KA24E problems... no compression...

Information on the naturally-aspirated KA24E and KA24DE engines.
vincent.wallen
Posts: 87
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 9:18 am
Car: 1990 Nissan 240sx s13 hb stock ka24e
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i just bought a 1990 240 s13 with the KA24E... the guy i bought the car from thought that the head gasket was blown... he told me that there was no compression in any of the cyclinders... but at 400 bucks i really didnt care... lol... now i am trying to get the car going and was wondering if anyone has had the same problem... or know what is wrong... thanks in advance...

Vincent


vincent.wallen
Posts: 87
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 9:18 am
Car: 1990 Nissan 240sx s13 hb stock ka24e
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bump

180weaver
Posts: 95
Joined: Mon Jan 15, 2007 4:25 pm
Car: 90 240sx

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how mechanically inclined are you and also you have really listed much to go on. does the engine turn over or is it seized? is the oil milky like a bunch or antifreeze leaked through? How many miles were on the engine? I'd say if you are gonna use this engine tear it apart and at least replace the seals, gaskets, rings, and bearings.

vincent.wallen
Posts: 87
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 9:18 am
Car: 1990 Nissan 240sx s13 hb stock ka24e
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180weaver wrote:how mechanically inclined are you and also you have really listed much to go on. does the engine turn over or is it seized? is the oil milky like a bunch or antifreeze leaked through? How many miles were on the engine? I'd say if you are gonna use this engine tear it apart and at least replace the seals, gaskets, rings, and bearings.
sorry bout that.... im a lil mechanically inclined... but i got like 3 friends that have rebuilt engines... now... about the motor. it does turn over... there is no mixing of liquids... about 215k on the motor... but less than 2k since the rebuild... that is all i know...

today i am going to take the hood off and the valve cover and possibly see if its the timing chain or if its the head gasket... i will post as soon as i find out more...

vincent.wallen
Posts: 87
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 9:18 am
Car: 1990 Nissan 240sx s13 hb stock ka24e
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i have taken the valve cover off... the timing chain seems to still be intact (no slack what so ever)... and i also heard that a broken cam was a rather common problem with the ka series.. im just not too sure exactly how to check it... im about to go to town and talk to a mechanic and ask him...

updates soon to come...

vincent

vincent.wallen
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the timing chain is intact and the cam is not broken... any ideas?

vincent

vincent.wallen
Posts: 87
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 9:18 am
Car: 1990 Nissan 240sx s13 hb stock ka24e
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when the motor stopped running it overheated and stopped running... it still turns over... the timing seems off... im going to sit down and read the book on it tonight and do some research and see if i can figure the timeing thing out... lol... but im at a complete loss for what it might be other than the head gasket... there is 60 to 65 psi of compression in cylinders 1 and 2 and there is absolutly no compression in cylinders 3 and 4...... any ideas ar more than welcome at this point... lol... and thanks in advance...

vincent

180weaver
Posts: 95
Joined: Mon Jan 15, 2007 4:25 pm
Car: 90 240sx

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thats ridiculously low compression, should be in the 160's or thereabouts. Im not sure how to check where compression leaks could be, but for the compression to be that low it could be a lot of things. leaky valve seals, leaky rings, bad gasket seals. I would recommend pulling the head, have it checked to see if it was warped from overheating, and if there are any cracks in the block while your at it. Mine cracked across one of the coolant passages, so clean off the old gasket material real well to see. Get new head gasket and bolts, for sure the chiltons manual if you haven't already. When the heads off hand turn the engine over to see visibly how the piston rings are sealing and go from there.

vincent.wallen
Posts: 87
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 9:18 am
Car: 1990 Nissan 240sx s13 hb stock ka24e
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180weaver wrote:thats ridiculously low compression, should be in the 160's or thereabouts. Im not sure how to check where compression leaks could be, but for the compression to be that low it could be a lot of things. leaky valve seals, leaky rings, bad gasket seals. I would recommend pulling the head, have it checked to see if it was warped from overheating, and if there are any cracks in the block while your at it. Mine cracked across one of the coolant passages, so clean off the old gasket material real well to see. Get new head gasket and bolts, for sure the chiltons manual if you haven't already. When the heads off hand turn the engine over to see visibly how the piston rings are sealing and go from there.
alright... great and thanks... ill post when i know more...

vincent

kingkong1865
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Dec 01, 2008 1:24 pm
Car: 1990 Hardbody pickup

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to tell you the truth, i had the same problem with my engine, i ended up rebuilding the engine and putting 2000$ of new parts into it just to find out 4 of my valves were shot. wat i would do is take the head off, and rebuild it because it my be simple like a valve guide or not so simple like your valves themselves.

vincent.wallen
Posts: 87
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 9:18 am
Car: 1990 Nissan 240sx s13 hb stock ka24e
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kingkong1865 wrote:to tell you the truth, i had the same problem with my engine, i ended up rebuilding the engine and putting 2000$ of new parts into it just to find out 4 of my valves were shot. wat i would do is take the head off, and rebuild it because it my be simple like a valve guide or not so simple like your valves themselves.
well... im in the process of removing the head now... im hoping to find that the head gasket is gone.. lol... if thats not the problem... then idk what im gonna do... cause im completly outta money and its my only car...... =[

vincent.wallen
Posts: 87
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im so freakin tired of this damn motor... im about ready to just drop a whole nother motor in it... lol... not really... i would if i had the money... lol... i got a good set of tools now tho... =]

vincent

vincent.wallen
Posts: 87
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bump

vincent.wallen
Posts: 87
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2009 9:18 am
Car: 1990 Nissan 240sx s13 hb stock ka24e
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im sure that some of yall remember this thread... i FINALLY got the dead off.. it would not come off for nothing... and come to find out the intake was stuck to the head... anyway... i got the head off and there is a good 1/2 inch wide gap in the head gasket between cylinders 3 and 4... and a inch long gap bout a quarter inch deep in the head there... also a very small gap between cylinders 1 and 2... as to why they were so low.... im bringing the head to a machine shop today to see what they can do... luckily there was no problem with the block... if there is anyone with a ka24e head... with or without internals... mail me @ [email protected] thanks

vincent

irregular.s13
Posts: 6
Joined: Thu Feb 06, 2014 10:42 am
Car: 1989 240sx s13 coupe

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vincent.wallen, did you ever find out what caused the low compression on cyl 3 & 4? having the same problem after i changed the timing chain.

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Gambit X
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Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 9:50 am
Car: 93 altima se

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it sounds like your timing is off. valves aren't sealing the cylinder during a compression or exhaust stroke. or your valves are stuck or something. sorry guys to revive an old thread lol

1996D21MAN
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Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2014 11:26 pm
Car: 1996 Nissan D21 Regular cab pickup

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HI EVERY BODY.(AND SORRY FOR THE "SHOUTING",IT'S EASIER TO READ).i HAVE A VERY OLD,HIGH MILEAGE 1996 D-21 PICKUP.I HAVE ALREADY REPLACED THE TIMING CHAIN ASSEMBLY 3-4 TIMES OVER THE YEARS,SHORT STORY ,DOING IT AGAIN,FINALLY GOT IT RUNNING THE OTHER DAY,VALVE CLATTER,ZERO COMPRESSION ON 2&3,120 PSI ON # 1,150 PSI ON #4.FROM READING YOUR POSTS,I GUESS THIS IS TO BE EXPECTED AT THIS STAGE,ESPECIALLY 327,000 MILES.SINCE WE ARE ON DISABILITY,I AM GOING TO TRY TO REPAIR ANY DAMAGE I FIND MYSELF.LIKE WHAT I READ ABOUT BURNT TRACKS IN THE HEAD. CAN'T EVEN AFFORD $100.00 AT PICK-N-PULL.ANY BODY HAVE LUCK WITH J.B. WELD ? I DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM DEALING WITH YET ! HOPE SOME ONE ELSE STILL HAS A TRUCK,OR 240-SX,(OR ALTIMA THE SAME ?) LET YA KNOW ! :crazy:


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