[jarhead]

O-k all, you are my one and only for Altima advice. You have helped me in the past, and I ask once again.

On the way to work, I was doing 60 on I-75 and the beloved Alty began to shudder, so I let off the gas. I pressed down on the gas, and it shuddered more, and white smoke began to blow out the exhaust. I moved over, got it towed, and now it awaits my attention.

I beleive I may have blown the head gasket, or the head itself. If the head itself is cracked, what would a new head cost?

What would be the cost for a gasket kit?

What things should I beware of as I do this thing?

Should I replace any other parts while the head is dissassembled?

I appreciate your help.

-Jarhead

 

[white95]

If it's just the head gasket, you can buy a head gasket im sure for under $20 at a parts store. And the guy there should hook you up with the correct gasket glue and what not. When you take off the head be CAREFUL! dont loose any bolts or anything like that! it would also be a good way of seeing how clean ur motor is i guess. Other then that, replace it, and drive.

 

[Sassan]

bye bye head gasket....I dunno how much a new head is, but it is NOT cheap.......you may be better off just getting a used engine

 

[SuprStyl]

Pull your dipstick and look at it. If you have that "milk shake" look (anti-freeze and oil) it could be the head or the gasket. My car made white smoke when i put a hole in the piston... but there was also oil coming out the exhaust pipe. Its possible since the head is aluminum and the block is iron that if you do lots of short distances you warped the head (heat growth issues). I dont think it happens very often on altimas (or KA's) but its still possible. How many miles do you have on the car? Also, for the average "joe" just replacing the head gasket (if it is that) is cheaper than swaping out for a low milage KA. If you dont have "connections" or know your way around the engine bay with a wrench too well its better to get a mechanic's opinon... then post it here and most of the people here will tell you if he is screwing with your pocket book or not. If the smoke was coming out of something other than the exhaust it could be the trans (or a really really weak clutch)... but it wasnt. What was your temp. levels at when you were driving?

 

[THE CHOSEN ONE]

i highly doubt you cracked or warped the head. check your coolant and see if its a choclate milk color. Also check it for bubbling when the car's off and check under the oil cap for a choclate milk color.

Other than that you could have busted your rings, tapped a valve or something more serious. Dont plan on changing your head gasket by yourself. And it wont be 20$ (more like 80 @ nissan)

 

[topnotch till i die]

u can get a used head for 225 from www.autogator.com

 

[NYCAlty]

Last Winter about this time...My alty did the same thing...but recently this year when winter was setting in, it happened again. When it gets warmer the car seems ok. Think it's a season thing??

 

[white95]

i highly doubt you cracked or warped the head. check your coolant and see if its a choclate milk color. Also check it for bubbling when the car's off and check under the oil cap for a choclate milk color.

Other than that you could have busted your rings, tapped a valve or something more serious. Dont plan on changing your head gasket by yourself. And it wont be 20$ (more like 80 @ nissan)

wake up dude i said $20 at a parts place not the dealership, ofcourse a dealer is going to charge higher

 

[jarhead]

Ok, here is the skinny...
O-k, now I checked a few things, here is what I found:

There is NO oil in the Coolant.

There is NO coolant in the oil.

It still shudders and blows white smoke out the exhaust, and when you hit the gas, it bogs down almost to a stall.

I have not torn into the engine yet, I will on Monday. My mechanic friend seems to lean toward a possible CRACKED CYLINDER. For a cylinder head, I'm looking at about $600. I'm gonna do this myself, I ain't too rich.

But, being I got till Monday, I'm still open for suggestions.

Also, when this first happened, the temp gauge was NORMAL, the oil level light was NOT on. All gauges checked out good.

A new engine?

My car blue-books at $2300.

A new engine is $2100.

No dice.

I live in Mich, the oldest Alty I found was $8000 for a 97.
If my Alty won't be resurrected, I will be very sad. This is my most favorite car....

Snif...

 

[Bud Lite]

2 words.......... JUNK YARD.

 

[Rza]

yea yet another late reply

maybe you could have oil overfill, it happened to me once, the car just wouldn't repond. It kept on shooting out white smoke, because the excess oil was getting burned at the top. Check your oil level, and of its too much remove sum.

Raul

 

[RGAZ]

Dude, just pull the head and you will have your answer. You could have a blow headgasket and not get oil and coolant mixing. Don't drive it this way or you will crack the head. If you don't want to pull the head then at least see which cylinder is the culprit by doing a compression check. The comp check will either show o psi or over 200 if water is present.

Do the comp check and you will know.

Randy

 

[jarhead]

O-k, did a compression check, it came out normal.

However, compression check on the fule lines showed no pressure. Gonna pull dist cap and put it to an Ohm meter, timing seems off and realized as well that the firing is irregular.

Turns out to not be an engine problem.

Thanks,

on the road to recovery.

-Jarhead

 

[orion]

2 words.......... JUNK YARD.

lol

 

[jarhead]

I'm glad Bud lite isn't my mechanic.