# newbie



## gamjunior (May 19, 2009)

Newbie here, just picked up a 95 Sentra, auto, 136k miles, and a few leaks, after a few hours of reading here has answered a lot of my questions, looks like I have a front seal to replace. One question I do have is that I would like to add some gauges, oil, volt, temp. and I can not find a place in the dash for them (and look good) and was wondering if there was a pillar pod for a 95 Sentra.


thanks,
gam


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## CaidenX (Jan 4, 2008)

i have the exact same question bro lol:fluffy:


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## NY is north (Jul 9, 2008)

I think their is, I'm not sure where to buy it. You could also take out the AC/Heat controls and put gauges in there.


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## 1ATony (May 13, 2009)

Welcome to the site.


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## gamjunior (May 19, 2009)

Thanks for the welcome.... Well I did some work on the ole car, 3 cans of the foamy engine degreaser and now I can work under the hood with out getting dirty. Had some problems with the AC and the power windows and locks found the fuse box next to the battery was bad, I can wiggle the fuses and they would work for a second or two. So a trip to the local junk yard and I picked up a new fuse box also found the trim piece I needed for the rear door, the rubber piece that hangs the muffler, and a tail light, also found a 96 2 door and snatched the rear spoiler and instrument cluster (it had a tach), and it all cost me about 40 bucks.  Well got it all home and all works well with the exception of the instrument cluster, looks like the wires are pinned different.  This weekend I will be changing out the front seal, that's was were all the oil was coming from. Other than that I have been driving her for a week now and love it, I got over 300 miles to a tank of gas.







Still looking for a gauge piller pod because I would still like to have a oil pressure gauge, volt, and a real temp. 

To be continued........
gam


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## 1ATony (May 13, 2009)

gamjunior said:


> Thanks for the welcome.... Well I did some work on the ole car, 3 cans of the foamy engine degreaser and now I can work under the hood with out getting dirty. Had some problems with the AC and the power windows and locks found the fuse box next to the battery was bad, I can wiggle the fuses and they would work for a second or two. So a trip to the local junk yard and I picked up a new fuse box also found the trim piece I needed for the rear door, the rubber piece that hangs the muffler, and a tail light, also found a 96 2 door and snatched the rear spoiler and instrument cluster (it had a tach), and it all cost me about 40 bucks.  Well got it all home and all works well with the exception of the instrument cluster, looks like the wires are pinned different.  This weekend I will be changing out the front seal, that's was were all the oil was coming from. Other than that I have been driving her for a week now and love it, I got over 300 miles to a tank of gas.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I have a 98 Altima that I get a little over 400 miles/tank on.My wife can squeeze more out of it than I can.

If you need any parts here's a link to our site.Any questions shoot me a PM I'd be more than glad to help you out.

1A Auto Parts


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

Yes the instrument cluster will fit and work but all three plug have to be re-configured.
There was a write up by 99-SEL I may have some of the info as files.
you take all of the pins out of the three plugs and re-configure, and add one ground pin that needed with the new cluster.
Yes there are Sentra's and 200SX's with the pillar pod for gauges, search, the turbo guys used them.


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## gamjunior (May 19, 2009)

IanH said:


> Yes the instrument cluster will fit and work but all three plug have to be re-configured.
> There was a write up by 99-SEL I may have some of the info as files.
> you take all of the pins out of the three plugs and re-configure, and add one ground pin that needed with the new cluster.
> Yes there are Sentra's and 200SX's with the pillar pod for gauges, search, the turbo guys used them.


Thanks, I PM'ed him because the thread I found about it has a link to his web page for the diagram but his page doesn't work. I was hoping to swap them out this weekend after I replace the front seal. I also found a triple gauge pod too...www.gaugepods.com // Lotek Inc.


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

I will look (if I remember) and see what i can find. 
I emailed all the files to another member about a year or two ago, so hopefully i can find them......


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

I found two word files i kept, looking for the master wiring diagram


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## gamjunior (May 19, 2009)

IanH said:


> I found two word files i kept, looking for the master wiring diagram


Thanks I really appreciate it.

gam


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

I found the Email....
do you want the files emailed to you or do you want to download from my skydrive ( also have FSM's)


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## gamjunior (May 19, 2009)

IanH said:


> I found the Email....
> do you want the files emailed to you or do you want to download from my skydrive ( also have FSM's)


skydrive will work, I got your FSM yesterday because the phatg20.net didn't work.

Thanks,
gam


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

heres the diagram


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

Ok they are loaded on the skydrive, 4 files


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## gamjunior (May 19, 2009)

IanH said:


> Ok they are loaded on the skydrive, 4 files


Got them, thank you very much. Looks like I will be doing this right after I replace the front seal.

gam


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## gamjunior (May 19, 2009)

Well I replaced the front seal and those belts are a pain in the arse..and so far so good, no leaks. Got some pics but left the camera at home. Started on changing out the instrument cluster but after removing the radio and seeing how the previous owner had it wired I spent the rest of the day rewiring it, sounds so much better. Maybe this weekend I'll do the cluster.


gam


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## gamjunior (May 19, 2009)

Well here are a few pics of the seal replacement.......

The culprit..









the mess it was making, dropping about a quart every 2 days....

























after some clean up....plus belts are off....









crank off....









old seal out.....









old seal on the left new seal on the right....









part number of new seal from Autozone for $4.99 in case someone needs it...(for a 95 1.6)


















So far I have had the car just over 2 weeks, I paid $300 for it and I have replaced the valve cover gasket, front seal, replaced the fuse panel by the battery, put on a new alternator, replaced drivers side tail light, and a trim piece. I don't think I have $500 into it yet, :banana::banana: And its getting just over 400 miles to a tank of gas.:banhump::banhump:

more to come..
gam


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## CaidenX (Jan 4, 2008)

thats what i like to hear haha


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## Ratnose86 (Jun 4, 2009)

Great pictures, makes the job look very simple. Luckily I have not run into this problem on my 97 yet but now I feel look I could tackle it if I need to.


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

Ratnose86 said:


> Great pictures, makes the job look very simple. Luckily I have not run into this problem on my 97 yet but now I feel look I could tackle it if I need to.


Welcome to the Forum. there is lots of information here, lots of it in older posts.
Learn to use search, it helps a lot.

Also fill in a bit more about your car so we know what you have, yr model etc, and where you are.

For instance there are two engines in the B14, one has the front seal problem the other doesn't.


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## Ratnose86 (Jun 4, 2009)

Thanks for the welcome, I have a 1997 GXE with the GA16 with about 102k miles on it. I've owned it since 2005 and put about 40k miles on it since then. All in all it has been quite reliable, except when I had an oil pan leak that killed my alternator. And I love the 35-40mpg I get out of it. I'm in the DFW area also.

I have found a lot searching already and will continue to. Going to do a coolant change on my Sentra this afternoon, and transmission fluid change also.

I just found a good resource for FSM's also. The site in the sticky was down apparently. http://www.********.com/FSM/

EDIT: Doesn't like my link I guess.......


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## gamjunior (May 19, 2009)

Ratnose86 said:


> All in all it has been quite reliable, except when I had an oil pan leak that killed my alternator.


Welcome, and that's what happens when the front seal goes too.....


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

Ratnose86 said:


> Thanks for the welcome, I have a 1997 GXE with the GA16 with about 102k miles on it. I've owned it since 2005 and put about 40k miles on it since then. All in all it has been quite reliable, except when I had an oil pan leak that killed my alternator. And I love the 35-40mpg I get out of it. I'm in the DFW area also.
> 
> I have found a lot searching already and will continue to. Going to do a coolant change on my Sentra this afternoon, and transmission fluid change also.
> 
> ...


Was that a link from nico ? I have seen that happen before, they block people using/giving links.


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

Are you sure that was a pan leak and not the front seal? Did you fix it or a shop ?
Mine went out at about 70k !!


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## 2dr_Sentra (Dec 10, 2005)

NY is north said:


> I think their is, I'm not sure where to buy it. You could also take out the AC/Heat controls and put gauges in there.












Thats what i did.


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## Ratnose86 (Jun 4, 2009)

Yeah that link was from nico, and yes a shop fixed the oil pan leak. I was a little skeptical but I thought I would trust them. Oil is never low on the dipstick and no apparent leaks although it may posibbly have a small leak, I need to investigate more. I will clean everything up and keep an eye on it.


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

The front seal is The most common problem on these GA16 engines.
yes it causes the alternator to fry if you don't fix it.
The pulley flings the Oil so it hits the Alternator !!

So what else ?
Idles problems - IACV
rubber tube at the bottom of the EGR-BPT valve- throws a CEL
timing chain upper guides and tensioner from 125 K to 225k... varies


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## Ratnose86 (Jun 4, 2009)

Well it seems as if the front seal is leaking after all. Quite pissed as I paid $300 to have the oil pan gasket replaced when it possibly didn't need it. Is the front seal job as easy as the OP makes it seem?

Another question, having trouble finding the block drain plug and air relief plugs in order to do the coolant flush. I have the proper diagrams from the FSM but still lost.


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

Front seal.
I had problems with the Auto parts store one, its narrower than the Nissan and not a very tight fit, so the first one got pushed in to far.
had to buy another, the Nissan part is / was about $7 and worth it.
Ask courtesy Nissan for your Dallas Nissan enthusiast discount, web price or better.

you have to loosen the belts, not that easy.
remove the front pulley bolt. Its tight. I use the starter to kick it lose, others disagree.
I assume you have a torque wrench.

Air bleed, drain etc
didn't do that to my Ga before i sold it so no help sorry.
try a search.


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

But you can change the belts while you are there !!!


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## Ratnose86 (Jun 4, 2009)

Thanks for the help. After searching some more I found the block drain plug and one of the air relief plugs and once I get in there I think I can find the other air relief. I will go ahead and tackle the front seal, plenty of resources here, my belts are almost new (maybe 10k miles) so I will just but the old back on.

Is a pulley puller needed? Or just loosening that bolt? My set went missing.


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## gamjunior (May 19, 2009)

Ratnose86 said:


> Is a pulley puller needed? Or just loosening that bolt? My set went missing.


When I did mine I just grabbed each side of the crank and just pulled it off, just rock it back and fourth and it should come off.


gam


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

X2
just grab it and pull / wiggle it off.


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## Ratnose86 (Jun 4, 2009)

Thanks guys, I found the front seal sticky also so I should be all set. Now to find an electric impact wrench and an extension cord, I'm in an apartment.


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

you can use a wrench with a long handle or extension, rest it on the ground or car chassis and flick the starter. works every time.
I was taught this by the service manager at a dealership in England when I was a teenager and used it ever since, on cars from 998 cc to 455 Cu inch !!!


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## Ratnose86 (Jun 4, 2009)

OK, sounds like a plan. I just saw conflicting opinions about that method on the other thread. What about tightening the bolt when putting everything back together?


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

Torque wrench. this is important, it it comes lose it can damage the end of the crankshaft/pulley 
If you have a manual put it in gear, I use 5th.
(engine output torque is around 110 ft lbs so this is not a problem)


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## Ratnose86 (Jun 4, 2009)

What about with an auto like I have?


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

Well people do it up, is there a clue in the FSM ?
I knew there was a reason I don't like to buy Auto's !!
Seriously on some cars there is a tool to lock the starter ring.


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

Well i looked in the FSM, i couldn't find anything.
how about a strap wrench to hold the pulley while you do it up ( 100 ft lbs )


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## Ratnose86 (Jun 4, 2009)

Yeah, only about 4 lines in the FSM. I will continue to look in the Front Seal Sticky thread on the engine forum. Thank you very much for all your help.


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