Coolant leak from the timing cover

[mick20]

I own a 2008 GU ST (CRD) Wagon, I have come across a problem with my Patrol which has been diagnosed with a coolant leak from the timing cover.

The vehicle is 6 months out of warranty ($2500 to fix) and has only travelled 67 000 km, has anyone else come across this problem before with such low km's ?

[Ben-e-boy]

I havent come across the issue as I own a gq.. but you may be lucky its only a water pump gasket, or is the coolant actually leaking into the timing cover

[mick20]

No this has been diagnosied by Nissan and it is up above the water pump.

[Arwon]

Had same problem with our 2008, but ours was a warranty job. They have to pull the motor out to fix it properly.


2008 CRD wagon, pyro & boost, scangauge II gauges, CC IC, Provent 200, snorkel.
Nowra NSW.

[mick20]

I found a great mechanic that had come across the same problem before with the ZD30 engines, problem has been fixed with some silicon and I was told that is all Nissan do as there are no gaskets used now it is all silicon. Work was done 5 days ago and no sign of any leak !!

[JoeG]

I found a great mechanic that had come across the same problem before with the ZD30 engines, problem has been fixed with some silicon and I was told that is all Nissan do as there are no gaskets used now it is all silicon. Work was done 5 days ago and no sign of any leak !!
Hi Since I have a CRD I would like you (if possible) to post a picture of the leak and the repair
Big difference between pulling out the motor and a squeeze of silicon! and may $$$$$$
Thanks
jOE

[mick20]

Hi Since I have a CRD I would like you (if possible) to post a picture of the leak and the repair
Big difference between pulling out the motor and a squeeze of silicon! and may $$$$$$
Thanks
jOE

Hi Joe, sorry I dont have any before and after photos (I found a photo of the same problem on the internet and then knew that was it) I can't even see any silicon and it is doing the job so I'm happy and so is my wallet $$$$$$.
Cheers
Mick

[JoeG]

Hi Joe, sorry I dont have any before and after photos (I found a photo of the same problem on the internet and then knew that was it) I can't even see any silicon and it is doing the job so I'm happy and so is my wallet $$$$$$.
Cheers
Mick
Hi Thanks anyway, some thing to remember
Joe

[Mike Oxgood]

Hi guys,

took my Patrol to the mechanic today for my 80 thou service. Found a the same leak as you guys have had. This guy had done one before and he reckons after removing the engine, all new fluids, gasket kit (around $1300) plus labour of 15 odd hours I'll be up for $4000.

The car is 60 days and 5,000 k's out of warranty and my extended warranty clearly states that it doesn't cover gaskets. Won't be buying another one of those.

Is the silicone still working for you guys?

I intend to call Nissan Australia on Monday and ask them to warrant it. I'll let you know how I go

Mike.

[grimace]

any chance of some pics as i have a 2008 CRD with just over a hundred thou on the clock, havn,t noticed any leaks but will be giving it a good going over when i get home from work.....

[the ferret]

That is bullshirt, just out of warranty, so many people with the same problem.
Design fault in my opinion, Nissan need some serious bad mouthing in my opinion also.
Taking the engine out to fix a water leak that shouldn't happen in the first place pfffft.
The Nissan dealers must be rubbing their hands together every time they see a crd pull into the driveway.
I'm sure I'd end up ramming it through the front door if I didn't get satisfaction.
So glad I have a 2.8 lol.
Dummy spat, cheers, the ferret.

[cuzzo]

Mine had the same leak and was fixed under warranty. An oil leak developed around 20,000 kms from the timing case & then at 85,000 coolant started to leak. I also read that it was an engine out job but that is not the case. The front of the engine / timing case is pulled down & re sealed / fitted to correct issue. I left the leak until 85,000 kms because I didn’t want Nissan touching the vehicle but found a good dealer who didn't try & handball me or the issue. In saying that though they had two goes at it, but its all good now, & when I got it back it was all put back together properly. I'm also having a new intercooler fitted under warranty by the same dealer, it's been leaking since 35,000kms. Apparently its cracked, another Nissan dealer looked at it at about 50,000 kms & I was told it was "common". Go figure..

[Mike Oxgood]

Hi Cuzzo,

So yours was fixed under warranty at 85k km,s? My mechanic reckons it,s and engine out job because there are two bolts that need to be undone that are in the sump. I couldn't imagine why they would be in he sump but he was sure they were and he'd done this job before. Hmmmm. And does the en
ine need to be out to get at the sump anyway?

I'll be calling several Nissan Dealers Tomorrow and asking including Nissan Customer Service. If anyone else out here can help please post here. Thanks, Mike.

[cuzzo]

Yeah mate all fixed under warranty. Before I let Nissan work on the vehicle I asked for a diagram of the timing case assembly to see for myself what was required. The dealer I used for the repairs knew of the issue & had repaired other CRD's prior to mine so it must be a common fault. As someone else stated there is no gasket, it is sealed by silicon so the issue is from factory. When booking in the vehicle I actually asked for the clutch to be replaced. Thinking the engine needed to come out, but I assure you it doesn't. Where are you located ?? Ferntree Gully Nissan carried out the works on my vehicle & I was extremely happy. I have previously dealt with Yarra Valley Nissan & would never send another car there for repairs ever after having my car returned to me in pieces & with a flat battery.

[Mike Oxgood]

Yeah mate all fixed under warranty. Before I let Nissan work on the vehicle I asked for a diagram of the timing case assembly to see for myself what was required. The dealer I used for the repairs knew of the issue & had repaired other CRD's prior to mine so it must be a common fault. As someone else stated there is no gasket, it is sealed by silicon so the issue is from factory. When booking in the vehicle I actually asked for the clutch to be replaced. Thinking the engine needed to come out, but I assure you it doesn't. Where are you located ?? Ferntree Gully Nissan carried out the works on my vehicle & I was extremely happy. I have previously dealt with Yarra Valley Nissan & would never send another car there for repairs ever after having my car returned to me in pieces & with a flat battery.

Thanks heaps for that cuzzo. That will help heaps when sorting this out tomorrow. I'm in the Latrobe Valley. I'll let you know how I go.

[Mike Oxgood]

Update

Saw Nissan Service manager this arvo. He reckons they don't need to remove the engine. Cost would be $2500 but tomorrow he will find out for me if Nissan will foot the bill. Everything crossed for tomorrow.

Mike.

[Mike Oxgood]

No news as yet. Hanging to find out.

[the ferret]

Update

Saw Nissan Service manager this arvo. He reckons they don't need to remove the engine. Cost would be $2500 but tomorrow he will find out for me if Nissan will foot the bill. Everything crossed for tomorrow.

Mike.

Un believeable, two and a half grand to fix a piddly little water leak that shouldn't happen in the first place.
Cheers, the ferret.

[Mike Oxgood]

Yep, I'd like to meet the guy who designed the 3 litre. Might have few things to point out to him before I bopped him one nose.

[Mike Oxgood]

So a few weeks down the track and Nissan said No, they won't pay for the repairs. I asked them about my loyalty with all services done etc and they said they would reconsider it as the Dealer hadn't passed that on in the "case". Pffft. Am I supposed to believe the Dealer built any case at all? So now after I gave them some more information they are "considering two options".

I hope to pick the car up on Monday arvo or Tuesday at the latest. I can't wait to hear the options.

Mike.

[the ferret]

If you don't do any good, point them in the direction of this forum, in particular, my previous posts on the matter.
Cheers, the ferret.

[Mike Oxgood]

Nissan agreed to pay for the parts. Exceeded what I had expected as I thought I,d get nothing out of them. Drove it out of the dealership and down the highway and now there is a high pitched squeal which gets higher with more revs. Could it simply be my new fan belt? I hope so.

[ilikebundy]

Hi
I also own a 2008 GU ST (CRD) wagon with 60,000 on the clock and have just had the water leak diagnosed.
I find it amazing that so many have had the same problem yet Nissan are not willing to do anything except charge $2500 to fix it.
Could any of you tell me if they found another mechanic that fixed the problem?

[cuzzo]

My timing case leak reappeared at 100,000 kms, just out of warranty. But because I had the leak repaired previously under warranty the dealer had no issues repairing it again. Hopefully it holds up this time around, to the dealers credit they also replaced the pulley tensioner for the fan belt. Which had seized under warranty, the dealer was Ferntree Gully Nissan. I haven't got a bad word against them, Yarra Valley Nissan though is a different story. I wouldn't leave my bike with them.

[the ferret]

Nothing wrong with praise for a dealer that does the right thing, they are rare these days.
They don't seem to be aware that we talk about our experiences on this and other forums and we are everything Nissan!!.
So that is a good for Ferntree Gully Nissan Keep up the good customer relationship Ferntree, the word has it that you're OK.
But it's also good to post up the bad ones IMO, lets everyone know where not to go, even when forking out $60 odd grand for a new patrol.
Cheers, the ferret.