MiltonWATech99

Passenger side. Sounds like it’s towards the front of the engine near the head gasket mating surface. Friend and I thought a rocker arm was scraping but everything looks fine under the cover. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I had the issue with the manifold gasket not sealing previously. It’s definitely not that because it doesn’t have the distinct sound or any sound in the engine bay coming from the exhaust. The engine shakes somewhat violently as if it was imbalanced and I can hear a screaming vacuum leak coming from underneath the intake plenum. One things for sure. The intake is coming off again rather soon. Maybe that’s what I get for reusing a few hoses. [emoji23] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Got the timing set properly only to discover another problem. Possibly one that’ll stop me in my tracks. The engine idle fluctuates like crazy and will stall out without giving it throttle. Sounds like a real bad misfire with a large vacuum leak and a knocking sound coming from the right head to add to it. This concerns me big time because the right cam sprocket snapped forward when I tried advancing it a tooth without the timing belt on. Bent valve? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

For sure. I retarded it a tooth today and got it to run for 15 seconds with a fluctuating idle before I shut it off. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Got everything set and ready to go today. Started her up and she didn’t start first time. Rotated the distributor cap a little and she started but ran extremely rough and stalled out pretty quick. I continued playing with the distributor position trying to find a steady idle which didn’t happen today. Until tomorrow! Oh and I found another coolant leak, but I’m hoping it’s from the thermostat housing this time so I can get in there easily... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I went ahead and found some reinforced tranny cooler hose that AutoZone said would work for my application. I set the timing belt tension, installed the lower timing cover, put the distributor in, put the fuel rail back in, and began installing the intake plenum before realizing my wiring harness was behind the heater hoses. [emoji2359] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What would happen if I used radiator overflow hose (non-reinforced) instead of reinforced coolant hose? Would it burst? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Here’s the head gaskets I pulled out. These are the stock ones that had over 210K miles on them. Not in bad condition, but they were seized to the block and needed to be pulled off forcefully. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Finally got the crank seal out after another hour of picking at it with my seal puller. One other question for the experts... Is it safe to use radiator overflow hose as throttle body coolant lines? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

An update as of yesterday before I went to work. The heads are torqued down to spec with the new head bolts and copper-coated gaskets, lifter bodies and rocker arms are all in, and the AC clutch and alternator are reinstalled. Tomorrow will feature me putting the headers back on, installing the new water pump, replacing the necessary seals if they aren’t a pita (like the crank seal I’m digging out), and getting the intake put back on. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Finished cleaning the heads and block and installing them now. Broke my nice torque wrench when torquing the first head bolt to 43 ft/lbs and had to buy a new one. I bought a seal puller to get my stubborn crank seal out but it’s just crumbling into bits as I try to rip it out. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ran into hopefully my last obstacle. Any tips to ripping the heads off once all the head bolts are out? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just finished taking the rocker arms off and now it’s time for the moment I’ve been dreading... Pulling the heads. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Took a few hours today to finally get down to the timing belt and water pump. To my demise the water pump and crank sprocket are both stuck and the intake manifold is being a pita to get out. Also bought a new oil filter, fuel filter, coolant hoses, and fuel hoses to replace the old ones I had to cut. Sprayed the head gaskets with copper sealant to increase my chance of a successful DIY job. I’ve never seen so much oil and coolant inside the timing cover! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Work and school have really gotten in the way so I took a couple-day hiatus from the project. Today and tomorrow I’ll finish the stripping and hopefully the reassembling. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

New head bolts and the balancer puller came in the mail today. I won’t have a chance until Saturday to slam everything back together assuming I don’t find a crack in the head. [emoji23] I also picked up some copper spray-a-gasket from AutoZone yesterday because of the great reviews I’ve heard on it. Got a new set of fuel injector o-rings and a knock sensor since I’m that far down (not even sure if the stock sensor works, so better safe than sorry). Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

A little update as day five on the job winds down. I finally got the fuel rail out by removing the metal clips inside the connectors for the fuel injectors as suggested earlier. However, my fuel lines were seized around the send and return lines so I had to trim them back a bit. I’ll be replacing those sections of fuel line on top of the coolant lines going to the throttle body and all of the vacuum lines around the manifold. I also went ahead and placed an order on Rock Auto for the head bolt set with express shipping. I’ll be back in business on Thursday assuming I don’t find a cracked or warped head. [emoji23] Update: I went ahead and bought this puller just now with high hopes! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If I set it to TDC then align the bolt hole closest to the timing marks (on the balancer) to the top then it should be fine right? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks again for the tips guys! Where’s a good place I can find the necessary bolt? Maybe AutoZone? I’m also searching for head bolts still. Possibly AutoZone for those too? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just a little update for everyone: I’m down to the intake manifold but ran into a problem unplugging the fuel injector connectors. Is there an easy way to disconnect the tabs? After that, I should be able to get to the head gaskets (once I get new head bolts). I’m still on the hunt for another screw matching that from the upper timing cover to pull the balancer, but I haven’t had much luck so I may result to a different puller. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

About a week ago, I noticed I was leaking absurd amounts of coolant on my driveway. Not thinking much of it, I continued driving my Pathfinder as I usually do until it began overheating. I checked the radiator and little did I know it was completely empty...and then I saw the constant flow of coolant coming from around the crank pulley. Two days ago, I began tearing apart the front of the engine to gain access to the water pump as well as the timing belt (both are 50,000 miles overdue for replacement). You can’t tell from the image, but the left camshaft sprocket was retarded a tooth (41 teeth between cams rather than 40). After I get my new head gaskets in and reassemble the engine head, I’ll be swapping belts, installing a new water pump, thermostat, and all gaskets and seals for the intake, fuel system, valve covers, and the cams and crank. Pray for this first timer. [emoji1695] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk