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Nissan Pathfinder 2003 LE Oil Leak
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TedHospes
New User
Jan 29, 2016, 9:01 AM
Post #1 of 5
(1875 views)
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Nissan Pathfinder 2003 LE Oil Leak
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I drive a Nissan Pathfinder 2003 LE 3.5 Liter v6. I noticed quite a while back that I had developed what looks like (in my inexperienced opinion) to be a very serious oil leak. Now I am unsure of anything do to the lack of Auto-mechanical experience and knowledge, but it doesn't seem to be much of a question in my mind whether it's an oil leak or not. The truth of the matter is though, that I am unsure and would like to have some insurance of what the issue is, where the oil leak is or rather what part that is covered in oil (my presumption is that it's the oil pan), and the cost of repair/labor. I attempted to take the best quality pictures with the best angles I was capable of reaching for these images to help the issue be diagnosed, images are shown below:
http://i.imgur.com/1NQfne6.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/2zyur4i.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/TeHL6Rq.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/ZIMg1Ft.jpg
Thank you for your time!
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Jan 29, 2016, 10:05 AM)
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jan 29, 2016, 9:15 AM
Post #2 of 5
(1864 views)
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Re: Nissan Pathfinder 2003 LE Oil Leak
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Holy crap sport
those pics gotta go
too big to know what
we are looking at.
________
Best I could figure is I saw what looked like a
oil drain plug. Check engine oil
bet it's low.
If so or not see if that wet hex bolt with gasket (looks like it)
is loose first carefully tighten, wipe dry and see if anything
comes right back there.
If you just had oil service done and this just happened,
call the place and mention this. If low oil especially
tow it and quit running it. Fix may be easy or very
involved if that's what happened?
T
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TedHospes
New User
Jan 29, 2016, 9:37 AM
Post #3 of 5
(1861 views)
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Re: Nissan Pathfinder 2003 LE Oil Leak
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Thanks for the feedback! Sorry about the oversized images, they were taken off of my phone and I have no idea when or how they managed to get so enlarged. Would it maybe help you diagnose is I gave simply links to them?
http://i.imgur.com/ZIMg1Ft.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/TeHL6Rq.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/2zyur4i.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/1NQfne6.jpg
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jan 29, 2016, 10:08 AM
Post #4 of 5
(1852 views)
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Re: Nissan Pathfinder 2003 LE Oil Leak
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Is it dry around the valve cover gaskets?
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jan 29, 2016, 10:30 AM
Post #5 of 5
(1847 views)
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Re: Nissan Pathfinder 2003 LE Oil Leak
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That's better. I'm no good with pics at this site and can't mess with yours. So - that works - 1st and last pic show well now and NOT the drain plug but rather now think it's between transmission bell housing and engine which is engine oil in appearance.
#1`Make sure engine oil is properly filled + don't rely on a low oil warning rather check it manually as it may not work or be the leak!
It's more likely the leak is from the rear main seal which isn't good news in my book. Hard to be sure. You could waste a roll of paper towels and brake cleaner would/should remove existing oil. I can't suggest pressure washing for anything for cleaning around an engine.
See if you can then target where it comes back before it makes a real mess again.
That or let a tech check it.
OK - Problem with me if a rear main is declared at fault is most do put a drop out now and then normally which also lubes them. Not always enough to put one on a garage floor but truck is 13+ years old and could leak more but not a problem to a point. My take is the bearings of the crankshaft allow shaft too much motion and has beat back the seal so just a seal may not work and is really a patch IMO at best.
Again IMO crankshaft has DNA with the engine. If its bearings are in fact worn it's wildly difficult to machine it so precisely with proper new bearings to be a lasting fix or instant disaster. Lots of work just to get one out to send out as that's machine shop work.
There may be (I hear this now and then) a seal if this is that seal that can be installed more easily and by design make up for some slop in crank bearings and buy some decent time?
Another clue that such important engine bearings are in trouble is oil pressure from a cold start doesn't instantly spike way up or vehicles with just low pressure lights stay on too long after engine starts and should be out right away.
What do you want to do? Have another look at it or do the first step is clean and locate it? It's always possible that the oil is coming down from something else altogether but any which way running too low on oil or out is fatal to engine right away if not seriously harmful.
So far the guess is rear main is the likely source but can't know that quite yet pics or not,
T
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