An hour ago......

[SweetLikeCandy]

I got the 240 today about an hour ago.......and 30 mins ago, the 240 broke down.....

White smoke coming from tail pipe and underneath car close to cv axle. Won't go into gear. When forced into gear, won't move. Smells like burning wires and ass.

Any clues to what might be wrong? Please don't say it's a p.o.s. that won't help. Scott at Zen says it may be the clutch and oil leak or pistons. He wasn't sure sense he could not look at it. David at Auburn Tire says blown head gasket (he's an idiot though). Becky at Express thinks it's a gas problem. :roll:

What do you think?

[CPMaverick]

Well

Obviously you've got three different answers because you have no idea how to describe the problem. So you need someone to actually look at the thing, you can't get an answer from a question like that.

[Adam]

Any fluid?

[eSpyder99]

I agree you will have to go into a lot more detail on the problem(s), if you want to pin-point the problem. With the white smoke, a blown headgasket sounds like a possibility.

Doesn't the place you got it from have a warranty? I mean if the shit breaks down two hours after you got it, thats something that they should definatly take care of or pay for atleast.

[SweetLikeCandy]

Sorry. I explained it the best that I could. I am unable to have someone look at it right now unless someone is willing to go see it on the side of the interstate.

I jsut don't know what else to do. The car lot is paying for it to be towed back to them, but I have no idea how much if anything it will cost. If it's serious or minor......

Scott, if you locate me a brick wall of good size, I will be more than willing to drive into it. :(

[Adam]

Are there lemon laws in this state?

This would certainly fall into it..

[eSpyder99]

Are there lemon laws in this state?

This would certainly fall into it..

I agree, don't worry about paying for anything, because the place you got it from should fix it for free. Especially since you are paying 6K for it.

[Adam]

Are there lemon laws in this state?

This would certainly fall into it..

I agree, don't worry about paying for anything, because the place you got it from should fix it for free. Especially since you are paying 6K for it.

Well.... I did some quick research.....
Alabama does have a Lemon Law (AL 8-20A-1) but, it only covers new cars...

Was this a private sale or from a used car shop?

(BTW... Was there any fluid leaking?)

[SweetLikeCandy]

Sense it's a a used car lot for people with no credit or bad credit, they don't come with a warrenty. We even had to sign a "buy as is" contract. They are paying for the towing, but I'm not sure if they will pay for it to be fixed. Scott (Zen) said that I could have it towed there and he would look and possibly fix the problem. My parents said to just let the car lot figure it out.

I drove the car and checked it out before the purchase, shit I've been planning on buying it for months. Nothing seemed wrong, but then again, I don't know how to see if a piston is fried other than to drive it and "just notice".

I'm just going to keep drinking, maybe I'll pass out untill it's fixed. :(

:beer: :beer: :beer: :cry:

I didn't see any fluid leaking.

[eSpyder99]

You didn't take it to a Nissan dealership (no, I still hate dealerships and I will never trust them) or a shop to get it checked out? :? That should be the first thing you do if you can't inspect it by yourself.

It sounds like a big problem though, hopefully they won't be dicks about fixing it because a car should run longer than a couple of hours after you get it.

[SweetLikeCandy]

No I didn't take it anywhere. I was by myself when I drove it and we have purchased 3 cars from this dealership so I figured that I could trust them especaily sense I know the owner. I guess that I was wrong. The owner knows my car history (I have a lot of wrecks,) so he didn't want me to drive it too far away from the dealership.

So many could have, should haves, and would haves to this story. I wish that I would have known more before I jumped into a big purchase like this one. Hopefully everything will work out, even though I have my doughts. I don't have very good luck with things like this, but at least now I know for the next time. Pluse, I will probably lose my license here shortly for all of my tickets anyways. Oh well, my loss.

Thanks for any thoughts that you guys may have contributed to this thread. More ideas of what the problem may be are welcome.

Oh God, I'm out of beer!! :cry:

[WiggiE]

First thing you should do is look for leaking fluid and where "exactly" is it coming from. Second, check all the fluid levels on the car. Third, come back and tell us....or take someone that actually knows what they are looking at out there.

[AU RSX-S]

First thing you should do is look for leaking fluid and where "exactly" is it coming from. Second, check all the fluid levels on the car. Third, come back and tell us....or take someone that actually knows what they are looking at out there.

Maybe it's your blinker fluid. :D :roll:

[Frosty_DUB]

look in the coolant, is there oil in it? like a shimmery liquid that looks like it dosent belong there? if so its your head gasket.

I tried to tell you, don't listen to me next time, i don't know what Im talking about.

NEVER EVER buy a car from a lot like that. bad credit=bad car. Of corse they will be lemons, dosent matter if you know him. Shoulda got it checked out. Common sence.

[CPMaverick]

Even if they aren't lemons you'll pay 3 times the market price once you're done.

I have a hunch it's the clutch. Somehow you managed to smoke it so much you couldn't tell where the smoke was coming from anymore. Usually someone would notice something like that before it got so bad, but....

That would explain the gear / car not moving problem. How you managed to do it so quickly I've no idea...

[Adam]

Even if they aren't lemons you'll pay 3 times the market price once you're done.

I have a hunch it's the clutch. Somehow you managed to smoke it so much you couldn't tell where the smoke was coming from anymore. Usually someone would notice something like that before it got so bad, but....

That would explain the gear / car not moving problem. How you managed to do it so quickly I've no idea...

Ya know.... I really don't know why no one here thought of that first...

"PRICELESS" anyone? :D

The smell of burning clutch is pretty damn obvious to someone who knows it and it would look like it's coming directly from the CV's boot...

I think we might have a winner!

[Jess]

i forgot the specs of the car, but i ran a kbb on a 1992 Nissan 240sx 2dr coupe with 130k miles and the retail (on a lot) should have been $4020.
Hope the guy you bought the car from at least bought you dinner first....AND supersized it.

[Frosty_DUB]

shit, I wouldnt pay anymore than 3k for a 92 240, even if its super nice. I think someone got shafted! How much did she pay for it?

[Jess]

I think $6000, coulda got a VTEC lude for that much, among a lot of other nice cars, like an s15, turboed miata, turboed civic, blah blah blah

[SweetLikeCandy]

Before any of us (family) got the true details about the car, the price that we were given was around 6k. I did NOT end up paying this much. In the end, with finance charges etc...it will come out to about 3k. Much better price. Don't ya think?

I just got off of the phone. It is the clutch for sure. They are still uncertain if anything like the head gasket is wrong with the 240, but they ARE paying for it to be fixed. I wish that they would lend me a car or rent me one for the time being though, but I can't hope for too much.

Thanks once again guys, you really have been helpful. Scott Wright was telling me about a clutch that I could get from them for less than a factory one. If the clutch is the only thing wrong with it, I will probably take it to him and pay for it myself and ask for that amount to be credited to my account at the lot.

Whatever happens, I hope that I get the 240 back soon. Oh, and by the way.... I might be slow, but I'm not that damn stupid so the blinker fluid comment was really unnecessary.

[Frosty_DUB]

get a performance clutch at least, like a star or act or something.

[SweetLikeCandy]

get a performance clutch at least, like a star or act or something.

I don't know too much about getting a performance clutch. Are there any other modifications I would have to make to have one? I don't think so, but as I have recently found out, there is no harm in asking. :wink:

[WiggiE]

I don't know too much about getting a performance clutch. Are there any other modifications I would have to make to have one?
Yes, wall + car.

[grizoove]

I wish I had a old 240 and a nice clutch and good tires...Can you say drift.


Dont try this jessie or you will end up taking wiggies suggestion about the wall.

[SweetLikeCandy]

I still haven't heard from the dealership. They said that they would call as soon as they were done checking it out, so I'm going to call them Monday morning to find out some details.

I was talking to the Supra driver (Sorry, can't remember names,) about clutches the other night. Sense I know that the clutch IS one of the problems, what kind would you all suggest?

I don't want anything too expensive, but I do want it to last awhile.


AU-RSX, the blinker fluid comment was unnessary.

Wiggie, I stay out of any posts that you may have; stay out of mine or be nice. Odviously repeating the wall suggestion to me is not getting you anywhere, so just keep your comments to yourself. :wink:

[linuxman51]

Just so yall know, a blown headgasket doesn't always leak water into the oil and or oil into the water. Depending on where it blows, it could just piss water into a cylender/cylenders and smoke like a mofo, or it could feasibly piss various fluids out the side... oil in the coolant on a car is generally a sure sign of a blown headgasket, however the reverse isn't always true.. (case in point, the last headgasket i blew went between #2 and #3 on my old turbo car.. made a racket and the car wouldn't crank, but no foreign fluids anywhere).

And just a little tip.... if you don't ride the clutch, it won't go out so fast ;)

[SweetLikeCandy]

Just a little tip.... if you don't ride the clutch, it won't go out so fast ;)

Funny... :roll:

[Frosty_DUB]

WHy the hell would 2 things go out at the same time????

[WiggiE]

I still haven't heard from the dealership. They said that they would call as soon as they were done checking it out, so I'm going to call them Monday morning to find out some details.
You're gonna get a new asshole. :lol:

I was talking to the Supra driver (Sorry, can't remember names,) about clutches the other night. Sense I know that the clutch IS one of the problems, what kind would you all suggest?
His name is Brandon, and if you took his advice you would have PM'd me also asking what to get. Secondly, Clint also got you started on names of aftermarket clutches, and I bet you still don't know anything about those clutches.

I don't want anything too expensive, but I do want it to last awhile.
Stock

AU-RSX, the blinker fluid comment was unnessary.
The comment about a head gasket was unnessary in his post.

Wiggie, I stay out of any posts that you may have; stay out of mine or be nice. Odviously repeating the wall suggestion to me is not getting you anywhere, so just keep your comments to yourself. :wink:
Yes, I am glad you do stay out of posts I have because I'm sure you have nothing to offer. But I never asked you to so don't think it entitles you to telling me to stay out of your posts. If you don't want me in your posts, DON'T POST HERE! How dumb can you be girl??? I've seen babies get dropped on their heads and turn out so so, but you.....

There is a part of psychology that has to do with repetition. But you are in high school and wouldn't know that. Basically, if you repeat something enough people will start to believe it.


Let me show you why no one takes you seriously, thinks your a ricer, and has no respect for you.
A. You ask for help, but yet you don't take the help.
B. People give you suggestions, you don't even listen.
C. Your last car was just plain a mistake.
D. Who in their right mind would take ALL of the springs off of a car??
E. You have no idea about cars, their potential or lack of, etc.
F. You buy a car and dont' get it checked out.
G. You continue to talk about TeamIGiveGoodHead and about how they did it.
H. We tell you to shutup and you continue on running your mouth.
I. You hear a couple slag phrases and know that's what you got to put on your car.
J. You continue to say that you want to learn and you didn't know any better in the past but you continue to do the same thing.
K. How can you learn if you can't comprehend simple English??
L. You still use learning as an excuse for your lack of knowledge and behavior.
M. You say, "I ride with SCAR." Don't ever say that again.
N. You try to tell me I'm wrong when you don't have a clue. (I.E. Your old shocks weren't blown)
O. You ask for suggestions about 240's and as of right now, no one has personally owned one. So Jess gives you a couple of forums, but yet you do nothing with them. Those links he posted are for you go to learn on your own about 240's.
P. You want us to spoon feed you every inch of the way. How about you get a spoon and eat my ass instead.
Q. You don't realize that what car you drive makes our opinion of you. Driving the 240 or the Neon, same opinion.
R. You talk about these "assholes" whose mommy buys them stuff. Well, just to let you know these "assholes" didn't chose to have rich parents. If you had rich parents would you not have them buy you nice stuff??? Also, most the people on SCAR pay for their own shit with their own money. Personally, my parents gave me a loan, but I still have to pay back every penny.
S. You use age as an excuse for not knowing some of this stuff. That is no excuse for reading a page of information and comprehending it, or asking specific questions about it.
T. If you ask around, I'm sure you will find that I'm always more than willing to help someone. But I won't help a dumbass that assumes things and uses excuses in the place of real research.
U. You said "On my second chance I promise to try and think before I speak." I don't think anyone has seen that yet.
V. You have to do mods to your car no matter what they are, instead of saving money and doing quality mods.
W. You think we hate you because of the springless Neon. Actually I didn't discount you until later when I truely realized your attitude.
X. We don't hate you because you are a ricer. But if you would just admit the fact, you would be respected more. Hell even I used to be a ricer.
Y. You haven't contibuted ANYTHING to this BB.
Z. You still won't learn from all the above things.

[ActiveAero]

The stock clutch should be fine for a while as long as you aren't planning on making massive power any time soon. The thing is I wouldn't be surprised if the stock clutch cost as much as a mild performance street clutch so I would definitley look into that if they cost the same. I doubt she fried the clutch by herself in one day. It was a used car and it was probably slipping to begin with.

[linuxman51]

Thats pretty bad slippage not to be noticed on a test dive, but i was just kidding anyway :lol:

[Jess]

What did we learn today childrens? When test driving a car, dog the living shit out of it. If something breaks, it was gonna break soon anyways.

Its a good idea to let the owner/salesman know about your test-drive plans


Activities should include:

Shifting at redline
60-0
sharp turns while accelerating (cv joints for FWD cars)
try to get the clutch to slip
some type of reversing
use of all gears
let it idle for 10 minutes with the high beams and AC on, making sure the fans cut on and the car stays at a good temp, oh yeah, and to check the AC and lights too.
Check all lights, blinkers, hazard, brake and clutch pedal feel, interior lights
spin the tires at least once
if it has ABS, test it
get up to 70-80mph on a highway to test for alignment problems
check door jambs and under trunk lining to check for respray (like GTA3)
make sure tripometer/odometer are working

whenever possible, have a friend run a carfax

[grizoove]

and take it to a shop or get someone to give a detailed mechanical check. So what is the word on the 240 anyways, 900 bucks for a new clutch???

[SweetLikeCandy]

The stock clutch should be fine for a while as long as you aren't planning on making massive power any time soon. The thing is I wouldn't be surprised if the stock clutch cost as much as a mild performance street clutch so I would definitley look into that if they cost the same. I doubt she fried the clutch by herself in one day. It was a used car and it was probably slipping to begin with.

When Scott and I spoke, he said that I could get a performance clutch from his shop for less than a stock one, and it would last me 2 times as long. I haven't gone into details with him on that yet. I haven't really had the time, but whatever I find out maybe wiggie will be kind enough to offer an outside opinion.

Wiggie, I'm not trying to be rude or hateful, or anything else, but PLEASE......go get some pussy so you will be in a better mood.

[grizoove]

I dont think an aftermarket clutch will last you much longer than a stock one. I would imagine it would last a shorter amount of time. I could be wrong.


Not trying to be rude or hateful or anything...but if you think wiggie needs it why dont you just throw it at him like you have to other member(s) of this board. I know that was a little harsh, but I couldn't help myself...I am pissy today, I think.

[SweetLikeCandy]

I just found out about the 240. Wednesday she goes into the shop to get the clutch replaced. It will be out by Friday. If I don't get it on Friday I will have it by Monday at the latest.

I've never had to replace a clutch before or anything, but I had no idea that something like that could make the car smoke as bad as it did. :shock:

Thanks for all of the advise you all have offered. Any other questions for the 240 are welcome to be sent by pm.

[Frosty_DUB]

are they doing it for free? see if they will get a performance clutch. it prolly costs almost the same.

[SweetLikeCandy]

are they doing it for free? see if they will get a performance clutch. it prolly costs almost the same.

Yes, they are doing it for free as far as we know. As much as I would like to, I'm still not sure about getting a performance clutch. Like I have said before, I don't know too much about them. Even though this would be the perfect oppertunity to get one, I think that I need to learn how to drive the car while it is stock before I jump into modifications that I don't know anything about or even how to use. (Sad, I know)

I might have been more willing to do so if I had found out more information from you guys, but sense I didn't get as much "know how," as I would have been semi-comfortable with, I think that I should just wait. All of my plans for moding the car thus far were written well in advance anyways.

[Frosty_DUB]

A clutch is fun. The petal is much firmer giving you greater controll as well as gripping power.

Do a search on the net for 240 clutches. IS yours the dohc ka or sohc? I dont think they make a perf clutch for sohc.

[insert_car]

What did we learn today childrens? When test driving a car, dog the living shit out of it. If something breaks, it was gonna break soon anyways.

Its a good idea to let the owner/salesman know about your test-drive plans


Activities should include:

Shifting at redline
60-0
sharp turns while accelerating (cv joints for FWD cars)
try to get the clutch to slip
some type of reversing
use of all gears
let it idle for 10 minutes with the high beams and AC on, making sure the fans cut on and the car stays at a good temp, oh yeah, and to check the AC and lights too.
Check all lights, blinkers, hazard, brake and clutch pedal feel, interior lights
spin the tires at least once
if it has ABS, test it
get up to 70-80mph on a highway to test for alignment problems
check door jambs and under trunk lining to check for respray (like GTA3)
make sure tripometer/odometer are working

whenever possible, have a friend run a carfax

damn it jess you forgot

360
180
powerslides
60 ft ramp over a few cars
burn out
drifting
auto x at walmart
and last but not least a high speed chase with the cops.
this will tell you if the car is well rounded.

[Jess]

Damn, how the hell did i leave that stuff out? Duh

its a KA24DE btw. if you get a stage I or stage II, its not going to feel much different to stock, but will probably bite alot better. Ive got a stage I in mine and it hardly feels better than stock, but bites as hard as i would ever want with my current motor.

plus, with a rwd, if you weaken an axle or something from terrorizing your car with your clutch, its nowhere near18b7big of a deal to fix

[SweetLikeCandy]

A clutch is fun. The petal is much firmer giving you greater controll as well as gripping power.

Do a search on the net for 240 clutches. IS yours the dohc ka or sohc? I dont think they make a perf clutch for sohc.

The Ka24(DE)- Just what Jess said. I guess I'll take your suggestion and go see what I can find. I'll keep you posted. :wink:

[ActiveAero]

I wouldn't really worry to much if they stick in a stock clutch especially if its for free. It will grab plenty hard and should last a long time for moderate power levels.

Even if you get a stock unit I suggest you take it easy on the car for a few hundred miles to let it break in. You usually don't have to be real particular on a stock unit but it can't hurt. It would also be wise to drive it easy just to sort out any minor problems the car has that could become major problems with hard driving.

[SweetLikeCandy]

Thanks for the advise. I'm pretty sure that I will keep it stock for awile. I need to get used to it being rwd above all else. Would it cost me anything to have a dealership look at it when I have her back? I don't even know where a local Nissan dealership is. :shock:

[ActiveAero]

From what I've seen you can get an inspection at a dealer for between $75-$150. They should go over all of the major components of the car. I don't know how much I would trust some dealers and they aren't going to take apart the engine, but it would be worth it if you aren't that mechanically inclined right now. Ask if the senior/head tech of the service department can perform the task since I would have a little more confidence in his word.

[Frosty_DUB]

Its too late for them to look at it now, sence its yours. They will charge like 80 bucks to check everything out, but they will lie and tell you the car needs 2k worth of work.

[grizoove]

there is a nissan dealership on college street near walmart for future reference.

[linuxman51]

it wouldn't hurt to run the car by the dealership, if you want a really honest opinion and don't mind driving a little ways, I know a great guy at Waugh Auto repair, its right next to the BP station at the waugh exit(which is right off the interstate). I think he charges something between 50 and 80 bucks to look a car over and he won't b.s. you at all (if you wanted, you could watch him do the whole thing, he's pretty cool about that).

ask for Jay, if he's too busy, Roger and Willie also do great work. hehe, tell em kenny sent ya if you decide to go that route, they'll get a kick out of it.

[LudeBehavior]

Nissan has amoung the best stock clutches on the market. I think a stock replacement should be fine especially seening the car will never see gobs of power. When someone ask what mods do you have and you tell them "a stage 2 clutch" they are going to be like why when you have nothing or never will have anything that could compliment it. Just my two cents.

P.S. there is Nissan dealership less than a mile from where you live Jessie... :roll: Come on... you live here and have lived here for how long now??? You should have got it checked out first. You live you learn...

[SweetLikeCandy]

My friend, Paul, has a computer that he can hook my car up to. Will that work just as well? I would really hate to have to pay that much money just for someone to look at it. I'm poor, remember?

Is there anyone on this message board that would be willing/able to look at it for a smaller price? Like a case or something? All of the money that I have right now needs to pay off another speeding ticket that I got. I don't need anymore warrents.....

I'm kind-of uncomfortable letting a dealer look at it anyways. They could play games with me too easily.

[AU RSX-S]

I'm kind-of uncomfortable letting a dealer look at it anyways. They could play games with me too easily.

That's because your a girl. Let someone else handle it. :wink: No offense.

[SweetLikeCandy]

I'm kind-of uncomfortable letting a dealer look at it anyways. They could play games with me too easily.

That's because your a girl. Let someone else handle it. :wink: No offense.

None taken. I know that girls usually can't drive and it's easy to pull a fast move on most, so I understand. There are a lot of advantages to being a girl though. :wink:

Your suggestion still does not solve my problem though. Not too may people on this board like me, but I don't think that I would trust anyone else. You know what I mean?

[Jess]

I've hardly EVER been treated with respect at a dealership. One time, i went to testdrive a car. the battery was dead. The guy was like oh well, guess you're out of luck

[SweetLikeCandy]

I always dress up when I go to test drive cars. That way they think that I have a lot of money and want to sell shit to me. Then a month later they try to repo that shit b/c I didn't pay the not, but they can't cuz I filed for bankr. :lol: Just joking, but my mom has done that before

[Jess]

hooking it up to a computer aint a bad idea, but it doesnt cover much of what could be wrong with it mechanically. like, a computer wouldnt have told you that the clutch is about to go. i wouldnt doubt your flywheel is fokked too. Rivets arent very forgiving.

[SweetLikeCandy]

I was told that I can take it up to Zen and they would take a look at it and tell me if they thought that anything might be wrong with her.

Jess, I love 240sx.org! They make me feel REALLY smart! Some guy was asking why wiring a swaped motor would be hard and if he could put a Ka24(de) from a 1998 into a 1990. :roll:

[insert_car]

Jess, I love 240sx.org! They make me feel REALLY smart! Some guy was asking why wiring a swaped motor would be hard and if he could put a Ka24(de) from a 1998 into a 1990. :roll:

good lord and sweet jebus!

[AU RSX-S]

Is four pages enough for everyone?

[SweetLikeCandy]

Yeah Mike, it's that bad. Not everyone, but there are more ricers there than in Team primer! IT'S CRAZY!!!!!!

Cameron, four pages seems good. not too much left to talk about. At least until I get the car from the shop on Friday. Maybe she'll last more than 30 mins this time.

On what days is MMP open? All week? I want to take the 240 up there with a smaller group of people so I can learn how to launch her. I don't need anymore reasons for you guys to laugh at me.

[AU RSX-S]

On what days is MMP open? All week? I want to take the 240 up there with a smaller group of people so I can learn how to launch her. I don't need anymore reasons for you guys to laugh at me.

Your car should be fairly easy to launch. It's RWD and it's mod free. You shouldn't have any problems. Just don't fry the new clutch.

[grizoove]

I give you just a little over an 1/8th mile before something else goes bad, and you will have to coast the rest of the quarter.... :P

I hope everything gets fixed well.

[Adam]

OK... I agree 4 pages was enough and 5 is a little too much...

She had a problem, we've diagnosed it (Charlie got it right, I believe) she's got a few suggestions for repairs and some future considerations for purchasing cars.

I think everything that needed to be said in this thread has been said...

Got another question? Start a new thread or goto 240.org (or whatever)...