How do I know if I have a gasket problem vs a distributor problem?

Question

I have a 2001 altima and I keep having problems with the mechanics diagnosing my car's problem. It could be because i'm a woman but every mechanic I go to tells me something different.
My car shakes then shuts off, the check engine light code is cylinder 4 misfire. I changed the spark plugs. I notice that the sound of my car changes when I put the Air conditioner on. Some mechanics say change the wires and the distributor cap, others say I need a new distributor, another one says I need a tune up, another one said I need a new gasket. How do I know what the real problem is? Ultimately, I'm going to have to take it to a dealer but I just wanted some help differentiating between gasket problems and distributor problems. Will A tune up fix all the things I mentioned or is it all just BS?

My car is fairly new, it's 2001, it's not brand new but it's only 5-6 years old. I didn't take it to the dealer because they charge $100 just to look at the car and their parts are the most expensive.

I've had the distributor cap taken off and put back on twice so it's not loose.

My car does have a distributor, the guy showed me what it looks like, it's a little metal thing about the size of my hand.

I believe I got a tune up in december. How often does your car need a tune up?

What does a gasket problem cause?

Thanks you guys have been a lot of help. your responses have been really timely.

I'm going to try to buy the wires and the gasket cover and see what happens. I am going to go with my boyfriend to the mechanic on the weekend but my car shut off again this morning which really worried me, it cuts right back on but the speedometer shakes while above the 0, then it gets violent, lands on the 0 and the car is off. I usually put it in park and start it right back up

I think fluids are leaking becuase some mornings when I turn on my air conditioner, I smell antifreeze in it.

I really might have a bad gasket because I recall the man in my oil change place telling me that I have water in my fuel

Answer 1

key here could be mileage, wires, plugs, distributor, rotor should all be changed at regular intervals. I had a distributor cap once with a hairline crack, only acted up when engine got up to temp. Mechanics is nothing more that a process of elimination. Most mechanics operate under the theory of precision guesswork. You might need to have a COMPRESSION test done to see if there is a loss (or gain) of pressure in any of the cylinders (this can diagnose a head gasket problem). Pull the plugs and see if there is oil or burnt oil deposits on any of them...

Distibutor caps are cheap, take yours off and look at the contacts inside for corrosion, burnt marks, etc... you might have to just start replacing things one at a time to see...

Tune up is an adjustment, not neccessarily replacement of parts.

Answer 2

First, always assume it's BS.

Second, find a man (Dad, coworker, anyone) who will be willing to go with you to see the mechanic next time. All mechanics seem to think that we women are brainless, just because we're women...I've actually had the mechanic talk past me, to my husband, even though I brought the car in, told him what's wrong with it, paid it and picked it up myself!

I also recommend NOT taking it to the dealer, because they usually cost WAAAY more than your average mechanic (and they lie just like the rest of them). The best thing you can do is poll everyone you know about mechanics they can recommend...eventually, you'll find someone who says "Oh yeah, this guy is totally honest", and you'll know you've found someone you can work with.

I would go ahead and replace the distributor cap and the wires. It's really a simple thing to do (really - pull the old one off and put the new one on - just be sure it's lined up right), and is fairly inexpensive.

It seems to me that if the code reads that one of the cylinders is misfiring, that it would not be a gasket issue (especially in a vehicle that's so new).

The fact that it shuts itself off is a bit of a concern...Even with only three cylinders firing it should continue running.

FYI, your local library will have books on car repair...The big brand name for these is Chilton. It's not a bad idea to review the books in advance of taking your car in to the mechanic...The troubleshooting guides will at least give you a head start on what to expect, and you'll be armed with information.

Good luck!

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All of the gaskets in your car are there to make seals between different pieces of metal. Depending on which gasket is having trouble, there are different problems you'd run into. For example, if you had a bad head gasket, this could allow water to get into your fuel, or vice versa, as it seals the spot where the water runs thru the engine to cool it.

Answer 3

Your problem could be a head gasket leak, an ignition problem, or even a problem with the injector. If the head gasket is leaking, you can usually see or feel it.
I've found out the hard way that, even though dealers charge more, they can usually find the problem the first time and most of them guarantee their work. You will save a lot of time and money by taking your Altima to a Nissan dealer.
I own 2 old Toyota vans; when I'm far from home and have a problem (which doesn't happen often; my vans are VERY reliable), I always take my van straight to a Toyota dealer.

Answer 4

OK due to the fact that your car is a 2001 it don't have a distributor it has got coil packs and yes one bank of the coil could be bad a easy way to check if it is miss firing is to put a timing light on it you may have a friend who has one if your head gasket has gone bad it may cause a miss fire your exhaust may smell like antifreeze you can pull out your oil dipstick and look at the oil if there is water bubbles or it is all frothy you have a bad gasket

Answer 5

I've worked on these cars for years and what you describe is intake manifold gasket. To be sure buy a can of carb cleaner and the silver thing the air filter black tube is hooked to is the manifold. Spray cleaner between the manifold and valve cover if the engine smooths out you found it. Now to find a careful mechanic to get all of the old gasket carefully scraped off. Good Luck

Answer 6

Usually if you change your spark plugs, its a good idea to go ahead and change your distributor cap also..in that year car you should have electronic ignition
in my experience a gasket wouldn't cause it to die like that, unless its a head gasket..gaskets go in between parts to keep fluids from leaking out, also there are gaskets on the exhaust to make sure you don't have exhaust leakes.

Answer 7

It may be all of the above, but it sounds like s ditributer cap is off, or you have a bad wire, maybe even a bad spark plug. Take it to a licensed nissan mechanic to find out.

Answer 8

well if you haven't done a tune up in a while do it, it can't hurt and the cheapest way to start, consists of plugs, wires, fuel filter and air filter and make sure the plugs are gapped correctly. if that don't work go and have a compression check done. your car does not have a distributor, its electronic.

Answer 9

i would suggest taking it to a dealer. your misfire could be from a number of problems, the least of which i believe is from a gasket. good luck

Answer 10

Why didn't you go to the dealer in the first place?