I'm going to go look at a B13 SE-R in a couple hours, this is the list of trouble issues I've heard of so far:
5th gear popout bump stops get torn up Rust - rockers, door hinges, ? oil pan dents mean oil pickup probably damaged
Anything else I ought to keep an eye out for? Especially abnormal stuff or stuff that might surprise a guy more used to Hondas and Toyotas?
TIA
Joe
Leaky sunroofs (probably won't work). Saggy doors, with or without the aforementioned rust. Bolster wear on the driver's seat. IInability to stop grinning like a maniac after driving one.
They're really reliable, engine bay is pretty tight IIRC. The LSD probably will no longer work, they're viscous and they wear out eventually. Should still be a lot of fun for a FWD econobox. These have all returned to the earth, and clean ones bring pretty big money if you find one. If it seems to be half-decent, snap it up. You won't be sorry you did.
Boy, you two about nailed it. We had one in the family for years, and ^those were the issues.
I bought an NX2000 flood car, combined it with my 94 Sentra and created an XER. I like it a lot.
If the oil runs low or the pickup gets blocked they like to eat rod bearings. If the fan only works on 1 and 4 it needs a blower resistor. They also like to blow up the upper P/S hose and spray fluid all over everything, often during spirited steering inputs (they might spray fluid from the reservoir even if the hose doesn't blow up). Replacing an alternator in one with AC will make you want to kill yourself. If there are crickety noises from the front cover it probably needs the later timing chain tensioner. If the seat bolsters are shot you can usually duct tape the foam on the seat together where it tears in half at the bolster and regain reasonable seat bolster function.
Just this afternoon I saw one of these outside the BestBuy where I was having a new radio installed in my car.
For a car about 20 years old, this example looked pretty good, with lightly faded paint (it was, after all, red) being the biggest mark against it.
There is supposedly an "early" SR20 and a slightly "later" SR20...I can't remember where in the B13s SE-R production run the cut-off is, or whether you want the older design or the newer one.
There are a few good websites devoted to SR20 powered cars, with G20style.com being one (if it's still online).
I bought one brand-new in '92. By '95, I was having some clear coat issues, too. Other than that, it was a killer car.
The rear strut towers like to come separated from the body and fall in. I've seen several B13s and whatever-the-code-is NXen fail this way. It doesn't even seem to be a rust issue, the spot welds just fail.
So, um... get a rear strut tower bar that ties in to the floor.
I've never seen a B13 Sentra with good paint. I have a '92 that looks piebald.
90-93 US SR20DEs have a different head than the '94+ engines. There are pluses to both, later engines make more HP with the intake cam from an earlier engine.
http://www.sr20forum.com/technical-information-library/76933-how-do-i-have-low-port-high-port.html
I drove one of these in ridiculously terrible condition and it was still insanely fun! I am pretty sure there was not a panel on that car that didn't have holes of rust. It was way faster than it had any right to be. The example I drove had most if not all of the problems listed above. Once you drive it you will want it!
I had an NX years ago as my first car and just picked up a 94 SE-R about two weeks ago. Most of the issues have been covered; rust and fifth gear are usually the biggies. I found this one for under a grand and snapped it up. Needs a few minor repairs and she'll be road ready. The paint is a little rough, and the rusty worm is starting to show but it has poly engine mounts, the sun roof works, fifth gear is good, it came with a set of snow tires on the oem wheels, and it only has 126k. Very roomy inside for such a small car.
BTW, I saw a set of EBC pads for $14 on amazon but they are listed wrong on almost everyones website including EBC. They fit the nx which has larger front brakes.
Good article comparing a new SE-R to a rusty old one. http://www.motivemag.com/pub/feature/verticals/Motive_Vertical_Nissan_SE-R_-_1991_and_2008_Nissan_Sentra_SE-R.shtml
Blower resistors are easy to replace - no dashboard disassembly necessary. So are door hinges. BTDT. I really liked my 91, despite it being ugly. I hated to give it up. But it was yet another victim of terminal rust. I think it was the most fun FWD car I've ever driven, and the MINI Cooper [S] is definitely no slouch.
Both of mine were remarkably un-rusty, the one I owned for 7 years basically fell victim to not being a Honda or a Miata in ST classes. If someone wanted to drop a clean stock one in my lap for winter beater/rallycross duty that would be super. I couldn't DD something that old and inhospitable to cargo, though.
ShadowSix wrote: I'm going to go look at a B13 SE-R in a couple hours, this is the list of trouble issues I've heard of so far: 5th gear popout bump stops get torn up Rust - rockers, door hinges, ? oil pan dents mean oil pickup probably damaged TIA Joe
I bought it, next to no rust, so it was no-brainer.
Anyway, the rear brakes are looking pretty rough, If the calipers are rebuild-able I'm just going to keep the SE-R hardware.
It has a nasty rattle around 1000-1500 rpm's, but the engine runs smooth, bad motor mount?
Honestly, it probably needs a lot of new bushings, probably struts too... Anybody have some sport springs laying around?
This thread is making me miss my NX2000....
I bought mine back in about 2004 with 70k and sold it a few years later with over 130k. It never had a spot of rust or clear coat problems, but then again cars up here don't rust nearly as quickly as in other parts of the country.
In that time besides routine maintenance I had very few problems. It did begin to develop 5th gear pop up right before I sold it. Only other thing that gave me trouble was when an axle went out and while replacing it I found the axle was stuck inside the spindle. Took it to a machine shop to get pressed out and the spindle broke before the axle came out. The other side was seized too, but that one popped out before the spindle snapped.
I drove the hell out of that car the whole time I owned out. Several autox's a year and the mountain roads almost every night. B13's are great!
The rattle is probably the passenger side motor mount. I have owned 7 SE-R's and it seems like every one I buy needs that mount.
Keep the oil changed. My current 1994 runs like a champ and made 117 at the wheels stock with 270k miles on the engine. It is a fun car.
The NX brakes are a good upgrade especially if you are replacing calipers anyway. A little grinding will get them to fit under the stock B13 wheels as well. If you ever want to get extended wheel studs ARP's for a Subaru will fit with a little massaging... and for some reason they are a third of the price of the Nissan ones (you will need new lug nuts). Also if you want to put double adjustable Koni's on it, the factory struts from 1980's Celicas are the correct diameter and have a Gland nut that will work. Camber plates from Ground control help with the lack of suspension travel when you lower the car because they change the mounting point up almost an inch.
SR20forum.com is a good resource as is SE-R.net
Thanks for the heads up on the mount! It's high on the to-do list!
This is definitely a hell of a car, the motor is phenomenal!
This is not going to become a super serious autocross or track car for a few years, more just a commuter, but it needs struts now so I'm going to pick up KYB GR-2s, what do we think about cheap springs for the car? I'm not totally opposed to just leaving the stock springs for now, and I definitely don't want a car that rides to harsh.
http://www.amazon.com/Nissan-Sentra-M2-Lowering-Springs/dp/B006W11P9Q/ref=sr_1_3?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1332358208&sr=1-3
http://www.amazon.com/Nissan-Megan-Racing-Lowering-Springs/dp/B001D4OZ7Q/ref=sr_1_4?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1332358208&sr=1-4
ShadowSix wrote: Thanks for the heads up on the mount! It's high on the to-do list! This is definitely a hell of a car, the motor is phenomenal! This is not going to become a super serious autocross or track car for a few years, more just a commuter, but it needs struts now so I'm going to pick up KYB GR-2s, what do we think about cheap springs for the car? I'm not totally opposed to just leaving the stock springs for now, and I definitely don't want a car that rides to harsh. http://www.amazon.com/Nissan-Sentra-M2-Lowering-Springs/dp/B006W11P9Q/ref=sr_1_3?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1332358208&sr=1-3 http://www.amazon.com/Nissan-Megan-Racing-Lowering-Springs/dp/B001D4OZ7Q/ref=sr_1_4?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1332358208&sr=1-4
The Megans will probably drop you a solid 2-2.5" and will ride acceptably for a DD, but WILL be harsher than stock. I've run them on two of my cars now and no real complaints, especially for the price.
The GR2s may not be QUITE ideal for the Megans, they tend to be a slightly higher spring rate that most of the run-of-the-mill lowering springs on the market, but i've run the GR2/Megan combo on my MX6 for two years now and it's been fine. For the $340 total i spent on the combo, i MORE than got my money's worth.
In reply to 4cylndrfury:
Anyone know what BOV this thing is running? It's an HKS of some sort, but i haven't seen one with a flange type like that, it's the same as the Greddy Type S/RZ/RS, and i want one.
NVM, found it. HKS BOV Type 1. I must find one.
Another good site is SR20-Forum, it was created after the original sr20forum (no dash) got bought out and went down hill a bit.
I hear road magnet springs may be the way to go. Lowering too much cause problems with a severe lack of suspension travel.
92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: The Megans will probably drop you a solid 2-2.5"
Yikes, that would leave the car with like 1-.5" of bump travel.
What from the Mexican Tsuru interchanges? I love the idea that Nissan still makes/made the B13 down there.
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