K... my 1996 Maxima apparently has 3 oil leaks:

1 - Oil Pan
2 - Power Steering
3 - Timing Cover

I've had the Oil Pan corrected, at at cost of $430.

Now, I don't want to spend $900 for the timing cover and $350 for the Power Steering pump.

Do any of these "bars leaks" type stuff work?

Leaks aren't crazy, but annoying.... about two quarter sized circles during a 12 hour park in the garage (as soaked into cardboard).

Any advice?

Thanks.

 

You could perform the work yourself.

The PS leak is probably not the pump, it's most likely a hose or something to that extent.

The timing cover is easy too, as you do now have to do anything with the mechanical side of it, jsut get in there and replace the leak, this is also possibly not the problem, as it doens't sound too common.

 

Hmmm...
I would hope that those problems aren't them, but that's how they've been diagnosed so far, and seems to collarborate stuff I've read on this forum.

But, I know as far as diagnosing car problems, 1+2= 3 but sometimes 4 or 5... or maybe not.

Anywho...

There does seem to be a problem with timing covers leaking (according to what I've read on this forum). And, the way I've read it, it's quite difficult to remove that sucker and replace it... that's why a mechanic wants to charge me $900 to replace a $13 gasket.

Anyone ever use any of those stop leaks stuff and actually have it work?

 

Your mechanic is ripping you off.

I got a quote for $600 to replace the entire timing chain all sprokets and chains, not including parts, which requires a lot more than just removing the cover.

 

I'm willing to bet its none of those.. its your rear valve cover leaking and throwing oil on the back of the engine... it happened to me. First notice the control arm was wet and thought it was from the oil pan... it wasnt.. Looked under the car and it was coming from the power steering pump area... and it wasnt from there either, it was teh rear valve cover.

 

I'll check out about the valve covers leaking..

But, one of the drips is definiately not engine oil... it has a reddish color to it.

 

Lemme guess...a Nissan dealer told you this!

Same thing happened to me, they said three things were leaking and wanted $2625 to fix it. Kinda funny how it was a $10 repair I could do myself lol..(and it hasn't leaked a drop since)

 

redish/pink = tranny fluid.

 

Redish pink = PS Fluid too.

PS Fluid = ATF Tranny Fluid

 

Unless it's absolutely necessary, I stay away from them.

This is an independent place, and actually, a 2nd place that has said the same thing...

But again, we all know too often how their "repair" turns into another thing is now broken "we fixed those leaks but we found 2 more that'll cost you another $500 to fix"....

I still haven't heard if anyone has had success or failure with those stop leak products that either seal or slowly make old seals like new by reconditioning. Sounds like a bunch of marketing huey to me, but you never know.

 

That stop leak stuff is utter trash, I do not trust it by any means. Whether its in the radiator or engine oil. HOw does an inanimate object know the difference from a leak and your block? Even though its not been exactly proven, people have had water pumps fail, heater cores clog and god knows what other things happen with those stop leak things.

 

get a copy of the fsm

 

Ok let me take a big wind...as this is long:

I've used stop leak products (bar's). One was on a ford aerostar. The cooling system was leaking, and it plugged with the stop leak for about 3K miles (friend of mine was on a trip, I was caravan'ing with him). Had to flush cooling system and replace leaking hose after we had a place to do it. The radiator stop leaks can really PLUG things, prolly lil passages too if left in too long.

I've used bar's stop leak on a mitsubishi eclipse, with a blown rear main seal. Heh, this didn't do anything, as the rear main seal was BLOWN. $4 laugh if you ask me for spending money on the stop leak, because the eclipse was spilling oil, not "leaking".

I also have used bar's stop leak on my maxima for a small/slow leak. This stop leak is for motor oil (not the radiator one which is brown, gooey and has solid particles in it). It feels like regular oil, but it's transparent with a yellow tint. It's supposed to swell seals, not plug them. It has worked for the last 4 months after I used half a bottle. I haven't seen much of a leak since (maybe 20% of original, sometimes no spot on driveway). I put the stop leak in 4 months ago and changed the oil a month ago. The bottle says to add a little in (like 1/5 or less) at every oil change, but I haven't. Trying not to use too much of it. So it does work in the short-term atleast. I doubt this particular bar's stop leak will plug passages in your motor, but turning your seals to mush over time, I don't know.

I've used bar's power steering stop leak (again translucent, but green) for my maxima's power steering, with no success. Flushing the PS reservoir multiple times with new Mobil 1 synthetic ATF worked for me. Guess the old fluid had broken down too much.

For my maxima's motor oil leak, the effort to me is not worth fixing it properly, considering the mileage. So for me, a stop leak solution is a....stop-gap solution...heh. At 250K or till she breaks, I'll just swap the whole drivetrain. She runs fine other than that.

 

So, it looks like you've had some success with the oil stop leak.

I may give it a try, may not, just fishing for personal experienes with the stuf... I consider it almost like snake oil, but I'm willing to try $4 - $20 to see if it can keep me from spending over $1K. My guess this is why they make the stuff... the alternative is so costly that gambling on a bottle of magic fluid is easily justified.

I was going to get a BMW, GS300, 69 Mustang Convertible, or Xterra next year anyway... so maybe I'll move my purchase up a bit.

 

the mechanic is trying to scam you for some extra money if not give you a dry screwin' all together.

First, there is no gasket on the outer timing chain cover...there is a seal on the crank shaft pulley, and the lower cover has a paper gasket as I recall. but $900..?!?!..thats way too much $$ for labor. As some of the others on this thread noted you can get a timing chain job done for about the same...but there is way more to that in labor and parts.

if you really want to know where your car is leaking from:
http://www.autobarn.net/profuvleakde.html

there may be cheaper kits out there...i just picked the first link google found.

good luck

 

I resealed my front timing cover in about 9hrs. It was a PIA job but $900. I probably could do it in 6 hrs now that I know what I'm doing. Felpro does make a gasket kit ($13)for the timing cover but all it is is a bunch of O-Rings and some RTV Sealer

 

Yea my 95 max started leaking shortly after i got it and its been quite a *****. first the oil pans and sending unit were thought to be leaking then they resealed the pans and put in a new gasket but it was still leaking so they said it was the timing cover which was quoted at 2 places for 1500 and 1100 which was ridiculous, then a third said the pans were just still leaking and now i have to get those replaced instead of resealed. oil leaks suck.