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Wow thanks for the detailed reply! I’m really inexperienced with cars, this is my first time really grabbing a wrench and digging in there. I actually kind of jumped the gun and put on a 3” suspension lift myself from 4x4parts.com. I’m trying to make it an off roader, not necessarily for rock crawling but I’d like it to be pretty beefy. That info you posted is super valuable though. I’m not exactly sure how to check on my components like ball joints and tie rods or wheel bearings. Been watching some videos to see what I’m looking at, I’m basically just looking for slop in the joints I guess. Everything did look pretty toasted under there when I was putting in the new suspension.

It isn't from Rockauto. i am not sure how to get a real person on RockAuto to physically look at the parts. This one I am expecting to arrive today, tomorrow at the lastest, is from BuyAutoParts.com Hopefully, your a/c holds through the summer at least. Hope, hope, hope! I am having a similar issues with starters. Not exact. They are the right part, but DOA, or will work less than a handful of times and tap out. The one I rebuilt myself, nissan motor, aftermarket solenoid, works no problem! This has been an exhausting year of aftermarket parts & it's only June.

Nice two-tone! Check for yourself that the parts are actually bad before taking Les Schwab's word on anything. Check the steering box, too. My dad had every joint in the front end replaced on my '95, and the steering didn't feel any better afterwards, because the slop was in the box. They are technically adjustable, but I killed the box in my '93 by attempting this, so I do not recommend it. I replaced it with a VisionOE/BBB reman off Rockauto, which I also do not recommend, because it's worse than what I started with. I'm planning to replace it with a used one that hasn't been worked over by muppets. A few people have had theirs professionally rebuilt by Redhead--sounds like that's the way to go. The stock centerlink on these is not a great design. If you're keeping the truck at stock height, stock tires, and not wheeling it, then it should be OK. Seemed to hold up OK on the '95. I've got a Grassroots link on the '93, which I don't think I could break if I tried, but it's scared me a couple times from the fasteners working loose (though fine-thread fasteners are supposed to cure this). It's also got a lot more drag than the factory parts. I didn't like that at first, but now that it's worn in to where it self-centers again, I appreciate how the added drag mostly stops the front end from exploring the play in the steering box. Unless they're damaged, the wheel bearings can be repacked and readjusted. There are instructions in the service manual. Cardiagn.com has the '90 manual. Do the seal between the hub and the CV while you're in there. Add the strut rod bushings to your list, even if they look okay. The cups fail, the holes wear oversize, the sleeves wear through, and then the rods wear through. IIRC I tracked down 555 parts through Rockauto when I did mine. Some of the boots haven't held up as well as I would've hoped, but I haven't noticed play in the joints yet. I was told at the time that it was a good brand. Don't know if that's still the case.

Hello, thank you for advice :), I lifed the car and indeed it is an open diff so further actions were pretty straight forward with no complications :). That means that i will now put a rear locker at least in the back without lossing LSD. Thank you very much i will save it on my PC, it will help me a lot . I do have some wiring behind the dash so i assume they are for fog lights, i will get a switch and check it out. Well yes thats the thing they don't have any wires but the red one is the same as in some patrols (maybe for glow plugs or something?). Anyway a little update, i am getting a ARB bullbar and runva winch on it with dual batterie set up for some additional lights, skid plates and probably OME or trailmaster lift kit. I am looking forward to wheeling in this beast, later this summer i will add water intercooler and turbo upgrade along with opening the injection pump and all the proper gauges (EGT, turbo pressure...) Thanks for the help

From what I've read about what goes wrong on VQs, I'd loctite the power valve screws while it's torn down. IIRC there's a coolant pipe between the heads at the back, with a second thermostat, that's a pain to access normally. Same story with the PCV valve. Valve cover gaskets probably need doing. And you already know the cooler is leaking. The service manual is likely your best bet, but the power valve screws writeup may help for the intake disassembly. Nissan used (and still uses!) the VQ in a few other platforms, so you might find a writeup or even a video for a more popular model using the same(ish) equipment. I wouldn't use this in place of the manual, but it might show some work-arounds for special tools, or other things that you should check while you're in there.

Spark testers use neon bulbs designed to work at high voltage, so, yeah, no good for 12v. You can make up a test light pretty easily with a 12v light bulb (194, 1156, whatever's handy), a test lead you don't mind cutting in half, and a soldering iron. And yeah, I had assumed that was a banana jack or something too. Nice that they couldn't be bothered to label it. Mine clicked once when I hooked up power, then clicked again when I triggered pin 6, and did not click off until I disconnected power. If yours has power across 2 and 4, when you haven't triggered pin 6, I'd call that a smoking gun for the amp.

Hi guys, first time posting, I just picked up my Pathfinder a few months ago. Steering is shot to hell, Les Schwab wants 1500 to replace center link, upper ball joints, inner/outter tie rods, front wheel bearings and an Idler arm. I want to do it myself but I’m not sure where I should buy parts. I see such a range in prices for some components. Not sure where it’s best to spend my money. It’ll be my first time doing tie rods or ball joints. Any recommendations would be great!

Any auto 4x4 transmission from 1988-2004 VG powered truck/suv will work. So that's Xterra, Frontier, Pathfinder, Hardbody pickup. If you are getting one from a newer Xterra/Frontier with the Supercharged engine you will need the flywheel to go with it as the bolt pattern is different on the torque converter. Reuse the 1992 dipstick as well. Other than that they are pretty much a bolt in swap. But you might want to check if it isn't running properly first, check the timing, etc to make sure you don't waste your time.

Thanks for triggering my PTSD over this even though it was nearly a decade ago.

Good luck. Is this still from rock auto? The original one on mine is pissing from the front shaft seal (just oil for now, still holding charge). But replacing the condenser and entire front of the truck, so may as well swap a new compressor on there. I hate these "consolidated parts" they are always a compromise. In looking them up even for my Xterra, it seems like they're just not putting the sensor in there. I guess they have enough confidence in their parts that they won't overheat and fail, LOL. The GPD one on RA is for a diesel so that makes sense that it would be incorrect.

Yeah unfortunately there wasn't enough entries, perhaps someone new should take the reigns?

I ran the test and unfortunately I do have exhaust gases circulating through my cooling system. I know changing the head gaskets on the VQ35DE is a nightmare but I think I'm up for the task. I've been able to pull up the factory service manual but I was wondering if anyone had access to any other resources online that they think would be helpful. I still have a good bit of research to do but I was also wondering if there is anything else I should replace while I tear the engine down. Thanks.

Thanks for the update, and glad you're back in business!

Truck is back in my hands. $2500 all said and done which is a lot, but better than sticking an unknown used engine in there Everything is great except I think they put in a cooler thermostat. The temp gauge doesn't go as high as it used to and it failed smog today got to go back and make them put in the correct one

I went to test the amp module again according to your post above, but I immediately noticed something was off. I had left all the wires connected to the amp module, with the clips to the marine battery I was using for test purposes just clipped to the battery case, next to the terminals. But, I noticed the positive and negative terminals on the battery were in reverse order of where I thought they were. This means the previous testing I did when I went to replicate my first test, except now to measure across terminals 2 & 4, were invalid. I must have used the marine battery and put it back differently in between my original test, and the retest. I corrected my error, and tested again as I had previously. When I connected power to pin 5, I could hear the relay click, and I never heard it disengate. When reading across terminals 2 and 7, I got -2.3V, which is close to what I had gotten in my original tests (I did have different leads, so this seemed reasonable). But now, when I read across terminals 2 and 4, I got a -12.5V. It did not seem to matter whether I had pin 6 going to ground directly, or going to ground through one of my inline spark testers, or completely disconnected. The -12.5V was with the positive lead from the voltmeter going to pin 2, and the negative lead going to pin 4. Maybe the behavoir above with the disregard for pin 6 connection is consistent with what my rear wiper is doing (never cutting off)? Side note-I don't think those inline spark testers work as DC test lights, as I could not get mine to light up even going directly across the battery terminals.

So I have a 1992 pathfinder I got for free with a bad transmission, was able to find one and installed and when I drive it in D range it seems to struggle up to 3rd gear but if I start out in 2 range and up shift to D at the top of 2nd it seems fine...has no power to pull obstacles in D but pull to 2 and it goes....guessing I'm needing another transmission?....if so which ones will work on mine and what do I need, I only wanna do this 1 time more...I am also a 25 year nissan master so I can do it just need info outside of what the parts manual shows

I have a 1992 pathfinder 4x4 which I got free due to a faulty transmission, I was able to find one and install....now when I drive it in D range it's seems like it has a torque converter stall, like won't barely pull hills etc....if I drop it to manual 2 and shift to D at the top of 2nd ,that way seems fine....guessing this trans is no good either...so what tranny's will work and what EXACTLY do I need?

When I tested before, I had pin 6 going directly to ground. I totally missed the screwdriver looking thing in the diagram, or took it for a banana plug jack or something. That's a good catch! I was also just using my voltmeter in place of the test light, across 2 and 4, or 2 and 7. I think I have a couple of inline spark testers around somewhere that I guess should work. I'll see if I can dig them out and give the test another try.

Thank you for the information! I am not that experienced with electrical. I get what you are saying. I re ri Ed my 4th incorrect one yesterday. After talking to customer service, which I did before I even placed the order and they still sent me the wrong one -this new customer service claims they were able to verify themselves and that I am receiving a misboxed one. They say they're shipping me a replacement next day shipping.

Oil in the coolant is never a good sign. Bizarre that the blue schmoo in the coolant would slow the oil loss, though. I diagnosed a head gasket on a neighbor's Toyota last year. No clouds, plugs looked OK, no obvious misfire, though he said it felt down on power. I got an occasional bubble out of the radiator with the cap off, but wasn't sure I'd bled it right when I'd refilled it, so I wasn't gonna call it just from that. The smoking gun was when I put compressed air to one of the cylinders (like you would with a leakdown tester, except I didn't have one, so I just used the air nozzle) and the air just boiled out of the radiator. The combustion leak test should tell you the same thing. A failed cooler could explain the oil in the coolant, but I don't think it would explain where the coolant is going.

So I had a poke at mine, and didn't have any luck with the test either. Then I looked at the diagram again, and the wording that made no sense, and I think I may have worked out what it's actually supposed to mean. I think the lead from battery ground to #6 is another test light, probably the screwdriver-with-a-bulb-in-it type, judging by the picture. You're still grounding #6, but through resistance, I guess? When I tried it this way, I started getting results. So that's 1 and 3 to ground, 5 to +, 2 and 7 or 2 and 4 to the test light they bothered to label (which I assume is a dummy load for the wiper motor), then clip the screwdriver test light's lead to ground and touch the tip to #6 to trigger the amp. The amp clicked when I set it up. If the dummy load light was hooked between 2 and 4, like the '87 manual says, when I triggered the amp #6, the amp clicked and the dummy load light lit up and stayed on until I disconnected power. If I wired the dummy from 2 to 7, the relay clicked when I triggered #6, but the light did not come on, and the amp clicked again a moment later, like it could tell that there was no load hooked up and it was going back to sleep. I never saw the bulb in the screwdriver light up. If my current understanding of this really poorly documented test is correct for a change, then this amp tests good by the '87 manual, and bad by the '95 manual--which is bizarre, because it came out of a '95 with a working rear wiper. Try the test with two test lights, see if that makes yours do something. I won't get to it for a few days, but I'm thinking I'll try plugging the '95 amp into my (square-dash) '93 to make sure the amp is compatible with the earlier controls.

You are very welcome, I'm always happy to help, and thank you again for all of your views and support. I'm also pleased to hear that you have found my YouTube videos helpful. Chris.

Mmm. Hard to tell from the pics but most likely you have the trigger + wire on one connector and the ground - on the other (grounding the compressor elsewhere) - confirm in the FSM. In order to save money and increase compatibility across different makes/models, aftermarket suppliers will sometimes just ground it to the case (and on through the engine block). In this way the compressor will work on both single plug and dual plug models - at least in theory. It will probably work fine if you just connect the connector with the + trigger and leave the other disconnected. Alternatively (what I would do) is cut off the ground connector from the old compressor and butt splice it onto ground wire on the new compressor.

Thanks for the feedback! I will go ahead and order that combustion leak test and go from there. I have watched a good chunk of your youtube videos and have found them extremely helpful when performing maintenance or modifying my R50.

Sorry to hear about the recent issues you have been having with your R50, you can complete a head gasket combustion leak test. Here's a link to were you can get said leak test kit. https://amzn.to/3Rf56Jc It is straight forward and very easy to complete this test with the use of this test kit. I sincerely hope it's not a blown head gasket. Oh you can also try bleeding air from your cooling system via the bleed port on the backside of your engine, it will be covered by a rubber cap. Just make sure you are doing this when the engine is cold and with it off Good luck. Chris.