Car stopped smoking

Asked by Staci Jun 27, 2017 at 08:32 PM about the 2000 Nissan Sentra SE

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

Yes my car is 17 lol. Me and the previous
owner have replaced every part you can
think of. I took her on a four hour trip a few
weeks ago and she started billowing white
smoke out of the tail pipe. I took her in and
they couldn't find anything so they told me 6
Grand to replace the engine. Since it's old
that's the assumption. But it hasn't smoked
in like over a week. It doesn't drives fine.
Should I sell it? Scrap it? Or just want until I
have issues again? Really can't afford a new
car nor a 6,000 fix. Why did it stop smoking?

12 Answers

Your head gasket is probably going. Maybe the leak stopped temporarily. You don't need a new engine when all that is wrong is the head gasket.

Best Answer Mark helpful

Firestone had the car for three days but I'll get a second opinion. Thank you

A compression test might find the problem. It does not take 3 days to diagnose a head gasket. Try a real mechanic.

Ok so I checked and we had the head gaskets replaced when we took it in for final repairs i.e. oil leak

Both we had to do the valve cover when they lifted the motor. She had like three leaks all at once.

That's kind of the problem. I had all the repairs and replacements done through Firestone so everything is under warranty. The only things that haven't been replaced is the starter, and the AC compressor isn't in the car. The radiator rusted through so that's been replaced as well

If they repaired it and the repairs failed within the warranty period they owe you a do-over.

8,755

An engine for that car is under $800 at the junk yard. They probably told u 6k because they don't want to deal with u anymore and jus want u to be shocked by the price and run out of there, u can buy that same car back with lower mileage for under 4K

But the smoking stopped.... There's nothing for them to go on. They just checked in a couple weeks ago. I'll get a second opinion at another shop I guess. Thank you

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