MajorVery commonFluid Leaks

Nissan Stagea: RB25DET cam seal & timing cover oil leak

RB25DET cam seal & timing cover oil leak is a very common fluid leaks fault on the Nissan Stagea on the 1996–2007 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $600 to $2,200 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 22 documented faults on the Nissan Stagea.

Vehicle: Nissan Stagea
Engine: RB25-DET
Years: 1996–2007
Fuel: petrol
System: Fluid Leaks

This page covers the Nissan Stagea as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Nissan Stagea faults22 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Turbocharger yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

The RB25DET and RB25DE engines use individual rubber camshaft seals at the front and rear of both intake and exhaust camshafts. The rear cam seals are particularly prone to failure because the camshaft end is in a low-visibility location, oil pressure from the gallery directly loads the seal lip, and the original Nissan rubber compound hardens with heat cycling. The front timing cover uses a multi-layer gasket that also weeps along the lower edge where it meets the oil pan rail, a joint that flexes under engine movement. On the WC34, engine mounts degrade and increase torque-reaction flex. Both leak paths allow oil to track onto exhaust components, creating smoke and fire risk if pooling is severe enough. M35 RB25DE (non-turbo) shares the same seal specification.

What you would notice

Oil seeping from rear of camshaft cover onto firewall or gearbox bellhousing
Smoke or burning smell from engine bay after a run
Oil pooled on top of timing cover or running down front of block
Gradual oil level drop with no external puddle under the car
Oily residue on driveway directly under engine centre

How to check it

Where to look. Rear camshaft seals on both intake and exhaust cams; front timing cover lower rail gasket

Degrease engine then run to operating temperature; inspect rear of camshaft cover junction where cam protrudes through block; check lower timing cover rail joint against oil pan; look for oil tracking down bellhousing onto gearbox; check engine mount condition as excess movement worsens timing cover gasket leak.

Parts involved: Turbocharger.

What it costs to put right

$600 to $2,200 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Has the cam seal or timing cover gasket been replaced?”
“Is there any oil burning smell after a drive?”
“What is the current oil level and when was oil last topped up?”
“Have the engine mounts been inspected or replaced?”

Now check the Nissan Stagea you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.

Nissan Stagea buyer questions

Is rb25det cam seal & timing cover oil leak serious on a Nissan Stagea?

We rate it major and very common on the Nissan Stagea. The RB25DET and RB25DE engines use individual rubber camshaft seals at the front and rear of both intake and exhaust camshafts. The rear cam seals are particularly prone to failure because the camshaft end is in a low-visibility location, oil pressure from the gallery directly loads the seal lip, and the original Nissan rubber compound hardens with heat cycling. The front timing cover uses a multi-layer gasket that also weeps along the lower edge where it meets the oil pan rail, a joint that flexes under engine movement. On the WC34, engine mounts degrade and increase torque-reaction flex. Both leak paths allow oil to track onto exhaust components, creating smoke and fire risk if pooling is severe enough. M35 RB25DE (non-turbo) shares the same seal specification.

How much does it cost to fix on a Nissan Stagea?

$600 to $2,200 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Nissan Stagea years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 1996–2007 Nissan Stagea. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.