Nissan Repair: Nissan Synny 1.6 SLX - Headgasket change, haynes repair manual, pressure release valve

Question
Hi!
I borrowed my car to a friend for half a few months, so I missed the warning signals.
I'm wondering if my headgasket is broken?
When opening the oil-filling-lid on the engine top it blows out air while the engine is running.
Water is dissappearing fast, dripping out from the head gasket at passenger side, close to the power-steering pump. The engine makes a metallic rattling noise, not like anything is misaligned, but more sound like I would expect when a hole is more or less open into a cylinder. Car has had general problems with low fan heating and water dissappearing. Also the power steering is not working well at stand-still, allthough fluid level is 0.5cm too low.

I ordered a Haynes repair manual, but do I need any special tools for this job? Any special difficulties or tips? I have never done a top-job on an engine before..

Best regards,

Simen S.  

Answer
Simen,

You pretty much confirmed that the headgasket is blown from the observation that water is leaking from between the head and block.  The head will have to be inspected after it is removed to check for cracks and anything else that might be damaged.  If a cylinder had water in it and the engine was cranked there could be rod bearing damage?  That would be the metallic noise you are hearing.  The ppwer steering pump not working at idle means that the pressure release valve, in the pump, has failed and that means that the pump needs to be replaced.  You might be better off purchasing an engine from a wrecking yard rather than spending money going through your engine.  Check your local distributors as this would be a plug and play operation rather than taking yours a part and discovering all sorts of things wrong once you get into it.  Oh, the air blowby when your remove the oil cap is normal, to an extent, and is not recommended since the engine uses a closed vent system.