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cgriff - ColoMojo Build Thread


cgriff
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So I guess I should start my build thread, after 2 years of messing with the new to me 1999 SE I picked up from a Copart Auction.   I wasn't able to make it out and do a pre-inspection on the rig, so I had to decide if I wanted to bid on it sight unseen.    I figured if I got it cheap enough it would be worth it, if for nothing but parts.   It was classed as run and drive and had 193K on the clock.    It looked like the body was in very good shape, as was the interior.   I knew with the milage the mechanical was going to need some attention, depending on how well the PO had maintained it over the years.

 

First time I ever bid on one of those auctions.   I got into a bit of a frenzy and ended up bidding against myself there at the end.   I didn't realize that my ID was from the state that my broker was located, which was in Oregon, and some guy in Colorado, which is where I am from, seemed to really want it.   Even with the confusion, I ended up winning the auction, although I thought I had lost.   That damn guy from Oregon just wanted it worse than me, he outbid me every time.  I was like damn!  Not meant to be.   That guy stole it from me for $750.   A couple of minutes later I get an email from Copart congratulating me on my victory and to expect another email with the details from the seller if he accepted my bid.    I was confused but happy that I won somehow.   A few hours later the owner sent a counteroffer wanting $1500 for it.   I countered with $1150 which was finally accepted.   Kinda meet ya in the middle type of deal which worked out.

 

Paying for a car or truck from one of the auctions is a bit of a learning curve if you have never done it.   You basically have to have cash or cashiers check or funds transfer from your bank.   Since the broker was out of state, it was a bit more difficult to move the money over there and was going to add a couple of days.   I ended up taking cash to Copart and paid them directly.   This complicated things with the title as it was sent to Oregon for them to process.    Kinda weird and it ended up taking about a week to get the docs.   It wasn't that bad just a little frustrating and taking into account I was a total noob it all worked out.    Both organizations were great to work with and they sorted it out, for my unconventional situation.    Just an FYI the local brokers in the state of Colorado that I found were way more expensive than the one I used in Oregon, so I think I saved in cash what I didn't in time and frustration.   Live and learn.    If you want to pursue this kind of thing and want more info just send me a PM and I can provide what limited experience I have and what I learned in more detail.

 

I would highly recommend trying it at some point if you like to have new life experiences, the whole thing was a gas and I think I ended up with a pretty nice truck.

 

The previous owner (there were 2 before me) must have been a kid or something, considering the CD that was left in the changer (ugh), was kind enough to leave me an estimate from Firestone with a laundry list of all the things that needed to be done to the vehicle.   It was a pretty long list, to the tune of about $4,000. 

 

It "needed":

1. Valve Cover Gaskets

2. Fuel Pressure Regulator

3. Fuel Injector seals

4. Fuel Injectors

5. Timing Belt 

6. Water Pump (cause we would be in there)

7. Tie rod ends

8. Sway bar links

9. CV Axels

10. Front Wheel Bearings

11. New Tires all around - They actually had about 10K left on them.   

 

I ended up buying most of the above parts and a few more things like all new vacuum lines, fuel lines, fuel filter, air filter, spark plugs and wires, dizzy cap and rotor.   I ended up spending about 2 grand on parts and spent the first summer nights and weekends getting it all sorted out.

 

I think the PO had driven it for a while with the failing injectors and might have ended up trashing the cats and the O2 Sensors.    It is throwing P0420 now, and I think it has an exhaust leak up near the manifolds.    A little tick, tick, tick when it is cold and then it goes away.    So some more work and $$$ to get it to 100%.

 

I have some big plans for bringing this back to a reliable daily driver, until the point when I make it my dedicated off-road rig. 

 

I put on the Rola rack last weekend (shout out to @02_Pathy for the write up on how he did his.   I added some 1/2 aluminum blocks to get the height I needed so the sunroof would clear.

 

Whew, long winded and no pics.   I know you guys are gonna hate the way this is starting out.   I will post some pics when I can and all the future stuff I am planning.

 

Thanks to you all for contributing to such a great community.

 

 

 

 

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So I guess I should start my build thread, after 2 years of messing with the new to me 1999 SE I picked up from a Copart Auction.   I wasn't able to make it out and do a pre-inspection on the rig, so I had to decide if I wanted to bid on it sight unseen.    I figured if I got it cheap enough it would be worth it, if for nothing but parts.   It was classed as run and drive and had 193K on the clock.    It looked like the body was in very good shape, as was the interior.   I knew with the milage the mechanical was going to need some attention, depending on how well the PO had maintained it over the years.
 
First time I ever bid on one of those auctions.   I got into a bit of a frenzy and ended up bidding against myself there at the end.   I didn't realize that my ID was from the state that my broker was located, which was in Oregon, and some guy in Colorado, which is where I am from, seemed to really want it.   Even with the confusion, I ended up winning the auction, although I thought I had lost.   That damn guy from Oregon just wanted it worse than me, he outbid me every time.  I was like damn!  Not meant to be.   That guy stole it from me for $750.   A couple of minutes later I get an email from Copart congratulating me on my victory and to expect another email with the details from the seller if he accepted my bid.    I was confused but happy that I won somehow.   A few hours later the owner sent a counteroffer wanting $1500 for it.   I countered with $1150 which was finally accepted.   Kinda meet ya in the middle type of deal which worked out.
 
Paying for a car or truck from one of the auctions is a bit of a learning curve if you have never done it.   You basically have to have cash or cashiers check or funds transfer from your bank.   Since the broker was out of state, it was a bit more difficult to move the money over there and was going to add a couple of days.   I ended up taking cash to Copart and paid them directly.   This complicated things with the title as it was sent to Oregon for them to process.    Kinda weird and it ended up taking about a week to get the docs.   It wasn't that bad just a little frustrating and taking into account I was a total noob it all worked out.    Both organizations were great to work with and they sorted it out, for my unconventional situation.    Just an FYI the local brokers in the state of Colorado that I found were way more expensive than the one I used in Oregon, so I think I saved in cash what I didn't in time and frustration.   Live and learn.    If you want to pursue this kind of thing and want more info just send me a PM and I can provide what limited experience I have and what I learned in more detail.
 
I would highly recommend trying it at some point if you like to have new life experiences, the whole thing was a gas and I think I ended up with a pretty nice truck.
 
The previous owner (there were 2 before me) must have been a kid or something, considering the CD that was left in the changer (ugh), was kind enough to leave me an estimate from Firestone with a laundry list of all the things that needed to be done to the vehicle.   It was a pretty long list, to the tune of about $4,000. 
 
It "needed":
1. Valve Cover Gaskets
2. Fuel Pressure Regulator
3. Fuel Injector seals
4. Fuel Injectors
5. Timing Belt 
6. Water Pump (cause we would be in there)
7. Tie rod ends
8. Sway bar links
9. CV Axels
10. Front Wheel Bearings
11. New Tires all around - They actually had about 10K left on them.   
 
I ended up buying most of the above parts and a few more things like all new vacuum lines, fuel lines, fuel filter, air filter, spark plugs and wires, dizzy cap and rotor.   I ended up spending about 2 grand on parts and spent the first summer nights and weekends getting it all sorted out.
 
I think the PO had driven it for a while with the failing injectors and might have ended up trashing the cats and the O2 Sensors.    It is throwing P0420 now, and I think it has an exhaust leak up near the manifolds.    A little tick, tick, tick when it is cold and then it goes away.    So some more work and $$$ to get it to 100%.
 
I have some big plans for bringing this back to a reliable daily driver, until the point when I make it my dedicated off-road rig. 
 
I put on the Rola rack last weekend (shout out to [mention=39493]02_Pathy[/mention] for the write up on how he did his.   I added some 1/2 aluminum blocks to get the height I needed so the sunroof would clear.
 
Whew, long winded and no pics.   I know you guys are gonna hate the way this is starting out.   I will post some pics when I can and all the future stuff I am planning.
 
Thanks to you all for contributing to such a great community.
 
 
 
 
Glad I could pass on information to someone else building their rig

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

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I put on the Rola rack last weekend (shout out to 02_Pathy for the write up on how he did his. I added some 1/2 aluminum blocks to get the height I needed so the sunroof would clear.

Exactly what I’m doing! Curious how many conduit clamps did you use?

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10 total I tried to source stainless ones locally to no avail.  Found some online but the shipping was rediculious so went with the ones from Lowe's.  I did replace the hardware with SS and nylocks on the clamp.

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22 hours ago, Sjackson2 said:

Knock out the cats and get some o2 spacers to avoid the clogged cats getting sucked back into the engine till you have the money to replace them 

 

Man, I would but the Colorado emissions nazis would catch me quicker than you can spit.   I got about 2 months to scrape together the dough to cover whatever is wrong with it.   

 

There are like 10-12 R50 pathys in the various JYs around Denver right now, I might be able to harvest some decent parts this weekend.   Let me know of any wishlist items and if I find them, I will pull and store or pull and ship if needed.   Prolly not going to try used cats, but a bucket full of o2 sensors would probably cost me less than the price of 1 new one.   

 

I am hoping to score a WD21 tranfer case cover, there are 4 or 5 of them around too.   Anybody know if those were standard equipment or only on certain models?

 

I really would like to find a rear tire carrier, the JY pictures of the available units don't have one visible, but there are only half that show that side, so who knows might get lucky.

 

Still waiting on my OME struts and front springs, should be shipping from Oz any day now.   I got the LR 9447s and the Bilstein 5100s in like 4 days.   The Front bits have been back ordered over a month (arrrrgh!)

 

Anybody know if the Nismo Cat back exhaust was ever available for a r50?

 

Gotta service the xfer case and the diffs this weekend as well -- any recommends on fluids for those components -- I hear that Motul makes good products but they are spendy.  Worth it?

Edited by cgriff
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I had good luck with some cheap aftermarket downstream o2 sensors from rockauto. No Nismo exhaust for the r50. Flowmaster 40 series mufflers are very popular for them. 

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Don't trust a tire shop to diagnose engine problems. They might know how to mount and balance tires, on a good day. If the FPR or one or more injectors are bad, you'd have symptoms beyond just a P0420 code. If it's not misfiring, falling on its face under hard acceleration, fouling plugs, blowing fuel through the vac line on the FPR, or throwing codes, it's probably just an O2 sensor or catalyst that's worn out after nearly 200k miles. If it's having fuel delivery issues, do the fuel filter first. Do the timing belt (and all associated seals/hoses/etc while you're in there), put it back together, find the truck's actual issues, and go from there. These things don't eat injectors in batches, or even that often. Valve cover gaskets are a good idea, though, those do tend to crap out. The wheel bearings can be cleaned and repacked if they're not chewed up.

 

If you do find a tire carrier, this should help you figure out mounting it. Good luck, they're not as common as they were on the WD21s.

 

Mine's had the ticking since I got it. Broken manifold stud. One of these days I'll deal with it, but this is not that day.

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  • 1 month later...

I got the cats replaced and the last O2 sensor and she passed emissions.   It was expensive but I thought it was a good investment to keep the rig running.    I was going to put on my suspension lift this weekend and finally discovered where the clunk in the front end was coming from:

pathy_drivers_side_rust_small.jpg.310a6a86e9ebb33df513879f84362b53.jpg

 

I have seen reference to this repair but couldn't find any threads on how it is done.    Anybody have any advice/references?

 

I guess I am lucky the steering didn't bind or lockup due to this which probably would have resulted in a nasty crash of some sort.

 

Passenger side seems solid, but after seeing the recalls on this problem, whatever strengthening and prevention measures should most likely be done on both sides.

 

Thanks

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31 minutes ago, cgriff said:

 

Wow, that's pretty bad, you're right, lucky steering didn't lock up.  If somebody else doesn't reply first, when I get home I can give you some links to info about it if I still have them bookmarked on my laptop.

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Wow, that's bad. Good thing you checked out the noise before it collapsed! Funny how Firestone didn't notice the gaping hole.

 

This thread's got a lot of good info and pictures. Nissan's "repair" procedure is probably the most half-assed thing I've seen written up. The reinforcement panel splints over some of the damage and the fiberglass hides the holes, but at best it's a band-aid, and yours is well beyond band-aid territory.

This guy had a body shop fix it properly (new panel welded in) for $300. The body shop can probably recommend a good undercoating if you're concerned about a repeat performance.

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