Best oil for 1990 Nissan 2.4L

[90hardbody]

Hey guys,

I've been reading the forum for quite some time and doing alot of additional research on lubrication. You guys know your stuff (most of you, anyway).

I just bought my truck this summer and have taken care of most issues. When I bought it I changed the oil and filter with Mobil Drive clean and Fram filter (big mistake), and soon after replaced it with a Pure One, which greatly decreased my startup rattle. Knowing the history of these engines with timing chain guide problems, I replaced the whole timing set, and de-sludged the oil pan while I was at it.

Then I put in Mobil 1 10w-30 and a Napa Gold Filter. (influenced by syn oil life study) All startup rattle is gone!! Then engine runs like a top and passed emissions with flying colors!!!

The miles on engine is 130k and I'd like to do extended drains. It is a daily driver, but short trips only. I can't find a UOA for this oil/engine combo. Any input on OCI's or oil recommendations from folks who know about the KA24E engine? Does 0W-30 of 0W-40 work good in these engines? I may start hauling equipment around and possibly pulling a trailer.

Thanks in advance...

 

[John in the ATL]

I have the KA24DE in my 94 altima 5 speed. I am currently using the Amsoil ATM 10w-30. It is one of their most shear stable oil. Before that I ran the Old Tri Synthetic 10w-30 with some slight oil consumption. The hood sticker inside the hood allows for 10w-40 or 20w-50. These weights can be used if temperature allows for it.

The 0w-30 or 0w-40 from Mobil is not as shear stable as their 10w-30 or 15w-50 oils. My suggestion would be to mix the Mobil 10w-30 (a thin 30 weight) with the 15w-50 (really more of a 10w-40). Since you are in the Hotlanta area, you could run this year round. This would be you a thicker Mobil 1 with reduced oil consumption.

I am considering (Mobil mix) for the warmer weather from April to September.

Hope this helps.

 

[Al]

I don't have any experience with this engine, but I'd just stick woth the 10W-30 M-1 and maybe in the heat of the summer go with a 25% mixture of the 15W-50 with it. I'd do an oil analysis at 6K or so to see how things are doing.

 

[John in the ATL]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Al:
I don't have any experience with this engine, but I'd just stick woth the 10W-30 M-1 and maybe in the heat of the summer go with a 25% mixture of the 15W-50 with it. I'd do an oil analysis at 6K or so to see how things are doing.

---

Al,

From your posts, I know you have experience mixing the two weights of Mobil 1. Do you or have you mixed the two at 50/50 in hotter weather? Or do you like the 15w-50 as a booster for thickening the 10w-30?

 

[garyb80]

I own a 90' 240SX with a KA24E engine. I also recently repaired the timing chain tensioner and this eliminated the infamous Nissan start up rattle. After the repair, it doesn't seem to matter what oil I run in it, it stays quiet. Right now I've got Rotella Synthetic 5W-40 because the viscosity is just right and it isn't too expensive, however it would probably run just as good on any old 10W-30 you pour in it.

Here is a link that has a lot of good tech info for that engine.

http://www.240sx.org/

 

[unDummy]

I like the 15w50 as a booster for the 30wt Mobil1's. Tend to use it at topoff time if needed also.

Try the 25% homemade blend or just use the 0w40. There are other synth oils in 40wt too that you should consider.

For the filter, on most Nissans that have room, I'd avoid the bypassless stock filter. Use the Ford filter that xreferences easily with the Fram PH3600 or the Toyota PH3614. If the factory bypass quits, you'll end up slowly creating that infamous timing chain rattle from cold thick oil and higher rpm pressure starvation. The KA24 is not the only Nissan engine with this problem. Poor change interval adds to the gambling odds that this will happen. All new Nissans use a filter with built in bypass. They don't seem to have the same problem.

 

[Al]

quote:

---

Originally posted by John in the ATL:

Originally posted by Al:
[qb] From your posts, I know you have experience mixing the two weights of Mobil 1. Do you or have you mixed the two at 50/50 in hotter weather? Or do you like the 15w-50 as a booster for thickening the 10w-30?

---

I just used a 25% mix which gets it into the higher 30 wt. range. I mainly used it in my Toyota to cut down on the oil burning. I also used it in my daughter's vehicle when she lived in Mississippi and I only got down there every 6 to 8 months to change her oil.

 

[Finklejag]

I bought my Nissan P/U with the KA24E engine in 1990. I ran Castrol GTX 20W-50 for the first four years. I lived in LA. When I moved to Denver. I switched to Mobil 1 5-30 and a Mobil 1 filter. I gave the truck to my brother in Dec 98. I never had a problem with the engine in eight years. No oil consumption at all.

 

[RussellA]

I've got a 90 240sx, original owner. I believe yours is the same single cam 12 valve. I find if you go too thick it I get rocker or chain noise. I once tried 15w50 M1, but was too thick for good flow to the heads. I ran mostly mobil 10w-30 in it for the last 13 years, and always one of the M1s. It starting using oil recently so I've changed to M1 0w40. Seems to have helped the consumption, no rocker noise.

[ December 08, 2003, 11:18 PM: Message edited by: RussellA ]

 

[Drew]

I've got the 2.4L in my 92 Stanza and am worried about the cam tensioner problems. How hard is it to change and what does sit involve? I plan on keeping this car for another 12 years and expect for it to last at least 300k.

My 2.4L burns no oil between 5k oil changes and is driven 50 miles each day at highway speeds of 75-85 mph (speed limit on certain sections of I-25 are 75mph).

I was using Mobil 1 10w-30 year round but just switched to GC 0W-30 and plan on doing 7500 mile intervals. I'm too cheap to do oil analysis on such an old car. No sludge under valve cover.

 

[garyb80]

Here is some info from the 240SX club site. Be sure to check out the link at the bottom for the recall info.

Why does my 89-90 SOHC 240SX make a rattling sound right after I startup which then stops about 2 or 3 seconds later?

The rattling you hear coming from under the hood right after start up is the timing chain in your SOHC engine. This problem frequently occurs in just about every SOHC 240SX out there sooner or later. It also happens in Nissan's truck with the KA24E engine. Why does this happen? It happens because on both sides of the chain there are chain guides. Its kinda like a bike with a chain guard. These 2 chain guides keep the chain inline as it spins. However, for some odd reason the guides in the KA24E engine are made from plastic. What happens is usually the right chain guide starts to break apart from stress cracks that can be due to alot of things (heat, oil contamination, and/or vibration). This only happens mainly with the right guide. The left one has a rubber coating over it which protects it. So, the chain guide cracks and finally gives out. This chain guide is about 8 inches long if I recall and is held to the block by 2 metric allen bolts. One on the top and one towards the bottom. Well if the chain guide cracks somewhere in the middle of these 2 bolts, which is most likely will because that's its weakest point, the guide is free to swivel around these 2 bolts as the chain rubs up against it and chews it away. It doesn't take long for the chain to finally chew just about all of the plastic guides away and there is virtually no guide left to support the chain (just 2 pieces still connected to the block by the bolts). When the car is cold and the chain is at its loosest, it will rattle when the car starts because it is rubbing up against the inside of the front cover. I've heard that the chain tensioner is hydraulically actuated by engine oil but, I've changed the tensioner myself and it seems to have just a strong spring in it which forces a piston type piece up against the left chain guide which in turn tensions the chain. Anyhow, once the engine starts turning the chain tightens and the rattle stops. This all happens in a matter of seconds. Now, you may wonder where all this plastic that has been chewed away goes. Well it goes down into your oil pan and stays there for years and years until someone realizes it and cleans it out. Don't worry though. There is a fine strainer on the oil sump that should block any of the pieces from going into the engine's internals. Keep in mind my car started making this rattling noise at 55,000 miles and I changed my chain at 104,000. Obviously the rattling wasn't doing much damage and I didn't see any damage done to the front cover or chain when I got in there so I don't think the annoying rattling was too detramental.

You will ask, "So how do I fix this?". Well there are a few options. Non of them are easy. You can do it yourself. The parts for the job cost around $135-150 depending on where you get them. You'll definately need a service manual for torque values and for step by step instructions. You'll also need a pretty good tool set with metric sizes, including metric allen keys. I had to get 2 different torque wrenches for the job. One for the heavy stuff like torquing the cam and crank bolts and then one for the lighter stuff like torquing the front cover bolts, etc... You'll also need a pulley puller to get the crank pulley off the shaft. You can get all this stuff at Sears. Keep in mind I spent $200 on tools for the job. HINT: Take very good care of your new tools and clean them up real good so Sears will never know you used them. Get it?? hehehe Anyway... The job took me about 12 hours to do myself. I had no help. It was just me, myself and I, so it was quite fun!!

Now you can also get it done by a mechanic (like Nissan service) and be prepaired to spend upwards of $800. If you aren't mechanically inclined then this might be, unfortunately, the only way to go so start saving your pennies!!

Kris -- 1990 240SX

Timing Chain Guide Nissan Technical Bulletin (NTB)

This timing chain thing is a known issue with Nissan and they have issued a Technical Bulletin detailing the replacement of the part in question with a "countermeasure" part. There was also a recall for a specific engine number range. I have posted these NTB's at my web site at: http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Lane/6701/timing_chain.htm

Name: Todd Hobdey
Email: [email protected]

[ December 09, 2003, 10:10 AM: Message edited by: garyb80 ]