recently started noticing spots on my drive way. at first i thought it might have been power steering fluid but today the car was on the lift and got a better look. any ideas where the source of the leak might be? looks like its leaking all over my new bushings too 2000 5spd max with 149k miles

sorry for the crappy pics, only had my phone on me at the time

 

on the tranny

 

This is a classic high mileage/old vehicle valve cover or a upper oil pan gasket leak. Sometimes it is confused with a rear main seal leak but then it has been documented many times in the forum to be a valve cover/pan gasket seepage.!!!

 

interesting....i too just noticed a few days ago that my max is starting to leak. right in the area you pointed out! not as bad though but its starting to drip down and hasnt stained my driveway yet although i believe that could be next. my car had 133k on it. hopefully it's something simple as a valve cover leak.

 

you have the same problem as me.. rear valve cover gasket bad.. Im replacing mine soon..

 

thats what the mechanic told me this afternoon while i was getting my alignment done. he thought it might be a seal leak

 

is it a DIY job? any idea what it might cost for parts etc?

 

parts are cheap more or less...if you are mechanically inclined youll be all set....lots to move and unbolt to get at the rear....

 

Perfect time to do plugs also. Knock two things out in one time. Upper intake manifold has to come off anyway.

 

When it comes to common problems like leaks it is better to get the opinion of the forum rather than the mechanics. Opening up the RMS is unnecessary, it is my understanding that RMS seals are well lubricated with engine oil to fall apart. It is a big job so the mechanic can make money on labor!!!

 

Lontar: Can you take some pictures and post the step-by-step instructions to do it for the benefit of the forum DIYers? I have had the leak for many years and sucks to see the leaks all over my tranny. Thx in advance.

 

sorry, a little off-topic, but......wow, did you just restore & detail the car underbody or is that what the underbody of all florida cars look like?

Amazing the difference between southern & northern underbodies.

 

i had the similar issue on my '02 with 96k miles, oil leaked through the top back valve cover gasket for over a month and finally had my mechanic repair it this past weekend and oil got into my spark plugs so i had to change those and both of the valve covers because the spark plugs rubber holes were hardened, courtesyparts.com has the pt#13264 valve rocker for 133 each, it seem like a hassle to get to becuz of the intake manifold

 

no restoration work done. I wash my max every week and most of the time it's parked in the garage when I'm home.

 

are rear valve cover gasket and valve rocker you mentioned the same thing? I just called autozone down the street for a quick estimate and they told me $60 for the gasket (seems pricey just for a gasket IMO)

 

Yup, they are called the same. IMO, I would go OEM for the gasket, since the labor on this job is a killer. You don't want to regret getting non-OEM after spending many hours on this job. Also get the UIM gasket, once the UIM is removed the gasket has to be replaced.

 

Purchase the rear valve cover from an 04+ model as they are interchangeable, cheaper (~$40), and purportedly more robust.

Edit: how-to's: http://forums.maxima.org/5th-generat...ement-how.html

Edit Edit: don't listen to me...I thought you had a VQ35...

 

I'm going to do the rear cover on my 97 and the cheapest place I could find all the gaskets was the dealer!
.
Since Exodusz97 has a 2k, check out the procedure for a 4th gen with the VQ30 engine, nice big pictures.
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http://forums.maxima.org/4th-generat...im-w-pics.html
.

 

Edit: I see you have 3.0 haha, I guess that's some BS to the mix, but I'd leave as much connected as possible and move the UIM out of the way. Disconnecting it all is bollocks.

I don't see why everyone (mostly mechanics) quote such high labor time. You can literally replace plugs in 15 mins and the valve cover wouldn't add on much time. I don't get it. You don't have to disconnect anything except a couple vacuum lines unless you have the stock air box. I did NWP spacers and could've had it done in 30 min if I didn't clean everything and let the RTV dry.

 

Dude when was the last time u changed ur plugs? 15min is smoking pot, you cannot replace the front plugs in 15min.!!!

 

You can't take out 3 bolts and pull out 3 plugs/packs in 15 mins?

UIM folds over after taking off one coupler and the bolts that hold it down. I'm not sure why that should take all day...
I edited the post b/c the 3.0 apparently takes longer with the extra hoses, but the 3.5 is a snap. Stock air box FTL. Everything extra and useless that clutters up the bay/IM area just throw it away/bypass it.

It takes longer to find the right sockets than it does to pull the crap off haha. If you have the sockets laying there, presto.

 

to replace the spark plugs on a 3.5 u must remove the intake manifold plus more so its not going to be the usual quick 15 mins....

i replaced the rocker gasket and got both new rocker cover assy,
view the parts from the link below

http://www.courtesyparts.com/maxima-...1958_1962.html

 

 

thanks for the link rusher. Aleem: what is that I'm looking at?

 

That is the flywheel side of the crankshaft and right behind it is the rear main seal.
By the way, taking the UIM is a pain in the butt but I have it down to where I can take it off and put it back on in about an hour and 15 minutes. If the seal is bad on your upper oil pan, if it were me, I would let it leak if it's not that bad. You have to drain all your fluids, CV axles, subframe, exhaust, belts, lower oil pan, strainer, a/c compressor, alternator, and compressor mounting bracket. It's pretty much an all day affair, and I hope that you aren't partial to the skin on your hands because those heat shields are damn sharp.

 

sounds like a PITA job but I need to get it fixed. not only because it's leaking on my driveway, but it's making me paranoid lol. also the mechanic told me the oil leaking onto the bushings could ruin them over time...not sure how much of that is true

 

i thought only the 3.5s had issues with the valve cover leaking. mine is not leaking on the pavement, i can see it on the trans when i'm doing my oil changes but thats it. either way...i have to replace my clutch here soon anyway. so while i have all of that busted down i'll be doing my rear main oil seal anyway. i guess if its still leaking...and i'm unemployed, ill get the parts and take a day to do the work.