1990 Nissan 240SX SE review from North America

Nothing other than real high mileage things went wrong with the car. The timing chain tensioner finally failed (took it long enough) and it was burning some oil.. Of course I raced this engine a lot so that could be why. In the end it was built up with a lot of bolt ons (intake/exhaust/ignition as well as a 5-speed conversion from auto, emissions removal, etc)

I replaced the engine with one from an 89, a friend had rebuilt it and he wrecked his car so he gave it to me for free with only 2k miles on it. I popped the headgasket at 7k miles due to a 150hp shot of nitrous. I was a little new to fuel management and nitrous at the time and didn't realize bumping it from the 100 I previously was spraying would be problematic as it was a wet-kit (didn't think about fuel pump limits). The stock type headgaskets are good for 250hp or so with proper management, past that point it's a waiting game.

Finally fixed that, but it had overheated to where it buried the temp gauge on hot (had no choice). Unfortunatly the main bearing on cylinder three became damaged and it was a ticking bomb, finally rod knocked as I was climbing a hill 30miles or so after the headgasket fix, had no where to pull off so I tried to finish the last mile up the hill, but it popped and blew the rod out the side of the engine, I had to have it towed home.

I am currently installing a Datsun L28ET engine into my car as I have no way to attain a new KA block in my area at this time.

Its got true great Nissan perfomance/reliablity.

The car is a motor swap beast, you can put nearly anything Nissan into it without much trouble as well as LS1's and what not. Tons of the engine swaps make amazing power, but the stock engine is a performer too!

Apart from the motor swaps, hundered of pieced together engines (hybrid engines, I don't mean gas/electric hybrid, I mean like X engines head onto Y engines Block with Z engines Crank) can basically make you custom tailor your performance wants to you.

Handling is superb, rear-wheel drive and multi-link rear suspension shared with the Nissan 300ZX and R32 skyline.

Sleek/Sporty. I find it a comfortable car to drive in as well. I love the low end torque of the KA engine, but don't look away from the higher RPM (4k-7rpm) performace it has.