ima pray to the Nissan gods!

[Nismoaniak]

Ok so i over thought a few things and under thought a few. Well im ditchin that other motor,... and i say the hell with it. i want to see my car running and thats just wat its gona do! did a quick prayer... and god presented me with an engine! its still in the car of a 92 se-r. it is an sr20, and the guy is swaping it for a sr20det so luckily for me, i found his add the second day it had been posted and i am the first bidder! going for another test drive 2morrow with my dad and hopefully 2morrow ill have another engine for my car! so ive dubbed my whole ordeal, "Project 200sx" as i will be almost completely overhaulin the whole car! ill post pics of my whole process soon.

[ABNRML4U]

Your getting a Engine. Can't wait to see some pictures.