Got my first 240, yay! driving a hyundai, boo.

[KoopaTroopa]

So since it's my first post i figure i'll do a little intro. I'm a poor college student at WVU currently pursuing an aerospace/mechanical engr degree. last summer i sold my sister the 02 maxima i used to have because i wanted something more fun, i've always liked nissans. I wanted a car i could do some hands on work to, not too expensive, learn about cars in the process of fixing it. I settled on a black 240sx hatchback.



100% stock except for the wheels (no idea what they are) definite engine problems but flawless le interior. Car has 186k on the engine. After some evaluation of the car my friends and I tore into the engine. AMS timing rebuild, everything from the basic rebuild kit minus the rods, new electronic fans, koyo radiator, distributor system, injectors, and lubricants. Did some cleaning up to the engine bay as well including the wiring harness.

But after all that the car still has problems. Engine would violently shake, doesn't want to shift into higher gears (auto transmission). I looked into the injectors and found that the 4th cyl injector seat had been smashed and was not firing (cut the power to it and it ran exactly the same) SUCCESS! I thought, I finally found the problem after months of work and driving a pos hyundai around! Refurbished, injector goes in, resistance was off somewhere around 36 ohms and not the 11 it should be. New injector this time around, pop it in and i'm amazed by how much better the engine sounds. No more violent rocking, smooth as can be. Finally i get to drive the car i've been waiting for. Nope... now i get a strange problem which never happened. While in idle, the car seems fine, when i give it some gas in a somewhat punchy manner, a huge puff of smoke out the exhaust, whitish gray smoke. Try to drive it under load, constant smoke out the pipe. I did a compression test on it which proved half decent, consistent at least. I think it was 160 for all +- 5 to 7. Now i'm stumped and must rely on driving a hyundai around all the time while my 240 rests back in NJ, being stripped of things like it's brand new battery for cars that DO work... Like my sister's new maxima.

Long story, but oh well, its my first post and a bit of an intro piece. but yeah, nice to meet you guys.

ps. my housemates both have 2007 wrx imprezas which i never get to go out on day drives with! I need my 240!

[scooz14]

does the exhaust smell sweet?? maybe a vacuum leak in your intake after the mafs

[KoopaTroopa]

hmm yeah maybe a little sweet. I could have easily forgotten a vacuum line in the back of the valve head, there were a lot of things going on back there. To be honest i can't really do anything about it until i get home for spring break, just wanted to introduce myself and the car. Maybe get some ideas before i dive back into working on it.

I'm thinking i put this in the wrong place, could this get moved to the non technical, regular 240 forum?

[stutterr]

I noticed my exhaust smells sweet. I have a SOHC as well.

Where is this vaccuum located?

I noticed tonight that there is a line, coming off the intake that looks like it has a "t" which is not hooked up to anything. I believe its right above the upper left (injector side of the engine) of the rad hose.

[coltsd44]

yea, same thing, theres just empty hoses. going nowhere on mine, what are they for?

[scooz14]

usually grey whiteish, sweet smelling exhuast means you are burning coolant. do a leak down test.

[KoopaTroopa]

If i had to guess, based on what i've read so far I'd say its probably my piston rings. My consistant compression numbers and newly replaced cometic head gasket lead me to believe its not coolant sneaking in. I must have never noticed before because i was never running on my 4th cylinder (haha and you thought your 240 was slow).

How tricky is a diy job for piston rings, or maybe there's a test to verify? If i do have to get it taken care of at the shop, is there anything I should have done while the engine is apart? expected costs?