Need Direction...L20B

[r@+5un620]

I have spent the last few days freezing my balls off trying to diagnose and stop all leaks before summer when i plan on going to the river and woods more, I tracked my oil leaks to a slight leak from pan gasket and a minor leak from the oil pressure switch. My question there is will oil come gushing out of the switch if i change it now or should i wait and do it in 700 mi when i do my next oil change? :confused:  My major concern is that in the last 1 and ahalf months i have added a full jug of 50/50 antifreeze 3 times and i cannot figure out why, I have the normal white smoke on cold mornings before warm up and choke shuts off but other than that i cannot for the life of me solve it. I am a newbie to the home mechanic scene, so im still learning about things, any advice on this is much appreciated! Thanks,

-Kyle.

[datzenmike]

Oil will drip from the oil pressure sender hole while replacing it but that's all. Be sure to get a Nissan sender or sender FOR a Nissan as they have a special BPT British Pipe Thread and not North American NPT. Auto parts charge about $8 for them.

 

 

Coolant loss

 

If replacing the coolant constantly and there are no obvious leaks from hoses, rad or block there is a real risk of a blown head gasket. Pull the plugs and inspect them. One that is visibly much cleaner than the others could be from it being 'steam cleaned'.

[TENDRIL]

oil shouldn't "leak" from the pressure switch, but will drip

 

have you checked the heater core lines inside cab for water leaks ?

 

get truck to running temp and build pressure in cooling system than rev it higher about 2500-3000 and check visually around where exhaust and intake manis. meet . sometimes it will drip and evap. in that area if the gaskets older 

[r@+5un620]

i checked the exhaust mani no leaks that side was actually decently clean compared to passenger side, and idk about drip bc my switch will leak a puddle the size of a frisbee after a long drive and warm up... i can see it, and as for the heater core it isnt even hooked up, its bypassed and hoses there are fine. I did replace the temperature sending unit and my temp guage started working again but lately (last month) it barely moves up to just below the c line even if i take it 30 miles or so. I am wondering if the water pump is leaking or something because in front just above and below the fan i can see a faint residue after the warm up and rev i just did but nothing else? just in case it is a blown head gasket :hmm:  do you guys think that i should try it on my own or take it somewhere, i could do it but id need a lot of how to and somebody that knew their :poop:  to back me up and id have to wait til it warms up outside for sure. 

[TENDRIL]

when there is no pressure (car is off) the oil pressure swtich  will not dump oil if removed while car is off

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WCSh_6GA0k&feature=share&list=PL8EF51386855F2B58

 

 

everything you need to know about an l series. it is possible to do it yourself, i myself  wouldn't pay someone upwards of hundreds of dollars and my car sitting for a week + to do it..

 

 

 

with the car in the on position not started , take the wire going to the temp sensor and ground it and check your gauge it should read all the way hot.

 

if not gauge is bad or corroded stuck 

[datzenmike]

Look up on the underside of the water pump behind the pulley. There is a small 'weeping' hole. It's there to drain coolant away from the pump bearing if the seal fails. This prevents the bearing failing right away and allow time for the owner to notice the leak. These can leak with the motor running or not but there will usually be a tell tail sign of old coolant flow.

 

[r@+5un620]

Checked the gauge it works fine am going back out to look at weeping hole 

[r@+5un620]

looking at it i cannot see that there has been any leak from it but it is hard to see with the smog pump pulley behind it

[datzenmike]

The gauge should read much higher. About half way into the normal range or about 1/3 to 1/2 way up.

 

Remove the sender wire (Yellow/White) and have someone ground the end to the block. Make sure it has good contact. Your temp gauge should read full hot if the gauge is working properly. If still reading low the thermostat is likely failed in the open position and needs replacing.

[r@+5un620]

mkay so i guess im going to be changing a thermostat next week with a good 13-15 dollar one i think and then a oil pressure switch and ill see if i cant pick up a 1/8 bst t for a cheap oil pressure gauge if i can do that all under 50 bucks ill be happy, thinking about pulling engine this summer and replacing all the gaskets and based on those two videos posted above it sounds as though a monkey could do it and i havent been throwin' my shit at anybody lately. Im pretty sure ive got all the resources i need! i only drive the truck like 15 miles every 2 days and a 40 mile trip every so often, so if it is a head gasket i should be okay... i hope. Thanks guys for the replies if i have any issues next week ill have my iphone back on and be able to get pic in case i screw it up

-Kyle

[r@+5un620]

One last thing before I order, what temperature should i get?

[TENDRIL]

i think its the 185

[r@+5un620]

k got it

[datzenmike]

Go careful on those bolts. Don't snap them. Maybe warm the motor before you drain the coolant.

[r@+5un620]

anyone remember the part number perhaps im thinking it was 21200-P7 something or other and where can i buy an actual nissan oem one?

[r@+5un620]

as soon as i called dealer they were like we dont do datsuns and hung up? pretty sure the guy was in the middle of eating or something because i pissed him off by asking for a part number and if he could get me one and I heard chewing and then click lol

[datzenmike]

Phone the dealer manager and complain.  Then ask for 21200-V0105 about $15

[ggzilla]

Buy a quality thermostat like Beck/Arnley, Stant superstat, Motorad or NAPA.

[metalmonkey47]

Get a cooling system pressure tester from your nearest AutoZone. Pump it up to 13 psi and look for your coolant leaks

[banzai510(hainz)]

puyll the spark plugs and see if 1 or all are really clean . that will tell you if its sucking water IN.

 

ck heater cora also floor for leaks hoses ect.......

 

head gasket might be going.

 

you have a hot water line going to the intake or is this a stovepipe heasted manifold where the exhaustmanifold is bolted to the intake. These are a mother fucker!!!! to get out.

[ggzilla]

A slow leak might not be visible. In 2009 I had one only seen by the residue below the water pump. Never did see the water dripping out.

[r@+5un620]

They are mated together hainz when i had to replace that hose for coolant down in between the intakes i thought i was gonna break my hands trying to get the damn thing off and the new one on it took me like 6 hours straight of cussing and fighting with it... i didnt wanna take off the carb for fear of screwin something up

[banzai510(hainz)]

They are mated

 

 

I hate those ones!!!!!!!!I havent worked on them. Nor ever care too

[dr.feltersnatch]

mkay so i guess im going to be changing a thermostat next week with a good 13-15 dollar one i think and then a oil pressure switch and ill see if i cant pick up a 1/8 bst t for a cheap oil pressure gauge if i can do that all under 50 bucks ill be happy,

-Kyle

if your not in a hurry you can get all that shipped for around 30 bucks from rockauto.com

[kgrantkey]

Be sure to get a Nissan sender or sender FOR a Nissan as they have a special BPT British Pipe Thread and not North American NPT.

 

This is great info. I had a german car with a turbo. Bought an aftermarket oil ptrssure guage and about 1 year later the fitting just broke off and all my oil shot out. I was lucky enough to be able to plull over and cut the engine quick. A month or so later I needed oil seals replaced in the turbo.  Not to mention the fitting was at the back of the motor close to the firewall so it was a mojor ordeal to get what was left of the fitting out of the block.  Very painful.