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Weirdest car issue. EVER.

I

iLikeToDrum

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 2, 2010
83
0
So I was driving home last night, and all the sudden my car starts like.. jumping/ skipping. Stalling/ running, I don't know how to explain it really.

There was white smoke out of the back and it was rocking. It died as I was turning off the street so I could get out of traffic.

Any ideas what's wrong? Timing chain? Water pump? Fuel pump?

Oh. It's a Nissan Altima.

Ideas? Anyone? Bueller?
 
What year?

Sounds like it could be a head gasket to me. I think that can cause white exhaust and would explain the stalling/stuttering.
 
iLikeToDrum said:
hah. so many say the engine in those is bullet proof though...
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depends on the engine. If it is the 2.5L engine that engine is a POS and far from bullet proof. If I had to guess based on the white smoke sounds like you blew your head gasket and you are burning coolent.
 
I had something similar in my old Mitsubishi, and it ended up being the transmission. Happened to me on a highway, and I had to pull over.
 
RITZFit said:
Sounds like it grenaded...have you had a look at it? Any holes in the block?leaks?
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Mechanic was outta town this weekend, got back tonight. Triple A'ing tomorrow to him, hopefully.

It's 1997, by the way.
 
So happy I got rid of mine. I had the 08 2.5S and although it looked great on the outside, the interior was a cheap rattlebox. Didn't even have it a year.
 
It could also be something as simple as crud and crap in the gasoline which got sucked into the engine. If you've been buying gas at the cheapest mom & pop convenient store in town, it would't surprise me at all.


....sT
 
i have a mini cooper S 2005. Well for the past few days when i leave the office and get to my car, the windows and the sunroof are about 1/2 way open. i swear i am not doing it and i thought maybe someone was messing with me but i really dont think its anyone doing it to me, its my car. Is it posessed? I am not holding down any buttons on the FOB on accident. It has been really cold here for a while but it doesnt happen over night, just during the day. someone please tell me if i need a priest to de-demonize my car or if there's something logical going on.
 
jammydoug said:
i have a mini cooper S 2005. Well for the past few days when i leave the office and get to my car, the windows and the sunroof are about 1/2 way open. i swear i am not doing it and i thought maybe someone was messing with me but i really dont think its anyone doing it to me, its my car. Is it posessed? I am not holding down any buttons on the FOB on accident. It has been really cold here for a while but it doesnt happen over night, just during the day. someone please tell me if i need a priest to de-demonize my car or if there's something logical going on.
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Your issue is the battery. The MINI (I own one and I am a bit of a fanatic) is electronic heavy. If your battery is going south it will start to do the things that you mentioned.
 
JetBlack7 said:
Not necessarily, just exchange the head gasket ;)
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Dude. I WISH haha. that'd be only 1100. But it looks like they did some crazy bondo fix or something. Mechanic can tell they recently had the engine apart. It's probably warped in there....

Wish I'd not have purchased this car right about now.

My options:

Get different, possibly just as screwed up, car for 1900...

OR

Drop the new 93k mile engine with 90 day warranty and then drive the car. for 1900..

I think I am just getting an engine instead of a diff car as this one is indeed decent, has ac, good stereo, fits my drums.... blah blah. Versus getting a different cheap used car that may have the exact same issue.
 
iLikeToDrum said:
Dude. I WISH haha. that'd be only 1100. But it looks like they did some crazy bondo fix or something. Mechanic can tell they recently had the engine apart. It's probably warped in there....

Wish I'd not have purchased this car right about now.

My options:

Get different, possibly just as screwed up, car for 1900...

OR

Drop the new 93k mile engine with 90 day warranty and then drive the car. for 1900..

I think I am just getting an engine instead of a diff car as this one is indeed decent, has ac, good stereo, fits my drums.... blah blah. Versus getting a different cheap used car that may have the exact same issue.
Click to expand...

^^This.
If I recall correctly this is the Altima that had radiator problems previously. I suggested that it may have been a blown head gasket then... Your car is at about the right milage- mine was close to 100-110K miles. At least this one is a known quantity.

Anyway to others- There is little in common with 2000's and 1990's Nissans. The OP's car is a typical 90's Nissan product-overall very durable, but with odd issues that popup every now and then that although frustrating tend to be rather easy to fix. The KA24DE engine in the OP's car is shared with several models including the Nissan Hardbody trucks, 240SX, amongst others.
 
Well, we're dropping in a new engine. It's from a 98 so there is a little bit of fit work needed...
 
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