# 1997 Nissan Sentra with the GA



## SonsofWisdom (Mar 29, 2004)

Well I'm going to make this to go through all the issues I've had with my (wife's) sentra.

I should start by saying I think sentra's are good cars. Not my first choice honestly but they are good cars.

Now I wouldn't have bought the car had I been asked because only months after my then fiance bought it...did we notice that the trip odometer stops at 99 and gets stuck...it then prevents the odometer from turning...thus...our little 100K mile bundle of joy could possibly have WELL over 200k who knows...given the upper chain tensioner was worn completely out when I did this

see post
http://www.nissanforums.com/b14-95-99-chassis/131170-timing-chain-rattle-upper-tensioner-blame.html

and my sisters older sentra has over 200k miles and only half the wear...I can only guess at how high the mileage is on this car.

But...I wasn't included in the loop at the time of purchase (before marriage) so I'm not to blame :thumbdwn: I just get to fix it and bitch about it HA HA.

Again...I just want to say...I think sentra's are fine...it's just that this one has MUCH higher mileage then we knew and thus more problem than expected. Was supposed to be the car that lasted 5-10 years before these issues would pop up...at which time we'd buy her a new car. Still being in college and all you know.

So this is going to be a log of issues...I'll update it as I encounter new issues and what I did to fix them. 

If your interested...you can start with that previous post concerning the timing chain replacement.


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## SonsofWisdom (Mar 29, 2004)

*OVERHEATING*

Ok so the car almost overheated about maybe a week ago...or under.

I drove out to find: (the car had cooled btw)
1 no leaks visible
2 radiator low
3 reservoir (overflow) tank empty
4 no sweet smell in oil


So I filled the radiator and drove the wify's car to her work. By the time I got there...I had a bubbling over overflow tank. I assumed it was just a 10 year old part failing so I replaced that...and it didn't bubble out again...*sigh...I even drove it around town too to make sure.


Today however, I get a call...
"My a/c stopped working again"

oh hell I think...

"Look at your temp"

"Oh dammit...it's 3/4 up...I'm pulling over"

it did it again...luckily my wife is EXTREMELY observant and not a ditz when it comes to cars. So now I'm guessing the head gasket is going out on us.

It makes sense...here are our symptoms

no detectable coolant in oil (using the nose)
very little white smoke from tail pipe...appeared to be normal startup.
no sweet smell from under hood
no sweet smell from exhaust
exhaust has a funny...funky odor.
car overheats as a result of coolant/water bubbling out into overflow tank


So I'm pricing parts now...I have so far:

BECK_ARNLEY Head Bolt Set $38.99
Part Number: 016-1011

FELPRO Head Gasket Set $101.99
Part Number: HS9819PT-1

Exhaust Header Bolts 
Mr. Gasket 12 pcs. 3/8 x 3/4 in. Hex Head Header Bolts $5.99
Part Number: 915


all from autozone. 

Glad I have a service manual...considering the sticky here doesn't work...and hasn't...for a long time. Once I get the parts I'm figuring couple days to fix it.

So I know the regular tool list I'll need...same as removing the valve cover. And I guess I'm gonna need some serious hex bits too? And a good straight edge and feeler gauges to check warpage.

Anyone got any heads up I should know about...aside from not turning the head upside down with the cams out?


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## SonsofWisdom (Mar 29, 2004)

Right now I'm gonna go drain ALL the coolant...replace with water...run it and test again.

I have that block test thing...but it keeps sucking up coolant.

I can take the cap off and let the car idle...on my honda the coolant behaves...bubbles maybe as the water vaporizes...but HER CAR...it bubbles a little...then it just GUSHES OUT...and since I got some orange crude...I'm guessing clog. More later


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## SonsofWisdom (Mar 29, 2004)

Well I'm currently doing a flush.

Now...*most cars flow from the top of the radiator to the bottom correct?* I can't find anything about this car specifically, even the fsm doesn't point this out. But I imagine it is...would make sense...and most other cars do too so...I'm assuming...though I hate assuming

If that is true of this car, which seems to be the case, a clog in the radiator could explain what has happened.

More later...letter her warm up now...time to check on 'er some more.


*added

I'll just edit instead of making another reply...

Lower hose just wasn't warm enough to me...so I'm gonna let her cool down then drain and flush the system again, then flush out the radiator itself...see what I can get from it. I'm thinking it's the radiator more and more now...glad too.


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## SonsofWisdom (Mar 29, 2004)

Update...working on this car on days off.

Ok, the fans aren't coming on...even with the a/c on and the blower motor on neither ever come on.

I do have a vss code...but this should make the fans run non-stop correct? 

So I'm suspecting a faulty relay(s).

It is about to rain and that is as far as I've gotten. 

more later


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## SonsofWisdom (Mar 29, 2004)

power surge blasted the modem...puter was protected though.

Any way the issue was...

Fans not coming on
VSS MIL on

Fan motors are siezed due to dirt from car being driven on country roads.

The fans are apparently supposed to be on with the VSS code on, but mine weren't. Was checking the relays when I by chance spun the fan by hand...made a hellacious sound. Both are locked up...rare...but happened. Neither work even when given power directly.

Since I did not actually check that they were getting power with key on, I will do so, but the motors ARE locked up...I will double check wiring to avoid future headaches.

That is all for now!


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## SonsofWisdom (Mar 29, 2004)

no more updates...


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