Need some quick answers
03-14-2014, 10:12 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 94
Need some quick answers
Hey guys, read here for a little background on my issues: http://forums.maxima.org/4th-generat...ve-my-max.html
Or just read on for my new symptoms. Tomorrow is my only day to work on the car until next weekend so I'm kinda in a hurry. I fear I assumed blown head gasket and that isn't the issue.
I have a little oil on my spark plugs. I have some white smoke. The car drinks oil. The valves seem to be making excess noise. It sounds like a ticking, like a card in a bike tire. The pintle caps are broken on 5/6 fuel injectors. Performance of the car is poor, but not undrivable. The car has never once ran hot.
My oil seems fine. I can't see or smell coolant in it, or on my radiator cap. I guess my question is, would the infamous valve cover issue cause these symptoms? Other than the pintle caps of course. Also, is the "valve cover" the rocker cover?
Also what's the deal with these pintle caps? It seems like the Internet is conflicted on what exactly these do. So say they aren't required, and others say they control the spray.
Also, I have oil all over my power steering pump. Where might I be leaking oil from that would get oil here?
What do you think of my problem?
Or just read on for my new symptoms. Tomorrow is my only day to work on the car until next weekend so I'm kinda in a hurry. I fear I assumed blown head gasket and that isn't the issue.
I have a little oil on my spark plugs. I have some white smoke. The car drinks oil. The valves seem to be making excess noise. It sounds like a ticking, like a card in a bike tire. The pintle caps are broken on 5/6 fuel injectors. Performance of the car is poor, but not undrivable. The car has never once ran hot.
My oil seems fine. I can't see or smell coolant in it, or on my radiator cap. I guess my question is, would the infamous valve cover issue cause these symptoms? Other than the pintle caps of course. Also, is the "valve cover" the rocker cover?
Also what's the deal with these pintle caps? It seems like the Internet is conflicted on what exactly these do. So say they aren't required, and others say they control the spray.
Also, I have oil all over my power steering pump. Where might I be leaking oil from that would get oil here?
What do you think of my problem?
03-14-2014, 10:50 PM
#2
The engine does like to leak oil from the bank one valve cover. And yes, the valve cover is also known as the rocker cover. But since the engine is overhead cam and doesn't have rocker arms, I suppose that's why is gets called a valve cover.
Bank one is the side by the firewall and the valve cover leaks where it meets the back side of the timing chain cover. This also happens to be right over the power steering pump so it is very possible that you have engine oil coating the power steering pump.
If the valve cover is leaking bad enough, you will be losing oil to make you wonder. But if it is leaking really bad, the underside of the car on that side will be pretty oil soaked.
Bank one is the side by the firewall and the valve cover leaks where it meets the back side of the timing chain cover. This also happens to be right over the power steering pump so it is very possible that you have engine oil coating the power steering pump.
If the valve cover is leaking bad enough, you will be losing oil to make you wonder. But if it is leaking really bad, the underside of the car on that side will be pretty oil soaked.
03-14-2014, 10:57 PM
#3
Hey guys, read here for a little background on my issues: http://forums.maxima.org/4th-generat...ve-my-max.html
Or just read on for my new symptoms. Tomorrow is my only day to work on the car until next weekend so I'm kinda in a hurry. I fear I assumed blown head gasket and that isn't the issue.
I have a little oil on my spark plugs. I have some white smoke. The car drinks oil. The valves seem to be making excess noise. It sounds like a ticking, like a card in a bike tire. The pintle caps are broken on 5/6 fuel injectors. Performance of the car is poor, but not undrivable. The car has never once ran hot.
My oil seems fine. I can't see or smell coolant in it, or on my radiator cap. I guess my question is, would the infamous valve cover issue cause these symptoms? Other than the pintle caps of course. Also, is the "valve cover" the rocker cover?
Also what's the deal with these pintle caps? It seems like the Internet is conflicted on what exactly these do. So say they aren't required, and others say they control the spray.
Also, I have oil all over my power steering pump. Where might I be leaking oil from that would get oil here?
What do you think of my problem?
Or just read on for my new symptoms. Tomorrow is my only day to work on the car until next weekend so I'm kinda in a hurry. I fear I assumed blown head gasket and that isn't the issue.
I have a little oil on my spark plugs. I have some white smoke. The car drinks oil. The valves seem to be making excess noise. It sounds like a ticking, like a card in a bike tire. The pintle caps are broken on 5/6 fuel injectors. Performance of the car is poor, but not undrivable. The car has never once ran hot.
My oil seems fine. I can't see or smell coolant in it, or on my radiator cap. I guess my question is, would the infamous valve cover issue cause these symptoms? Other than the pintle caps of course. Also, is the "valve cover" the rocker cover?
Also what's the deal with these pintle caps? It seems like the Internet is conflicted on what exactly these do. So say they aren't required, and others say they control the spray.
Also, I have oil all over my power steering pump. Where might I be leaking oil from that would get oil here?
What do you think of my problem?
On our cars, the pintle caps do not control the spray. They simply hold and ensure that the lower o-ring doesn't get pushed off the injector due to the pressure at the fuel rail/injector. You can buy new pintle caps off of ebay, or pintle caps and new o-rings sets, or even new pintle caps, o-rings and filter screens as a set.
I'm currently battling a white smoke issue myself (see my thread). I sent in my injectors for servicing and 2 of my injectors were leaking under pressure (my pintle caps were in really bad shape too). Now, I'm putting my Max back together and should be done in the next day or two. I'll let you know my outcome.
03-15-2014, 07:46 AM
#4
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 94
Okay, here's what I'm thinking. I think the drivability issues are coming from bad injectors. I think the oil consumption is coming from a leaky valve cover. And I think the white smoke may be coming from a bad water pump.
What do you think?
What do you think?
03-15-2014, 08:00 AM
#5
Sounds good. Now one by one get the issues fixed and it should get better. However, I personally would do a compression test first due to the smoke output. Rent a tester from the auto parts store. If the compression is shot then your options are narrowed. It wouldn't make sense to do all that work and the motor is actually shot.
03-15-2014, 09:33 AM
#6
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 94
Sounds good. Now one by one get the issues fixed and it should get better. However, I personally would do a compression test first due to the smoke output. Rent a tester from the auto parts store. If the compression is shot then your options are narrowed. It wouldn't make sense to do all that work and the motor is actually shot.
Y'all might hate me, but I'm gonna order 6 injectors from eBay, and a water pump from Advanced Auto. I'll replace every gasket I can as well as the injectors and water pump. I should have all that done by next weekend. I'll update y'all then.
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