What would you do about this leaky engine
 

95 Max with an automatic. The engine started leaky some time ago. After chasing it my mechanic finally pinpointed it. Unfortunately it was the junction of the timing cover and upper oil pan. Combined time of like 19 hours. They know the Max pretty well and said that an upper pan they pull the motor even though it can be done in car. If we were to do the TC then we do the tensioner while working on it. At 205,000 I'm not overly worried about the bottom end holding up but by time I pay for all of the labor it's getting close to the value of the car.

Power steering is whining, torn CV boots. Suspension is squeaking as it gets cold. Minor rust in the rockers (not the radiator support).

If I could do the work myself it's a different story but would you guys agree it's time to pass it on. Problem would be finding someone to buy this one knowing it's issues. Not really in a position to go car shopping but this leak is getting pretty strong. Mechanic points out a JY engine could have same issues and I already paid for water pump on this one last year.

Come on guys, pretend like it's your Max. The leak is getting bad enough you have to figure out what to do about it.

1. Sink the money into the labor
2. Junk yard engine
3. Sell it and find another Nissan

I know it's ultimately on me but you guys usually have more of an opinion than that.

sounds like you let poor maxy get all fuked up and did'nt keep up with the maintenence. i fixed alot of the problems you are having now, but 1 at a time as they sprang up. can't let $hit stay broken forever, otherwise you get to the point of no return like where you are, gl.

Pull the motor to do the upper pan? I don't think so...
It's a 6 hour job up on a lift. Been there done that to my buddies I30.
Replace the Axles while i'ts up and turn up and radio when your done.

Actually I worked on it as much as possible, money permitting. Rust was there when we bought it at 160k. Axels won't get done unless they make noise, since they are already split. I'm just looking for opinions on the engine, since the leak is at such a critical area. Oil has always been changed on time. I did the valve cover. Did the water pump and radiator as they needed done.

I read on here that the upper pan can be done in the car but I do trust these guys. He was reading me his hours out of the book. They only charge by the book regardless of how long it takes, good or bad. TC was 10 hrs, upper pan was 8 I think.

And they will shortly... The passenger side must be removed to do the upper oil pan. If they remove the engine, both come out. Why not change them or better yet reboot them while they're already out? Makes no sense at all to ignore it.

So there going to charge you book time to R&R the engine and book time to fix the upper oil pan leak? Or are they only going to charge you book time for the upper pan and R&R the engine for free??? :confused:

Makes no sense at all. Do yourself a favor and find another mechanic.

If the work gets done then no, I wouldn't put an axle with a torn boot back in. I haven't asked them to quote up the entire job. The day they pinpointed the leak he grabbed the book and told me the times for those two items to get me a starting place. Said if your doing the timing cover you'll of course do the chain tensioner. If your doing that you have to lock down the cams so has to include valve covers.

I was curious when he said pull the motor to do the upper pan but he said that's the way they do it and he was telling me book time. All three guys in the shop talk to me freely. They let me watch. They have done so much diagnosing for me for free. They know I have a good idea of what goes into the procedures and I don't bring things to them unless I can't do it myself. When I do bring something in, they do it how they do it and he always looks up the time when he rings me up. There is no way I'm going to find a new mechanic when even the guys at the tire shop yank me around. These guys are legit, regardless of what it sounds like.

Ignore my personal situation. If your Max was leaking at the timing chain cover and the upper pan, and you couldn't do the work yourself, what would you do?

the oil leak is not really a huge issue although it is annoying. I would fix the axels first and then go at the oil leak.

Good shops wont charge you twice for a redundant step. For example, a typical waterpump requires removing and replacing the timing belt, but they don't charge for both because it's one in the same.

The oil leak was annoying, now it is becoming a problem. I can't justify new axles if the car is not going to be kept. If the engine work gets done the axles will definitely be rebooted or replaced.

I wouldn't expect to be charged for redundant steps, I guess I need to ask for a formal quote that he will write up. Then he will have to decide what to cut out for overlapping book time. However doing a water pump only requires slacking the timing chain on this engine. The engineers knew better than making removal part of this water pump.

I was referring to timing BELT driven pumps.

Sorry, not trying to jump to conclusions about what you do and do not know.

I know the steps involved in the work that needs done. I trust the shop and would know if they were overcharging. I was just looking for some opinions about being worth it or not. I have seen people say "walk away" or "I would do it" on here before. Looking for a couple of those.

walk away i would do it

I would do it in frame myself. If your looking at spending $1200+ on a rusty car, walk away.

souds like your mechanic is giving you sound advice, I think some of the guys responding misread your post. Anyways, I would not spend over $1k into and engine with over 200k miles. I would probably get another car with a lot less problems. But if you intend to keep the car, get a used motor.

Really for $1000 you could get a motor with wayyyyy less miles an be done with it. That's the route I would go IMO

my question to you shell is, is the car in allright shape or do you need a $hitload of tlc to get everything back together/cleaned up? i mean, my timing cover has leaked for years and its never been that bad.:fingersx: i did my axles over a year ago, but it was the original and had 211,000 on it. both boots were busted open and never made a noise until one day the drivers side just quit on me and i went to accelerate and it sounded like a box of hammers when i hit the gas. so, i guess im sayin if she's running ok i'd fix the axle first. buy the OEM axle seals cause they wont leak. im at almost 240,000 and still running strong, so to me 160,000 is worth fixing. these motors are made to last, don't freak out every time you see a leak, just make sure the oil is topped off and add a little bg moa additive ( dealer has it ) it helps condition the seals and keep the viscosity of the oil from breaking down preventing engine wear. pics of your engine bay would be appreciated, just want to see what we're dealing with. gl

Might as well do a complete overhaul and you got yourself a car for another 15 years. :flower:

Do you plan to do the work yourself? That will be the cheapest option. You can probably drop the cross member, drop the lower oil pan and then the upper oil pan. If you plan to have the shop fix all the issues, I am sorry to say it, but you are screwed. Sell the car for 500 or whatever you can get out of it and look for another car.

At 205 and all of that work, I'd say get yourself a 4th gen i30 for $2000; check out ebay!

i just purchase a 4th gen real basket case, but iam in the process of bringing it back to life. motor torn down in the garage. bout to get this engine stand and slap this **** back together and roll.

get a manual for the timing and do it. its not hard.

What he is saying ^^. This car can be worked on, but it all depends on the mechanic and the money situations. I would personally work on these cars there great and reliable.

That is a false statement as I have done mine without removing any suspension components.

As for the OP, its all about how your funds are and how determined you are to keep the car. I took that into consideration and it has paid off.

Thanks for the replies. That's about what I expected. If I could do the work this would be a no brainer but I have no shop and this is not a job I would want to do outside. Not to mention I could likely get through it but know this is a bit much to handle. Knowing how things go wrong, I can't get stumped with the bottom and front of the engine torn off. Even though this engine is clean (no sludge under the VC) it makes no sense to pay to have it resealed. JY engine would work but quick search shows most of them in the 160k range which puts it right back at possibly leaking and needing a water pump. Will have to price engines locally and see how that adds up.

Truth is this is the wife's car and we are separated. Wouldn't be my problem but she has the kids half the time so if the car dies, it's REALLY my problem. I loved working on the Max and I miss it but this will be her call. If it were still mine I would keep it but she probably will not.

At nearly 280K, I would not hesitate to reseal my engine (doing the work myself). A 160K VQ is barely broken in LoL. 160K wrecking yard engine, reseal on an engine stand, drop in over the weekend, and done.

I would suggest keeping the car and fixing it because really how do you know that the next car you buy won't have the same issues within the first year? Drop the engine, overhaul your motor, tune it up, put it back in, and drive it (better to learn how to do an overhaul on this car, then get a whole new car and still probably have to do an overhaul but this time on a car you know nothing about). I had a oil leak on my 2001 SE and it turned out to be the washer on the drain bolt was damaged and the guy at the oil change place just gave me a new one (they are like 25 cents at hardware stores) those washers. It fixed it so make sure that its not something simple like that. If I were you though I would fix all of the problems and just keep the car until you can get something really nice like a 2013 Maxima.

I am in similar situation. I was finishing school and planned on buying newer car once I got a job. Now I have a 96 GLE with 246K leaks all over. I was at a u-pull it, engine $200 tranny $85, harness $50, and ecu $28. It was a 5th gen car. Cheapest engine I could find elsewhere was $500 for a 4th gen.

3.5 swap take your timing case with chains and oil pans from ur 3.0 and u got a brand new car and faster if u want or sell.i had leaks its alot of money to fix if its coming from two places.Most likely u might need to reseal the whole engine it happened to me.I had leaks from the valve covers fix it.then leaks from the bottom fixed it,then leaks from the timming cases gave up 3.5 swap.should ve done it from the begening but didnt now how until i met the org.

So, how many miles can you drive before you need to add a quart of oil? Can you drive till the gas tank is empty before you need to add a quart? 200 miles? That would be managable. Quarts of oil are more affordable for a while than the kind of money it would take to fix it right.

Older cars get tempramental. Sometimes knowing "what they want" of "feeding their habit" can keep a car on the road for months or even years. Fixing things right would cost more than the value of the car.

Then there is mickey mouse repairs or N----r rigging. If there is no oil pressure at the area in question I would get the area REALLY clean, then apply a thick coat of Permatex or RTV. Then I would wait over night. If the leak stops or leaks less, just call it good. Do monitor your oil levels frequently for a while.

In the old days, car engines did not last as long as they do now. Amazing things can be done with Permatex or RTV on the outside of a leak. Yes, this can be a permanent fix.

Given your situation and that you can't fix it yourself, and that it is for your ex, I say trade it in and get something newer with less miles.

Give Auto-RX a try. Follow the directions to a "T." This may or may not recondition your seals. Use only conventional, non-synthetic, non-high mileage oil with this additive.

After you are done with this and if the problem isn't solved try a High Mileage Oil. Perhaps the additives can swell the seals some and slow the leak a bit.

These are things I would do before pouring a lot of money into it.

Never in a million years would I swap out a leaky 4th gen for a 2013 maxima. Call me crazy but they dont make cars like they used to, Nissan included.

Spartuss, the 'seal' that is leaking here is not the kind of seal that seal conditioners in the oil can help. Seal conditioners can help seals such as those at the ends of the crankshaft. But the timing cover seal is more like a very long bead of RTV.

To the OP, if I had this problem and were not willing and able to do the work myself then I'd conclude it's time to move on from this vehicle.

Has anyone else realized yet that the only "junction" between the Timing covers and the upper oil pan can be accessed without removing the timing covers. Get the upper pan resealed and obviously change the half moon gaskets. Done.

wow I'm at 267,420 miles with not a single drop of oil lost in 5k miles. other 95 max had 290 and it never leaked neither! i honestly think it has to do with the type of oil you run. if u run cheap oil prolly gaskets dry out n crack faster.


and only gasket i had to change was my valve cover gaskets at 255xxx and they were barely leakin.