[Matt93SE]

If this is a common problem, just tell me to go FAQ myself, but I didn't see it in the whimpy 30 second search I did..

anyway, my GF has a '97 Alty.. 58k miles. 61 months old, so nissan refuses to touch it. (then again, SHE took it in. I have a feeling the story would be different if I walked in with her keys and a baseball bat.

But the problem is a coolant leak on the back, top, right (passenger) corner of the engine. basically straight above the oil filter...
Looks like it's around the coolant temp sensor, but I'm just throwing out guesses here.. I can't stick any small mirrors in there to pinpoint the leak, and I don't have time (or the desire) to tear down the whole thing to find out what it is.

Don't think it'd be a freeze plug or water pump due to the location (both are common on VE and VG engine Maximas)


So is this a common problem, or did she just get a Lemon? (I vote on the Lemon part. I've had TWO 93 Maximas that have never had the plethora of stupid problems her Alty has. flashing dash lights, blown 3 O2 sensors, fouled plugs, plug wires, distributor cap, etc etc)..

If anyone's got some ideas, please let me know. I don't mind working on cars (and have more than enough brains and tools to do it), but I hate tracing down crap like this.

Thanks for any input!

 

[flarearrow]

sorry, don't know. but i'll help you bump this up.

 

[Biohamhock]

I'm having the same damn problem right now, i have tried looking for the leak but no luck, i might get it up on stands and do a more through check soon

 

[white95]

But the problem is a coolant leak on the back, top, right (passenger) corner of the engine. basically straight above the oil filter...

might be a blown head gasket

 

[jvh78]

water pump, make sure you check the water pump

 

[Matt93SE]

I would highly doubt it's the head gasket simply because the car's completely stock and never been driven hard.. It's never run dry on coolant or oil, so shouldn't ever have had any overheating problems. unless some freak of nature backfire caused the head gasket to blow, it should easily last over 100k miles..
BUT weird things can always happen..
I'll check compression this weekend and see what happens.


The leak isn't anywhere near the water pump.

 

[Nai8o5]

i don't know, i drove my alty (95) too hard and burned all the coolant, without me checking up on it, stupidly, and ended up blowing the head gasket and cracking the radiator, after two weeks in the shop i had a new radiator, head gasket and full valve-stem job, and 2G's in debt, bastards! for the next month it kept dripping coolant after i drove it, they "fixed" it, loose hose clamp, but still leaked, fixed it again, for reals this time, needed a new hose....but those were my problems.......

 

[Shiznitz]

dude i had the same problem, took it to the dealer and they said they couldnt find jack sh*t. i pointed to the coolant stains and they still didnt believe me. my problem was that when my car was not driven for 24 hours exactly. a coolant leaked occured. so i took it to my mechanic he did pressure test no leaks, then i left the car overnight and after 24 hours he saw the leaked after the pressure test there was a leak in the back. he said its a bitch to go back there cuz he would have to take parts off to get to the problem so we just used a seleant and after that no more leaks

 

[Matt93SE]

I think that's what I'm goign to end up doing on this one too... Just dump some Bar's Leaks in it and hope it goes away... in order to get to where this would be, I've got to pull the intake manifold and fuel rail if my feeble memory serves right.

On my Max, I wouldn't have a problem as I've got a polished valve cover and bigger injectors coming.. but hers wont get any new toys.. I don't want to tear it apart unless I absolutely have to.

Thanks for your input guys.

 

[Dimitrios]

about two years ago, I had a coolant leak around the thermostat intake housing; still under warranty and they fixed it (well, extended warranty)...ran like $500+ after labor when I looked at the reciept. No leaks since and I drive fairly hard (just hit 90k this weekend).

 

[Matt93SE]

Problem is the warranty expired 2 weeks ago and Nissan refuses to touch it...
and I'm not willing to shell out $500 for something they should be fixing anyway.
I'm gonna dump some Bar's Leaks in it and if it's still leaking, I'll park it on the road near a bar and hope it gets smashed.