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Sedans Nissan Altima Nissan Altima Engine Failures
499 messages, Last post on Nov 28, 2009 at 7:05 PM
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Replying to: gp0137 (Jan 08, 2009 9:00 am) Good Luck E.D. in Sunny Florida |
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Replying to: jdiggityd (Oct 25, 2008 11:37 am) |
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There is some fantastic information here, I really appreciate all of the work E.D. and others have put in! My mechanical knowledge is very limited, so I've tried to absorb what I've seen here and apply it to my situation. I have some conflicting information on my particular Altima, so I thought I would request advice. My 2002 2.5 had the SES light on a couple of months ago, so I took it to my local dealer and it was just a gas cap/tank issue (replaced the cap, and repainted inside the tank door.) They suggested not trying to top-up on fillups (stop when the nozzle first stops) to avoid reoccurrence. This month, my SES light came on again. Not worried, it went away after a fill up. A week later, it was on again and wouldn't go off. I took it to the dealership after another week (this last Friday), and was shocked to hear that the failure was P0420, that the precat was breaking apart/missing, the oil was low, the new noise I was hearing was the timing chain, and the engine would have to be replaced!!! With a couple of extra things like a new clutch, estimated cost for engine assembly, etc. $5900 CDN plus tax. So, I spent all weekend doing research on the problem, expecting that I would have to scrape around to get another used car. I'm trying to move overseas sometime this year - this would really hurt because I will want to get rid of it just before I go in 6-8 months and need it for work until then. I paid off the car a few years ago and have had it serviced regularly at Nissan. They did regular service, and the noise I had heard was gone. IMO, it was likely the low oil and the engine complaining. I took the car in today to a local mechanic, and gave them the story. They would perform a diagnostic for a second opinion, and could probably find me a new engine somewhat cheaper than the dealer (though still not super cheap). Their results - they said the cat was plugged, but they didn't think it blew into the engine! Spark plugs reasonably clean. Compression tests were ok (150's on all), and they noticed no noises from the timing chain or otherwise. No blue in the exhaust. Their suggestion was to replace the cat and flush the engine to clean out any residue.  Any suggestions on which way to go?
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Replying to: unitedcigar (Jan 26, 2009 9:24 am)
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Replying to: dmforce (Jan 26, 2009 11:09 am) I'll post again after I see how it goes. |
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Replying to: unitedcigar (Jan 28, 2009 6:25 am) Here is what I have to say for you, your option #2 is probably the best thing for you to do at this time, but may not be the cheapest though. I don't know what State you live in and what the emission testing requirements are required there, but if allowable, you can take off the Precat and hollow it out, instead of buying a new one. That could save you hundreds of dollars, and you could do it yourself, even without having to remove it from the car. Before you start, run the engine and check to see if you have good exhaust flow out the tailpipes, if not you might have a restriction in the 2nd Cat to check for. Let the car cool down, then jack up the car safely on sturdy safety stands, and get under the car and separate the exhaust pipe from the bottom of the Precat, remove both of the oxygen sensors so that they won't get damaged (buy a special oxygen sensor socket for this), then through the bottom opening of the Precat, you can use some metal rods or screwdrivers to break the material inside the Precat apart and let the materal fall out the bottom opening. You might need to fabricate a metal wire hook to pull some parts out, like parts of the metal screens, and you can start the engine for 2 seconds to blow out loose pieces. Once it is hollowed out, reinstall the upper oxygen sensor, and you would have to put the $5 O2 cheater on the 2nd oxygen sensor to keep the SES light from coming on. Also, while the exhaust pipe is loose, it is a good time to check the second Cat that is under the car before the muffler to be sure that it is not restricted. In my case, the stuff from inside the Precat all came loose, blew down the exhaust pipe and plugged up the second CAT. That is why I had to hollow out both the Precat and the 2nd Cat. See message #256, that I have copied for you below. #265 of 356 Re: How do you avoid this? [lnesomdove] by electricdesign Apr 27, 2008 (7:58 am) Replying to: lnesomdove (Apr 25, 2008 5:46 am) "what do you do to insure that yours isn't one of those 5% if you choose to keep this car? " First, you have to be sure that the engine is not too far damaged, and using too much oil. Once it is using more than a quart per 1000 miles, it is probably too late. My daughters 2002 Altima was using about 1 quart in 1500 miles when I worked on it in Decenber 2007. The first Cat blew itself clean out and the second Cat was plugged up. Now it is running fine with both Cats hollowed out and a new head gasket. I estimate that it is now using 1 quart of oil in about 2500 to 3000 miles. We don't have an emissions inspection here in Florida, so we can run it that way. To keep the "Sevice Engine Soon" light from staying on, I put the "$5 02 Cheater", mentioned in previous posts, on the second oxygen sensor, and it works fine, keeps the light off. That's the way to keep the engine running fine, if yours is not too far gone. If the engine is too far gone & using too much oil, nothing will fix it but a new engine. If you start to get the problem and the engine is not too far gone, and you live in an emissions testing state, you would need to put on a new Precat/Exhaust manifold at the very first sign of the Cat going bad, before the engine is damaged. A new Cat will NOT fix a damaged engine. Owners and buyers Beware, Check that CAT at every service and check the oil level often, at least once a week. This is a known problem, so look out for it! Good Luck, E.D. in Sunny Florida
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Replying to: electricdesign (Jan 31, 2009 10:31 am) I have an '05 Altima S, w/ I4 engine and 64K miles, with no know problems mentioned thru these posts YET, except cold heat air temp at idle {which I will address w/ burping technique in service bulletin see NTB02-047b (2002-2003 Altima: Poor Heater Performance) and possible thermostat replacement's }. My state presently has no emissions testing done and I wish to gutt the precat and leave the 2nd -main cat converter in place. Needless to say, neither Nissan dealers, nor most repair shops will do this work for me. I will be trying to find some competent young neighborhood shadetree mechanic to help me with this extra-legal workaround. My question relates to the removal of Pre-CAT, and resolution of the required difference between the voltages of the upstream and downstream O2 sensors. Several sources and discussion groups talk of an aftermarket replacement/ and modified O2 sensor, cheater plug to augment the difference, lengthened wiring to aid in the voltage diff., etc..This is the same motor/pre-cat setup as the Nissan Sentra, and here is a link to a discussion in one of their forums elsewhere on the web regarding cheaters, and outright removal with an aftermarket header replacement, albeit the header solution is more work: http://www.b15sentra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=135241 Does anyone know of a specific source/ supplier of these O2 sensor parts and the custom tool for removal that electric design used in his engine work (so laboriously photographed and posted on Snapfish. Thanks for any help, aquatect1951.
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Replying to: aquatect1951 (Feb 23, 2009 7:51 am) The O2 sensor socket is available at any auto parts store, it is a thick deep socket with a long slot cut lengthwise. The socket slips over the O2 sensor and the wires slide up the slot as the socket slides onto the O2 sensor. The wires stay connected to the O2 sensor and are not damaged as you loosen the sensor. Work carefully, as the sensors can sometimes be very tight to break loose. The O2 cheater is very cheap, $5 or less. Buy two of the correct size spark plug non foulers, drill one of them out with a 1/2 inch drill bit, screw them together, put them in the O2 sensor hole and then screw in the sensor. It is simple and it worked for me. I have not got the bad cat code since then (over a year now). Below I have attached the link to the site that gives complete instructions: http://forums.evolutionm.net/evo-how-tos-installations/208195-5-o2-cheater-non-f- - ouler-how.html Note: The only physical difference that the O2 cheater makes is that the O2 sensor sticks out about an inch and a half farther. Good luck E.D. in Sunny Florida |
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| I am considering buying a used 2007 Altima SL 2.5L but am concerned about the reliability of this model. I currently have a 1998 SE and am quite please with it, but have read the horror stories on this site regarding engines that burn oil in the 3rd generation Altima. Are the 07 engines and catalytic converters ok, or are they experiencing the same issues as with the older Altima (2003-2006) cars? | |
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have recently just started having problems with my Nissan. I have a 2003 altima SE. I just took my car in yesterday to Nissan for a routine oil change. I travel back and forth from north to south jersey every week and needed it even though i just had it done a month and half ago. There had been loud banging noises coming from the front right side of my car and i wanted them to look at it. They called me later in the day to tell me that my engine has to be replaced! A not even 6 year old car has to have an engine replacement, and to top it all off, my warranty might not cover it. The cost is over $5000.I mean i am a college student and don't know much about cars but everyone in my household-mother,brothers,sisters- all have older cars than i do, all in 1990's and they have yet to even consider an engine replacement! I bought this car not even 2 years ago and i have had nothing but problems with it. The Nissan dealer claimed that my engine has been burning oil so fast that there was nothing there when they looked to do the oil change. There had been so much burning and for so long, that it completely ruined the engine and i needed a replacement. I have read on this that there are so many people out there that have had this same problem, with Nissan rarely paying for this misfortune. My car has about 85,000 miles on it, all highway, so aren't engines supposed to last well over that mileage?? Why hasn't Nissan done anything concerning this year and model car that seems to have a recurring problem? My advise to anyone thinking about buying an altima, DON'T. they are nothing but hassle and only prove to not last. Im still paying off my car.I owe 9000, its only worth 6500 right now, and i have to put 5000 into it for a new engine. somehow, that to me doesn't seem right.
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