# Rough Idle



## jdominy (Dec 22, 2005)

A few weeks ago, I started getting a really rough idle. Since then, it has gotten worse, even shut the car off while I was sitting still in drive. I have changed the plugs, wires, distrib., and rotor. Code scanner gave me 100 and 304. I have since replaced the MAF sensor with no luck. Just getting 100 now which is cylinder 4 misfire. Any ideas. My plugs are only a couple of weeks old and are already getting carbon buildup. Too much fuel not enough air? Possibly an o2 sensor? How can I test these if the code scanner doesn't report any errors besides misfires? Any help would be appreciated.


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## gfriedman (Oct 12, 2005)

What year and how many miles on the car - is the SEL on?


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## jdominy (Dec 22, 2005)

gfriedman said:


> What year and how many miles on the car - is the SEL on?




2001 Nissan Altima GXE. 127,000 miles.


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## gfriedman (Oct 12, 2005)

Check for a vacuum leak around cylinder 4. Just get a spray can of carb cleaner and spray it around the intake manifold gasket. If there's a leak the idle will smooth out for a couple seconds while you spray it.


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## gfriedman (Oct 12, 2005)

jdominy said:


> . Just getting 100 now which is cylinder 4 misfire.


P0100 is MAF 
P0304 is misfire


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## jdominy (Dec 22, 2005)

gfriedman said:


> Check for a vacuum leak around cylinder 4. Just get a spray can of carb cleaner and spray it around the intake manifold gasket. If there's a leak the idle will smooth out for a couple seconds while you spray it.


I will give that a try. I also forgot to mention this. The rough idle is not constant. I will rough idle, then clear up, the rough idle again. I don't know if that makes a difference.


Thanks


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## annesjn (Dec 2, 2004)

*Intake Manifold Gasket*



jdominy said:


> I will give that a try. I also forgot to mention this. The rough idle is not constant. I will rough idle, then clear up, the rough idle again. I don't know if that makes a difference.
> 
> 
> Thanks


My 96 altima GXE has been having a oscillating or surging idle for the past three months. I just sprayed around the gasket area and it did infact smoothe out the idle. jdominy I highly sugest you try this. The bad part is that it a 4-5 hour job to replace the $5 gasket. 

I will update when I repair myself next week.


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## Darktide (Jul 29, 2004)

Don't cheap out on the gasket or you will find yourself doing it all over again. Go with the highest grade of Fel Pro brand gasket that your auto part store has available... I would even order it if I had to do it. You never want to have to do a job like that twice because of a low quality gasket. Good luck with it.


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## annesjn (Dec 2, 2004)

Darktide said:


> Don't cheap out on the gasket or you will find yourself doing it all over again. Go with the highest grade of Fel Pro brand gasket that your auto part store has available... I would even order it if I had to do it. You never want to have to do a job like that twice because of a low quality gasket. Good luck with it.



Thanks for the advice. I was planning on getting OEM Nippon gasket from here or from the dealer. But I will also check out Fel Pro. I also plan to post my data on the Intake leak post here


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## gfriedman (Oct 12, 2005)

jdominy said:


> I will give that a try. I also forgot to mention this. The rough idle is not constant. I will rough idle, then clear up, the rough idle again. I don't know if that makes a difference.
> 
> 
> Thanks


Could be a loose/dirty MAF connector making intermittant contact. Try jiggling it when the idle is rough.


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## johnsmail987 (Dec 22, 2005)

gfriedman said:


> Check for a vacuum leak around cylinder 4. Just get a spray can of carb cleaner and spray it around the intake manifold gasket. If there's a leak the idle will smooth out for a couple seconds while you spray it.


I have this same problem on 2001 nissan altima. I sprayed carb cleaner on the throttle body gasket and it smooths out. Funny thing is its not leaking from there. It does the same thing when i spray carb. cleaner on the intake manifold gasket. So my question is can the tps sensor have a vacuum leak?
Since the tps does connect to the throttle and the manifold gasket looks solid, I rather not change it unless it is leaking from there.


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## Dflosrt4 (Dec 25, 2005)

For some reason the intake manifold gasket leaks at cly 4 all the time. They are a pain in the ass to replace. I have replaced a few and I can tell you I will not go any lower than 6 hours to replace. They are not fun. I replaced one under warranty and it only pays 3.3 hours which I dont think anyone can get that done in that amount of time. There is one bolt that takes about 30 min to get out because you cant get anything but a open end wrench on it. Good luck with the replacement.


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## gfriedman (Oct 12, 2005)

johnsmail987 said:


> I have this same problem on 2001 nissan altima. I sprayed carb cleaner on the throttle body gasket and it smooths out. Funny thing is its not leaking from there. It does the same thing when i spray carb. cleaner on the intake manifold gasket. So my question is can the tps sensor have a vacuum leak?
> Since the tps does connect to the throttle and the manifold gasket looks solid, I rather not change it unless it is leaking from there.


You've probably got an intake gasket leak. How many miles on it?


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## johnsmail987 (Dec 22, 2005)

gfriedman said:


> You've probably got an intake gasket leak. How many miles on it?


It was the intake mainifold gasket. Not a easy task to replace, took me a good 5 hours.


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## gese (Jan 15, 2006)

*Where is it, please!? PCV valve and Rough idle - code P0171 and*

:cheers:


jdominy said:


> A few weeks ago, I started getting a really rough idle. Since then, it has gotten worse, even shut the car off while I was sitting still in drive. I have changed the plugs, wires, distrib., and rotor. Code scanner gave me 100 and 304. I have since replaced the MAF sensor with no luck. Just getting 100 now which is cylinder 4 misfire. Any ideas. My plugs are only a couple of weeks old and are already getting carbon buildup. Too much fuel not enough air? Possibly an o2 sensor? How can I test these if the code scanner doesn't report any errors besides misfires? Any help would be appreciated.


Hi jdominy.
I seem to have the same problem with my 2000 Altima SE. My code however is P0171 - system too lean. It stared a few weeks ago after I had the driver-side window controls replaced at the dealer (I hate those guys).

It is getting progressively worse. When the rpms are below 800, the idle is really rough. The revs constantly change between 600 and 800 which makes things quite uncomfortable at a stop light. If I put the car in neutral, it revs at 800 or so and the jerking virtually stops (I do sense a little roughness). While I drive, the car appears fine (as long as the rpms are above 800).

I changed the fuel filter and the gas cap (cheap and easy......didn't want to give the dealer the pleasure) and I want to also change the PCV valve (please if any one can direct me to a picture of where this is located on my vehicle......I just can't fine it!!!!).

Was your problem resolved and what was the solution. I read many response were people have changed quite a few things with little or no effect.

Any help you or any one else can give me will be much appreciated.


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## KA24Tech (Feb 2, 2004)

I'm afraid that the lot of you have a bad Intake manifold gasket. It leaks at number 4 cylinder (as far as I can figure) because the EGR pipe attaches to the stud on that cylinder and passes underneath it. The gasket gets cooked and fails eventually. It is mainly noticeable when the intake has a high vacuum at idle.

Troy


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## gese (Jan 15, 2006)

KA24Tech said:


> I'm afraid that the lot of you have a bad Intake manifold gasket. It leaks at number 4 cylinder (as far as I can figure) because the EGR pipe attaches to the stud on that cylinder and passes underneath it. The gasket gets cooked and fails eventually. It is mainly noticeable when the intake has a high vacuum at idle.
> 
> Troy


Thanks Troy. I beginning to think you hit it right on the bottom. I guess I will need to take this in to the dealer to get it replaced. Good bye $750 or so! I did buy the PCV valve but can't see from the top where it is located on my 2000 Altima. Can this only be reached from underneath.....any picture you can provide?


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## gfriedman (Oct 12, 2005)

gese said:


> Thanks Troy. I beginning to think you hit it right on the bottom. I guess I will need to take this in to the dealer to get it replaced. Good bye $750 or so! I did buy the PCV valve but can't see from the top where it is located on my 2000 Altima. Can this only be reached from underneath.....any picture you can provide?



First, if your car has less than 80K miles it is still covered by the emmission warranty for the gasket. So you shouldn't have to pay to get it fixed.

Second, the PCV valve is best to get at from underneath. It is located at the passenger side at the end of the intake manifold/cylinder head. You'll be able to follow the vaccum hose to it.


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## gese (Jan 15, 2006)

gfriedman said:


> First, if your car has less than 80K miles it is still covered by the emmission warranty for the gasket. So you shouldn't have to pay to get it fixed.
> 
> Second, the PCV valve is best to get at from underneath. It is located at the passenger side at the end of the intake manifold/cylinder head. You'll be able to follow the vaccum hose to it.


Thanks gfriedman....will try to replace the PCV valve this weekend. I will also check my warranty. Strange thing happened today as I was driving home....I looked at my speedometer and by tachometer and both were at zero!! I was on the highway! As I made my way up the driveway, they went back to normal. What's up?


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## gese (Jan 15, 2006)

annesjn said:


> My 96 altima GXE has been having a oscillating or surging idle for the past three months. I just sprayed around the gasket area and it did infact smoothe out the idle. jdominy I highly sugest you try this. The bad part is that it a 4-5 hour job to replace the $5 gasket.
> 
> I will update when I repair myself next week.


Hi annesjn,
I seem to have the same problem with my 2000 Altima SE. Thanks to you people on this thread, I have concluded that it is the gasket. Thinking of getting it done at the dealers pretty soon as it is getting really rough in drive (settles down in neutral though). How did the repair go and how much did it cost if you don't mind me asking. :hal:


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## gese (Jan 15, 2006)

jdominy said:


> I will give that a try. I also forgot to mention this. The rough idle is not constant. I will rough idle, then clear up, the rough idle again. I don't know if that makes a difference.
> 
> 
> Thanks


Hi Jdominy,
Did you ever get your Altima repaired. Was it the gasket? :cheers:


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## gfriedman (Oct 12, 2005)

gese said:


> Hi annesjn,
> I seem to have the same problem with my 2000 Altima SE. Thanks to you people on this thread, I have concluded that it is the gasket. Thinking of getting it done at the dealers pretty soon as it is getting really rough in drive (settles down in neutral though). How did the repair go and how much did it cost if you don't mind me asking. :hal:


Yeah, it's more noticeable when in drive than neutral. Also you'll notice an irregular puff puff sound coming out the exhaust. It costs about $700 to fix at the shop. If your SEL is on you'll have more of a case for the warranty repair cause it wont pass inspection if they do emission inspection in your state.


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## gese (Jan 15, 2006)

gfriedman said:


> Yeah, it's more noticeable when in drive than neutral. Also you'll notice an irregular puff puff sound coming out the exhaust. It costs about $700 to fix at the shop. If your SEL is on you'll have more of a case for the warranty repair cause it wont pass inspection if they do emission inspection in your state.


Hi GF,
The SEL is on and has been on for over a month. Unfortunately I am over the 80k miles. Today my gauges went off again and while I was driving they read 0....then after 10 minutes they settled back to the right speed and rpms. What is going on with this? I am afraid to bring it in now. But it is only a 2000.....what a shame! There is definitely a vacuum leak as I no longer get a vacuum release sound that I used to hear when I opened my gas cap for fuel. Got a friend of mine to who had an OBD II reader and it said "P0171 System too Lean (Bank 1) " which could be the oxygen sensor but I still think it is the intake manifold gasket. Any thoughts?


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## gfriedman (Oct 12, 2005)

Not sure what's up with the guages - maybe a loose wire somewhere. Did that start after you had the driver side window control fixed? Maybe they screwed up your electrical system who knows.

The vacuum leak in your engine and gas tank are unrelated. You might want to get a new gas cap to fix that problem.

Usually the obd code is p0304 for the gasket leak but the only way to be sure that's what it is is to go get yourself a spray can of carb cleaner and spray it around the where the intake manifold meets the cylinder head. If there is a leak you will notice that the idle smooths out while you spray around the leak. 

Also you will notice the irregular exhaust pattern. A normal engine's ehaust sounds like clockwork - very steady but with a vacuum leak it is unsteady and makes a puff puff sound during the misfires.

Either way ya got some work ahead.


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## gese (Jan 15, 2006)

gfriedman said:


> Not sure what's up with the guages - maybe a loose wire somewhere. Did that start after you had the driver side window control fixed? Maybe they screwed up your electrical system who knows.
> 
> The vacuum leak in your engine and gas tank are unrelated. You might want to get a new gas cap to fix that problem.
> 
> ...


Hi again gfriedman,
I went to my neighborhood mechanic shop this morning to give him a chance to fix it. He used propane around the throttle body area (I believe) and said that he thinks there is a possible vacuum leak at the throttle body assembly or a problem with the mas air flow sensor. With the propane, the car ran well as it sucked it in. They also got a code reading for lean fuel condition (P0171-front bank) and they tested the oxygen sensor but said it wsa fine. They said the check a few other sensors as well and things were fine. However, they recommended I take the car the to dealers to get it fix. I was a bit surprised. I guess they weren't sure or didn't want to do the work (I don't know). While they had the car up, I asked them to change the PCV Valve. They took a look at it and said that a small boys hand would have a difficult time getting at the space. I guess I took so much of their time (this took 2 hours) they didn't want to bother removing any parts to get to the valve. Is this valve so difficult to replace? I was going to go to one of those garages that let you lift the car to change it myself but maybe I am kidding myself!

The one good thing I guess is that they didn't charge me a cent. Given the above, do you think it is still the intake manifold gasket? Thank you very much for you help on this by the way. :thumbup:


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## gese (Jan 15, 2006)

gfriedman said:


> Not sure what's up with the guages - maybe a loose wire somewhere. Did that start after you had the driver side window control fixed? Maybe they screwed up your electrical system who knows.
> 
> The vacuum leak in your engine and gas tank are unrelated. You might want to get a new gas cap to fix that problem.
> 
> ...


gfriedman,
You are also right about the exhaust....no musical tune here, there is definitely a puff puff sound and it sounds like it is misfiring. Giving everything, I guess I can rule out a defective EGR Valve (ie. open at low revs)?


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## gfriedman (Oct 12, 2005)

You've got a vacuum leak either in the intake manifold gasket or possibly the throttle body gasket. Those 2 things are right next to each other so when the tech was sraying proppane it could have been sucked either way. I can't tell you for sure which one it is - but it is one of them. The intake manifold gasket is a common issue for that year so its probably that. 

At least that shop was honest and didn't want to take on a job they weren't sure about. That PCV is a bitch to get to. But it ain't causing you're idle problem. I would have it replaced at the same time as you do the gasket since it is easier to get to when you have the manifold off anyway. Fix the gasket leak first as it will probably make your other problems (lean condition) go away.


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## chi2jjk (Feb 9, 2006)

gfriedman said:


> You've got a vacuum leak either in the intake manifold gasket or possibly the throttle body gasket. Those 2 things are right next to each other so when the tech was sraying proppane it could have been sucked either way. I can't tell you for sure which one it is - but it is one of them. The intake manifold gasket is a common issue for that year so its probably that...


Gene
THANK YOU! I feel very confident that my problems are the gasket(s) Does it make sense to just get them both changed at the smae time (104,000 miles '97 Altima)? Will a shop be able to accurately tell which one is the culprit, and how long should I expect the other (unchanged) gasket to last if one has failed?

Again, a thousand THANKS!
:cheers: 
:cheers:


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## gfriedman (Oct 12, 2005)

No, only replace the gasket that is leaking - a competent mechanic should be able to zero in on the culprit. BTW, I have yet to hear of a throttle body gasket failure - all the reported problems are with the manifold gasket. But if the mechanic is really not sure then replace the throttle body gasket first as its a MUCH easier job and see if that fixes the problem.

Is your check engine light on??


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## chi2jjk (Feb 9, 2006)

gfriedman said:


> No, only replace the gasket that is leaking - a competent mechanic should be able to zero in on the culprit. BTW, I have yet to hear of a throttle body gasket failure - all the reported problems are with the manifold gasket. But if the mechanic is really not sure then replace the throttle body gasket first as its a MUCH easier job and see if that fixes the problem.
> 
> Is your check engine light on??


Yes to the check engine light. AutoZone read the code as p0304 and p0171 for me (both described above - but you know what they mean.) (then they suggested that maybe the gas I was buying was too lean :loser: - at least he could plug into the OBD-II without too much trouble.)

Any suggestions as far as the struts? KYB, Monroe, dealer supplied? It's an everyday driver, so I don't need a 'performance' ride, but I want something that is going to last a long time.

It's looking like I'll be dumping about $1200 - $1500 on all this 'stuff' and labor. It's worth it if the car will be nice to drive again.


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## gfriedman (Oct 12, 2005)

Yup p0304 is an intake gasket. Oh OK you realize its gonna be loot to fix. Hold off on the O2 to see if the p0171 goes away after the gasket is fixed.

If the mechanic hasn't done a bunch of these I'd guess the car will be in the shop 2-3 days.


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## JBD1965 (Feb 15, 2006)

*Calaytic Converter*

I have a 2000 Atlima 5spd and I have to give it a little extra gas when taking off or it would it be sluggish. I heard I might have calaytic converter problem because it feels like the car is holding back when I'm in any gear. I also hear a rattling noise time from time.

I have changed the fuel filter, plugs, and wires. The car has 125k miles

Any suggestions.

JBD


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## nismobleed (Mar 29, 2005)

*hmmmmmmm*

Timing chain guides or idler pulley could be the rattle?? 

About the previous codes posted not sure if anyone mentioned the Idle Air Control valve could cause sluggish and rough idle as well. Having a Consult and access to Asist is the greatest thing known to man!!

Just a suggestion, I didn't read the whole thread, just putting my two cents in!


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## AltimaBlues (Apr 6, 2006)

*Type of replacement gasket*



Darktide said:


> Don't cheap out on the gasket or you will find yourself doing it all over again. Go with the highest grade of Fel Pro brand gasket that your auto part store has available... I would even order it if I had to do it. You never want to have to do a job like that twice because of a low quality gasket. Good luck with it.


I am about to embark on the intake manifold gasket replacement adventure. I have found only one place on line that sells the Fel Pro at $7.00 for the set. Many other sites carry the Ishino OEM part, but I am leary of even considering them, since that is the mfg of the original failed part, even if it is a engine design problem. Seven dollars doesn't seem like enough for a high performance part. Are there other reputable gasket manufacturers that can be considered? Napa, Beck-Arnley(sp?)...


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## Darktide (Jul 29, 2004)

napa.... HAH.... all NAPA does is take another companies part and put their name on it.:lame: 

FELPRO is top of the line and I could care less what price its at. They are the best developed gasket company there is and your best bet stands with them. I only trust Felpro gaskets on my engine. If there was a design flaw i'm sure that Felpro did everything they could to take care of it unless nothing could be done about it. I know it seems wrong but the $7 part is the way to go.

Good luck


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## 99Alt (May 24, 2006)

I have a 99 Altima 5 speed and it's been having the same problem as everyone else here. My friend plugged it to a computer and got a P0304 code. He sprayed carb cleaner at the intake manifold gasket around cylinder 4 and it revved up. He says I have a vacuum leak there. He's already changed the distributor, spark plug, spark plug wires and fuel filter and nothing has changed. I'm plan to take it to the dealer to get the gasket changed.

My question is should I still get a diagnostic test ($145) done by the dealer? He keeps saying he can never be sure if it's the gasket or not without the test. I feel like I'm being cheated by the guy. Should I just go in and ask for the gasket to be changed or get the test? Is is any different from what my friend did for me? He's charging me around 475 for labor and 50 for the gasket. Does that sound right? He's also like "It could also be the manifold and if so, it'll cost you another $300." But from what I've been reading, it shouldn't be the manifold right?

I hope someone can help me b4 I take it to the dealer in the next day or so. It really sucks not having a bf who knows about cars when you need one. haha.
Thanks.


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## LONDONDERRY (May 19, 2004)

99Alt said:


> I have a 99 Altima 5 speed and it's been having the same problem as everyone else here. My friend plugged it to a computer and got a P0304 code. He sprayed carb cleaner at the intake manifold gasket around cylinder 4 and it revved up. He says I have a vacuum leak there. He's already changed the distributor, spark plug, spark plug wires and fuel filter and nothing has changed. I'm plan to take it to the dealer to get the gasket changed.
> 
> My question is should I still get a diagnostic test ($145) done by the dealer? He keeps saying he can never be sure if it's the gasket or not without the test. I feel like I'm being cheated by the guy. Should I just go in and ask for the gasket to be changed or get the test? Is is any different from what my friend did for me? He's charging me around 475 for labor and 50 for the gasket. Does that sound right? He's also like "It could also be the manifold and if so, it'll cost you another $300." But from what I've been reading, it shouldn't be the manifold right?
> 
> ...



Understanably your frustration with your Altima. I does sound like your dumping parts and cash into the car and nothing is working. From what you describe, your intake manifold gasket is leaking, this is a very very common problem with Altimas. The cost to fix this issues is close to $450-500, depending on who does it. Most of the associated cost is labour, the gasket is cheap. I don't think you need to bring it to a dealer to fix this problem, as any capable local mechanic you know should be able to handle this task. Finally, because, someone scanned your ECM, and you know the code, I wouldn't pay to have this done. Have the person who's going to work on your car replace the gasket first and then see what happens. Don't get conned into spending more cash than thats needed.

Good luck
Frank


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## gfriedman (Oct 12, 2005)

Just tell him to change the intake manifold gasket. You already did the diagnosis. The labor is about right but $50 for the gasket is a ripoff. Its a $10 part at most. Maybe he meant $50 for all parts together. Anyway, if you get the whole job done for under $600 I would go ahead. If he insists on the diagnosis tell him you only want it if he discounts that amount to final repair bill. Get everything in writing up front with the estimates. Stand your ground and don't leave your car with them unless you feel their trustworthy. If you are not sure about them have them do some small job and see how you are treated first.


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## AltimaBlues (Apr 6, 2006)

chi2jjk said:


> Gene
> THANK YOU! I feel very confident that my problems are the gasket(s) Does it make sense to just get them both changed at the smae time (104,000 miles '97 Altima)? Will a shop be able to accurately tell which one is the culprit, and how long should I expect the other (unchanged) gasket to last if one has failed?
> 
> Again, a thousand THANKS!
> ...


I just finished replacing my intake manifold gaskets (yes, both) for my 1998 Altima. In my case there wasn't a choice. In order to pull the manifold away from the engine block, I had to loosen the plenum, push it down a ways so the intake manifold could slide back on the upper, outer star head bolts (which I could not remove using an E7 star socket ... the star head twisted off entirely, but the threaded bolt end remained okay fortunately!). This of course meant replacing both gaskets, which came in a set any way. The condition of the plenum gasket looked about the same as the upper intake gasket ....hard and inflexible. Based on my experience, I would always recommend changnig both. I also had to remove the throttle body and replace that gasket... not a problem.


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## Peeta (Apr 7, 2006)

*rough idle question*

I have all the symptoms as posted in the forum,but one question. Does the "service engine soon" light have to be on.
What could be my problem if so.

My light is not on 
186000 KMs


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## LONDONDERRY (May 19, 2004)

Peeta said:


> I have all the symptoms as posted in the forum,but one question. Does the "service engine soon" light have to be on.
> What could be my problem if so.
> 
> My light is not on
> 186000 KMs


no.
Bring your car to a shop and have them scan it for any stored coded.


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## AltimaBlues (Apr 6, 2006)

*Service engine light doesn't necessarily come on*



Peeta said:


> I have all the symptoms as posted in the forum,but one question. Does the "service engine soon" light have to be on.
> What could be my problem if so.
> 
> My light is not on
> 186000 KMs


Peeta:

The experience I had with 1998 Altima GLE is that even though I got the cylinder 4 misfire error message, the "service engine soon" light did not necessarily come on all the time. The light came on a few times, even though the enginer ran and idled rough most of the time. My engine would surge to a higher RPM once after I came to a stop.

Take the advice of previous postings, and spray carb cleaner around where the intake manifold connects to engine block on cylinder 4 (far right as you face the front of the car; at least on my 1998. I presume Nissan maintains the same position designation on other year models). The intake gasket is vertically mounted. This trick was the best test advice I found on this forum. If the engine smooths out for a short while, it is most likely the intake manifold gasket that needs to be replaced. In order to pull the manifold away from the block, I had to disconnect the plenum below the intake manifold, thus forcing me to replace both gaskets, but, when I bought them they both came in the same package anyway. If you do the work yourself and your car is the same as mine, I can give you some detailed instructions.


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## Peeta (Apr 7, 2006)

AltimaBlues said:


> Peeta:
> 
> The experience I had with 1998 Altima GLE is that even though I got the cylinder 4 misfire error message, the "service engine soon" light did not necessarily come on all the time. The light came on a few times, even though the enginer ran and idled rough most of the time. My engine would surge to a higher RPM once after I came to a stop.
> 
> Take the advice of previous postings, and spray carb cleaner around where the intake manifold connects to engine block on cylinder 4 (far right as you face the front of the car; at least on my 1998. I presume Nissan maintains the same position designation on other year models). The intake gasket is vertically mounted. This trick was the best test advice I found on this forum. If the engine smooths out for a short while, it is most likely the intake manifold gasket that needs to be replaced. In order to pull the manifold away from the block, I had to disconnect the plenum below the intake manifold, thus forcing me to replace both gaskets, but, when I bought them they both came in the same package anyway. If you do the work yourself and your car is the same as mine, I can give you some detailed instructions.


That would be great if i could get some detailed instruction. I have a mechanic to do the work but he is a certified GM mechanic.

Peeta


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## LONDONDERRY (May 19, 2004)

Peeta said:


> That would be great if i could get some detailed instruction. I have a mechanic to do the work but he is a certified GM mechanic.
> 
> Peeta



Doesn't matter if your mechanic is certified to even fix airplanes. As long as he/ she is a general automotive mechanic they should be able to handle the task. count on $500-600 to repair this issue.
Good Luck
Frank


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## malmeid2 (May 30, 2010)

Sorry to bump such an old thread but I was just wondering about this issue. After reading a couple of threads here, it appears that I have a bad intake manifold gasket like the rest of you with these issues. I was just wondering if any of you have experienced issues in other places as a result of this problem. I had my radiator changed about 6 months ago and the hose leading from the top of the radiator to the motor is swollen badly and looks like it's gonna pop very soon. Any ideas? I don't know anything about cars so I'm not sure if my problems are related or not. Thanks in advance for any help or advice..


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## gfriedman (Oct 12, 2005)

@malmeid no there is no connection with other problems. If you have an old swollen hose just replace it - thats ez enough to do.


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## OneToughMax (Jul 16, 2004)

gfriedman said:


> if your car has less than 80K miles it is still covered by the emmission warranty for the gasket.


gfriedman: i have a 2001 altima GLE with what sounds like the same issue as others in this thread. i have 47,000 miles on it. what is the emission warranty you speak of? is it 80,000 miles regardless of the year of the car?

also- i took a video of the symptoms of my car and posted it on youtube. would you (or any other knowledgeable forum members) care to take a look? thanks!!


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## gfriedman (Oct 12, 2005)

OneToughMax said:


> gfriedman: i have a 2001 altima GLE with what sounds like the same issue as others in this thread. i have 47,000 miles on it. what is the emission warranty you speak of? is it 80,000 miles regardless of the year of the car?
> 
> also- i took a video of the symptoms of my car and posted it on youtube. would you (or any other knowledgeable forum members) care to take a look? thanks!


Nice video - yup that is a sick puppy with a leaking manifold gasket. The warranty was 8 years 80000 miles so probably expired by now. One bit of advice, dont replace the gasket with Nissan product - use another supplier like Felpro for instance. The Nissan gasket will break down again on you.
Good luck.


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