Replacing the head gasket on your Nissan is usually a job that should only be carried out by a professional mechanic, as it involves taking apart a large amount of the engine. If you want to save yourself some money in repair costs, you can try to carry out the work yourself. You will find the head gasket between the cylinder head and the engine block. The work will take you a couple of hours to complete.
Open the hood of your Nissan and find the battery. Use the socket wrench to remove the clamp bolt, which is fixed to the negative battery terminal. Remove the negative cable from the terminal.
Move the drain pan directly underneath the radiator. Pull the drain plug from the bottom of the radiator and drain the coolant into the pan. Reattach the drain plug once the radiator is empty.
Use the socket wrench to remove the bolts that fix the alternator, air cleaner unit, exhaust manifold and intake manifold in place. Remove them from the engine and place in a safe area. Take care not to damage any of the parts.
Pull the coolant line and radiator hoses from their connectors using your hands. Use a socket wrench to remove the bolts that fix the cylinder head in place. Take note of where each bolt came from --- you will need to install it in the same place. Lift the head gasket away from the engine.
Place the new head gasket onto the engine block. Reattach the cylinder head by connecting the mounting bolts. Place the coolant line and radiator hoses back in their respective connectors. Reattach the air cleaner unit, alternator, intake manifold and exhaust manifold to the engine by securing them in place with the bolts.
Remove the radiator cap. Pour coolant into the radiator and reattach the cap. Place the negative cable back on to the negative battery terminal.
