Carrera

Alldata says 13 hours to do... has anyone attempted this? Mine is leaking pretty good. Oil is all over my alternator, a/c compressor, basically all over the place. i can smell it occasionally. I know the oil is on the corner of my exhaust manifold. I have all the right tools to do it. Along with a lift and everything. ( I am a technician, used to be a infiniti tech two years ago, but no one ever wanted this job done lol ) Is it worth it is my question, ive always wanted a maxima and i want this one to last. a while, it has 136k on it. Anyone got any suggestions? one of the infinit techs told me he attempted this on a customers car and HE ended up buying her a new engine.. ( he was a nissan/infiniti tech for 10 years).. Nervous lol

pmohr

iTrader: (26)

It's not a hard job, per se, it's mostly a bunch of tedious crap.

Are you 100% sure it's the front cover? The area you speak of sounds almost like a very bad valve cover leak. Odd for it to be leaving oil so high up, on the exhaust manifold. Especially for the front cover, that doesn't really make sense.

I say just go with a 3.5 swap

How did he screw it up badly enough to need a new engine installed?

dgbear

I have a similar issue. Mine was leaking from the rear VC gasket and around the OPS... I fixed this but have another leak in the front.

Mine is leaking down between the AC compressor bracket and the upper oil pan. The oil seems to leak just above where the upper oil pan meets the engine block but I cannot see beyond this to see the source. I do not see any oil on the exhaust or alternator.

From the top I do not see any oil around the front VC. But I cannot see the area on the far left of the front VC. Is this typical for the front VC to leak from the far passenger side and drip between the AC compressor and the block... or do I have a leak from the timing cover ?

My leak seems to only occur at higher RPMs... After cleaning the area and idling quite a while... no leak. But after I drive it for a few miles it leaks like crazy.

Thanks in advance...

ImmaSquashYou

iTrader: (7)

subscribed...i've been leaking oil from the same exact place as dqbear. Its not leaking that bad. I probably have to put a quart every 2-3 months or so. No biggy. I'm just waiting for the day the valve covers start leaking and then i'm thinking either selling it off as is...or getting a 3.5 swap. Only problem for me is prepping the engine for a 3.5 swap along with the tranny and accessing a crane and lift

Carrera

I am 100% sure its the cover. its not leaking directly on top of the manifold, if it was then it would be valve covers. Ive replaced the valve cover gaskets already. Well its the corner of the exhaust manifold. Ive replaced the valve cover gaskets already. since the alternator is spinning at engine speeds it is also blowing it slightly upwards. Ive seen these covers leak all the time, on the vq30de, i30's maximas. its just a common spot for them to leak at. No one would pay the labor to have it done except a handful of people. Im going to attempt it, and while im in there im going to do the water pump, chain tensioner and a few other things.

Someone did leave their I35 here for almost 2 years now. havent called for it at all. (crank bearing went bad if i recall correctly) I was thinking I can take the engine and rebuild it or something??? heh

pmohr

iTrader: (26)

Assuming the 3.5 is free game, I'd grab it, rebuild it, and throw it in.

So how did the guy screw up a timing cover reseal?

Carrera

I will ask about the 3.5 tomorrow. Will my 96 manual trans bolt up to the 3.5?

If i remember correctly he was rushing (since he was flat-rate) to get it done and the cams jumped on him without him knowing while he was doing a tensioner i think. im not totally sure, i just remember him saying he ended up buying her an engine. So I dunno!

pmohr

iTrader: (26)

Yes, it'll bolt up just fine.