What else could it be if not the head gasket?

[LD1]

Need a little help and figured I'd see what you guys think.

Working on a 2009 Nissan sentra 2.0.

Symptoms were it would barley run, and white smoke with strong coolant smell, low coolant (so it's burning it).

Was 100% sure it was the head/gasket. So didn't diagnose any further.

Tore off the head, and clear evidence that #1 and #4 were burning coolant. But the gasket didn't look blown at all. Had he'd checked out....no cracks and not warped.

Not sure if coolant passes through the TB or intake manifold, but even if so, all cylinders should show signs of burning coolant and not just 1 and 4.

At a loss here. Don't really want to spend $200-$300 to it back up without actually having found/fixed anything.

Don't really have a sufficient way to check the block, and pulling it out is a whole lot more work. Am I overlooking something?

 

[om21braz]

Not sure about Nissan, but we know the troubles GM has had with coolant leaks and intake gaskets/associated. Good luck with it!

 

[Lineman North Florida]

I would imagine if you went to a Nissan forum and posed this question somebody could probably get you on the right track. Good luck.

 

[s219]

So no signs of flow/leak on either side of the head gasket surfaces? Were all the bolts snug?

I think if there was a leak across the gasket, you'd see some indication of a flow pattern or leak pattern on the gasket or block or head. Especially if the gasket was intact. I might be faint, but you'd see it.

I assume there is signs of coolant in the oil?

 

[LD1]

No signs of coolant in the oil. But that don't necessarily happen if a gasket pops between the combustion chamber and coolant resivoir.

The gasket is not like any i have seen. It's like several thin layers of metal. Kinda like .005" shim. Several layers of that with just a real thin layer of black rubber type stuff. Bouy as thin as a layer of spray paint.

All bolts were real tight.

But there was no signs of a blow gasket that I could tell, and no "tracing" on the head or block like I normally see.

I'll look at the intake manifold again. Perhaps the head has coolant passages that are sealed off by the manifold gaskets on either end, similar to SBC heads. That could explain #1 and #4?

I'll try to get some pics in the morning of the block, gasket, and manifold. Head is not in my possession right now

 

[zzvyb6]

What about the intake manifold ?

 

[LD1]

 

[rswyan]

... Don't really have a sufficient way to check the block, and pulling it out is a whole lot more work. Am I overlooking something?

Start with a visual inspection of the cylinder walls in the suspect cylinders ... evidence of a small crack or cracks may actually be visible.

(Ask me how I know ... )

 

[Egon]

Start with a visual inspection of the cylinder walls in the suspect cylinders ... evidence of a small crack or cracks may actually be visible.

(Ask me how I know ... )

Sprays that will help with that.

Compression check?
Any chance of warpage on head?

 

[prichard]

I have a civic sitting in the yard. Same symptoms. I assume block cracked or warped. I think my son drove it while it was overheated.