Smoking Issues on 05 Titan

Covering the 2003-2015 first-gen and 2016+ Titan and Titan XD lineup
Timmytot28
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2022 5:14 pm
Car: 2005 Nissan Titan 4x4 Flex Fuel w/ Tow Pkg

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Hello All
I have loved and driven Nissan vehicles for quite some time !
I need some advice.

I am currently driving a 2005 titan flex fuel 4x4 with tow package. It has smoking issues. Smokes on startup and when you accelerate after idling but not constantly!
The shops I talk to either don't want to diagnose it or just want to swap in a new motor!
I am leaning to leaking valve steam seals ,the truck has no power lose,idles fine ,no misfire just smokes and drinks oil !!!
I have an 06 2wheel drive NON flex fuel that I wrecked with an intact motor. Can I strip the heads off of it have them rebuilt and install the on the flex fuel truck ?
Also I have replaced valve covers already !
What is the best service manual I can get for my truck ?


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VStar650CL
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EPC shows identical head assemblies on '04~'07 Titans and Armadas, with no separate p/n for flex vehicles. So you should be good to go with those '06's. And yes, the symptoms do sound like bad guides or stem seals.

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VStar650CL
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Vis the service manual, there's a complete set for your '05 here in Nico:
https://www.nicoclub.com/nissan-service-manuals
Here's a link to the EM (Engine Mechanical) section specifically:
https://www.nicoclub.com/service-manual ... 5%2Fem.pdf

Timmytot28
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2022 5:14 pm
Car: 2005 Nissan Titan 4x4 Flex Fuel w/ Tow Pkg

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Thank you so much ! I appreciate the response !
I will get on the search to find a good machine shop that can re work my heads !
Is it possible to change piston rings with the heads off ? Also any other things I should plan to take care of /replace when I replace heads ?
I already want to replace the headers maybe Cajun pipes and do something about the cats before they breakup and ruin my engine !!!

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VStar650CL
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Timmytot28 wrote:
Mon Jul 04, 2022 8:13 pm
Thank you so much ! I appreciate the response !
I will get on the search to find a good machine shop that can re work my heads !
Is it possible to change piston rings with the heads off ? Also any other things I should plan to take care of /replace when I replace heads ?
I already want to replace the headers maybe Cajun pipes and do something about the cats before they breakup and ruin my engine !!!
You're most welcome. With the engine out and the heads and timing covers off, going an extra step to do rings and ridge-ream and hone the cylinders is pretty easy. If you're leaving the block in the truck, then not so easy. If the cats are old then replacing them while it's apart is very wise. Of all the Nissan powerplants, the VK's are probably most susceptible to "cat inhalation" and also to manifold cracks. BTW, Cajun has a new set of "crack resistant" manifolds available for the older VK's, check out their website. Pricey but probably well worth it if you plan on keeping the truck forever.

Timmytot28
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2022 5:14 pm
Car: 2005 Nissan Titan 4x4 Flex Fuel w/ Tow Pkg

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Thank you Vstar!
I have had 3 d21's 1 frontier and now my 2nd Titan!
I once made the comment long before Nissan decided to go full size "if Nissan makes a full size I'll stay with them until I die "!
So I do want to keep my titan running as long as possible! Most people I speak to say "replace the engine" without even looking at it! I assume either because of the want to make money or the cat inhalation problem.
I truly belive it is stem seals ! It doesn't smoke constantly.
Sometimes it doesn't smoke at startup until I accelerate out of the driveway, however it smokes terrible if I sit an in a drivthru once I accelerate away from the window !
I can also make it create a 007 smoke screen by sitting still and revving and letting off the gas several times !
Somtime a puff on accel from a red light , yet it will still squeal the tires ??!
If I swap heads it will be in truck ,but if I am that far I thought about replacing rings and some other preventative maintenance!!
Thank you again!!

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VStar650CL
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Timmytot28 wrote:
Tue Jul 05, 2022 8:01 am
I truly belive it is stem seals ! It doesn't smoke constantly.
Sometimes it doesn't smoke at startup until I accelerate out of the driveway, however it smokes terrible if I sit an in a drivthru once I accelerate away from the window !
I can also make it create a 007 smoke screen by sitting still and revving and letting off the gas several times !
Somtime a puff on accel from a red light , yet it will still squeal the tires ??!
If I swap heads it will be in truck ,but if I am that far I thought about replacing rings and some other preventative maintenance!!
Those are absolutely classic stem seal symptoms (although if they're that bad, the guides may be in bad shape too). If the '06 is in good enough running shape to swipe the heads, you might want to consider just pulling and rebuilding that off the truck, then swapping it wholesale.

Timmytot28
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Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2022 5:14 pm
Car: 2005 Nissan Titan 4x4 Flex Fuel w/ Tow Pkg

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Both trucks have about 180 on the clock. My thoughts were pull the engine on the 06 and refresh it but....the wrecked 06 2wd is a gas burner and the recipient is on 05 4wd flex fuel !
Could I make the transplant ?

Timmytot28
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Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2022 5:14 pm
Car: 2005 Nissan Titan 4x4 Flex Fuel w/ Tow Pkg

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Sorry I reread what you said !
Yes I want to pull the heads off of the 06 and have them re worked and just swap out heads to the 05

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VStar650CL
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To my knowledge, the flex fuel stuff is all in the fuel system and firmware, not the engine mechanicals. The mechanicals on both engines should be identical, so simply swapping them should be fine as long as you transfer all the peripherals from the '05 to the '06.

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VStar650CL
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I just double-checked it with Parts, all versions of the '05 and '06 use the same long block. So there's no difference in the top or bottom ends, only the peripheral stuff.

Timmytot28
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Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2022 5:14 pm
Car: 2005 Nissan Titan 4x4 Flex Fuel w/ Tow Pkg

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One shop told me that swapping heads would stress the older lower end and present problems??!
I believe that was a ploy to sell me on an engine swap!
What is your opinion on that ?

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VStar650CL
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Yah, that's BS. The VK bottom ends are 6-bolt and there are guys in the Middle East pushing 1000 hp on stock ones. You'd be hard pressed to find anything OE that's more stout. But I still think if you're going to the trouble of swapping heads (no small feat in the vehicle, the front of the engine has to come off too), you might as well recondition your entire '06 top-to-bottom with it out of the vehicle, then swap it into the '05 like swapping a long block. Then you're brand new all around.

Timmytot28
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2022 5:14 pm
Car: 2005 Nissan Titan 4x4 Flex Fuel w/ Tow Pkg

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That's is what I thought as well ! Just a ploy to get more money !
Now I need to find out if the machine shop will rebuild the motor

Timmytot28
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Jul 04, 2022 5:14 pm
Car: 2005 Nissan Titan 4x4 Flex Fuel w/ Tow Pkg

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As an adjunct to this I am having a hard time finding someone willing (even for money ) to rebuild my engine !!!
I don't feel competent or confident enough to do it myself!
So I belive I will pull the heads and have them rebuilt ,I feel like I can handle that !
Also has anyone corrected the engineering defect and come out with reliable header for our trucks ?

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VStar650CL
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Timmytot28 wrote:
Sun Jul 10, 2022 3:20 pm
Also has anyone corrected the engineering defect and come out with reliable header for our trucks ?
The new ones from Cajun are the only ones I know about.


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