93 Pathfinder XE with burnt valve #5

You gotta Love these old VG30E/i powered beasts, raw truck DNA to the core.

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Pugsley
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Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2016 3:18 pm

93 Pathfinder XE with burnt valve #5

Postby Pugsley » Tue Jan 19, 2016 3:28 pm

I use this to hunt and fish out of. It started running rough and had low power. Carried it to a shop and they said it had a bad valve and quoted me $1800 to repair. I am interested in knowing how I could learn to repair this myself. A coworker said the easiest would be to replace the cylinder head on that side. I see it at AdvanceAuto for about $350.

I am decent with tools and have done many repairs, but nothing this involved. I found a few videos on YouTube about doing this but I am looking for more information before I start. I was also planning on replacing the water pump, timing belt, thermostat and hoses and belts while I have everything taken apart. (I have done those types of repairs before but never a head removal)

Is there anything else I should do while I am doing the head?

Any advice or help will be much appreciated.


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smj999smj
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Postby smj999smj » Wed Jan 20, 2016 10:50 pm

FYI, if you order from Advance Auto online and use code "TRT30," it will take 30% off your order up to a maximum discount of $50.
Sounds like you got most of the things you'll want to do. I usually get the Gates Timing Belt component kit w/ Water pump from Rockauto.com; it comes with the timing belt and tensioner, water pump and instructions. I would get a front cam seal for the head you are not replacing and a new, front crank seal. If you are replacing the drive belts, I get Bando brand from Rockauto; they are an OEM supplier of belts to Nissan. For the thermostat, I usually stick with genuine Nissan (same goes for the cam and crank seals). If you are replacing the bypass hose---the "elbow" that sits behind the center of the rear timing belt cover, make sure you get that from Nissan, as well as the aftermarket options just don't have the right bend in them. If you have a knock sensor under your intake manifold, you mind as well replace that while you are in there. Use new head bolts if they don't supply them with the head.


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