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2005 Frontier LE Cracked Block Forums > > 2005 Frontier LE Cracked Block 2005 Frontier LE Cracked Block
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Frontier Nissan Frontier/HB/Truck Discussion Forum

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  #1  
Old 09-26-2017, 07:48 AM
Winland Winland is offline
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2005 Frontier Crew Cab
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 4
Default 2005 Frontier LE Cracked Block

Don't know what to do at this time. Looking for opinions, options, suggestions.
What would you do?

My Story:

2005 Frontier LE
V6
2WD
94000 miles

Purchased vehicle used about 6 years ago with 75000 on the odometer.

A month ago the transmission started slipping, skipping, shuddering.
Found antifreeze and transmission fluids mixed.
My trusted mechanic replaced the radiator, all hoses, thermostat and flushed the radiator and the transmission systems.

200 miles later engine overheats driving to grocery store a couple miles away.

Take to my trusted mechanic.
Diagnosis is a head gasket.
Mechanic does the job, heads sent out to be ground and pressure tested.
Reinstalled.
Everything put back together.
Engine continues to overheat.
Mechanic says block must be cracked, only the second time in 30 years he has seen this happen.

Over the past 4 - 6 weeks I now have about $3000 into this truck and can't drive it out of my driveway.

What would you do now?
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  #2  
Old 09-26-2017, 11:28 AM
JRJoe JRJoe is offline
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2013 Frontier King Cab
1993 Truck
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 172
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Winland,

Reading this remind's me of why I don't like to buy used. I just don't come out very well when I gamble.

Ok, I try extremely hard to buy Brand New and if it were me,, this is what I might do, unless I found a better way out:

Call Nissan Consumer Affair's and tell them your situation and ask for the Very Best VPP Loyalty Discount that they can give you to get a Brand New Nissan Truck. The VPP that I got Started the Negotiation's @ 1K Dollar's below Dealer Invoice. In other words with your VPP, You should be able to get your Nissan Truck Out The Door at the Lowest Price that you see on True Car Dot Com. Not True Car's Price,, but look to the far left and see what the lowest price paid was, for that Truck.

Armed with your VPP, go to True car dot com, and build your truck with the bare minimum that you NEED, NOT WANT, BUT NEED. Look over to the far left and see what the lowest price was paid for that truck. If someone got that truck for that price, then YOU can too. By the way,, that is the OUT THE DOOR PRICE. Go to your Bank and get Preapproved.

You then have a couple of option's, tow your truck to the dealership as is and do a Trade useing your VPP Discount. Or you can just use your VPP to buy a New Truck, Put a used motor in the Old Truck and then sell the old truck outright once you get it running.

If you don't need the V6, then the base S model 4 cylinder will save you more money as well. Take real good care of your New Truck and keep it as long as you can, 20 year's or More. I drove a '93 Nissan 4 cylinder auto 2wd KC since Brand New for 20 year's. In '13, I bought an SVV6 useing Nissan's VPP Loyalty Discount. Then I cleaned up the '93 and sold it. I paid 10K for that '93, 20 year's later with 176K mile's, first person that saw it, paid me 4K cash. I had seat cover's, Floor Mat's, on the '93 since new,, and when I took the seat cover's off, just before I sold it, the seat's still looked just like brand new. I put a steering wheel cover on after 10 year's, so this time I put a Steering Wheel Cover on the '13 from the getgo.

If you go this route, Put on a cheap set of Neoprene seat cover's, floor mat's, steering wheel cover, center console cover. I paid 20 $'s for a set of NeoPrene seat cover's for the '13, off of EBay. These thing's are needed when keeping your Truck for a long long time, and will pay for them selve's many time's over.

Hope this help's and Good Luck however you decide to go.
__________________
2013 SVV6 KC AT 2WD Frontier, '93 4Cyl, AT, KC Hardbody(20yrs Orig Owner-Sold 174K mi.)
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  #3  
Old 09-26-2017, 01:32 PM
smj999smj's Avatar
smj999smj smj999smj is offline
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2006 Pathfinder
2003 Frontier King Cab
2003 Frontier KC SVE 4x4
 
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This is the first time I've heard of a cracked VQ block, but that surely doesn't mean it can't happen. I have heard of people who have tried to rebuild VQ40DE engines and have had overheating problems due to head gasket issues. A lot of today's cylinder heads can't be resurfaced by the majority of local machine shops due; they have to have an almost mirror-like finish to their deck surface to seal with the gaskets used today. This was an issue that came about when Ford introduced their modular series motors (4.6L, for example). They simply instructed to replace the cylinder head with a new one, which is expensive, obviously. Unfortunately for you, the only way you'll really know if it's cracked or not is to completely teardown the engine and have it checked for cracks.
If it were me, I would look for a relatively low-mileage, used engine with, at a minimum, 30-day warrant. It'll probably be the most cost effective route. Either that, or trade-in or sell what you have and cut your loses.
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  #4  
Old 09-27-2017, 08:30 AM
Winland Winland is offline
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2005 Frontier Crew Cab
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 4
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Thank you JRJ and smj for your inputs and suggestions.
Back in the day, I bought a new 1984 300ZX Anniversary Edition.
Loved that car.
The Nissan name and reputation was very well known to me.
But regardless of the name plate on the vehicle these days, you expect to get 150,000 to 200,000 miles out of any new or used car/truck built after 2000.
Even more so out of a "foreign" vehicle.
Sure, occasionally there has to be the lemon and I apparently picked it.
No way to make lemonade out of this one though.

Good bye Nissan
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  #5  
Old 09-27-2017, 04:51 PM
smj999smj's Avatar
smj999smj smj999smj is offline
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2006 Pathfinder
2003 Frontier King Cab
2003 Frontier KC SVE 4x4
 
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Most people do get a lot of miles out of these engines, but I hear what you're saying. 2005 was a first year model (2006 wasn't much better) and had its share of "bugs," some of which they didn't get corrected until 2011! I have a hard time calling a Frontier and the majority of Nissan's current models as "foreign," though. Outside of the GT-R, 370ZX and Quest, everything else is made in Smyrna, TN, Canton, MS or Mexico.
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  #6  
Old 09-27-2017, 09:11 PM
JRJoe JRJoe is offline
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2013 Frontier King Cab
1993 Truck
 
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Posts: 172
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Winland View Post
Thank you JRJ and smj for your inputs and suggestions.
Back in the day, I bought a new 1984 300ZX Anniversary Edition.
Loved that car.
The Nissan name and reputation was very well known to me.
But regardless of the name plate on the vehicle these days, you expect to get 150,000 to 200,000 miles out of any new or used car/truck built after 2000.
Even more so out of a "foreign" vehicle.
Sure, occasionally there has to be the lemon and I apparently picked it.
No way to make lemonade out of this one though.

Good bye Nissan
Winland,

I'm reallly sorry that this happened to you. If it had happened to me, I would be in financial trouble for sure.

Like You, I based my final decision on my previos Nissan, which was a '93 4 cyl. Nissan Truck. I didn't know the problem's that the V6 AT Frontier's 2005-2010 were haveing at all. I came close to getting a '10, but decided to wait till I got my house built. So when the time was right, it was a '13 Frontier for me. Time and Mileage will tell if it will be a good one or not.

As I understand it, with the Radiator's and Tranmission's, Nissan gave an extended Warranty for those owner's. I don't know if Nissan helped out with the Timeing Chain Guide Problem's or not, but that was also in those year's ,, as I recall. But I learned all of this,, after I got the '13 Frontier.

I still advise going New on a Truck or Car,, but especially a Truck, and especially a Smaller Truck. If the Truck turn's out to be a good one,, it is often kept in the Family. Today, there are many that buy the Cheapest Truck, only to Abuse it in the Mud and Water, and when the Warranty Run's out,, they Sell it or Trade it.

What I'm getting at is when there is a Used Truck for Sale,, My First Question is, Why are they getting rid of a Good Truck. For me, it's just too much of a Gamble, that there might be a hidden problem that's waiting to be Fixed.

I personally think that a New I4 or V6 AT/MT/2WD/KC Frontier, is a good buy. Right now they are the Cheapest Truck that there is. After Nissan redesign's the Frontier,, I expect the Price to be more in line with the other Redesigned Midsize Truck's.

I still think that you can come out ok,, by useing a VPP that Nissan will give you for Loyalty, to buy a new Truck/Car, and either Tradeing in your Nissan as is, or putting a Used motor in it,, and then selling it, but it is a gamble putting more money into the current Frontier, as it may require more money, if the Transmission goe's out.

If you tell Nissan Consumer Affair's your Story,, I'm thinking that they'll give you a Real Good VPP Toward's a New Nissan, whether you choose a Truck or Car.

Anyway Best of Luck,, and Hope you come out Good, no matter how you choose to go.

Last edited by JRJoe; 09-27-2017 at 09:14 PM.
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  #7  
Old 10-02-2017, 06:05 AM
rvargas rvargas is offline
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Winland, if your mechanic last put it together, and it runs fine until it overheats? Then the question is why it is overheating. Normally a cracked block would leak something out, either water or oil, or make some bad noises, or run very badly, even before overheating. So, if it runs fine with no leaks, it may be that the cooling fans aren't working, or a bad water pump, etc.
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