# Altima go boom



## fatgroundhog (Dec 29, 2004)

Hi all,

My dad's 94 Altima (160k miles) is dead. He was cruising down the highway when the radiator hose blew off. He stopped the car, let it cool down for over an hour, reattached the hose and topped off the fluid. The car started after some effort, but after a few minutes, the temp gauge rose again. Right before he stopped, white smoke started coming from the exhaust. It then wouldn't start again. It would just crank, though there was no abnormal noise in the engine.

The thought is a probable head gasket, but one shop guessed the engine was destroyed. 

Thoughts? And what do you think the probable costs associated with you diagnosis are? Thanks.


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## konfuzion3 (Sep 17, 2004)

It'll be cheaper to just get a new engine. You can find a used k24 just about anywhere for a few hundred dollars.


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## fatgroundhog (Dec 29, 2004)

konfuzion3 said:


> It'll be cheaper to just get a new engine. You can find a used k24 just about anywhere for a few hundred dollars.


Really? Are we saying a used long block or short block? Easy swap (I'm into Hotrods and Subarus...doin't know Nissan well)

Thanks.


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## chimmike (Oct 17, 2002)

he prolly let an air bubble in the system when he just reattatched the hose and filled the radiator. that probably helped cause the headgasket to blow.

that's just a guess....


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## Nismo1997 (Dec 26, 2003)

fatgroundhog said:


> Really? Are we saying a used long block or short block? Easy swap (I'm into Hotrods and Subarus...doin't know Nissan well)
> 
> Thanks.


Comp. motor for like 350-400$ here in ny


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## sunnydet90 (Sep 10, 2004)

konfuzion3 said:


> It'll be cheaper to just get a new engine. You can find a used k24 just about anywhere for a few hundred dollars.


 k24 isnt that honda? i thought it was ka24? maybe i'm wrong just wondering tho


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## fatgroundhog (Dec 29, 2004)

Thank you all for the input. The dealership my dad went to (I know) did the tests and found it did need a new engine. By the time all the costs were totalled, he decided to just get a new car. One of the techs bought the car and plans to do the work himself on his own time.

Thanks again.


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