The Nissan Club banner

What is the best brand valve cover to buy for 2005 Altima 2.5

5.1K views 11 replies 4 participants last post by  BaileyPayne  
#1 ·
Hi, I bought this car about a week ago and yesterday it started running very rough. My scanner said misfire cylinder 1. i pulled the coil and it was covered in oil.
One of my local stores has a Dorman one in stock but I have read lots of bad reviews about them. For $20 more I can order a Nissan valve cover. What brands do you guys recommend? This car only has 73K and i plan on keeping it long term.
Thanks
Charrie
 
#3 ·
Thank's amc49 , I just guessed that the black Nissan one on there now is plastic and had read that the tube seals are made into the plastic. I would love to just repair it if possible. Is there a metal valve cover that will fit the 2005 2.5?

Thank You
Charrie
 
#7 ·
Thanks for the reply amc49
The cover is plastic and I could not find a metal one for a 2005 2.5 Altima. I ordered a new one from Nissan along with a valve cover gasket. I should have ordered a PCV valve also but forgot. Perhaps I can clean the old one? I know folks used to do that yeas ago.
I cant think of anything else I might need when replacing the valve cover?

Thank You
Charrie
 
#8 ·
Thanks for the reply amc49
The cover is plastic and I could not find a metal one for a 2005 2.5 Altima. I ordered a new one from Nissan along with a valve cover gasket. I should have ordered a PCV valve also but forgot. Perhaps I can clean the old one? I know folks used to do that yeas ago.
I cant think of anything else I might need when replacing the valve cover?

Thank You
Charrie
OEM IS BEST! New Valve cover will come with PCV Valve...just make sure hoses arent hard/cracked or just replace

Aftermarket ones are garbage now...use to last a few years just had 2 that failed in a just a few months with leak into cylinder 1
 
#9 ·
Thanks for the reply foreverfalcon40
The new one from Nissan (took a bit more time then they said) should be here tomorrow. I made a 225 mile trip with it like it is and it did great. Before I left I pulled the coil and there was very little oil in the tube but I cleaned it out anyway. Once I got to my destination, I checked and it only had a little bit of oil at the bottom of the spark plug. Following advice I found on this forum I cleaned everything with a little brake clean on a rag and then put a good bit of dielectric grease up inside the tube to prevent oil from seeping up inside it so fast. Seems to be working for now. Will be changing the cover this weekend so I wont have to worry about it.

Question! I have seen several people mention oil leaking into the cylinder and wanted to clarify. When you say "cylinder", you mean cylinder tube, correct? This is my first experience doing work on an engine with the plugs down inside the valve cover. I have read posts where folks say oil on top of the piston. how can the oil get on top of the piston if the leak is the tube seal? On an older engine I know of no way for the oil to pass by the spark plug.

Thanks
Charrie

PS will be replacing the radiator soon I think. It appears to be leaking around the seal where the plastic top is clamped on. Guess the best radiator would also be one from Nissan? I see the after market ones run as low as $50 and a Nissan one is $125. I have read lots of bad reviews about after market ones just like the valve cover.
 
#10 ·
Thought I would update this thread instead of leaving it open.
The valve cover arrived from Nissan and I installed it on the first. There are plenty great videos out there on how to do this so I wont go into detail but will mention one issued I had. The rubber gasket comes folded up in a small plastic bag. When pressing the gasket into the groove in the valve cover, there was a place that kept wanting to squeeze back out within a couple of minutes. I had fit the gasket to the valve cover the day before so I left the gasket in place and laid the valve cover flat on the table overnight which in my case solved the issue with the gasket wanting to come back out.
So far I have driven around 200 miles and there are no exterior leaks and I haven't pulled the coils to check the tubes.
Thanks for the advice.
 
#12 · (Edited)
Hi, I bought this car about a week ago and yesterday it started running very rough. My scanner said misfire cylinder 1. i pulled the coil and it was covered in oil.
One of my local stores has a Dorman one in stock but I have read lots of bad reviews about them. For $20 more I can order a Nissan valve cover. What brands do you guys recommend? This car only has 73K and i plan on keeping it long term.
Thanks
Charrie
If a metal cover keep it and reuse it.