97 s14 engine problems?

[steezy1]

Hey everyoneI was referred to this site by a friend because im in the market for a s14 97-98.I found one on craiglist the other day and was wondering what problems I should expect from a 97 240sx that has 58k miles on it.Here is some info I got on the car:-1997 240sx LE w/ s15 front end conversion(but no headlights)-58,000 miles on stock engine-never modded except s15 conversion(or so the owner says)-Clean title, 1 owner so far-owner says he can provide maintenance records but not many of then since its 58k miles-needs a paint job because of the conversion(non matching body)-some aftermarket wheels(dunno what they are)

dunno if this info matters at all but:-owner said he's never raced or beat up the car before and is selling it because he doesn't want the wife to have it from the divorce.

http://images.craigslist.org/3...3.jpgh ... /3...e.jpg

Is there anything I should be concerned about? so far the story on the car sounds good...What do you think this car should be selling at anyhow? And is there anything I might have forgotten to ask the seller?

Thanks-and yes i tried to do a search on something like this but i got no results. Or Im just a sucky searcher.

[Kouki_2.4]

Links don't work. And yes i know which 240sx you are looking at. For me, i'm curious to why the owner decided to replace a perfectly good kouki front end with a S15 conversion. MOST, from what i know, don't do kouki conversions to s15 unless it was in a frontal collision.

[steezy1]

Links don't work. And yes i know which 240sx you are looking at. For me, i'm curious to why the owner decided to replace a perfectly good kouki front end with a S15 conversion. MOST, from what i know, don't do kouki conversions to s15 unless it was in a frontal collision.

http://images.craigslist.org/3...3.jpgh ... /3...e.jpg

there we go.anyways, is there something i should look out for though? im somewhat surprised too as its looking to be a pretty "new" car but he already did a s15 swap..

[Kouki_2.4]

Carfax. Check the car out in person. Check the radiator support. Check whatever maintenance record he has. KA24DE engines should hold up if it has been maintained well. I recall a s14 with 200,000 miles and still running strong. I believe he is on this forum.

[brizanden]

Links don't work. And yes i know which 240sx you are looking at. For me, i'm curious to why the owner decided to replace a perfectly good kouki front end with a S15 conversion. MOST, from what i know, don't do kouki conversions to s15 unless it was in a frontal collision.

thats not true at all plunty of people drop the better front end (kouki) for the s15 just cause they want the s15.

[driftneil]

http://images.craigslist.org/3...3.jpgh ... /3...e.jpg

there we go.anyways, is there something i should look out for though? im somewhat surprised too as its looking to be a pretty "new" car but he already did a s15 swap..

Pull the bumper off and look for welds on the radiator core support. Thats the only way you will know......or carfax! Careful broski, only reason I've ever seen a kouki swapped to a "15" was a crash!

[Kouki_2.4]

thats not true at all plunty of people drop the better front end (kouki) for the s15 just cause they want the s15.

Hence, the MOST.

[koukis4teen]

Definitely run a carfax on it because I agree he may have done that because of an accident. That is very good mileage and engine bay looks super clean. However I will caution you about one thing. Those seats are not genuine LE seats. The kouki 240's only came with white leather (called titanium) never black. Also genuine LE seats do not have that pleated pattern. So these seats were installed by a dealer or something. I see them every now and then not sure where they come from. Not a big deal but just in case you care I figured I would say something.

[steezy1]

Definitely run a carfax on it because I agree he may have done that because of an accident. That is very good mileage and engine bay looks super clean. However I will caution you about one thing. Those seats are not genuine LE seats. The kouki 240's only came with white leather (called titanium) never black. Also genuine LE seats do not have that pleated pattern. So these seats were installed by a dealer or something. I see them every now and then not sure where they come from. Not a big deal but just in case you care I figured I would say something.

that was quite useful...I got a reply back from the owner and found out he is actually the SECOND owner...

Pull the bumper off and look for welds on the radiator core support. Thats the only way you will know......or carfax! Careful broski, only reason I've ever seen a kouki swapped to a "15" was a crash!

I've never owned a 240 before...is there a writeup somewhere that tells you how to do the s15 swap? and when looking at the radiator core support, should it be pretty easy to spot if it has welds on it? Are there places you can hide the welds?

thanks everyone! fast replies unlike 240sxforums haha

[Kouki_2.4]

Ask him to send you the carfax.

[koukis4teen]

There are write ups around somewhere you just have to search a little bit. It is possible he used the s15 core support when he did the swap.. it isn't necessary but some people do so that may not show any damage. . Definitely look at the frame rails to see if they are bent or deviated at all. I suggest asking him why he swapped the front. Maybe he just liked it better or there could have been a slight fender bender. Kouki parts are so expensive sometimes a s15 front isn't much more expensive. Especially since the conversion fenders are FRP. Probably the most expensive part of that conversion is likely to be the headlights and.. he doesn't have those lol. Good luck.

[steezy1]

just when i thought the dude flaked on me he replied about a month later.

when doing s15 front end conversions, is it like doing a zenki to kouki conversion? or is molding required?here are some pics, i dont have as sharp an eye as some members here. can anybody tell me if fitment will need molding or not from these pics alone?

i'll have pics up ina sec

[steezy1]

Modified by steezy1 at 12:29 AM 5/6/2009

[DruidAT]

whoa that thing is hella clean. maybe the reason why he doesnt have headlights is because he didn't bother to remove the kouki radiator support and he didn't make s15 headlight brackets. Check the carfax and radiator support! The fitment looks pretty good except its sagging upward just a little bit.

[driftneil]

There is also a gap in the driver door and fender. And the hood is kind of low. But all in all, not bad. I love the seats, wish my leather looked that plush.

[steezy1]

whoa that thing is hella clean. maybe the reason why he doesnt have headlights is because he didn't bother to remove the kouki radiator support and he didn't make s15 headlight brackets. Check the carfax and radiator support! The fitment looks pretty good except its sagging upward just a little bit.

what do you mean its sagging upwards? and I myself don't really trust carfax because doesn't carfax only show things that were reported?

There is also a gap in the driver door and fender. And the hood is kind of low. But all in all, not bad. I love the seats, wish my leather looked that plush.

are you saying that the hood will be too low that when i put in the headlights, it will be over them?

[driftneil]

are you saying that the hood will be too low that when i put in the headlights, it will be over them?

No most likely it can be adjusted further back, unless he didnt get the s15 hood hinges. I belive you need them.

[Mon0xide]

ok man these guys didnt help u at all they just told you their opinions, first off alot of ppl do s15 conversions just because they want that look its not so easy as just buying a new car just for that look for people and it really doesnt cost that much for the conversion so all that only in a crash s*** is really lame ppl shouldnt be saying dumb stuff like that to someone trying to buy a car, and the reason for his headlights are most definetly because their completly different thats part of the conversion, id tell him to put them biches in and then id buy it, overal thats a clean puppy bro snatch her up

[derrick113]

looks really clean, possibly front end damage is the reason for the conversion? Either way you could sell the S15 front and replace it with a kouki front and have some money left over for different wheels / suspension.

[hazer396]

i would buy iti doubt you'd have problems on it

[steezy1]

ok man these guys didnt help u at all they just told you their opinions, first off alot of ppl do s15 conversions just because they want that look its not so easy as just buying a new car just for that look for people and it really doesnt cost that much for the conversion so all that only in a crash s*** is really lame ppl shouldnt be saying dumb stuff like that to someone trying to buy a car, and the reason for his headlights are most definetly because their completly different thats part of the conversion, id tell him to put them biches in and then id buy it, overal thats a clean puppy bro snatch her up

Nah, those guys did make a valid point. If I already had a kouki front, I probably wouldn't bother changing it to a s15 front because the kouki front looks clean as well. But if i had money lying around, that'd be another story. You made a good point though. So are you saying I should tell him to buy the headlights and put em in there then i'll buy the car? (I'm assuming I would have to pay for the cost of the headlights in addition to the car if everything is A O K. thanks though.

looks really clean, possibly front end damage is the reason for the conversion? Either way you could sell the S15 front and replace it with a kouki front and have some money left over for different wheels / suspension.

I won't get that much money left over would I? I mean I still have to buy the kouki front and I've read people pay just a little bit less for the kouki front. And also I might run into problems because the s15 front end isn't directly a perfect fitment when you bolt on, dont you have to do some bodywork molding to make it fit perfect?

I want to know as much as I can before I buy the car. The only thing im worried about is when people switch out the instrument clusters for a newer one...Because this is the 2nd owner and it is kinda hard to believe its had only 62k miles with 2 owners...just my 2 cents

Thanks for everyone's replies! keep em coming!

[driftneil]

Nah, those guys did make a valid point. If I already had a kouki front, I probably wouldn't bother changing it to a s15 front because the kouki front looks clean as well. But if i had money lying around, that'd be another story. You made a good point though. So are you saying I should tell him to buy the headlights and put em in there then i'll buy the car? (I'm assuming I would have to pay for the cost of the headlights in addition to the car if everything is A O K. thanks though.

I won't get that much money left over would I? I mean I still have to buy the kouki front and I've read people pay just a little bit less for the kouki front. And also I might run into problems because the s15 front end isn't directly a perfect fitment when you bolt on, dont you have to do some bodywork molding to make it fit perfect?

I want to know as much as I can before I buy the car. The only thing im worried about is when people switch out the instrument clusters for a newer one...Because this is the 2nd owner and it is kinda hard to believe its had only 62k miles with 2 owners...just my 2 cents

Thanks for everyone's replies! keep em coming!

If he had the extra money, why didn't he finish the swap?? That's the question. Your not going to have any extra money selling the s15 front for the kouki...In fact, you will prob end up paying out. Also the s15 bolts right up....And fits good, if you use OEM. I see from the pics, the hood and fenders and bumper are not. When dealing with 3 different companys on one conversion, its hard to get a good fit. Then you also have to figure the lights into it, that might also be a problem. What you shoud ask him is where the oem kouki stuff is.

[steezy1]

you 100% positive that it bolts up perfectly?

where can i find oem parts for sale? I found a complete set(fender,hood,bumper,rad support) that is claimed to be brand new OEM.How can I be sure of this? its from intensepower.com

http://www.intensepower.com/s15sicopa99.html

[driftneil]

you 100% positive that it bolts up perfectly?

where can i find oem parts for sale? I found a complete set(fender,hood,bumper,rad support) that is claimed to be brand new OEM.How can I be sure of this? its from intensepower.com

http://www.intensepower.com/s15sicopa99.html

I wouldn't bet my life on it, becuse Iv'e never seen it in person. But is what I was told.

[steezy1]

is there anything else i should ask him?and if i do buy the car, what maintenance should i do on it besides the basic oil/filter change?

[driftneil]

Trans/ diff fliud, antifreeze, fuel and air filter and belts, I usually do. If you have extra money/time, pcv, water pump, and oil pan and valve cover gaskets and o2 sensors.