NissanNismoZ Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 Ok, so i'm looking at a 94 Pathfinder XE and im wanting some opinions... It has a LOT of power. Has oil leak by the oil filter.. Tranny cooler installed, and it shifts quick and fine..but after driving it around, i put it into reverse and it acted like it wasnt in reverse all the way...it would rev like it was in neutral, then go. Here;s what throws me off. It;'s only at 150k miles, has tranny cooler, and the key wont go into LOCK where you can pull the key out. That makes me wonder about the tranny linkage..coz when you put it into park, the little button stays in, instead of 'locking' it into park, like the shift lock is screwed up..sometimes you have to play with it before itll start, unless you put it in neutral..anyway, i talked them down from 2000 to 1400..Should i take it? It's lifted and has nice wheels on it as well. 4WD kicks in great too..Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 A complete transmission fluid exchange might help with the slow reverse engage issue. If the stock cooler is still in use, I'd flush it before continuing to drive it; either way, install a Magnefine in-line filter on the cooler return line. The shift lever linkage might have come out of adjustment, or the key interlock system is malfunctioning. The former is easy to adjust; I'm not sure what is involved with the latter. I assume you checked for rust in all the problem areas? Does it have service records? Does it look clean when you shine a flashlight under the oil filler cap? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trogdor636 Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 Unless he had proof the tranny cooler had been on there since it was bought, or he had records of when the tranny was rebuilt, I would be prepared to replace that tranny within a year. The failure rate on them is just too high to buy a used Pathfinder of that generation and assume the tranny is going to be fine. It'll fail when you least expect it, and if you don't want to dump anymore money into your current Pathfinder with timing issues, rebuilding the tranny or finding a used automatic (unless its the HD) isn't gonna be fun for your wallet either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 ^Basically this. Assume the worst about the tranny and act accordingly. If it lasts for a long time after a tranny flush and linkage adjustment, then you got lucky. If not... If you do get it, clean the radiator cooler, install an inline filter and a temp gauge. These will be two key elements to care for and monitor the tranny... B 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NissanNismoZ Posted August 29, 2012 Author Share Posted August 29, 2012 (edited) It has fresh red fluid in it.. From what I can tell, I ended up buying it for 1300. I told them it may need a tranny.. But the speedo shows 11at a stop and just when the key is on. It shifts fine normally.. I'll try it again when I'm home, and I did end up keeping the red Pathy. It'll either be fixed or used as a parts truck.. Thanks guys! Looks like a tranny flush is in the near future. No service records other than the air filter. That tranny cooler seems like it's flowing nicely.. Edited August 29, 2012 by NissanNismoZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 Now that you've got one that's how it should be, you can check your red one against it... so you'll have one to drive when the trans eats it. But yeah, sounds like the linkage isn't adjusted right... how hard can it be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted August 30, 2012 Share Posted August 30, 2012 Cool, sounds like a decent deal. It;'s only at 150k miles... No service records other than the air filter. Might want to ask specifically about the timing belt, and if no info, consider taking a look very soon. Just cheap insurance... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NissanNismoZ Posted August 30, 2012 Author Share Posted August 30, 2012 (edited) Oh yeah, I definitely am going to check the tbelt. I do know there's a lot of Nissan service tags where they've had it in to Nissan for service.. Which makes me feel good. Air filter even has a Nissan service tag on it. There's a oil change sticker on the door jamb by Nissan as well.. They had things done right at least. I do know that sometimes it'll go right into reverse, other times it wont. It depends how I move the shifter.. I do know to shift from park I have to push up then pull back.. Also how can I check my shift lock mechanism? It's seriously screwed up to the point the key doesn't move to the lock position. Only the acc position. btw I can't believe how solid this frame is!! Edited August 30, 2012 by NissanNismoZ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted August 30, 2012 Share Posted August 30, 2012 See AT-99 of the FSM for a shift lock system diagnostic procedure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NissanNismoZ Posted August 31, 2012 Author Share Posted August 31, 2012 Thank you!! Bad news.. Fluid is clean and looks freshly replaced.. If I put it in reverse and rev it up slowly a few times it'll catch as long as I'm going, once I start accelerating it chirps the tires and its fairly rough, then I stop, and go and its again sounding like a 5 speed it'll sort of catch around 1100 rpm and bog down and catch.. I think my tranny is shot.. it doesn't slip at all between any gears though.. It shifts quicker than the red Pathy did.. Is it savable? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Ok, don't drive and test the thing. Step one, make sure the cooler has flow. Step two, drop the pan and see what is in it. Step three, reassemble, top off drive and perform AT diagnostics as per FSM. Key here is not to keep messing with it before figuring out the issue. It may only be minor now... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NissanNismoZ Posted August 31, 2012 Author Share Posted August 31, 2012 Alright, I will say the tranny cooler was pretty warm after driving it around for a few.. I'll drop the pan tomorrow and check it out. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trogdor636 Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Once they start to go (reverse not working well to begin would of made me run) there isn't much you can do. When I was shopping I heard stories of people being without reverse for 6 months and blah blah, but to me it doesn't sound positive. Can you swap in your tranny from the other one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Did you check the linkage yet? If that's not adjusted right (you said the shifter was funny) it might not be opening valves fully, thus not engaging gears properly until you hit the throttle and throw some more pressure at it. Get that working, then look at the trans itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NissanNismoZ Posted August 31, 2012 Author Share Posted August 31, 2012 See.. I blamed the linkages because of how it acted, I'm afraid it's just the shift lock is messed up.. Because even if in leave the shifter between p and r no reverse and between r and n no reverse.. The reverse lights do come on when the shifter locks in to R. So I'm not sure.. But I do know this sucks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lint Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Ok, don't drive and test the thing. Step one, make sure the cooler has flow. Step two, drop the pan and see what is in it. Step three, reassemble, top off drive and perform AT diagnostics as per FSM. Key here is not to keep messing with it before figuring out the issue. It may only be minor now... B Good advice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 I drove my old one with "intermittent" no reverse for 4 years. I would do what precise1 says. I would like to add that flushing it with sea foam trans tune did help mine a lot. Never had a problem once reverse was in, just couldn't build up the pressure to engage it because the valve body was clogged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NissanNismoZ Posted August 31, 2012 Author Share Posted August 31, 2012 Just a bit of added info, neighbor said it acts like the torque converter, by how it kicks in and out, so maybe I'll try flushing it with trams tune? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Towncivilian Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Trans Tune is Seafoam in a different can. I would not put any solvents in any lubricant on a vehicle. Do some drain & fills with a few days of driving in between to gently clean things after doing a pan drop & filter change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 (edited) If it was the TC I'd expect it to do the same thing in forward gears as well. And yeah, if it's gunky enough to bind up the valves, a solvent flush might just loosen the clog and put it somewhere else. Maybe drop the pan when you drain it and see how it looks inside? Edited August 31, 2012 by Slartibartfast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NissanNismoZ Posted September 7, 2012 Author Share Posted September 7, 2012 Hmm.. Been a busy week and red Pathy is too powerless to take out anywhere so black Pathy has been promoted to DD. But.. Its like when I can't get it to reverse at all if I go from drive straight to reverse it'll go as long as I rev it some.. So I'm assuming it's a pressure issue as in drive it'll have enough pressure to build up a little more to back up? I know when it's in reverse it'll squeal tires and kick in and out repeatedly.. So it looks like I'm looking for another tranny, as I don't think this one is worth saving anymore.. I did add the stop slip (half bottle) and it didn't seem to help much. Also.. How common is it for the front main seal to leak oil? Every where I park and come back after a few hours there's always a drop of oil straight under my harmonic balancer.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 Certainly doesn't sound good. Maybe before giving up on it, try swapping in the trans computer from the red one? I doubt it's the problem but at least you could rule it out. No idea on the oil leak. I know mine's leaking from somewhere but it's so slow that I haven't been bothered to find it yet. But it runs just fine, right? I'd start comparing its engine to the engine in the red one, especially with the timing. Probably easier to get the red one running right than to swap its transmission into the black one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NissanNismoZ Posted September 8, 2012 Author Share Posted September 8, 2012 That's an idea! Where's the tranny computer at on these? Yeah ill compare valve and dizzy timing now that I can.. Yeah I miss the red Pathy but the black one has the sunroof and its already lifted, so I'm stuck between the two.. I'll probably get them both fixed and just have one as a backup vehicle as the reverse is sketchy on it, but it seems like it just can't keep enough pressure to go in /stay in reverse.. So ill see if I can find a filter and change it with new fluid and a pan drop.. But probably not much more than that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trogdor636 Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 Its next to the ECU under the passenger seat. Seems convenient that the tranny went out the first week you owned it....guessing the PO got a problem off their hands. Hopefully its simple, but they are called autotragics for a reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted September 8, 2012 Share Posted September 8, 2012 ^^That's only true for the HBs. In the Pathfinders it's in the passenger's rear quarter behind the trim. IIRC it's even marked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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