YACT: Opinions on an 87 Nissan 200SX Turbo

[mAdD INDIAN]

I came across a 87 200SX Turbo that appears to be in great shape (interior and exterior) and has relatively low mileage (only 174k km ~ 110k miles).

The guy wants to sell it for $1000CDN. I'm interested. But I'm wary of its reliability. IT has a CA18ET engine, which is a 1.8L turbocharged 4-cyl making 135hp (in Europe it makes 185hp). Oh ya, its RWD with full independent suspension. I'm wondering if anyone here has any experiences with this car...and if so, could they share?

 

[Corporate Thug]

110K is still a lot of miles...

 

[Red]

That's a pretty rare car, and for a good price if everything you say is true (great interior/exterior). I'd buy it! RWD owns you.

 

[mAdD INDIAN]

Originally posted by: Redhotjrm
That's a pretty rare car, and for a good price if everything you say is true (great interior/exterior). I'd buy it! RWD owns you.

yeah but see I dunno how it runs. I haven't popped hte hood or anything. And its been sitting there for a while..the tires have lost air (rear tire).

 

[zCypher]

People who neglect their cars like that (letting it sit there long enough for tires to deflate, wtf?) tend NOT to take very good care of their cars overall, and I would try to stay away from it...

 

[mAdD INDIAN]

Originally posted by: zCypher
People who neglect their cars like that (letting it sit there long enough for tires to deflate, wtf?) tend NOT to take very good care of their cars overall, and I would try to stay away from it...

yeah but the guy who's selling it isn't the owner. Let me give some background:

The place where I saw it as in the parking lot of a small garage. The car is a customer's car..and he asked the mechanic to sell it for him. Now what bothers me is, why didn't the guy drive it instead of letting it sit there? On the flip side, teh car looks tobe in excellent shape inside and out. However, I dunno the condition underneath the hood. I'm gonna go there again, cehck the fluids and the valve covers and such. If there's no oil leaks and no smoke on start up...I'll go check compression. If that's good; then I might go for it.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Its a $1k and CDN at that. If it runs and the turbo isn't about to crap out its worth it. Sounds like it could be a fun little car. Up the boost and open the exhaust up and if it blows up your not out much money.

 

[kindest]

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf
Its a $1k and CDN at that. If it runs and the turbo isn't about to crap out its worth it. Sounds like it could be a fun little car. Up the boost and open the exhaust up and if it blows up your not out much money.

ya ive had 2 turbos go on me, (not nissan's), they are hella expensive to replace, so be weary.

 

[vegetation]

It's a slow car, even with the turbo. Having a turbo on that old of a car is going to be a nightmare. If you insist on getting the old style 200sx then look for one with the V6 (the same one used in the normally aspirated 300zx). The V6 version was great.

 

[thedarkwolf]

Originally posted by: kindest

Originally posted by: thedarkwolf
Its a $1k and CDN at that. If it runs and the turbo isn't about to crap out its worth it. Sounds like it could be a fun little car. Up the boost and open the exhaust up and if it blows up your not out much money.

ya ive had 2 turbos go on me, (not nissan's), they are hella expensive to replace, so be weary.

That depends on the car and if you can replace it yourself or not.

 

[RU482]

great car by 80's standards, FWTW

 

[Quixfire]

Those were solid cars, but the tubro engine doesn't perfom very well. Watch out for oil leaks at the turbo and blown headgaskets, I seen both of these concerns on 100K+ vehicles at my shop.

 

[chin311]

RWD is teh fun...sounds likea decent deal, check it out mechnically first before you do anything.

 

[mAdD INDIAN]

Originally posted by: Quixfire
Those were solid cars, but the tubro engine doesn't perfom very well. Watch out for oil leaks at the turbo and blown headgaskets, I seen both of these concerns on 100K+ vehicles at my shop.

I did some research. The CA18ET ( the motor in it) only makes 135hp in the US/Canada. Not a lot of power, but decent enough for me.

Regarding oil leaks, I found that it make leak around hte valve cover and around hte turbo "out" pipe. Now if it does leak, does that mean its really bad? Or its nothing major, as long as I top up the oil every week or so? The main thing they said was to see if white or blue cmoke comes out of the car upon start up. If not, then its ok.

 

[Quixfire]

If it is leaking out the exhaust side of the turbo then the exhaust shaft seal is shot and will need to be serviced before the bearing goes bad. This leak will use a lot of oil because it is a high pressure area.

 

[CraigRT]

I'd buy it... I love those cars... we were having a meet a few weekends ago and I spotted one... went and took pics too

I like them a lot !!!

that or a Corolla GT-S

 

[mAdD INDIAN]

Originally posted by: Quixfire
If it is leaking out the exhaust side of the turbo then the exhaust shaft seal is shot and will need to be serviced before the bearing goes bad. This leak will use a lot of oil because it is a high pressure area.

but can the car still be driveable? I could care less how much oil is leaking as long as it still runs.

Also, I was reading some more on these cars, and it seems like a way for me to get my hands dirty in all things mechanical and elelctrical. I mean there are ways to make a homemade A/F ratio guage, a boost controller, etc....it seems so interesting. And I can learn to troubleshoot as well.

CragRT: did you talk to the owner. How did he find the car?

 

[BatmanNate]

My old roomate had a 200SX NA from around that era, and it was an unreliable POS, always broken. As you could probably imagine, FI vehicles that old with 100K+ are not going to be the pinnacle of reliability, but for that price you might as well for just a junker car to play with. Make sure the HG doesn't leak and there isn't too much shaft play on the engine heater.

edit: I'm not sure but I think my roomate's was the 6 cylinder. It was in bad shape though, slower than my old Celica with the 22r.

 

[Quixfire]

Yes it can be driven, but prolonged leakage will result in a damaged turbo bearing and/or exhaust turbine.

 

[mAdD INDIAN]

Originally posted by: Quixfire
Yes it can be driven, but prolonged leakage will result in a damaged turbo bearing and/or exhaust turbine.

how expensive woiuld it be to fix? also, do you have any opinions on their manual trannys?

 

[Quixfire]

In the case of rebuilding a turbo expect around $350-500 (U.S) for a quality rebuild. I don't recommend used because you end up bolting on the same problem. There are a couple of companies at offer exchange units, but you could also find a diesel repair shop that could do it.

Here are two I have used in the past:
Cheetah Turbo
Turbochargers

The transmission is a solid unit; I haven't had to rebuild any that I can remember.

 

[mAdD INDIAN]

thanks for hte links. I heard hte CA uses the same flange as teh SR20DET unit (whic is a whole lot more popular), so I can use any turbos that fit that.

But turbos usually last for a 150k miles don't they? As long as the turbo has a proper cool off period.

 

[mAdD INDIAN]

Originally posted by: Quixfire
If it is leaking out the exhaust side of the turbo then the exhaust shaft seal is shot and will need to be serviced before the bearing goes bad. This leak will use a lot of oil because it is a high pressure area.

how expensive would it be to fix the exhaust seal?? or does that require a new turbo?

 

[Quixfire]

Turbos built in the 80's lasted 80-100K miles because of poor materials, seals, and lack of oil coolers. I would recommend adding a oil cooler to your engine if it doesn't already have one and if you do upgrade the turbo see if you can get a replacement with a cooling jacket; runs engine coolant through to cool down the bearings.

 

[zixxer]

Originally posted by: mAdD INDIAN
thanks for hte links. I heard hte CA uses the same flange as teh SR20DET unit (whic is a whole lot more popular), so I can use any turbos that fit that.

But turbos usually last for a 150k miles don't they? As long as the turbo has a proper cool off period.

I have a red top sr20det in my 200 (different body style, and FWD) and love it. I wouldn't trade it for much of anything..


However, I've never heard of someone putting an sr into the older 200sx's.. try nissanforums.com, or sr20de.net