# 2.4 liter 12 valve leak down?



## bobenns (Apr 4, 2010)

I love Nissan quality, have had several and currently have an r32 with rb20det in it that runs like a watch. However I have no problems with that car, it was well looked after by the previous Japanese owner.

This motor I have trouble with is in a 1990 Axxess. So seeing as there is no forum for them I'm posting here.

It has only 130,000 km on it. I picked it up from a couple of young fellows that decided to rebuild the head. They had the head done at a shop, but their install work is awful. I have found so many broken, disconnected or missing parts it's not funny. They had eventually given up and then sold me the van.

It's a rather complex engine, mounted crosswise so you really can't get at the back side at all. The procedure just for pulling the timing cover is something else.

Anyway they had it right apart, except for the block. I have been re-doing a lot of their work. Had it to the point where I could fire it the other day. It fired and ran bad, a lot of clatter, from the lifters I think. Anyway I read that they can take a while to fill with oil, so I proceeded to pour water into the cooling system until I heard some running out. From underneath I could see it coming from right alongside the larger water pipe in the bottom of the intake manifold right above the power steering pump. Looks like the pipe may be broken free.

Not to be discouraged, I ran it a bit more to see what else was happening. A lot of water passing right through the motor with lots of white smoke and some water coming out the tail pipe.

So I have decided to tear it right back to where they had done it and work up from there. I am in the process of pulling the head right off again so I can be sure it goes on right.

I have a few questions that maybe a seasoned Nissan owner can answer.

1. When I pulled the oil pan after the brief running, a couple of minutes at most, water had even made it's way into the pan, there was enough to be concerned with, it wasn't mixed with the oil yet, drops of it all over the pan and some in the bottom. Spark plug from no 1 was also wet when I took it out.
Anybody have any ideas how water can get to the crankcase?

2. Did a compression test and have 150 in all cylinders. No 1 cyl takes a couple of turns longer than the rest to get to 148 or so. When I hand cranked the engine with a socket with spark plugs in I could feel compression but also could hear the hiss of it leaking away when I stopped turning it. Sounded like it was leaking down a little quickly.
Should I be able to hear the compression leaking away?

3. I suspect there may be more wrong with no1 cylinder.

Any more suggestions of things to check once he head is off?

Thanks in advance.


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## rogoman (Dec 16, 2004)

The symptoms point to a blown head gasket. If you suspect more problems with #1 cylinder, then it's best to do a leak-down test on the cylinder; a leak-down tester is needed. With a leak-down test, you can pretty much pin-point the problem.


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## bobenns (Apr 4, 2010)

Hey thanks for that. I'm taking the head off to see what I can see. They just had the head serviced at a machine shop, but who knows, maybe used the old head gasket. I'm learning a lesson here about taking on something that someone else screwed up.


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## bobenns (Apr 4, 2010)

Did a crude leak down with 100 lbs air into no.1 at TDC, can hear air coming past piston from below, can hear and feel air coming through exhaust port. I'd say cylinder and piston is toast.

This engine is just so hard to work on the way it is mounted in this mini van. There are multiple serious problems, I'm cutting my losses now. 

FOR SALE 1990 Nissan Axxess parts van. 130,000 km, engine defects, excellent body, no rust, in Kelowna BC... Cheap!


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