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2001 Sentra overheating and due for emission test Forums > > 2001 Sentra overheating and due for emission test 2001 Sentra overheating and due for emission test
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  #1  
Old 04-11-2012, 11:45 AM
cagashe cagashe is offline
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Default 2001 Sentra overheating and due for emission test

Hi,

I have a 2001 Nissan Sentra with 150000 miles sitting in my garage for last two months. The car seems NO GOOD since it keeps overheating in just 5 minutes of driving.

Here is the link for previous discussion on same car.
P0217 but no overheat

I do not know much about repairs and all mechanics end up quoting more than $1500 to fix it.

It is due for emission test this month (I am in IL state). While it makes sense to not spend anything on this car and sell/junk this car. Unfortunately, there is a lien on the car and I may not be able to clear it this month.

Any pointers what can be done in such a case? Do we have any enthusiasts who might want to take a look at the car?

Last edited by cagashe; 04-11-2012 at 11:52 AM. Reason: Adding URL for previous discussion on same car
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  #2  
Old 04-11-2012, 12:33 PM
JudoJohn JudoJohn is offline
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the overheating is most likely due to a leaking head gasket (HG).. the HG leak is common on these cars. 1500 is about right for the shop to fix. you might be able to find one a little less, but not a whole lot.

there is no easy way to fix the HG. it requires a good amount of labor.
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  #3  
Old 04-11-2012, 12:41 PM
cagashe cagashe is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JudoJohn View Post
the overheating is most likely due to a leaking head gasket (HG).. the HG leak is common on these cars. 1500 is about right for the shop to fix. you might be able to find one a little less, but not a whole lot.

there is no easy way to fix the HG. it requires a good amount of labor.
Extremely dumb question... does it make sense to remove heater core. Will it stop reading the actual heat generated. I am more than likely not to use the car anymore in near future.

Once the emission test is passed, I will have some time to get the car fixed.
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  #4  
Old 04-11-2012, 01:04 PM
JudoJohn JudoJohn is offline
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heater core is not an issue. it is due to the leak in the HG. the heater core does not generate heat. It has nothing to do with the indicating of the temp guage or sending units and sensors.
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  #5  
Old 04-12-2012, 06:16 AM
tajohns34 tajohns34 is offline
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I really wish I could help you out on this one but $1500 sounds about right for a head gasket. If you look around you might be able to find a small shop that might charge less, just make sure they know what they are doing. Toyota wanted $1600 to do a headgasket on my wife's camry and the local shop near to me did it for $700 and they did a good job.
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  #6  
Old 04-19-2012, 09:31 AM
cagashe cagashe is offline
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UPDATE - In a desperate attempt to get the car checked, I showed it to a mechanic who is said to be "trusted" in our area.
He told me that seems the entire cooling system is clogged and the radiator, hoses need to be replaced since currently he can feel only one hose (I guess upper) hot and everything else is cold. He also said the exhaust is not smoking because the entire cooling system is clogged. He is quoting $600 for replacing radiator, hoses + labor. He says only after that he can tell me if the car has any head/head gasket issues.

Does it make sense to get this replaced and then see if the car has any issues?
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  #7  
Old 04-19-2012, 09:54 AM
JudoJohn JudoJohn is offline
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to me, no. because you will probably have to replace the HG afterward. Find someone who is familiar with Nissan. there are easy tests to check the HG function. Compression, visual . did you look in the cylinders with a light? if you see wetness, that is indicative of HG failure. are you using coolant? another indicator.
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  #8  
Old 04-19-2012, 11:12 AM
cagashe cagashe is offline
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I agree... I had the radiator replaced in last October and makes no sense to me for replacing it again. I had coolant leak and had changed radiator, heater core and hoses. I also had the compression test done and everybody told me its head gasket.

Another thing this mechanic mentioned was the thermostat is not opening. Should I start from there?

Honestly, my aim is only to get the emission test passed since this is no longer my primary car. I am thinking to get the radiator flushed (in Jiffy Lube or some similar place), same day get the codes erased and go to emission test. That way at least I am hoping car will not get overheat or any SES.

Does it sound realistic?
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