DCgabel Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 I think i have a blown head gasket or cylinder gasket. i need help to fix it and am wondering if anyone else has done this type of thing before. i own a r50 1996 pathfinder manual. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linewar Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 I'm sure more qualified gearheads will chime in here on procedure, but I'll start with the obvious - why do you think the head gasket is blown? Coolant in the oil, oil in the coolant, or a severe loss of compression? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alkorahil Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 What are the symptoms you have? Isit leaking from overheating? that is the reason for Nissans most of the time. Replacing the Headgasket itself is not hard if you have the right tools, but it is time consuming. Make sure to use new headbolts, dont reuse the old ones. If your vehicle overheaded you should send the head off to be resurfaced. Because it is time consuming if you pay a machanic to do it it will cost $$$$. If you do it yourself be prepared to spend the weekand doing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCgabel Posted September 7, 2013 Author Share Posted September 7, 2013 /> I'm sure more qualified gearheads will chime in here on procedure, but I'll start with the obvious - why do you think the head gasket is blown? Coolant in the oil, oil in the coolant, or a severe loss of compression? Severe loss of oil just below the valves. Not above where the valve cover is. Because thats a fairly straight forward fix of just taking the intake manifold off and the valve cover and replacing the seal. Its leaking from the one just below it. (drivers side) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCgabel Posted September 7, 2013 Author Share Posted September 7, 2013 What are the symptoms you have? Isit leaking from overheating? that is the reason for Nissans most of the time. Replacing the Headgasket itself is not hard if you have the right tools, but it is time consuming. Make sure to use new headbolts, dont reuse the old ones. If your vehicle overheaded you should send the head off to be resurfaced. Because it is time consuming if you pay a machanic to do it it will cost $$$$. If you do it yourself be prepared to spend the weekand doing it. Well imy pathy isnt my everyday driver. i had been slowly rebuilding everything on it just as a hobby. So far everythings been good up to this point. Do you mean overheated??? if so, no. It didnt. I just came out one morning to see pretty much every drop of oil leaked out onto my garage floor. (maybe 3 quarts or so). Just recently i drove it for a day and then it sat for about a week, week and a half and thats when i noticed all the oil spilled on the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCgabel Posted September 8, 2013 Author Share Posted September 8, 2013 i called a nissan dealship and breifly spoke with a mechanic and he said that i didnt have to pull the engine out to replace it. Now im not sure if he mistook me and thought that i was talking about the valve cover seal or not, i should have specified. Anyways, its definately the head gasket. If you look at this link (grant that it works) look at part number three. Its a gasket, that is where i saw all the oil leaking out onto the floor. Mad quite a mess, id say spilled at least 2 to 3 quarts. You might have to copy and paste the link. http://www.orderinfinitiparts.com/parts/1999/INFINITI/QX4/?siteid=215003&vehicleid=1355778&diagram=F622040 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 You would most likely be getting coolant in the engine oil if your headgasket was blown. Get a used oil analysis to verify that there is indeed coolant in the oil. NAPA sells UOA kits for fairly cheap (kit includes the price of the UOA) although the turnaround time can take a couple weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCgabel Posted September 8, 2013 Author Share Posted September 8, 2013 You would most likely be getting coolant in the engine oil if your headgasket was blown. Get a used oil analysis to verify that there is indeed coolant in the oil. NAPA sells UOA kits for fairly cheap (kit includes the price of the UOA) although the turnaround time can take a couple weeks. Im fairly certain it is. It didnt blow while driving as far as i know but the oil looks like chocolate milk and ive been told that a fairly good sign of a leaking head gasket. This is how much oil i found on the ground the morning i noticed the problem. i put wood chip on the ground to try to soak the oil up. (ive drained the remaning oil) This is where it all leaked from.Right below where the header attaches to the cylinder head. The engine block was completely soaked. The tranny is in the way but this is the best picture i could get considering the angle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCgabel Posted September 8, 2013 Author Share Posted September 8, 2013 So far this is what ive done to work my way down to the cylinder head which i was planning on taking out next to get at the head gasket. I dont know of an easier way to do this. Any thoughts? Does anyone know/or think that the engine needs to be pulled in order to replace the head gasket? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 (edited) You're pretty much there. Now you just have to remove the head bolts. Do you have the service manual? There is a link in the garage. No you do not have to remove the engine. Edited September 8, 2013 by adamzan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devonianwalk Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 Have you already removed the TB? If so, you just need to remove the head bolts to remove the cylinder head. Be sure to not skimp on a cheap head gasket. I did so on my wife's Prelude. I opted for a $20 "something'ish" which gave out within a couple hundred miles. I'll pony up for the $70 OEM gasket next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 /> Have you already removed the TB? If so, you just need to remove the head bolts to remove the cylinder head. Be sure to not skimp on a cheap head gasket. I did so on my wife's Prelude. I opted for a $20 "something'ish" which gave out within a couple hundred miles. I'll pony up for the $70 OEM gasket next time. Darn. Removing the timing belt completely slipped my mind! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCgabel Posted September 8, 2013 Author Share Posted September 8, 2013 You're pretty much there. Now you just have to remove the head bolts. Do you have the service manual? There is a link in the garage. No you do not have to remove the engine. I have a haynes rebuild manual. Ive been stepping through it for torque specs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devonianwalk Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 While the Hayne's manuals are helpful, nothing beats the factory service manuals that the Nissan mechanics use. Adam is pointing you in the right direction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCgabel Posted September 8, 2013 Author Share Posted September 8, 2013 Have you already removed the TB? If so, you just need to remove the head bolts to remove the cylinder head. Be sure to not skimp on a cheap head gasket. I did so on my wife's Prelude. I opted for a $20 "something'ish" which gave out within a couple hundred miles. I'll pony up for the $70 OEM gasket next time. No. TB is still on. Ive been putting it off because i just replaced th TB, water pump, accessory belts, the whoel works literally three months ago, hahah but i know it needs to come off. After everythings off do i have to pull the Cam apart? I have a new seal for it in my shop, might be worth replacing if im in there anyways? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devonianwalk Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 Yeah, the cams have to come off to remove the cylinder head(s). This is a good time to replace all of the gaskets, seals, etc. I'm still dragging my feet to replace the gasket on my wifes Honda. I can do the whole job in seven hours or so but, I just don't feel like doing it. She has been driving my Pathy (Vajayjay) as the DD while I sport around in my sexy Miata. Guess I'll have to "bite the bullet" soon as she keeps nagging about wanting "her" car back .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 Download the FSM here. To save a copy of the FSM, right click -> Save As on every PDF, save them into a single folder, then use fwd.pdf to navigate. You'll want to view the EM section for torque specs. For the most part, the FSM is better than the Chilton's/Hayne's manuals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 You should cover or plug the intake holes with masking tape or wadded up shop rags or something to prevent gunk (or tools) from falling in while you're working on the head. It'd be a pain to get a bolt or something out of there, and a bigger pain if you didn't notice it went in until you hit the key. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCgabel Posted September 8, 2013 Author Share Posted September 8, 2013 Thanks for the PDF, I appreciate all the help. so far ive been ragging all cavities and masking wires so i dont get them mixed up. ill keep posting as i go. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linewar Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Geez, man. If you come up with any ideas as to what caused such a random catastrophic failure, I'd love to hear it. I have never heard of a head gasket blowing while the vehicle sits in a garage. (I know that's not what happened, but it still seems like if that had happened while driving , you would have noticed it. Maybe an irresponsible party started it and revved it while it was parked and you were not looking, and blew the gasket?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCgabel Posted September 17, 2013 Author Share Posted September 17, 2013 Geez, man. If you come up with any ideas as to what caused such a random catastrophic failure, I'd love to hear it. I have never heard of a head gasket blowing while the vehicle sits in a garage. (I know that's not what happened, but it still seems like if that had happened while driving , you would have noticed it. Maybe an irresponsible party started it and revved it while it was parked and you were not looking, and blew the gasket?) Hey man, i dont see or know everything. but like i said i drove it once a every two weeks or so and was fine i let it sit and came in one morning to see all the oil spilled over the floor. Im just seeking help and ideas here. As for your theory, It is possible but not very probable. my keys r locked up in my tool chest most of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCgabel Posted September 17, 2013 Author Share Posted September 17, 2013 So far everything is going good. But im having a hard time getting the lower intake plenum off. its stuck on one of the pins that fasten it to the valve heads. Cant seem to get it to come off nicely and i dont want to force it and end up breaking or damaging something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebelord Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 (edited) Wack it good with a rubber mallet from the front and sides a few times to try to knock it loose. *Tip* When putting it back together, put a dab of anti seize on those pins. Any any other parts where dissimilar metal touches with no gasket. Also, while your knee deep in there. Replace your Fuel Pressure Regulator, and all those fun lil vacuum lines and coolant hoses that live under the intake and on the back side of the engine. Knock sensor too, your there. Edited September 18, 2013 by Rebelord Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCgabel Posted September 19, 2013 Author Share Posted September 19, 2013 (edited) Okay I cannot get this lower intake plenum off. ive tried for two nights now tapping and pulling. im starting to lose my patience now. i swear im missing something like a hose disconnect. its lose and i have almost half an inch of space inbetween the plenum and the valve heads. What the heck am i doing wrong?? it wiggles freely but i cannot pull it up and off.. Edited September 19, 2013 by DCgabel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCgabel Posted September 20, 2013 Author Share Posted September 20, 2013 Okay finally got it off. the rear pass. side bolt was seized on so i PB blasted and pried it off usuing a veriety of tools. How many bolts to get the heat shield off the exhaust header? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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