Tseeker Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 Hey everyone! My fiancee and I own a 1996 Nissan Pathfinder LE, 170,000 miles. It's our first and only car and I have had all of the usual fun one has fixing up the little things a car of this age and of the "use"/abuse of previous owner Battery went dead when my fiancee was at work, probably just had some small thing on, so after jumping it and bringing it home I let it idle 15-20min instead of trying to find the battery charger. Well, I forgot to go back outsidet and finally remembered, two hours later, to shut it off. When I got outside I found it had stalled out, I investigated further and quickly deduced that the five inch hole in plastic on the radiator probably meant that it had overheated, badly, on a 20-30 degree night. The damage to the radiator was probably started when the plastic fan flew apart a while back and just now finally blew out. The previous owner had somehow damaged the original fan, then ran it for long enough that when I put the new fan on, it too flew apart. The shaft on the waterpump pulley had been wallowed out from the old fan being unbalenced. I'm running an electric fan now, (whole 'nother story on how I switched to that) and the car hasn't overheated in 90 degree weather. Temp gauge was down and it had stopped steaming so I figured I'd try starting it. Hard start and lots of clattering. I shut it off after 15 seconds, gave up for the night and started hunting online for a new used car. Next morning before work I went with a whim and dumped some old oil from a previous oil change into it and tried starting it again. Hard start the first time, but the clattering all went away in about five seconds leaving only one loud ticking, shut it off and restarted it, didn't have a hard time starting and just the ticking remained. I removed the sparkplugs and both valve covers, and turned the engine back and forth several times with a ratchet, no play, or any clicking/knocking/bumping/grinding noises, so I figured that it was the lifters and the rest of the engine was still solid. So I ordered them plus a radiator, and then I realized that I should always, always, always completely remove all related parts before ordering new ones. The play I felt when wiggling the rocker arms wasn't the lifters, it was the rocker arms and shafts. They're ground down, worst on the driver's side exhaust valves, and the are progressively better towards the passenger side. SO, now it is cheaper to get two remaned heads from here then it is to piece it all together. My question is this: Radiator, $70ish already ordered via ebay, lifters are getting returned, two heads $510 for both from ebay, head bolts (do I really need to replace them? :dumbquestion: ) $50ish rockauto, gasket set $100ish rockauto, timing belt kit $25 rockauto, oil and antifreeze $40ish local. Total? $800. Ouch. Plus living in Maine means I have to keep up on body work due to so much salt in the winter. Is this car worth it? I don't have any problem getting greasy, and it's not my first head job, - I'm hoping to find an entry level job in a mechanic shop here soon- I just want to make the right choice, we both like this old car and can't afford a brand new car, but we'll shop around for a used car if this one needs to be retired. Thanks for bearing with my long post. I tend to really ramble on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 I'd say fix it, because you won't find a good running car these days for 800 dollars. I would also throw in a new water pump if you haven't already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tseeker Posted March 29, 2013 Author Share Posted March 29, 2013 (edited) Yep, already put a water pump in, the unbalanced fan had hammered away at it's shaft too. funny though that with it damaging the pulley and shaft like that it hadn't leaked or killed the bearings in the old water pump.... Any rules of thumb for how many miles potentially left vs cost of repair? (eg as these cars can run 250k+, we have approx 80k left what's it worth.) Edited March 29, 2013 by Tseeker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trogdor636 Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 You know the history of the vehicle you currently own, cheap used cars can just as easily end up worse than the one you've been driving real quick. But if its your only car and you need a car now, I totally understand shopping for something else instead of trying to wait out the repair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slumpert Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 A junkyard engine likely would be cheaper than just those heads... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushnut Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 If it's paid for and the body is in decent shape I say fix it, when you can do the work yourself you'll save even more money. Buying another used car is always a gamble and you won't find one for under $800.00 Our north american culture is too quick to throw things away......sorry I won't rant on that. If you love your truck and you like doing the work do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tseeker Posted March 30, 2013 Author Share Posted March 30, 2013 Thanks for all the responses I guess my biggest concern is that I don't want to dump more money into it, and then something else failing every couple months. But I think I should be okay on that front since this breakdown is damage/abuse, not because of wear and tear. A friend of mine cautioned that new heads could cause the lower end to start burning oil since i'd probably be getting better compression. I could stretch out this repair for a while and just do the rockers and rockershafts on the drivers side since they are so hard to get to. Also how much pressure should I put on the lifters to test them? I wasn't able to budge them when I used my hands to push them against a bench, they should be good them? Thanks again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hytekrednek Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 If i remember reading correctly in one of the how-tos or build threads you should be able to compress the lifters with your hands??? They could be stuck or clogged with gunk. IIRC there is a thread that talks about rebuilding them. Sorry I couldn't help more. James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 When they are in the engine you shouldn't be able to move them IIRC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tseeker Posted March 30, 2013 Author Share Posted March 30, 2013 Well I looked again into junkyards. Apparently I hadn't looked properly the first time, as I've found used heads for about $100, and a lower mileage engine for $450. Now I got to decide which one.. probably the heads just so I can get it running again quickly, or I could get the eninge and just rob parts off of it or...... Thanks guys for all the help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 I'd fix the vehicle. It is still cheap, and you know what you have. You say that they can run 250k miles so you have 80k left, allow me to correct that. They are expected to run at least 250k and if not, it is usually due to abuse/lack of maintenence. In your scenario, assuming a little time and place to work, I recommend getting a lower mileage replacement motor and installing it. It's almost the same work as the heads, will have some sort of warranty, might come with all the components on it so you will have spares to set aside or sell, and will give you time to fix and store/sell the current motor or part it out. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devonianwalk Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 I agree with B. I'm kind of in the same predicament with my wife's Honda. I recently replaced the cylinder head with one from a used engine that I just removed, cleaned, and installed. I put several hundred miles on it before the head gasket started leaking. Now I am trying to figure out if I want to have the original head machined, valve job, and pressure tested for $400 .. or .. buy a used motor for a few hundred more. I think going with the lower miliage motor is going to be my best option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tseeker Posted March 31, 2013 Author Share Posted March 31, 2013 (edited) All right, one more question, Honest! I can either get a '96 engine that's 200 mils away, OR I can get a '97 engine that's only six miles away. It's the same engine that's been in these pathfinders (1996-2000) vg33. So please tell me that it is the exact same engine! If it isn't what parts will not interchange? Or could I possibly hunt around for a '98 or '99 vg33 with less miles and age on it? Thanks again for all your patience and help Edited March 31, 2013 by Tseeker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trogdor636 Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Can they verify mileage? Any sort of warranty? I'd be a fan of finding one still in a vehicle (rear or side crash, rollover etc) that you can still hear run, but obviously that may not be easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tseeker Posted March 31, 2013 Author Share Posted March 31, 2013 This is what I've found so far, 1997 3.3,AT,8/96,4X4,RUNS GOOD 138,617 miles part grade A $500 Green Point Auto Parts, Inc. 1998 6-97,3.0,AC,SE,RAN 7-7-03,NO 606 81,577 miles part grade A $450 Silvers Auto Parts USA-ME 1998 9-97,3.3,AC,RAN EXC.,NO 606 87,020 miles part grade A $450 Silvers Auto Parts It being easter sunday I won't be able to find out anything more then that until later this week. Any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devonianwalk Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Is that a typo? 6-97,3.0,AC,SE,RAN 7-7-03,NO 606 81,577 miles part grade A $450 Silvers Auto Parts USA-ME 1998 Is that a typo? I didn't think the 3.0 was offered post '95. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tseeker Posted March 31, 2013 Author Share Posted March 31, 2013 (edited) Probably could be a typo, or (unlikely) it could be a diesel. If it is a diesel I sure wish I'd have more time to swap cause I would definitely be interested! Edited March 31, 2013 by Tseeker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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