Coolant problem?

[kor0000]

I have an 04 Frontier V6 (108K) and had a couple of bad antilfreeze leaks. One was easily found (the upper radiator hose). The other was hidden but I knew I had it because I could smell it. This one was behind the rear timing belt cover.

Look behind the rear timing belt cover between the cam pulleys (gears). If it's there you will see some chunky build-up (green and white). Assuming yours is similar to my 04, there is a right angle hose coming out of the top of the thermostat housing. This hose is held on with two cheap clamps. That's where my major leak was. Nissan switched to the cheap clamps that press together instead of screw tighten. The good clamps must have cost too much, but they used the good clamps on my 94 Hardbody. The cheap clamps seem to lose there ability to stay tight after being heated up and cooled down over and over.

I fixed my leak 2 days ago. It was a job though. Took about 12 hours with two trips to the store. I went ahead and put on a new timing belt, thermostat, drive belts, and I replaced that right angle hose with a new one from advanced auto. ($8.47) I also replaced all the cheap clamps I could find. ($20.00 with a few clamps left over.) My leak wasn't as bad as yours but if that's where it's leaking, all the fluid will be trapped on top of the block and cook and dry there. You'll never see a puddle under your ride.

All that and a new tool to pull the crank pulley cost me about a $120.00. Can't beat that.

[Bill3508]

My 99' just developed a leak on the back left of the lower intake manifold gasket. I was quoted $600-900 for a repair as you basically have to take half the engine apart to fix it. Put some stop leak in there for now to see if it will stop it and prolong the misery.

Bill3508

[CT_Nismo]

You are losing coolant one way or another. The smell will tell you if it is a headgasket issue. If it is a hose or even the heater core, it's much easier to fix. The pressure test will detect this. If it doesn't then the leak may only occur when the engine is hot.

Good luck.

[XE_KING]

Question for Yaalls... Ever tried to rebuild a engine that has had stopleak in it before? Its not fun. also stop leak works only on rubber gasket. Have you ever seen what happens when you put a fruit snack in a glass of water? It expands.. It also looses integrity. Your seals that can be reached by cooland will have the same affect. Not good stuff! If you must use the "Bandaid" method.. use silver seal it is silver powder.. It will not affect the seals, it will insted plug and mold over the leak hole.....

But being as you are going to be digging around in your coolant.. Now is a good time to do a E-Fan mod!!!

[Bill3508]

Originally Posted by XE_KING

Question for Yaalls... Ever tried to rebuild a engine that has had stopleak in it before? Its not fun. also stop leak works only on rubber gasket. Have you ever seen what happens when you put a fruit snack in a glass of water? It expands.. It also looses integrity. Your seals that can be reached by cooland will have the same affect. Not good stuff! If you must use the "Bandaid" method.. use silver seal it is silver powder.. It will not affect the seals, it will insted plug and mold over the leak hole.....

But being as you are going to be digging around in your coolant.. Now is a good time to do a E-Fan mod!!!

Never heard of silver seal. Actually the stop leak stopped the leak from the manifold gasket already. On the other hand the upper hose leaked today, so bought a new hose, and when I took the old one off the radiator neck broke off and crumbled in my hand. Some of you guys might need to think about a replacement as well if the plastic is already this bad.

Bill3508