oil leak in a 93 altima?

Question

i have an oil leak on the back left side of my engine.is that a head gasket or something else?i wasnt sure where the head gasket is located in it. its a 2.4 liter.

Answer 1

There are orange rubber over metal seals that seal the oil passages from the front timing cover to the engine block. Especailly on older KA-24 engined Altimas timing cover leaks down the back side by the oil sending unit but a little higher up but not as high as the powersteering bracket. The oil pan the belts and pulleys the valve cover all have to come off to remove the timing cover. While your in there it is time to also replace the timing chains and sprockets and the tensioner and chain guides. This is a job for someone that knows the KA-2.4 liter engine prying on the timing cover with out the hidden 10mm bolts will cost you an additional $200 for a timing cover. Plus it is a lot of jack it up let it down jack it up let it down. And if you ever get it back running again you will see why we earn our money. There is no room and it is hard to see between the timing cover and the strut. Other than the seals liquid gasket is used so the covers and oil pan has to be very clean and properly prepped. Some technicians just take the whole engine out then preform the reseal.

Answer 2

If you have a blown head gasket you will know it, it will lose power and usually make a lot of noise, there may even be coolant in the oil. It is probably just an oil leak in the pan gasket.

Answer 3

if it was a head gasket usually you will find other symtoms as well like low performance, water in oil, exhaust blowing white smoke, ect. I would think it is more likely to be the valve cover gasket leaking.
Hope this helps.

Answer 4

well it will not be the headgasket. it will leak antifreeze not leak. what is where the oil filter is