[NEPAbowhunter]

I have a 2011 C/C Frontier I bought new. For years I have been smelling coolant around the vehicle, especially in my closed garage shortly after pulling in. Took it to a dealer that pressure tested they said everything was great. I bought new caps for radiator and bottle. Today I noticed a few drops on garage floor after pulling truck out to clean garage. Pulled my truck up on some ramps and crawled under. Found coolant drip on the alternator. Looks like its been leaking in same spot for a long time. Anybody have an idea were the coolant could be leaking from?

 

[Cusser]

Just 2 weeks ago I found 2 coolant leaks on my 2004 Frontier, see http://www.clubfrontier.org/forums/f46/2004-frontier-king-cab-thread-206842/index2.html for photos.

Mine was leaking from the thermostat housing connection to a radiator hose and a small weep out the water pump (4-cylinder engine).

Water pump leak (using mirror)



Hose leak at water outlet from thermostat

 

[NEPAbowhunter]

Truck goes into dealer on Monday.

 

[Clint]

Look at the bottom of the upper hose at the radiator?

Clint

 

[NEPAbowhunter]

Just got off the phone with my dealer. It is a bad head gasket. They have to order the gasket then do the job. They are going to have it for awhile. Very glad I bought the extended warranty. It is covered except for the deductible. Other dealership near me did not even look for it in the fall when I brought it them. They just did a pressure test, said everything is fine and took my money and sent me down the road. Live and learn I guess.

 

[Clint]

Good to know you have a warranty and it wil be good as new soon.
How many miles on it? While it's apart if youre up near 100,000 miles I'd have them change the plugs as the top end is apart and it should be done for not much more than the plugs as they already did all the hard part.

Clint

 

[NEPAbowhunter]

Just a little over 35,000!

 

[Clint]

Good luck and hope all goes smoothly.

Clint

 

[NEPAbowhunter]

Got my truck back yesterday. Drove a 2015 Altima around while truck was being fixed. So far so good. Service manager said they never seen that on that engine before. The coolant had pooled up and turned into a gel under the intake between the cylinders. They could actually scoop out the old antifreeze. He showed me a picture on his cell phone and it looked BAD. You could clearly see were it leaked out and dripped on the alternator. I told him about the other dealer and the pressure test they said was good. He told me there is no way my truck would have passed a pressure test. Now I know were the antifreeze was going! If anyone has a coolant smell and can not find the cause look closely at the head gaskets. The bill was $1800.00 and change. I only had to pay the 50 dollar deductible. I will never darken the door of my local Nissan dealer again.

 

[FFTR]

Got my truck back yesterday. Drove a 2015 Altima around while truck was being fixed. So far so good. Service manager said they never seen that on that engine before. The coolant had pooled up and turned into a gel under the intake between the cylinders. They could actually scoop out the old antifreeze. He showed me a picture on his cell phone and it looked BAD. You could clearly see were it leaked out and dripped on the alternator. I told him about the other dealer and the pressure test they said was good. He told me there is no way my truck would have passed a pressure test. Now I know were the antifreeze was going! If anyone has a coolant smell and can not find the cause look closely at the head gaskets. The bill was $1800.00 and change. I only had to pay the 50 dollar deductible. I will never darken the door of my local Nissan dealer again.

Glad you got it fixed. What all did they replace for $1800?

 

[NEPAbowhunter]

Rocker cover gaskets, cylinder head gaskets, manifold gaskets, 16 cylinder head bolts, o ring seals, oil and filter, long life blue coolant. $89.00 dollar an hour labor rate. They got it Monday morning and called me Friday afternoon to say it was done.
The oil filter looks like the same Purolator gold one I put on a little while ago. I would think if they changed it they would have put on a Nissan OEM filter on. I just recently changed the oil to Pennsoil full synthetic a few weeks before they got it. Because it looks like the filter was not changed as stated on my invoice I will be changing the oil again myself soon. Going to put in Mobile One and a Boss Purolator filter this time. Plus I had to tighten the ten millimeter bolts that hold the spark plug wires in on the drivers side. I hope they tightened everything else up that needed to tightened! I have put about 300 mile on since getting it back and everything seems good. Coolant level has stayed the same, and no apparent issues. Hopefully this issue is in the rear view mirror!!

 

[TheFlash]

dang
2006 with 200K+ miles 6speed 4.0
heard some gurgling so i pop the cap and put in a half gallon of coolant in
now i see a spot on the floor and when looking under the truck i see coolant on the rear of the oil pan but nothing on the back of the motor
put in 30psi with a coolant pressure tester and let it sit for about 10 min and it dropped 5psi but i still dont see coolant

im finding post about the rear connector pipe between the heads but yet to find a parts list for doing this

also need a diff and im finding it hard to find a used one because its a 6 speed and a new one is $2600 with a discount

think it may be time to part with it i bought it new in 06

 

[dana44]

Look at the crimp on the radiator lower common to fail there. Just replaced my radiator on a 2007.

 

[JDwoodworker92]

I just discovered my 2012 CC @ 50,700 miles is doing the exact same thing. I've started noticing an antifreeze smell so I checked all around & couldn't find anything. I had new caps for rad & tank so I put them on just to see if that took care of it. Still smelled. Upon doing my oil change tonight, I was checking the engine over with flashlight & see dried antifreeze piled up between the valley . Took intake tubing off to see better & its coming from the passenger side head gasket! Going to call dealer tomorrow. I sure hope they good faith it, its just out of warranty but come on...50,000 miles? While it was under warranty I always had them service it, afterwards I did at home but always bought genuine Nissan parts including the blue coolant.

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[JDwoodworker92]

You can see the blue/green area. Best pics I could do. Im in disbelief, up to now I've had nothing but good with these trucks & Nissan in general.

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[NEPAbowhunter]

Good luck. Hope they take care of you.

 

[Ryno_7]

You guys are making me nervous with my 2010.

 

[JDwoodworker92]

You guys are making me nervous with my 2010.

The thing is head gaskets really aren't a problem with the vq series engine like the old iron block v6's. I think ours were just two exceptions. I had an 05 LE 4x4 that got totaled in a crash around 120,000mi & never had any engine problems. My leak has actually sealed itself from the dried antifreeze being so thick so if they wont help me cover some of the cost, it can wait till I get time to do it myself.

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[Ryno_7]

The thing is head gaskets really aren't a problem with the vq series engine like the old iron block v6's. I think ours were just two exceptions. I had an 05 LE 4x4 that got totaled in a crash around 120,000mi & never had any engine problems. My leak has actually sealed itself from the dried antifreeze being so thick so if they wont help me cover some of the cost, it can wait till I get time to do it myself.

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It does seem very odd for the VQ. My Subaru has an external oil leak at the head gaskets, quite common though.

 

[JDwoodworker92]

Just got back from dealer. Apparently the dried coolant was from when it was new & the part of the gasket that seals off that coolant passage didn't seal right away. It is sealed now & doesn't leak. The slight smell was from the original rad cap having a small seep. All is good & no worries!

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