mws

Really? Are you going to be in Vancouver around new years? I'll be right across the creek in Gresham from 12-29 through to 1-3... And '88 and Slick - I am still interested in yours as well! My nephew needs a couple and I would like a spare or two...

Depends entirely on where you buy them... I have mom and pop (well, actually it is a pop and daughter!) fastener store here in town where they sell bolts from the bulk boxes at about 1/4 to 1/2 what the big bin warehouse stores sell them in those stupid plastic bags... But should be no more than a buck or two apiece

Occaisionally using at higher rpm when fully warmed up is not so bad, what kills engines fast is revving them right after they're started - before the oil is flowing. I see (hear) stupid people do that all the time. One episode of that will cause more wear than 10K miles of freeway driving...

Your symptoms do sound classically serious. Very sorry to hear it. MY opinion: Automatic transmissions are arguably the most complex mechinical assembly in the entire truck. Rebuilding an automatic is the ONLY thing I feel I could not do with 90%+ confidence I could get it right. There are just so dammmed many little parts, actuators, valves, solenoids, passages, check valves, clutch surfaces, gears, pumps, etc etc etc that is very difficult to rebuild one and successfully find and repair every single part that was worn or damaged when it failed. When it comes to A/T repairs, I do not recommend rebuilds anymore. My personal database (30 years worth) says close to 50% are not successful and need significant additional work within 10K miles. If you do pursue, shop very carefully and get lots of referrals before turning the mechanic loose on yours. Instead, I recommend getting either: 1) a "known good and low mileage" transmission out of wreck, or 2) an assembly line full rebuild - where the transmission is stripped to bare case and every possible component is either replaced or meticulously tested and inspected. Unfortunately, I do not know of anyone doing this for Nissans. See www.bowtieoverdrives.com to see a company that does this for GM TH700R4's. 3) 5 speed swap. A manual transmission is about 1/50th as complicated as an automatic. A rebuild is relatively simple, with more like 95% success.

I was the one who recommended the inlet at the bottom to make it self purging - but that is only "really important" if using a plate style cooler - like the B&M's - where all of the passages are, in effect, in parallel. Since air wants to rise, it ends up collecting at the top. With a tube and fin, it is less important as the passages are in serial. The air will still be trying to rise against the fluid direction, but the fluid is moving faster and will tend to push it on. Also, the faster moving fluid tends to be turbulent so it splashes against lots of the internal surface of the tubing - where it can transfer the heat. You are correct about "cooler is better, to a point". I have also been advised 125 F or so is a good "fully warmed up" minimum to keep the fluid at optimum viscosity.

Case in point: See the photo to the left? 27 psi front, 24 psi rear. Those figures were achieved using guidance from a Dunlop tire engineer, a pyrometer, and many, many laps of testing. I just quit answering the question of what I run, because most guys would insist it was wrong and wouldn't work. The previous 2000 track miles of data were considered irrelevant by them. So I resorted to saving my breath...

I don't..... anymore. I just smile and nod my head.... yeah... yeah.... whatever. Then I go do what works for me!

And on picture of the bushings... Wow. Those are sooooo much worse than mine were! You are going to be blown away by how much better your truck is going to handle!

I agree and would use 10.8 grade bolts with locking nuts. Standard nylon insert lock nuts (don't need high grade hardened versions) will be fine for this application, as the loading is almost exclusively shear loading.

And, they fix that PITA access oil filter problem! -bounce- Well, actually, they make the access even worse to being near impossible so you end up putting in a remote filter which fixes the problem...

errrr... regarding picture immediately to left of Pepsi Light bottle cap.... (go back and look at picture) OK. ummm.... is she trimming her toenails, or removing toe jam, or what? And just for the record, I had stared at and admired the vodka bottle for quite a while before I noticed the picture!

And ain't it great that Nissan is one of the few to provide it from the factory! I love it!

According to your profile, you're in Mass? Back east, I think rust level will be a HUGE cost factor. I personally think transmission is a cost factor as well (5 speed is worth more than autotragic in my book). Lastly is how well it has been cared for. A straight, unwrecked, very well maintained (lots of records), reliable, fully functional, good running 2 door 5 speed with no rust and only 100K miles would EASILY be worth $1500, IMHO. Knock off at least $500 for rusted chassis... $500 if poorly maintained.... $1000 if signs it was abused.... $250 for automatic..... $200 for lots of niggle repairs.... $100 if not tuned up in last 100 miles.... etc etc etc I personally put less value on miles than I do on how it was taken care of. A meticulously maintained and cared about pathy with 180K miles will be more reliable and have more miles in it than one with 60K miles that had been driven hard by some clueless snot nosed kid who revved it to 5K rpm everytime he started it, never perfomed any PM, tried to jump it, and used the cheapest oil he could find... The best used cars are the ones that were somebody's "baby" that they clearly loved and cared for. Bottom line, I research/inspect the previous owner every bit as thoroughly as the vehicle itself. I've never bought used from a dealer as that prevents me from researching some of the most critical elements... And I would have to resort to trusting the used car dealer for any info.... :o

Thank you, Mr. Locust! I'm lowering it for a number of reasons.... 1) Fuel economy 2) Since I'm only using 31" tires and already have 2+" of suspension lift I don't need 3". 1" will be plenty. 3) Being a techno-geek engineer, I prefer function over form. A lower CG is (almost) always a good thing... 4) My wife would prefer not having to climb as far. 5) My mother can't get in it as it is. And she can't get in our BMW because it is too low... 6) I have long legs, but not that long! I have to slide off the edge of the seat when I get out. Why wear it out? 7) I don't like the way the brake, power steering, and radiator lines had to be stretched out/modified. 8) As it is, it is just a scosche too tall for me to clean the entire windshield from one side. 9) I don't like the TC lever boot being scrunched and 4Lo is difficult to engage. Yes, I know about the HB lever conversion. Lastly, and least significantly, I don't like the look of over lifted (or over lowered) trucks. As my friend puts it so eloquently, it "just looks ghey". I prefer just enough to achieve the desired functionality.

Absolutely the best unibody pathfinder built between '96 and '04!

I will be cutting down my body lift soon. Taking it from 3" to about 1". Cutting the blocks down will be easy, but I will need shorter bolts. It would be preferred to have them in hand rather than discover the bolts I need are special order once the truck is half apart... Does any one know the diameter and pitch or the threads? I recall the rearmost are metric and thread into a weld in nut in the body, but it looks like the others that came with the lift kit are SAE? I imagine the stockers would have been metric. And what is the length of the rear bolts? Stock or lift kit version length is fine - I can do the math to figure out what I'll need. It looks like I can measure the rest in place, but hey, if know the length of the rest that will help me as well. TIA!

Sometimes reality is different from "common knowledge". I believe in taking others input (aka, opinion) and then think about the logic behind what they said, and then perform my own experiments! Although I usually stop in the low teens, I've run as low as 10 psi in deep sugar sand with no problems on 31x10.5 Cooper STT's. But I advise you to do your own experiments and make your own decisions. After all, if it doesn't work for you, I'm not going to be there to help you out....

Good stuff there.... allow me to add: GPS!!! A couple of the mylar emergency blankets small tarp and heavy twine (emergency rain shelter, or for laying in mud...) couple HD yard size garbage bags (makes nice poncho) water sterilization pellets couple clif bars pretty complete first aid kit wire, misc connectors hose clamps, misc bolts folding saw (lotsa trees up here) water proof matches, vaseline soaked cotton balls or other fire starter quick set epoxy putty and radiator repair putty silicone sealant

When it's happened to me, it was due to the grease in the odometer mechanism getting dried out and thick - like library paste. I diluted it a bit and it was fine for several more years.

Unless you can benchpress 450 and tear phonebooks in half with your bare hands, you will need some tools - like a pedestal to secure it, a bead breaker, and a big honkin tire bar. Of course, once you get them, you can do all your own tires. Some buddies and I went in on a setup for our motorcycle tires and it paid for itself after mounting 8 sets.

The only thing I miss about automatics is the constant failures...

She's all yours!

So? Same technology, same poor filtering. Wish all you want, ANY gauze filter will still result in long term engine wear. Or if you run it dry, short term engine wear - about the same as running with no filter at all.

And if it doesn't work out with Simon and you are in the US, I may be interested in it.

Nope. I am not aware of any aftermarket shocks compatible with the OEM switch. However, the RS9000's are adjustable, and Rancho offers a dedicated remote control adjustment system for them. $$$, but slick.