Just bought a 92 240sx and have some questions

[ScottnAshley]

Hi this is my first post on this board. Ive been reading and reading. Im brand new with this car and the cars engine is pretty strait forward but i dunno everythign about it yet. Ok here are my problems and if you could answer them id be greatful.

1) The dash lights nor any lights will turn on inside the car. During the day the clock will work but when i turn the lights on the clock light will die out also. What could this possibly be?

2) I put an cone filter on the stock intake ( from my other car ) The engine is ****ing loud now but it seems like its not as fast now like its bogging up when going up in rpms. Is it the cone filter or is it a bad sencer? Too much air for the stock exhuast?

3) The RPMS in idel is about 1000-1100 and goes up and down. When i push teh clutch in and or breaks they go down to about 500 rpms until im at a stop then they go back to 1000-1100. What could this be?

4) I wanted to put new speakers in the back (2 door coup not fastback) How do i even get to teh top of the speakers? Do i tear the carpet off? Its glued down.

5) The front left speakers isnt working its not making poping sounds or anything. Wired wrong or blown totally?

6) Its blowing white smoke alittle. Only if i give it alot of gas or when i take off in first gear. Its not a blown head gasket (Head Gaskey is new) It smells like alot of exhuast Not like gas or oil. Leaky injector even know it dosnt smell like gas?

[navysnail]

see if removing the cone helps, it may be giving the maf wierd readings

speaker is probobly gone

does it have a good batery

[Ender_Zero]

the bouncy idle may be a vacuum leak....

i think the speaker cover pops off...no need to take up the carpet...

[niznos]

As far as problems that have started since the open filter: Try resetting the ECU by disconnecting the batt. for a few minutes. The ECU may be running on its learned program from before and needs to relearn since conditions have changed. Give it a couple of days of normal driving and it may clear up.

[Chingon]

Hi this is my first post on this board. Ive been reading and reading. Im brand new with this car and the cars engine is pretty strait forward but i dunno everythign about it yet. Ok here are my problems and if you could answer them id be greatful.

1) The dash lights nor any lights will turn on inside the car. During the day the clock will work but when i turn the lights on the clock light will die out also. What could this possibly be?

TRY CHECKING THE FUSES BY THE FOOTWELL...SOMETHING LIKE DASH LIGHTS OR SOMETHING.,

2) I put an cone filter on the stock intake ( from my other car ) The engine is ****ing loud now but it seems like its not as fast now like its bogging up when going up in rpms. Is it the cone filter or is it a bad sencer? Too much air for the stock exhuast?

SIMILAR THING HAPPENED TO ME...IT KINDA BOGS DOWN LOW BUT PICKS UP REAL NICE AT THE MID-TOP...I THINK IT TAKES TIME TO GET ADJUSTED....MAYBE GOING BACK TO THE BOX W/A DROP IN K&N WOULD SOLVE PROBLEM.?

3) The RPMS in idel is about 1000-1100 and goes up and down. When i push teh clutch in and or breaks they go down to about 500 rpms until im at a stop then they go back to 1000-1100. What could this be?

IS THIS IDLE FROM A COLD START? IF SO, THEN IT'S NORMAL. IF IT DOESN'T GO DOWN TO 750RPM WHEN THE ENGINE REACHES THE OPERATING TEMP THEN IT MAY BE SOMETHING ELSE. CHECK THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THE AIRCONDITIONING ON OR THE REAR DEFROSTER. ALSO GROUND THE BATTERY TO THE CHASSIS. IF THE RPM IS BOGGING AND IS PRETTY DRAMATIC, TRY REMOVING THE AIV...

4) I wanted to put new speakers in the back (2 door coup not fastback) How do i even get to teh top of the speakers? Do i tear the carpet off? Its glued down.

THERE ARE 2 GRILL LOOKING THINGS BY THE QUARTER WINDOWS. THEY JUST POP OUT AND THEN YOU UNSCREW THE STOCK SPEAKERS (KIND OF A ***** WITH THE SCREWS IN THAT LOCATION...

5) The front left speakers isnt working its not making poping sounds or anything. Wired wrong or blown totally?

COULD BE EITHER...CHECK WIRING AND VOLTAGE 1ST...

6) Its blowing white smoke alittle. Only if i give it alot of gas or when i take off in first gear. Its not a blown head gasket (Head Gaskey is new) It smells like alot of exhuast Not like gas or oil. Leaky injector even know it dosnt smell like gas?

I DON'T KNOW WHAT EXACTLY AN EXHAUST SMELLS LIKE...BUT IF THE GASKET IS BRAND NEW THEN SOME WATER MAY BE SEEPING IN UNTIL IT SEALS WELL. IT COULD JUST BE COOLANT BURNING (THAT'S WHAT USUALLY WHITE SMOKE IS...)

Anyways..welcome to nico....

PS... A lot of ppl seem to be getting these cars lately so you won't be alone...

[ScottnAshley]

1) The dash lights nor any lights will turn on inside the car. During the day the clock will work but when i turn the lights on the clock light will die out also. What could this possibly be?

TRY CHECKING THE FUSES BY THE FOOTWELL...SOMETHING LIKE DASH LIGHTS OR SOMETHING.,

The fuses are all ok I heard of some little white box at the kick wall (TCM) and i went to the junk yard and they were tryign to sell me it for 50 bucks what a rip!

2) I put an cone filter on the stock intake ( from my other car ) The engine is ****ing loud now but it seems like its not as fast now like its bogging up when going up in rpms. Is it the cone filter or is it a bad sencer? Too much air for the stock exhuast?

SIMILAR THING HAPPENED TO ME...IT KINDA BOGS DOWN LOW BUT PICKS UP REAL NICE AT THE MID-TOP...I THINK IT TAKES TIME TO GET ADJUSTED....MAYBE GOING BACK TO THE BOX W/A DROP IN K&N WOULD SOLVE PROBLEM.?

I removed teh cone and put the box back on i like the box better right now till i get a full intake!

3) The RPMS in idel is about 1000-1100 and goes up and down. When i push teh clutch in and or breaks they go down to about 500 rpms until im at a stop then they go back to 1000-1100. What could this be?

IS THIS IDLE FROM A COLD START? IF SO, THEN IT'S NORMAL. IF IT DOESN'T GO DOWN TO 750RPM WHEN THE ENGINE REACHES THE OPERATING TEMP THEN IT MAY BE SOMETHING ELSE. CHECK THAT YOU DON'T HAVE THE AIRCONDITIONING ON OR THE REAR DEFROSTER. ALSO GROUND THE BATTERY TO THE CHASSIS. IF THE RPM IS BOGGING AND IS PRETTY DRAMATIC, TRY REMOVING THE AIV...

Ok this is whats happenign with this... I dont have the AC nor the defroster on. This is when its cold start and warm.. I first start it up it jumps to 1200 like normal and then goes down to 1000 when warm but it jumps from 1000 to 1200 and goes up and down when idling all the time. When teh breaks pushed with the clutch it goes strait down to 500 it dosnt stall but it jumps goes down till i get to a stop and it idles again up and down 1000 -1200. What will the aiv do when removed? Where is it located? and finally What does the aiv do exactly? How do i ground teh battery to the chasses? I know enough about cars so if you tell me ill understand.

4) I wanted to put new speakers in the back (2 door coup not fastback) How do i even get to teh top of the speakers? Do i tear the carpet off? Its glued down.

THERE ARE 2 GRILL LOOKING THINGS BY THE QUARTER WINDOWS. THEY JUST POP OUT AND THEN YOU UNSCREW THE STOCK SPEAKERS (KIND OF A ***** WITH THE SCREWS IN THAT LOCATION...

I tryed pulling the whole grill out lol and tried with a flat head screw driver with no success. Does the whole thing come out or does the top of it open like a door?

5) The front left speakers isnt working its not making poping sounds or anything. Wired wrong or blown totally?

COULD BE EITHER...CHECK WIRING AND VOLTAGE 1ST...

I still gotta check on this one,

6) Its blowing white smoke alittle. Only if i give it alot of gas or when i take off in first gear. Its not a blown head gasket (Head Gaskey is new) It smells like alot of exhuast Not like gas or oil. Leaky injector even know it dosnt smell like gas?

I DON'T KNOW WHAT EXACTLY AN EXHAUST SMELLS LIKE...BUT IF THE GASKET IS BRAND NEW THEN SOME WATER MAY BE SEEPING IN UNTIL IT SEALS WELL. IT COULD JUST BE COOLANT BURNING (THAT'S WHAT USUALLY WHITE SMOKE IS...)

What is the milage per tank on these cars usually? I got about 210 miles on half a tank is this any good?

Yeah well i always wanted one of these cars for about a year now. My recent car (91 ford tempo GL) blew the motor. It was a peice of junk and i finally had a reason to get a 240sx. Accually found this 240sx less than a week later after the tempo blew. It has 137k on it and in decent shape and only payed 1300 with dealer tax and tag. It wasnt a bad deal. All i did was change the fuel filter air filter and oxygen senser and i was on my way. Just a couple of odd things wrong but with this web site soon this thing will be a beast!!

[Chingon]

the aiv is a valve that helps warm up the catalytic converter. It becomes dirty with sooth and sometimes causes erratic idle. Do a search on aiv removal or something like that and something will turn up. It's by the left strut mount close to the air box. it connects to the air box and other 3 things.

You ground the battery by taking a heavy gauge wire and running it from the negative terminal to a bolt on the chassis. Make sure that the ground surface is not painted though.

I just noticed that you have a coupe...sorry my advice was for the hatchback...don't know about the coupe.

mileage i think is from 30-36mpg...

[Dauer]

Regarding the erradtic idle if not the AIV, check your coolant temp sensor that can sometimes get corroded and cause the problem, if it is corroded just clean with wd-40 and a toothbrush.

[ScottnAshley]

where is the coolant temp sensor? i blocked the aiv and its idling better but its still idling high... and tomarrow i must check for the vacume leak! thank u all

[Dauer]

the coolant temp sensor is a red or yellow connector located on the front, left of the engine next to the coolant inlet

[ScottnAshley]

I dont see the collant sensor anywhere... Is it suppose to be in that little loop beside the radiator? Or is it just a connector connected together? beside the battery? I need help finding this i cant see it.

[DGA]

The whole rear deck comes off to remove the speakers. Its just held in place by some push in buttons. Slowly pry upward, and it will come loose.

[SilviaS14KA24DE]

for the intake question, it may just be your fuel filter clogged. or cat clogged

[Dauer]

ScottnAshley you are getting colder my friend, the coolant temp sensor is an actual connector that is red on a 92'. I will give you explicit directions to it's location, Open your hood, locate the front top of the cylinder head, go down about 2 in. and then left about 3in., you will see a red connector in the front part of intake manifold under a hose that connects from the intake tube to valve cover. Eureka, youv'e got it. Now disconnect, inspect connectors, and clean.

[ScottnAshley]

FOUND IT AWSOME THANK YOU!

[Dauer]

Nice, let me know if that fixes the erratic idle.

[ScottnAshley]

it was perfectly clean ok so now it has to be vacume related? If so what vacume hoses should i replace? I replaced 2 on the left side of teh intake so far.

[ScottnAshley]

oh yeah i dunno if the cat is clogged but teh fuel filter is new for suree

[niznos]

If your catalytic converter is really clogged, it won't hardly drive. It ought to be very easy to tell.

[ScottnAshley]

****update****

Thanks for all the help. Did a complete tune up and used sea foam in the intake gas and oil. It stopped smoking. I got the dash lights working it was the little white box in the kick panel ( i pocketed it from junk yard because they wanted 50 for it screw that lol ). I got a 300zx fuel filter, 300zx twin turbo steering wheel (very nice and direct fit). The cat is clogged but not totally clogged i got a high flow cat on its way. i got a cat back on its way. and i got the 6 by 9s in teh back perfect fit and some tweeters right on the back window panel. Now i just need to rewire the cd player ( last person did a horrible job) they didnt even hook up teh front left speakers. And in a nother post i got the oil leak solved it was the oil switch ( leaking when i was driving and not when it was sitting) I got the idle at 1000 but when i press the breaks and clutch it still shoots to 500 then to 1000 again when stopped. Thats the only problem now so if you guys can help with this one problem the car will be perfecto!!!

[xns]

nice! post pics when you're all done

[ScottnAshley]

Yeah no problem should sound nice when its all done i got the N1 duals i think their called. I got the ones that most people have on here. They said their loud but oh well.

[ScottnAshley]

Do the strut bars do alot in this car i was thinking of gettign a front and rear on monday. Does the botton front and rears help alot also?

[Dauer]

I have a similar problem with my oil leakig as well, same symptoms of leaking when driving and not when sitting. What did you do to fix that? What do you mean oil switch?

[ScottnAshley]

its like this little round looking thing with a black boot on it near the oil filter check it out pull teh boot back and see if oil leaks outta it if it does get a new on its cheap!

[drifts14x]

Welcome to the club. Check my sig, you'll see we're in the same boat. By the way, don't worry about that pesky white smoke, mine used to do it too. I started putting in that Engine Restore with every oil change, and then I ran SEAFOAM through the vacuum system and in another 500 miles it had all but completely stopped. Did you check your throttlebody/cable, somebody may have just been messing with it and turned it up. And as for the speakers, I'm pretty sure you can access them from underneath through the trunk. Good Luck.

[niznos]

Strut bars: My front helped a bit. Though it's slight, it is noticable. As cheap as they are, there's no reason not to do it. You coupe drivers don't need the rear one as bad as we hatches do. The shape of the trunk holds up better structurally than the hatch's big empty void. I'll be doing mine tomorrow.

[ScottnAshley]

Even teh cheap *** ebay strut bars work or should i spend more and get teh tri bars?

[niznos]

In my opinion, as long as it fits and doesn't break, then it's providing some stuctural reinforcement. The more expensive name brands will most likely (notice I said likely) have a better fit and appearance, but my name brand front bar rubs ever-so-slightly on my valve cover. I think my front is a GReddy, but it was a long time ago that I installed it, so can't say for sure. I don't know if the clearance would be a little different for your DOHC but it is something to look out for.