02silverpathy

W/spacers...top one is 3/4" and bottom is Rocky Road 5/16"...

Strut topper empty

Installation is cake...lol I think I was the one that "pounded" them out...no Shhh 8000 psi! It took a 5lb sledge and lots of bracing in my bench vice. When they came loose...psshhew across the garage! :o The holes got drilled out a little to accept the #8 bolts...run the bolts upwards just as the studs were...otherwise you may run into the bottom of the bolts carving out your top spring perch...go ahead look under the rig you will see! They will also be much easier to tighten when the nuts are in the engine bay! Here is a pic of the strut topper.

Anyone here heard of DEKA? My DEKA SEAMATE is now 3 yrs old and sweet right up to the minute...$.02

Sure sounds like a reliable enough engine? I am just not understanding the reason that (so far) anyone could say not as tough as a VG.

Alright, that last thread about VQ's longevity got me interested. If I can, please post up how old your VQ is and how many miles and what issues you have had...I am trying to see if the "issues" are just about the same as that of my former VG I might add that all of the problems with my VG (that weren't caused by me :X ) were tiny knick-knack BS that could happen to any rig on the market! I am also interest to see if anyone here had any power valve damage on their VQ pathy.

I have to admit that the oil consumption thing sounds like a problem with power valve screws...which is not the engines mishap, but the lack of total quality mgmt from Nissan in adding $.03 worth of thread locker when necessary. This however should not be taken out on the engine, but its manufacturer. In previous threads it has been stated as a known issue...it is more than safe to say that I will be paying to have my threads Loc-tite(d)....other than that... Is it possible to elaborate more on the PCV blow-by and the PCV oil catch-can idea for this system?? I am also going to point out that they have re-released the 3.5 with even more tuned ponies in the new 350Z...I would guess that~~maybe~~that someone at the engine building plant doesn't want to mess with anything missing a carb...after all many engine heads hate electronics, it takes the fun out of it for them. ***********************EDIT for VG question********************* 240 on a VG??? It starts with about 170...intake and exhaust combined 10HP (sound fair?)...this makes 180 lets add the JWT cams with and approx 14-20 ponies...we are at about 200HP now.....a supercharger? or a shot of NOS?...you pick, we can blow right by 240 and if maintained properly keep longevity also..........remember that there are lots of decked out 300z's running the hell out of these engines also!! I had intake--exhaust--and the cams with many other fuel consuming goodies...and I was maybe even the only Pathfinder on this board with a SAFC II and a wideband to push further limits....never dynoed, but believe it rocked---in its un-tuned state---

Weak PCV system? Is this why that Japanese web site offered a catch can on a VQ? Or am I missing the boat completely? For the sludge....we can talk days about what to do to avoid that, but I can't imagine any vehicle more picky than my Bimmer with sludge....hence 0w-30w Winter and 10w-50w Summer..........what oils are recc. for a VQ?

Nice Sliders! I was too slow on the draw!! Lol

OH...so it wasn't as bad huh? JK I knew something near vehiclular homicide happend to your rig a while ago

Thanks Venge! Yu da man! Now I can add that to my list of parts for an R50 I don't have yet! Lol ***I do remember Squam 1...I bought his brushgaurd...then sold it to ROWOSU...where did he go? I never heard anything from him?

XPLORx4 knows his sh** all right! I had a super AFC attached to my trucks ECU/PCM and it definately switched to open loop when in wide open throttle...I say this because the adjustments I made for the 70% throttle + made very little difference in where the wideband O2 sensor read....I had to make super drastic adjustments to see any difference, even then I am not sure how that worked (to show a difference). The truck even with a few bad injectors got its mixture dead on the money at 13.5 parts air/fuel at WOT. Awesome deduction Dean! I am not sure why certain sensors where out faster like the CT Sensor...all of us use coolant and most of us change our coolant...but my rig was neglected from its 1st bill of sale, so maybe when I changed it that was the first time it was done???

Venge, that seems to easy, are you sure that the underbody stayed the same? I for some reason as under the impression that the pinch weld or fold (whatever) changed location or is plugged different or something to make the mount points off the whole way down the slider :confused:

I think that Vengeful had the same thing happen to his Pathy! This is a terrible sight...my wuestion is...Is there a way to prevent this?

This part is about $24 from Advance or Autozone....I had a post about this moons ago...it gave my path some of its needed MPG back...I will see if I can find that! ********Shew that took forever!*********************** Old Azz Post

Great to see you back here, I belong to the ""just missed you crew", but we are here, you are here...lets get the party started!! Jim, lets get the NPORA donation train started....give us some goals for the site and what not....I got some pay-pal cash just itchin' to get into NPORA...the legend! Bought fixed up, broke down, gone...2003 VQ R50 soon to come!!

:o No way...there are tons of ways to extract power...the question is previous wear on the engine....Warn Hubs, Electric fan, Intake, Exhaust, Light weight wheels and tires, good maintanence.....cams, SAFC w/wideband.... ...I had all of these things and the truck was incredible. My only regrets at this point is not chasing the leaky injectors with new ones, and if I had the truck before it got to 80K miles, I would have put that tranny cooler on right away. This truck was hands down as powerful as many V8 mid sized SUV's and faster than the lot of them...minus the VQ

I should have better explained myself...there is a Nissan Dealer here that for an '03 Path with less than 40K will ask for and get about that $17-19K range...(options, condition etc). My bro and I have a sweet.(and yes, heterosexual ) relationship. I have in the last like 2.5 years sent many many people to his dealership...of those I think it is like 14 that have bought vehicles from him. I have bought 2 from him and 1 more through him (using his dealer tag, and business checks in order to obtain a vehicle I found on auto trader sly ). We are super great business friends and good regular friends (would be better if I put more time in). I get damn near dealer cost on vehicles, with an open policy between him and I, I actually help him turn his inventory over. :contract: He makes less on the vehicles that I send people to buy, but being a small dealer this turnover promotes the look of th lot as well as gets nothing but the best word out for him....he is a very shrewed, and emotionally inteligent business man. His lot has now succeeded in a location that !2! other lots have failed, and he averages 100-110 cars a year. He honestly treats every purchase that I have earned him as if it were the first one (very excited and greatful), and the 100th one (fantastic feat) at the same time! If more people acted this way they would all be more successful.... incidentally, it is a shame that this man who is often chastised for coming from another country and getting "breaks", that you and I have but do not act on, gets such negative treatment from people that do not know him....but this is part of our human disorder! -------------------------->end commercial here! X

I am trying to find a 2003 R50 (SE) with about 35-40K for around 11K...hence waiting until there is no more snow or threats of it anyway...and people want cars not 4x4's...this drops the price as well as there will be a fresh influx of 2004's coming off leases soon...this will also help lower the price of the 03....waiting is just part of the game..........the tough part!

My dealer insists that I wait until March--preferably around april to get my rig and gaurntees me a sweet price once this ice and snow is gone!

Moo-ha-ha-ha Now lets see, what have I forgotten? -->Nismo Light weights rims -->265/75/16 Revo's -->Flex-a-Lite Dual Fan with T-stat -->8x10 Plate Tranny Cooler -->Warn Hubs -->3/4 Strut Spacers -->Diy Short Ram Intake -->Custom Pathfinder Box with 3 Infinity Perfects -->Sheet of Bright Aluminum Diamond Plate for top of said box -->Focal 3 pc Polyglass Component Set -->Memphis 6.5" 2-way's -->Memphis 1000d Mono Block Digital Sub Amp -->Memphis 300.4 75x4 Highs Amp -->Audio Control 15 Band EQL ..................................Dang I know....I forgot to get AC springs and camber kit!?? Or maybe an oil relocation kit with cooler? BP Skids? Was an ARB or KennesawMC Bumper? Big Azzed PIAA 580's for the roof?.............Ventshades that's what it was!.................................hmm I still feel an exception lurking. ..............DAMN I FORGOT TO GET THE TRUCK!............................

Anyone notice it is a convertible in the rear? Yeah the fenders look bad-azzed! Never mind just read the qoute!

another R50.....oh yeah! I can't wait, I haven't even test drove one just so I can stay level headed about the bills I need to pay off first!!! Lol...I am sure I will pest the sheesh out of everyone after I get mine with all the crazy stuff I go sticking on it!! Lol

Just freakin gorgeous! The work it takes putting the lift on is sooo worth it!!! That things looks killer I can't wait to get me new R50!!! ***************edit*******I think your gears are mentioned on a label inside the door jambs...this is the way it worked on the first gen R50...resource: Vengeful!! (*thanks Dan)

I did call make that call NNA and all I got in response was "there is no current campaign on the Pathfinder, with the power valve situation" This item would be covered under a workmanship defect in the factory warranty and also the Nissan Pre-owned perferred warranty, which must be purchased the day the vehicle is purchased from a dealer wether new or used. I was also told that I would be exremely happy with the VQ powered Path as it has had very high reviews from many many Nissan customer. ***EDIT*** Trainman, approx what did your pre-issue maintainence cost you? It sounds like extra cheap insurance! Can anyone give a further clue as to what has to be removed to get to these screws? The less you remove from the motor the better chance of future issues...I may be speaking from experience! Lol!!