How important is this seal in the valve cover?
Nissan part #13271-4M501
Very!
I have a 1997 Nissan 200SX SE - GA16DE
Just had a new upper tensioner installed at a shop. When we left the shop, the car started running really bad, pinging, smoking, no power... randomly. The car did not smoke before. It would not rev smoothly and sputtered, then it would sorta act fine, but start pinging again, loudly. Oddly, when it pinged, it would also smoke, a LOT, when it stopped pinging, it would stop smoking.
Got the car home and just checked on my phone the symptoms, and one person said it was a small rectangular gasket inside the valve cover. Drove the car again that evening and it still did the same thing.
I found the part they were talking about (many other people on forums) which seems to not come in most valve cover gasket sets, and the dealer had it for $8. They did not know anything about it at the parts counter and were surprised they had it. I told them about the symptoms and they had no idea.
Replaced the old gasket, the old one was a brick, must have been stuck in place until it was removed, and now the car is back to normal, revs fine, no smoke, no pinging.
I would not have suspected that such a small little gasket would cause so much trouble
Nissan part #13271-4M501
Very!
I have a 1997 Nissan 200SX SE - GA16DE
Just had a new upper tensioner installed at a shop. When we left the shop, the car started running really bad, pinging, smoking, no power... randomly. The car did not smoke before. It would not rev smoothly and sputtered, then it would sorta act fine, but start pinging again, loudly. Oddly, when it pinged, it would also smoke, a LOT, when it stopped pinging, it would stop smoking.
Got the car home and just checked on my phone the symptoms, and one person said it was a small rectangular gasket inside the valve cover. Drove the car again that evening and it still did the same thing.
I found the part they were talking about (many other people on forums) which seems to not come in most valve cover gasket sets, and the dealer had it for $8. They did not know anything about it at the parts counter and were surprised they had it. I told them about the symptoms and they had no idea.
Replaced the old gasket, the old one was a brick, must have been stuck in place until it was removed, and now the car is back to normal, revs fine, no smoke, no pinging.
I would not have suspected that such a small little gasket would cause so much trouble