oil leak on wife's car

**JayTA98** · 12-26-2011, 04:51 AM

Hey guys my wife drives a 2006 nissan altima 2.5L close to 100k miles. The car overheated and cracked the head block gasket. I took the car to a mechanic and he took the head block out and had it resurfaced by a machine shop and installed the new gasket. The car is been running fine and is not overheating anymore. Last week my wife told me that when she checked the oil it was low. I check it and it is 1 quart low. The car was repaired like a month ago. I look underneath the engine and I can see that is leaking somewhere. I degreased everything and I'm going to drive it today to look for a better location of the leak.

What i did noticed was that the oil pan, the cover above that one and the timing cover gaskets look like he used RTV instead of gaskets. We use synthetic oil in the car. It is possible for the synthetic oil to leak easier because of the use of RTV? Is the problem the use of RTV? I was told that alot of this japanese cars don't use gaskets anymore, just RTV. Will going back to conventional oil help?

I'm going to bring it back to the mechanic this week and see what he says but I'm looking to see if this is something that I can maybe fix if they don't want to. I can do the oil pan, and maybe the other gasket for the next cover above it but I never done anything related with the timing chain cover.

I know the car is not an LSX but I know alot of you guys have a lot of experience in cars period. Any input will be greatly appreciated. Happy holidays by way!

**Danger731** · 12-26-2011, 05:20 AM

I'd take it back, they got the tools and ease to fix it. That is of course it was thier oversight on the R&R. Changing the type of oil won't help for a gravity leak.

**JayTA98** · 12-26-2011, 05:50 AM

Thanks Danger.

**redbird555** · 12-26-2011, 07:52 AM

I'm not sure how it is on nissans but on most cars you dont get any where near the timing cover or oil pan gasket to remove the head and install a new gasket so it may not be the mechanics doing. Now if the valve cover gasket is leaking then yes it is definitley the mechanics responsibility as that does have to come off to do the head gasket. As far as the red rtv some mechanics use that in conjunction with certain gasket types. Depending on the gasket material it may be beneficial to use some type of silicon sealant. Also (again not sure about nissans) but on some type of imports like a toyota my friend has doesnt use a timing cover gasket or an oil pan gasket instead toyota sells a special silicone they use instead of a gasket so it may be like that also

**JayTA98** · 12-26-2011, 10:20 AM

Originally Posted by redbird555

I'm not sure how it is on nissans but on most cars you dont get any where near the timing cover or oil pan gasket to remove the head and install a new gasket so it may not be the mechanics doing. Now if the valve cover gasket is leaking then yes it is definitley the mechanics responsibility as that does have to come off to do the head gasket. As far as the red rtv some mechanics use that in conjunction with certain gasket types. Depending on the gasket material it may be beneficial to use some type of silicon sealant. Also (again not sure about nissans) but on some type of imports like a toyota my friend has doesnt use a timing cover gasket or an oil pan gasket instead toyota sells a special silicone they use instead of a gasket so it may be like that also

Oh on this freaking altima you have to remove almost everything to get the head off. I saw the whole thing and its a pain to remove. I re check the leak after driving all day and i looks like is in the timing cover area only. I think is the seal of behind the harmonic balancer. I don't see they used red silicone. They used gray color one. I know honda makes a blue one that is great. Thanks Red.