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1996 Maxima Coolant Leak


djtomr941
12-07-2003, 09:25 AM
I notice when I drive my car for a long period of time about 45 minutes of interstate driving and park it I see a nice puddle of antifreeze under the car. I usually run heat too with it being cold outside.... When I look the puddle is underneath the oilpan roughly. When I pop the hood there are no hoses this could be coming from. I identified 2 areas of concern. One is the thermostat. it can leak from there and drip down and hit that spot. another is a spot to the front of the vehicle next to the thermostat which is where the heated water goes to the heat core for the heat in my car. Im not sure what the connection to the vehicle is called but there is a removeable piece there that the hose polugs into... Does anyone have any idea if this sounds like a thermostat or the other?(whatever that part is called.)

Thanks

Oh the car has 194K on it... Lots of highway driving.

CdnMaxDog
12-07-2003, 10:00 PM
I notice when I drive my car for a long period of time about 45 minutes of interstate driving and park it I see a nice puddle of antifreeze under the car. I usually run heat too with it being cold outside.... When I look the puddle is underneath the oilpan roughly. When I pop the hood there are no hoses this could be coming from. I identified 2 areas of concern. One is the thermostat. it can leak from there and drip down and hit that spot. another is a spot to the front of the vehicle next to the thermostat which is where the heated water goes to the heat core for the heat in my car. Im not sure what the connection to the vehicle is called but there is a removeable piece there that the hose polugs into... Does anyone have any idea if this sounds like a thermostat or the other?(whatever that part is called.)

Thanks

Oh the car has 194K on it... Lots of highway driving.



Does the car leak when its engine is running? If not, it could be your waterpump, if yes recheck the hoses and any steel tubing usually (1/2 inch thick) with rubber hoses connected, running along the engine and firewall for pin holes due to rust. Remember to check your belts for any cracks or wear if you change the pump. Also a faulty waterpump bearing may make some noise which you may be able to hear while the engine is running.Thats an indication of wear on the pump which will eventually leak and need to be changed.
Peace

"When driving your Maxima hard,Fear should not be an option"

djtomr941
12-08-2003, 08:22 AM
It may leak when its running but I dont notice it... It only leaks after being driven real hard, really hot... and I looked.. on the alternator under the water pump there is a dried green film like antifreeze. the only spot I can see this coming from is the Thermostat or the gasket. I just picked up a thermostate, Upper radiator hose and lower one.. Im going to replace and see what happens... Hopefully this fixes it.. The care has 196K on it.. it is leaking from the front and backside too. Im going to replace the clutch.. Resurface the flywheel and replace the rear main seal and gasket anbd replace the oilpan gasket.. As for the front Im going to replace my front main seal and my cam shaft seals.. check the timing chain for wear along with the gears(sprockets..).. Im going to replace the water pump and the oil pump when I do that... Does anyone know of anymore seals on the front that need to be replaced alopng with the front main seal and 4 cam shaft seals???

I have a haynes manual but it doesnt really show all the seals that well.... Also it was leaking a lot of oil by the pan but I determine that was a leaking oil pressure sending unit. Picked one up for around 6 dollars and replaced it... most of the leaks now are on the rear.. if I fix that I think I can hold off on the front for a few mos...

mjf3232
06-01-2004, 01:06 AM
I'm having the exact same problem with my '96 Maxima. Coolant is leaking from somewhere above the oil pan and dripping off of it. Where you able to figure out specifically where the leak was coming from?

djtomr941
06-01-2004, 07:29 AM
I'm having the exact same problem with my '96 Maxima. Coolant is leaking from somewhere above the oil pan and dripping off of it. Where you able to figure out specifically where the leak was coming from?


Well Nissan wanted to charge me an arm and a leg to do this... It's 4 and a half hours labor if a shop knows what they are doing. Call around. I found a shop that told me to buy my own parts and they would install it for me...

I did the thermostat myself which was easy and my upper and lower radiator hoses (BUT this did not solve my problem)

So I bought a water pump for 50 dollars at the auto parts store. they had to special order it. I kept a close eye on my coolant levels and filled up constantly. I also went ahead and got a front main seal since it was right there. You might as well replace it. The timing chain cover has to come off to replace the water pump if your engine is DOHC. Mine was. Also why I was at it the guy replaced my upper and lower oil pan gasket. Nissan only had RTV seelant but the Auto Store had a lower oil pan gasket. The upper was RTV and the upper came with the Crank shaft seals to go along with the front Crank shaft or front main seal.

All in all the labor was 250 dollars and the parts were under 100 dollars. SO I got all the seals replaces on the front side and underneath the car. I then rteplaced my 2 valve cover gaskets and instake manifold gaskets and clutch and rear main seal on my own. I normally work on everything but I was not going to touch the front side of the motor. However in the haynes manual and according to the guy its not that complicated. Its just a tight are to work in. I just let them do it since they had allt he tools. They did an excellent job and NO MORE leaks..


ITS YOUR WATER PUMP IM GUESSING.

kenai123
11-20-2010, 03:25 AM
I have a 1996 Nissan Maxima 3L coolent leak coming from the front of the engine, coming from under the alternator mount same as you had. The leak appears to be coming from under the alternator mount.
I see what appears to be cylinder shaped tube within the engine casting, under the mount to the alternator with a small spray of coolent comimg from a round groove on this tube.
The tube appears to be some kind of water transfer tube running coolent from one side of the engine block to the other.
This coolent tube is directly over the oil pan and displays a leak which appears to be coming from between the A/C and alternator. Do you know what this tube is? why it may be leaking? how to repair it? Is this a water pump weep hole? Its not a hole, leaking from a circle groove under alternator mount.
Also this tube appears to have a bolt running through it or something as I can see the tip of what appears be the small tip of a bolt showing through on the side of the engine where the belt runs.
http://www.nissanclub.com/forums/general-nissan-altima-discussion-1993-2001/271668-98-altima-coolant-leak-air-conditioning-compressor.html (http://www.nissanclub.com/forums/general-nissan-altima-discussion-1993-2001/271668-98-altima-coolant-leak-air-conditioning-compressor.html)

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When I bought my car (http://forums.maxima.org/4th-generation-maxima-1995-1999/131031-coolant-leak-possible-cracked-block.html#) it was smashed in the front end. The guy that repaired it had to replace the alternator because it was smashed due to the collision. I've had the car for about 2 years now and for about the last 6-8 months I've had a coolant leak coming from behind the a/c compressor and alternator. Today I tore things apart to find the leak, hoping it was a gasket further up or something. The leak starts right at the mount for the alternator. Is it possible that it was hit so hard that it cracked something (block?)? It's progressively getting worse and doesn't always leak. Sometimes I'll park somewhere and nothing leaks out, then I'll drive somewhere and there will be a puddle about the size of a softball, or other times I can see a small stream of coolant coming from under the car. What do you guys
http://forums.maxima.org/4th-generation-maxima-1995-1999/131031-coolant-leak-possible-cracked-block.html (http://forums.maxima.org/4th-generation-maxima-1995-1999/131031-coolant-leak-possible-cracked-block.html)
BSwithTF (http://forums.maxima.org/member.php?u=556)
http://www.nissanclub.com/forums/1995-1999-nissan-maxima-gen-4-discussion/266624-coolant-leak-mystery.html#post4055528 (http://www.nissanclub.com/forums/1995-1999-nissan-maxima-gen-4-discussion/266624-coolant-leak-mystery.html#post4055528)

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I'm having the exact same problem with my '96 Maxima. Coolant is leaking from somewhere above the oil pan and dripping off of it. Where you able to figure out specifically where the leak was coming from?

Well Nissan wanted to charge me an arm and a leg to do this... It's 4 and a half hours labor if a shop knows what they are doing. Call around. I found a shop that told me to buy my own parts and they would install it for me...

I did the thermostat myself which was easy and my upper and lower radiator hoses (BUT this did not solve my problem)

So I bought a water pump for 50 dollars at the auto parts store (http://www.automotivehelper.com/topic161173.htm#). they had to special order it. I kept a close eye on my coolant levels and filled up constantly. I also went ahead and got a front main seal since it was right there. You might as well replace it. The timing chain cover has to come off to replace the water pump if your engine is DOHC. Mine was. Also why I was at it the guy replaced my upper and lower oil pan gasket. Nissan only had RTV seelant but the Auto Store had a lower oil pan gasket. The upper was RTV and the upper came with the Crank shaft seals to go along with the front Crank shaft or front main seal.

All in all the labor was 250 dollars and the parts were under 100 dollars. SO I got all the seals replaces on the front side and underneath the car. I then rteplaced my 2 valve cover gaskets and instake manifold gaskets and clutch and rear main seal on my own. I normally work on everything but I was not going to touch the front side of the motor. However in the haynes manual and according to the guy its not that complicated. Its just a tight are to work in. I just let them do it since they had allt he tools. They did an excellent job and NO MORE leaks..


ITS YOUR WATER PUMP IM GUESSING.

Nahkapohjola
11-20-2010, 08:18 AM
....Sometimes I'll park somewhere and nothing leaks out, then I'll drive somewhere and there will be a puddle about the size of a softball, or other times I can see a small stream of coolant coming from under the car. What do you guys
.

Your details fit leaking pump -syndrome. They die by the mile in all cars, typically after 150k... Only replacement helps - and is done every 100-150k miles - as just one nuance in preventive maintenace procedure. If no preventive maintenace is done, any car will
break down. For your own sake get it serviced.

NO Driving Now - a leaking system will eventyally fry head gaskets = ruin whole engine, feel lucky to get tow $.$$$-service?

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