Adam Posted November 1, 2006 Share Posted November 1, 2006 (edited) ok, i noticed this yesterday, its just ever so slight, theres barely an inch wide drip on the concrete under it every night(you can't see the little drip on the crossmember there, but its there, the exhaust has oil on it i think from just driving with this drip...), but when i'm say getting on the highway, or going to pass someone, i sometimes smell burning oil, which is definately from this leak, and seems like the only time it happens is when the rpm's are up, which to me, is indicative of a rear main seal, like my bug had a similar issue, replaced it and it was fixed, and i've seen it in the past, so i'm thinking, since the drip is in the very back of the motor, right in the middle, rear main seal makes sense... but i guess i'm asking on here because i'm not totally familiar with this motor like i was my bug, or my rx7's, is there anywhere else it could be coming from that the leak would wind up right where it is? and if it is the rear main seal, what is the easiest route to fix it? i understand to pull the motor you have to pull the front diff, and i also don't have an engine hoist, so would removing the transmission(and i'd guess the transfer case) be the easiest way for me to do this? and how is the flywheel held on to the motor? like my bug and my rx7's it was just a massive nut directly to the flywheel, can i expect the same on the pathfinder? this is the only problem this thing has, it still runs great, though i'm wondering if the leak didn't come about because i changed from i'm guessing 10w40 to 5w30, maybe i should go back to 10w40, or even 20w50? Edited November 1, 2006 by Adam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slick Posted November 1, 2006 Share Posted November 1, 2006 could well be the RMS..... could also be the oil pan leaking, valve cover leaking........ i have oil in the same place.. but it's my oil pan leaking i know... just haven't got around to fixin it wipe off ALL the oil down there....... then warm her up to working temp. turn her off and let her sit. after she drips a bit.. go out and check to see exactly where it's coming from.. put your hand up there (not when motor is hot please) and see where it's coming from. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted November 1, 2006 Author Share Posted November 1, 2006 rear main seal makes most sense to me, because it seems like it responds to oil pressure/rpm's more, i'll get that burning oil smell a few seconds after letting off on the gas... i guess easy solution is to keep my foot out of it but i'd like to actually fix it, so its not an issue in the future, i'll try your suggestion probably this weekend, i don't get off work before dark so its hard to work on things during the week Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slick Posted November 1, 2006 Share Posted November 1, 2006 i had a RMS going out but never got the burning oil smell.. that's why it could be any number of things.... but yes. RMS is the most suspect, but not a definite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted November 1, 2006 Author Share Posted November 1, 2006 (edited) i had a RMS going out but never got the burning oil smell.. that's why it could be any number of things.... but yes. RMS is the most suspect, but not a definite. well if you notice, the oil is hitting the exhaust pipe, even though the drip isn't even over the exhaust pipe, its a few inches in front of it, the only reason i can think the exhaust pipe is coated is because it leaks while moving, and possibly leaks more when in higher rev's... its definately not burning oil internally, theres never blue smoke, or any smoke, out my exhaust pipe... Edited November 1, 2006 by Adam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94 Pathy Posted November 6, 2006 Share Posted November 6, 2006 I"m going with the RMS! I have the same thing going on. The guy that had the Pathy before me said he change it, but might not have got all the bolts tight enough. Said it was a bitch getting the some of them. I figured once I have the tranny/torque converter looked at or worked on, I'll have the RMS replaced also, since the tranny needs to be pulled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SuperSon Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 (edited) ....... then warm her up to working temp. turn her off and let her sit. after she drips a bit.. go out and check to see exactly where it's coming from.. put your hand up there (not when motor is hot please) and see where it's coming from. hmmm ..sounded like Dr.Ruth on a session Edited November 7, 2006 by SuperSon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slick Posted November 7, 2006 Share Posted November 7, 2006 hmmm ..sounded like Dr.Ruth on a session hey..... i think dr ruth ROCKS :bow: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted December 6, 2006 Author Share Posted December 6, 2006 just wanted to post an update, i went back to 10w40 instead of 5w30, and there is no oil leak whatsoever now, and it doesn't smell like burning oil after i accelerate hard anymore... and i know that just because it went away for now doesn't mean there won't be an issue later, but hopefully doing this bought me some time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLouisGod Posted December 7, 2006 Share Posted December 7, 2006 i have the same issue. i cant determine if its a RMS issue or a leak on a valve cover, as some members suggested it may be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IpathyXe Posted December 13, 2006 Share Posted December 13, 2006 I have a proffesor at my college that worked for nissan, his words (made an assload of money off those pathfinders RMS is 80% of the time the coprate, ) mine leaks to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IpathyXe Posted December 13, 2006 Share Posted December 13, 2006 Mine burns at a stop though i can smell it. espicially when i park in the garage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VW_Factor Posted December 13, 2006 Share Posted December 13, 2006 RMS leaks a bit I think, but on ours the valve covers are the worst offenders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted December 13, 2006 Author Share Posted December 13, 2006 RMS leaks a bit I think, but on ours the valve covers are the worst offenders. man dave, didn't expect to see you here lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88blk4x4 Posted December 13, 2006 Share Posted December 13, 2006 if your motor is used to a certain weight of oil, changing weights or even brands can cause it to start leaking.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slick Posted December 13, 2006 Share Posted December 13, 2006 if your motor is used to a certain weight of oil, changing weights or even brands can cause it to start leaking.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriskaw440 Posted December 13, 2006 Share Posted December 13, 2006 ah I miss my RX-7's!! I owned 3 of them..... 81, 82, and 84 all at the same time. Autocrossed my 81 from time to time. awesome cars, easy to work on. I wish I never sold my last one....the 84. Still love my '90 pathfinder....awesome vehicle also. Had a Nissan mechanic SWEAR to me my rear main seal was leaking when I took it in a few years ago to have the back up light switch replaced. I told him some oil ran down the side of the engine from the oil filter when I just changed the oil and thats were the oil around the back of the engine came from. He didnt believe me...just kept saying "no thats your seal gone....needs to be replaced." Of course I was right and its still fine to this day. I later had to have a conference with the service manager in person because they didn't do a lot of other work I had taken it in for right ...and it was EASY stuff. They were also too cheap to have the flywheel sent out for resurfacing when they replaced my clutch so it shuddered often for about a year. They said they use a hand tool to polish the surface. Well dumbasses, thats not the same as having the flywheel RESURFACED. I think I got a mechanic or two fired. Almost never trust a dealership. They will try to get every dollar out of your wallet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VW_Factor Posted December 13, 2006 Share Posted December 13, 2006 (edited) man dave, didn't expect to see you here lol Man.. Im a sucker for forums.. lol.. Yeah, havin a bit of trouble with the pathy, and these are the guys that beat on them, so they know these things a lot better than I do. Edit : Didnt realize that was you, until you posted that.. lol. Edited December 13, 2006 by VW_Factor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boy Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 Well looks like I might have a leaking RMS, there's oil all over the cross member and oil pan. I hoping it's just a loose oil filter or plug as I didn't do the last oil change. It's to cold out to mess with it now but if it's a leaking RMS am done with her. What a shame 104,000 mi and the dam RMS leaks..Not Happy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted January 20, 2007 Share Posted January 20, 2007 my valve covers coated like that...it was running down the back side of the head and following the tranny around and looked as if it was coming from the RMS but in fact it was the valve covers...i've have plenty of those leak on both of my pathy's...who thought phillips head screws were a good idea.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boy Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 Well It's still freezing out but I took a look and it's not the valve covers leaking. I felt underneath the oil filter and there's oil on the bottom outside of the filter. I can't see it being the RMS with oil on the oil filter casing. Of course the starter is covered with oil. I'm guessing that maybe it's the oil filter that is pissing oil. Like I said I didn't do the last oil change and it's possible that the oil filter wasn't put on properly, maybe the gasket from the old filter is stuck on there??? I knew I shouldn't of let anybody else do my oil change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slick Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 could also be your oil pressure switch coming loose, that is located at the bottom of the block near your oil filter also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 The best thing you can do is pressure wash the oil off with some degreaser and wait to see where it's really coming from. It could very well just be oil filter oil remnants. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unccpathfinder Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 i should have said also feel on the backside between the head and firewall mine always leak on the back inside corners of both heads last time mine was the LH valve cover leaking out of the back and i could only rub back there and get oil on my fingers...but it doesnt really seem like thats it... good point on that oil pressure switch slick...i cracked the casing on mine when i did the top end rebuild on the 87 but it shot oil all over the place like a friggin fire hose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Boy Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 Turns out the oil filter was loose enough to let oil leak....That's the last time I let anybody change my oil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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