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PITA oil leak

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Old 08-30-2005, 05:46 PM
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PITA oil leak

ok, well I've had an oil leak for a while, but recently its gotten pretty severe. I lose about a quart of oil a week. I think it's coming from my oil pan gasket, but there could be other places. I'm gonna have the stealership take a look at it on friday, but I wanted to know if there was anything else I could do or anywhere else I could take it that would be cheaper to fix it. I know the part itself don't cost too much, but uh it looks like a major PITA just to get to it. Any suggestions are appreciated....even if u tell me to get a new car, but if u tell me to do that, show me a nice condition manual car without oil leaks that's less than $2k (yea right)
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Old 08-30-2005, 05:51 PM
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The usual place the maxima leaks is the front crankshaft seal.....put a big peice of cardboard under your engine overnite and then you can get a better idea where it is leaking from....
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Old 08-30-2005, 05:53 PM
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well for the past few years my driveway has been my leak pad, and it comes out of the passenger side of the engine right about in the middle lengthwise..
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Old 08-30-2005, 06:00 PM
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Yea, It leaks exactly in the same place for me. You can see a big leak stain going down the side of the pan where its most likely coming from the front crankshaft seal, right? Anybody know if this is a DIYer/expensive?
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Old 08-30-2005, 06:03 PM
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i can prolly guarantee that it will be expensive jus cuz of the labor involved, considering i dont know enough bout cars to get in there without screwin somethin up
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Old 08-30-2005, 06:03 PM
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Originally Posted by CamryKilla
well for the past few years my driveway has been my leak pad, and it comes out of the passenger side of the engine right about in the middle lengthwise..

I would replace the crankshaft seal....Its cheap and easy to replace...And its probably the source...
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Old 08-30-2005, 06:15 PM
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i hope thats the deal.....ill have nissan look at it cuz it could be more complicated than i know. If it is that then I'm doin it myself
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Old 08-30-2005, 06:23 PM
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Originally Posted by CamryKilla
i hope thats the deal.....ill have nissan look at it cuz it could be more complicated than i know. If it is that then I'm doin it myself
What do those places usually charge just to look at it? I know the wait is quite long.
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Old 08-30-2005, 06:26 PM
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dunno what they charge.....but i know i had to set up an appointment to come in and i have to leave it with them, they shouldn't charge just to look at it cuz they charge more than enough to fix ****, but they prolly will
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Old 08-30-2005, 06:27 PM
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Originally Posted by CamryKilla
i hope thats the deal.....ill have nissan look at it cuz it could be more complicated than i know. If it is that then I'm doin it myself
Nissan is going to try to rape you any way they can ....my.02
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Old 08-30-2005, 07:32 PM
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Crankshaft seal is cake for the VE. The only tough part is the bolt on the crank pulley. That's easy with a breaker bar or impact wrench though. You pretty much just take off the 3 drive belts, unbolt the pulley and pull it off with a puller (though mine just slid off), and remove and reinstall the new seal. Takes about an hour (give it two just in case) and about 8 dollars if all you need is the seal.

If you don't know how to work on your car, there's always a good time to learn. You can literally save thousands in repair costs, and the satisfaction of fixing it yourself is borderline orgasmic.
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Old 08-30-2005, 07:33 PM
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my crankshaft seal leaked and i took it to a local repair shop, not a dealer. they had to pull the engine for the job. i ended up with a new timing belt, water pump, harmonic balancer and one axel shaft for ONLY $1200.
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Old 08-30-2005, 07:36 PM
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Originally Posted by DennisMik
my crankshaft seal leaked and i took it to a local repair shop, not a dealer. they had to pull the engine for the job. i ended up with a new timing belt, water pump, harmonic balancer and one axel shaft for ONLY $1200.

...They saw you coming...
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Old 08-30-2005, 08:42 PM
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Check Rear Head Gasket
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Old 08-30-2005, 08:55 PM
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Originally Posted by red-line-racer
Check Rear Head Gasket

Yea..headgasket check your rear



I've had too much beer...I going to bed now.... Goodnight orgers..
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Old 08-31-2005, 01:30 AM
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Open the hood: Engine backside covered with blk slick? Then TighTen the camcover screwss first.

Oil leak$ & stealership$:
Not to loose thouSands: write down at stealership what theyre allowed to do, what is not. U got too much money... = instead of repair, buy new max.
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Old 08-31-2005, 06:34 AM
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my leak was the front crankshaft seal.
new seal and a UDP made it all better

mine is also a 92 VE A/T oldest one available
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