help me make my 240 run!

[kraf]

ive got a 1990 240sx fastback,sohc ka24e and im not sure what exactly the problem is. it turns over but wont fire. i put new spark plugs and wires in it. i thought thatd help with it firing but no luck there. also can anyone tell me what order the wires go in the rotor cap? i thought maybe the guy i bought the car from messed up the order cause i saw them in a different order on the internet. when i turn the key all the valves move, the timing chain moves, and all the pullys move, but i cant get it to fire. someone tell me what to do?? im still kind of new to working on cars and im even more new to working on a nissan.

also i filled my radiator full of coolant because it was dry, then after that i noticed all the coolant was dripping off the oil pan? i dont get how it is leaking from there since theres a good bit of space between the radiator and oil pan. anyone got any suggestions for that too?

help me save my 240!! if you need any more info to help me just ask me and ill find it out.

thanks guys.

[Azrial]

Coolant dripping off the oil pan sounds to me like coolant is leaking from your waterpump onto your belt and down to the area by your oil pan. Mine did this. Change your waterpump and while your there toss in a new thermostat. It's fairly simple to do. You just take out the fans they have a few bolts. You may have to remove some of the covering underneath the car to get to the bolts if you still have the plastic crap under there. Mine bit the dust awhile ago. Then you have to take off the air intake stuff that runs over the radiator. Then take off the fan on the engine and you can get to the waterpump and thermostat area. It's pretty easy it's 4 belts. I wasn't sure how to loosen tension on the belts on the 240 so I just unbolted the waterpump to take the tension off. Of course make sure you drain the cooling system first. before you do all this. Some coolant will still come out of the waterpump area when you take it off. Wipe it off. Take your new gasket and waterpump. Put some sealant around the waterpump and then bolt the new one into place. The thermostat opening is right there to. So might as well do both.

Anyhow I'll go hunt for the firing order I can't remember it right off the top of my head and my 240 is in the shop so I can't just run outside and look.

[Azrial]

Here's a link to firing order scroll down the ka24 is down a bit http://www.autozone.com/az/cds...s.htm

Was the car running before you did the plugs and wires?

[kraf]

i bought the car in not running condition for extremely cheap. i was told it needed a new timing chain and cat. moron didnt tell me the cat had been sawed off so i needed to replace the entire exhaust. so ive done that. ive got option racing headers, an rs type high flow cat off ebay, and a cat back off ebay that ive put on. and i took off the valve cover to check the chain felt tight to me. plus i dont think a loose chain would cause my car not to fire.

changing the water pump sounds real complicated, but i guess you gotta do what you gotta do. so i got a few questions about it. my splash guard (th eplastic stuff under the car) is off. that was one of the first things i took off because it was barely hanging there. how do i get the belts tight again when i put the new pump on? how do i drain the coolant? and whats the thermostat look like and how do i change it?

[kraf]

ok a bit of good news. the guy before me did have the wires in wrong. i put them in in the order of the riagram and it started firing but not running. i think it didnt run because i drained the oil yesterday and forgot about that. i had alot of difficulty trying to get the oil filter off and i just cant get it. is there anything i can use to help me get it off besides an oil filter wrench? once i get it off and get new oil and an oil filter in it im hoping its going to start up.

[slideordie85]

got a pair of plumber wrenches?

or you can try the flathead trick. (be careful, sometimes they twist the filter off.)

Check your timing. If the guy messed up the wires, who knows what else he messed up.

[kraf]

i got the filter off and got fresh oil in it. but its still just doing the same thing. how do i check the timing?

[airman86]

you tried to start it when there was no oil in it? that's not a good idea at all. if you ever get a stuck oil filter again, drive a big screwdriver through the filter and twist it off.

when you say firing and not starting, what exactly do you mean? has it run since you had it or is this the condition you got it in? check fuel pump/filter/fuses/relays that have to do with fuel/ignition.

[kraf]

i forgot there was no oil. i twas making a poping noise every few seconds like a cylinder was firing but they wouldnt all go off fast enough to where the car would run.

this was the condition i got it in. i havnt got it to start yet. how do i check the fuel pump, fuelfilter and relays? the fuel pump makes the buzzing noise when i turn the key so it seems to be working. idk what or where the filter and relays are. i already checked the fuses and theyre all good.

[airman86]

i don't know these cars well yet, so I couldn't tell you where those things are. best thing to do is go to an autozone/advance or some type of auto parts store and buy a hayne's manual. also if you want even more technical diagrams/tolerances/etc when it comes to rebuilding, you can get a subscription for you car for a year for $20 at http://www.alldatadiy.com. alldata has a lot of good reference material, but best check around for a hayne's or a chilton's manual for the car.

[Schmitz_7]

I was having the same problem my friend

cept when i tried to fix my order the first time i put it like this

......1....2................................3....4......

<----- front of car.

it still didnt start... from your thread i actaully learned it was suposed to be ...

.......3....1....................................4....2.......

So the order and my timing were messed up. Simple fixes.. oh and you may wanna try and put oil back in the car.. hahaha.