2005 Nissan Quest VQ35de engine died?

[shawny008]

Wife drove the van, 2005 Nissan Quest VQ35de, 4-spd automatic 93K miles,on highway.

According to her, she used the cruise control at speed around 70 miles and all of sudden, the engine made hugh noise, then RPM went to red zone, wife cancelled the cruise, the car lost power and pulled over.

When she pulled over, the green coolant are all leaking on the ground, some smokes come out of engine bay. The temperature gauge is in normal range. We had tow truck and got the van back home. I tried to start the engine. Engine started and made huge noise. Then I tried to shift to D, van did not move at all. Coolant still dripped at the time.

What could be the problem? How much would cost? I suspect the water pump failed, timing chain faild?

Please share your wisdom. Thank you.

 

[NHGUY]

Sounds like it threw a rod.

 

[Cardenio327]

On some cars you can carefully bump them into neutral while the car is on cruise control and the computer will carry on as if nothing is wrong. If this happens the engine speed will stay steady until the car begins to slow down, once the car slows down the engine will take off full blast and bang the governor (if so equipped), at which time the computer will figure out there is a problem and cancel cruise.

This may have happened and over-revved the engine, i.e. bent or stretched rods, &c.

By your dramatic description I wonder if you might have a connecting rod hanging out of the block?

 

[KrisZ]

Sounds like the tranny or the converter went south, hens the banging noises and zero movement when in D.

 

[DrDusty86]

Sounds like the trans went south the engine threw a rod and the van is done.

 

[mattd]

and engine would likely be 3-4000$ with a nissan reman. Transmission probably 2500-3000$. Time for a new van.

 

[cat843]

Its not a timing chain/belt if the engine will start.

I think you should go car shopping. What happened is not good. Its either the engine or the transmission or both. I took a look at RockAuto and this is an expensive engine to get a reman.
Tow it to a trusted indy and have him determine what is wrong without taking everything apart. Then see how much a used engine or transmission would be. How much is it worth?

Your in Michigan so I assume salt, and its 8 years old.

 

[The Critic]

Watch this VQ35 water pump replacement video that my friend made:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BlOcBzpjQA

I wonder if the water pump failed, and consequently wrecked the timing chain.

 

[Doog]

Your Nissan committed sepukku

Since coolant is leaking...my guess you blew the engine.

 

[zzyzzx]

Obligatory woman driver comment.

I also think it threw a rod. Having said that, when that happens, it often won't start or stay running for long. Perhaps you didn't attempt to run it for long (since if you did that would only damage the engine more).

 

[asand1]

I second failed transmission and CC over revving until rod ejection.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: zzyzzx
Obligatory woman driver comment.

I also think it threw a rod. Having said that, when that happens, it often won't start or stay running for long. Perhaps you didn't attempt to run it for long (since if you did that would only damage the engine more).


If you threw a rod, running it will not hurt it anymore than it already is.

 

[Bladecutter]

Originally Posted By: shawny008
Engine started and made huge noise. Then I tried to shift to D, van did not move at all. Coolant still dripped at the time.


Take a video, post it on youtube, and record the noise so that we can understand what you are trying to describe.

BC.

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: asand1
I second failed transmission and CC over revving until rod ejection.

If the engine was even in marginal condition, it should be able to sit on the rev limiter for a quite a while before any issues. Now maybe the transmission really over revved it by shifting to 1st at highway speeds, then mechanical carnage is very probable.
No oil leaks mentioned by the OP either ,but a dead trans and a coolant leak doesn't sound good. Maybe the trans cooler is in the radiator so its possible the rad failed on both the coolant and trans fluid sides killing the trans but not hurting the engine that much?

 

[metalboy]

Blown transmission, spun bearing, thrown rod, or a combination of those. It's eight years old. Stick a fork in it.

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

Originally Posted By: metalboy
It's eight years old. Stick a fork in it.

Eight years is far too soon for a car to have a catastrophic failure like this. That's like a 30 year old having a heart attack.

 

[metalboy]

Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
Originally Posted By: metalboy
It's eight years old. Stick a fork in it.

Eight years is far too soon for a car to have a catastrophic failure like this. That's like a 30 year old having a heart attack.


I'm sure the root cause was something ugly, but what I'm saying is it's an eight year old minivan, it's not going to be worth the $5000+ it will take to fix.

30 year olds sometimes have heart attacks, eight year old engines sometimes fail catastrophically. It's just rare.

 

[cptbarkey]

post a video, too much speculation, not enough info.

 

[dishdude]

OP should have a diagnosis by now, but considering he has 3 posts in 6 years something tells me he won't be updating this thread.

 

[Nick R]

I concur with the above. Transmission blew, the cruise control tried to maintain speed, threw a rod.