max ride 41

iTrader: (4)

so i've been watching this going on for years and it's slowly getting worse. i see liquid coming out of the exhaust and i took a paper towel and wiped it out and it's green.

i can smell it, i notice ant-freeze is disappearing and thought it was a leak but now think head gasket it slowly getting ready to go.

258,000 on the vq, no money for a rebuild. might do a replacement engine in spring, what should i do for now?

fluid is fresh and i'm topping it off in the morning. thanks

Fakie J Farkerton

iTrader: (51)

Prayer works for some people, but there isn't anything special you can do other than try to keep it full of fluid.

Sorry mang.

chrome91

iTrader: (1)

sounds like blown HG or something of the nature. if you want to swap engines just keep a gallon of coolant with you at all times and drive it til it dies then swap engines

ShocknAwe

iTrader: (3)

not a good thing

clive

As a temporary measure put a couple of packets of radiator sealant into the system.

Fakie J Farkerton

iTrader: (51)

Isn't that bad for the heater core?

Aflion

iTrader: (1)

I've never had a problem with the tablet stop leaks. I've used them before and it worked great, nothing clogged. Just dont put too much in. I assume other people have had luck with the tablets too, as I've seen them in the Nissan dealership I work at back in the parts department, and the packet was opened and used. I trust that one. But I used it for a leaking water pump, not a blown head gasket, so Im not sure if it would work or not.


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98maxaholic

Ya i agree u havent got many options...ive seen people take a shot with stop leak and a couple yrs later they are still runnin...

Slamrod

iTrader: (11)

To my understanding, a blown head gasket is pretty much a death sentence for the engine. Its fixable but it would be far easier to simply get another maxima. Unless you plan on fixing it yourself and have the time/resources to do so, i wouldnt worry abouy termporary measures harming other elements of the car as it soon wont run anyways.

Just my 2 cents.

max ride 41

iTrader: (4)

dude, it's been leaking for 2-3 years out of the exhaust. maybe longer, i would no sooner quit on my max for a high mileage engine than i would on a slipping trans. i top off the overflow tank and it takes 4 months or longer for it to lower 3 to 4 inches, i topped it off today, i think i'll just continue on that path until i put a new block in and just keep my eyes on the level.

max ride 41

iTrader: (4)

would the water pump leaking internally cause the anti-freeze to leak out the exhaust as well?? that's original to the engine and i've seen the weep hole leaking on cold days but very seldom.

Maxima_Joe

iTrader: (384)

I would bet money your head gasket is fine.
Your probably just seeing condensation out the exhaust. It might appear a greenish color due to the carbon in the exhaust. If it was indeed coolant it would be burning off in the hot exhaust and producing white smoke. Head gaskets or cracked heads isn't something that gets worse. It's either blown or cracked or it's not. If that were the case you would be having an overheating condition as well.

With your last post I can gaurentee it's your water pump leaking. It's hard to tell when there leaking since a lot of time they only leak when the engine is cooling down. They seem to last to around 200k.

If I were in your shoes I would replace the water pump.


your water pump is leaking and that's the cause of your missing coolant.

max ride 41

iTrader: (4)

thanks joe, i was told in order to do the water pump i should do the whole timing chain water pump, tensioner, etc. job and that aint going to be cheap. i think if they pull apart the timing cover stuff's going to break/fall apart cause of the miles and age. that's my biggest concern which is why i hesitate to do it. any insight to doing just the water pump?? or should i just wait and keep my eye's on it. thanks

Aflion

iTrader: (1)

Depends on what year Maxima you have. The earlier model had the tensioner issue, but they fixed it in the later models. i forgot the exact year, but im also pretty sure it was a recall. If it isn't making a bad rattling noise, I wouldn't bother with timing stuff, just do the pump. And if you're wanting to swap the engine at a later point, that few hundred dollars for the timing kit could go towards the swap instead.


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Aflion

iTrader: (1)

Of course, if you really dont want to deal with it, and your pump isnt leaking that bad, you could try using that stop leak tablet. It worked great for me. Lasted 2 years before it started to leak again, and never had a problem with my heater core clogging. If its still back in the parts counter, ill take a picture so you know the exact one, if you want. But it's a brown circle. Comes in a pack of 4, iirc.


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Maxima_Joe

iTrader: (384)

97 they went with an updated tensioner and guide. To replace the guide the timing cover needs to be removed. You can use an updated tensioner with the outdated 95-96 guide it just doesn't line up perfectly.

Unless your tensioner is rattling I wouldn't bother with it and just do a pump replacement.

max ride 41

iTrader: (4)

been rattling since 129,000 and i'm at 258,000 now. i was also told that when they start taking it apart that those sprockets inside might not be re-useable and i hear a noise like the balancer or crank pulley on the outside need replacing too. i wish i had a trust-worthy local mechanic to help me out with this, my mechanic doesn't want to touch this and i can't afford what the dealer wants to rebuild the vq.

Max_Gator

I'd simply keep topping it off. You will KNOW when you need to replace your water pump. With both of mine, it would literally pour out the hole and there was no alternative but to fix it.

Doing the tensioner is no big deal. You have to take it out anyway to do the pump.

You don't need to do the timing chain. I've got 300k on mine and never a problem.

max ride 41

iTrader: (4)

so, which tensioners/guides should be replaced and at what mileage did you do the pump? guides, pulleys, anything else? price to do all of the above mentioned. thanks

Maxima_Joe

iTrader: (384)

The timing case doesn't need to come off to do the tensioner or water pump. Those 2 parts would be under $200 for OEM parts.