The Lemon Index
Nissan's 2.4-liter inline-4, DOHC, naturally aspirated. This page covers the versions we have sourced so far: the Nissan 240SX, model years 1995–1998. The engine is used in other cars too; those aren't covered here yet.
Middle of the pack: YouTube owner tone None/100, #108 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the middle third); no engine-related recall on record, 4 known issues listed below.
Known issues on record
- Rust (Outlet report). Auto Express, writing about the same S14 body sold in the UK as the 200SX, says to check the front and rear wheel arches, the wheel wells and suspension struts, the sills and the floorpan for rust.
- Modified and crashed cars (Outlet report). Auto Express says unmodified S14s are hard to find and accident damage is a real possibility. The Drive says bone-stock 240SXs were already hard to find by the mid-2000s, and Wikipedia says drifting demand has pushed S-chassis prices up (the "drift tax").
- A/C compressor seal leaks (1995–1996) (Outlet report). Consumer Guide says the A/C compressor joint seals tend to leak on 1995 and 1996 cars, which weakens the A/C. 1 owner complaint to NHTSA mention it (S14 240SX).
- Overheating from trapped air (1995) (Outlet report). Consumer Guide says a 1995 engine can overheat if air trapped in the cooling system is not bled out. Fix: Bleed the cooling system.
What YouTube owners say Tone 0-100, higher = more praise than trouble.
Average owner tone 45/100 across 8 model years, from 164 videos about this engine and its cars (#108 of 165 engines with a YouTube study).
Most-watched videos
- Jesse Budano | 1995 Nissan 240sx S14 975,928 views
- Nissan S13 240SX RB25 Review! 557,674 views
- KA-Turbo S14 240sx Review!- Is the KA Worth Swapping? 531,886 views
- Buying a Mint Condition 1998 Nissan 240sx! (Kouki) 402,967 views
- 3 Nissan Start Up Rattle KA24E Timing Chain Noise Fix 1989 to 1997 384,685 views
Counted from video titles and captions: praise words against trouble words, weighted by views. Videos only count when the title names this engine or a car that had only this engine in those years.
Owner complaints and recalls
Counts for the cars on this page, from NHTSA. They cover every part of the car, not only the engine.
| Car | Years | Owner complaints | Recall campaigns | NHTSA files it as |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S14 240SX | 1995–1998 | 75 | 1 | 240Sx |
Specs by generation
Nissan KA24DE: S14 240SX, 1995–1998
- Layout: Inline-4, DOHC 16-valve, iron block, aluminum head, timing chain
- Output: 155 hp at 5,600 rpm, 160 lb-ft at 4,400 rpm
- Bore x stroke: 89 x 96 mm, 2,389 cc
- Compression: 9.5:1 in the 240SX
- Japan’s Silvia: The Japanese S14 Silvia K's got the SR20DET 2.0 turbo instead, 220 PS (217 hp)
What we don't have yet
- The engine's other cars: only the versions above are sourced so far.
Quick answers
What cars have the Nissan KA24DE engine?
On this site so far: the Nissan 240SX, model years 1995–1998. It is used in other cars we haven't covered yet.
Is the Nissan KA24DE reliable?
Mostly, with known issues to check. YouTube owner tone None/100, #108 of 165 engines with a YouTube study (in the middle third); no engine-related recall on record, 4 known issues listed below. Owner complaints are filed by car, not engine, and cover the whole car, so none of these numbers is an engine failure rate.
How much horsepower does the Nissan KA24DE make?
155 hp in the versions on this page (factory figures).
Sources: Wikipedia: Nissan KA engine · Wikipedia: Nissan Silvia · Wikipedia: Nissan 240SX · Auto Express: Nissan 200SX/Silvia S14 buying guide and review, 1995-2000 (Auto Express, Nov 2018) · The Drive: Before it was a drift missile, the 1995 Nissan 240SX was aimed at single professional women (Máté Petrány, Jan 2021) · Consumer Guide: 1995-98 Nissan 240SX (used car review, trouble spots). Complaints and recalls: NHTSA (api.nhtsa.gov).