# Head gasket job gone bad!!!!



## Fulltilt (Nov 16, 2007)

I'm doing a head gasket for a friend with a 2002 Altima. On a side note, the problem was a groove in the block on the head mating surface that connected the coolant jacket to the cylinder. I've never seen this before and don't know why it would have occured at 100K miles. Maybe the porosity in the casting which finally coroded? Anyway, I decided to try to TIG weld it and it worked. I used a Dremel to machine it flat again.

So I put it all back together and start it and it dies immediately. I found out I hadn't plugged in the vacuum line behind the throttle body, nor the harness that connects to the cam sprocket inspection cover for the VVT? So I plug those in and it still won't stay running. I can keep it running with the pedal, but it is tough. It also has a whistle/whine noise when I rev it. It doesn't sound terrible, but still concerning. Something is not right, and I can't think of what I could have done wrong. I took the cam sprocket cover off and it seems like the timing marks are OK. That seems like the worst thing that could have happened. I also checked the plugs and they are very fouled but it seems like that in itself should be the problem and that that would go away when I rev it. I am stumped and very discouraged. Any ideas?


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## roadkill2_0 (Sep 5, 2007)

nope..no idea..good luck


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## Fulltilt (Nov 16, 2007)

I drug it to a shop I know. They found it to be a bracket pinched between the two intake manifolds. They said that this is one of the worst head gasket jobs out there. I found on this forum someone who said it is not that bad, and I also found instructions on how to do the head gasket that didn't include taking off the timing chain cover. If that is possible, then it wouldn't be so bad, but the manual I bought said to remove it, which means you have to take off both oil pans, which requires lowering the engine cradle. I'm no mechanic, but I've done a lot of head gaskets, and this was by far the worst. Even the wiring harness bracket that wants to fall right back where it was which then got pinched. That harness should be able to be pulled out of the way so you can work, but it is too rigid. I was willing to accept that that was my careless mistake, but the mechanic said that is a typical Nissan design and it's not so uncommon what happened to me. I am so glad this car is done.


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