mws

Can't make a recommendation until you tell us what you're looking for? Can we assume by the other tires you've listed that you'll be using your truck pretty much exclusively off road? If so, see my review on the Cooper SST for a really nice tire at very attractive prices. Like all these others though, they pretty much suck for day to day asphalt use.

Discounts? Always interested! What kind of parts? I see in another posting that you were quoted some rather premium prices for ball joints, so I see this to mean it is only some parts you can get cheaper?

Not yet, but will be doing it as soon as the cash flow allows it.... Possibly not until next spring though with everything else I have to do... In fact, I will even take pictures as I go since we finally joined the digital age and bought a digital camera. I will be doing it the total "top shelf" way as that is the way I like to do things...

Some carb cleaners or other solvents can be very damaging to rubber. But if you use care to not get any on the rubber diaphragm, EGR valves can be successfully cleaned up. Since some "professionals" are actually knuckle dragging morons diguised in pretty shirts fully incapable of understanding what "keep solvent off rubber diaphragm" means, the manufacturers kinda have to advise against cleaning them. SC88 - what is your fuel economy like? If low, that combined with the carbon in EGR could be indicating something is out of whack causing it to run rich.

Even despite the ludicrous $27 shipping charge :o , this is an attractive price. And I need. Rock Auto has full set of Moogs for about $150. My experience is that Moog is top shelf stuff. Mr Pickles - what brand were they? The seller says "OE replacements". That infers genuine Nissan OE parts, but I've seen enough creative use of the OE moniker to mean they could also be junk taiwanese "replacements for OE" parts... Thanks!

Yes, the filter had been cleaned with K&N cleaner and oiled with K&N exactly per their instructions. And once the large pores in the gauze are filled with larger particles of dirt, then it will stop the finer stuff. Of course, once the pores are clogged with dirt, then the flow rate plummets back down to about the same as any other filter. And I am not surprised that there is no apparent damage after only 3 years. My concern is all the fine dust passing thru the combustion chamber will result in cylinder wall and ring wear over the long term. I would estimate it will take 50K to 200K+ (depending on the hardness/abrasiveness of the dirt going through) for the wear to become significant enough to affect compression or oil consumption enough for you to notice. The rings will continue to seal quite well even after a few thousandths of wear. The relatively soft aluminum and brass of the needle jet in the bike wore about .010-.020 in 2 years riding - about 2K miles. Since the cylinders are iron, they wear much slower. Don't get me wrong, I have and will continue to run K&N's in some of my vehicles when I want that last 1-2% of power and do not plan to keep the vehicle long enough to care about the wear. That's the moral of the story - use them with understanding of the benefits AND risks. My track bikes are either no element or usually K&N's. Similar philosophy as to why you see many vehicles raced with K&N's - since the engines in race vehicles are rebuilt regularly, engineers care less about the accelerated wear and more about that touch more power at the race start. My 240SX had a K&N as it was street driven only and I knew we would be not be keeping it for more than 80K miles or so. But because of our abrasive dust, ALL of my dirtbikes get oiled foam only. Our BMW gets top quality OEM paper as we plan to drive it for at least 300K+ miles before rebuilding. The tow van will use paper for day to day use, K&N when towing over the sierras. The current engine in my pathy is already well worn and borderline in need of a rebuild, so I will use paper to minimize any additional wear. When I rebuild it, I will use only paper in the dirt. But since the rebuild will probably see see only 100K miles before the rest of the truck crumbles to dust, I will probably use K&N on the street where it needs that last 1-2% of power!

My experience: Buddy's dirt bike (tweaked out XR-350) performance slowly degraded over a season until it ran like crap. Lots of digging revealed the needle and needle jet were severely worn. Wondering why, we asked around, and the common question back was "are you using a K&N?". Many had seen the same thing happen and advised against using K&N's in dirt bikes if extended engine life was desired. Being skeptics at heart and engineers by training, we conducted our own experiment after installing a new jet and needle in to fix the problem. We smeared a thin film of white grease all over the inside of the airbox and intake tract beyond the filter and rode for 100 miles with K&N filter, and then cleaned and repeated using a UniFilter (oiled foam). All on the same weekend. 100 miles on day one, 100 miles on day 2, riding the same trails. The sealing surface on both filters was well greased and the filters were inspected for tears. I am pretty sure they were as good as can be expected. Always a risk we missed something, but I know we were more meticulous than the usual user... The grease was noticeably (WAY noticeably) dirtier with the K&N than with Uni. It was a very fine dust that just left the grease dirty looking (tan) and only mildly gritty feeling, but it was there. There were not paper elements available for this bike to compare to, but other tests I've seen showed quality paper elements were even more efficient at stopping fine dust than Uni's. I always encourage others to duplicate the test and make their own conclusions. Use grease to capture the dust, and use a very thin film to avoid ingesting it. The best place to put "sampling" grease is the outside perimeter of bends where the dust tends to be flung out of the air stream. I will point out that our local dirt is mostly decomposed granite and other volcanic stuff so it is full of silica and much more abrasive than most so any wear will occur more rapidly. I would imagine that if your resident dirt is softer stuff with no silica, the risk of premature wear goes way down and wouldn't pose a problem for many more miles. If your soil is made up of really soft minerals, it probably presents zero risk. Heck, if you rode in graphite it may reduce wear! We are worst case so I am sensitive to the issue.

Or you can do like K&N's marketing group and let the stock paper filter get REALLY REALLY dirty and so plugged up the engine will barely run before checking the mpg, and then switch to a perfectly clean K&N and compare! WOO-HOO! Look at the huge improvement! Bottom line: The OBJECTIVE tests I've seen and performed (excluding injected diesels, which are a different critter) to compare clean paper to clean K&N show little to no difference to mpg while at cruise - and sometimes a fresh paper filter appears better - so I suspect it is more test error than any real benefit. Yes, K&N's do flow better at very high flow rates (unfortunately, more air AND lots more dirt) so they should result in better mpg at full throttle, but I assume you won't be doing much of that if you are striving for maximum economy... At cruise rpm, the paper filters can flow more than enough air with minimal restriction. So you will will likely never recoup the difference while commuting this winter if compared to a paper filter changed regularly. Over 100K miles, you will recover the investment due to not buying new paper filters. Over 200K miles, it starts going the other way due to the cost to rebuild the engine due to all the dirt passing through the K&N and wearing the cylinder walls and rings...

Oh, I TOTALLY believe the big 3 American networks and US newspapers are completely unbiased and present only the true and verified facts! They are news reporters, not entertainment, right? Removes tongue from cheek.... I'll watch/read them on a casual basis to see if there is anything going on I want to find out more about. But I always assume they are presenting a very biased viewpoint based on politics and profits. Sad, but true. Credibility is so hard to re-establish after being stupidly squandered. CNN, BBC, or Reuters are more common source. BS/misinformation filter set pretty high when watching CNN, pretty low on BBC. Regardless, I always cross check "reports" at least a couple ways before actually believing much.

And you say it's welded on? That adds at least one more "dysfunctionality" point as I believe that is one of the years where you need to pull the grill and headlight to drain the radiator. Couldn't believe that convenience factor while working on my nephew's....

Yup, the TBI versions are rather iffy on passing smog... Everything needs to be working pretty well for high mileage rigs to pass. Other things that haven't been mentioned but must be working properly are the catalytic converter and the auxiliary air injection doohabobber (the thing behind the drivers side headlight). Cleaning the IAC will help the idle sniffer test. Also, turn up the idle to about 950 rpm... Mine will not pass at 800 rpm, but passes easily at 950. Yeah, the technician is supposed to do the test at 800, but most are too lazy to turn it down if only a scosche too high... And as others said, there is a good side to all this - once everything is working right, your fuel economy WILL improve.

Heck ya! I have been planning to weld up a brace per your photos, but hey, it's still hot and don't want to be out welding right now! I just sent you a PM with a list of all the wire I have. Just let me know what you want. I'll throw in a fan timer if you want it, some heatshrink, some expando tube, and what else you want? Any chance at all you could get me a brace by next Thursday? We have a trip through the High Rock Canyon (west of Black Rock Desert in NV) and having a brace would be added mental security. Most things are well up to snuff, but the steering is still bone stock. It would be so embarrasing to break down, especially since I will be with a Cherokee! No paint or finish shaping/grinding needed - I could pull it off, clean it up, and paint it later. Pure function is all I need... Heck, don't even need to knock the slag off...

Yeah, I'm secretly rather proud as well... On the relay, there should be a diagram of the circuit with the 5 terminals id'd. The "single throw" relays I've had did not have a number for the circuit on the diagram. The relay contactors and arm will be pointing at the normally closed circuit in that diagram. When the coil is activate, it flops over to the other contact. Of course, the most accurate way to verify it is working properly is to just apply an ohmeter across the terminals as you actuate it. As a couple general rules of thumb: - If the wire is getting too hot but it doesn't melt the insulation, you will probably be in the safe zone by going up 2 AWG sizes (like from 12 to 10). And definitely safe if you go up 4. - If only the wire is getting hot, that indicates that specific wire is the only restriction in the circuit and the rest of the circuit is OK. Heat is developed at the most restrictive point of the circuit. In Aaron's case, it sounds like his ground path is fine. If you're not in a hurry, I will just make two timers and send you one when I'm done. Probably cost about $5 with all parts and a box. I'll use a potentiometer so the timing will be adjustable. I'd like to proof it out before sending it, and I may not be able to get to it for a month or two as I still have to install the fan. And finish 53.2 other projects... I also have a limited amount of 8 ga wire, too, but red only. How big can you fit in your distribution block? Aaron - PM me your address if you want some 10 or 8 ga to re-do yours. With as much as you've helped me with advice and shop manual pages, I'll gladly pay shipping!

Thanks for all the input! So I take it what I'd be looking for are "driving lights", right? And a "spot light" would have very limited appeal to me? Glad to hear PIAA is still making good stuff! While checking out the Pro Comps at Summit, I see they offer their private labeled "Summit" lights. Any comments on those? Very attractive prices, so I gotta ask. I have used some Summit labeled stuff that was quite good - appeared to be manufactured by the same folks as the "name brand" parts, but with Summit labels and about 20%+ less cost.

I will be doing the same when the cash flow stops hemmorhaging into the tow van project. Here's my thoughts after dealing with headers before and carefully planning my attack scheme: Headers are one of those projects you only want to do once... You really do not want to have to pull them back off 'cuz you cut a corner or two... Trust me! Definitely go with the Thorleys over Pacesetter. The Thorleys I received for my tow van are very nicely built. Cheap headers suck and cost you mondo time and bucks to constantly chase leaks. Studs: Since the headers will be steel, they will apply less stress than the cast iron stockers and the risk of additional breakage is reduced. But then again, why risk it? Do you really want to go back and do it again? All pathy's with over 100K miles appear to be susceptible to breakage, which indicates the thermal cycling the engine has gone through has stressed the original studs to the breaking point. They are all weaker than when brand new - not just the ones that already broke. Replacing them now makes the risk of one ever breaking again very low. Even using stock but new Pathy studs will be 99% risk free of one ever breaking again... And using the Turbo studs? I'd estimate 99.99%. Never should have to touch - ever again. (Note: We compromised when working on my nephews Cherokee and didn't replace studs. Guess what happened? Yep, literally the VERY LAST stud to be tightened snapped due to age and fatigue and an internal flaw. Had to pull the head to replace it. Afternoon project turned into full looong weekend. Soooo sucked...) Gaskets: Dead soft (annealed) copper gaskets have proven to be most leak resistant on problem cars (like SBC's). But Pathy's do not appear to be problem cars... so I'm going to go with the ones Thorley provides. The ones that came with my Chevy headers are very nice gaskets. Oil filter: I will DEFINITELY do the relocation. Based on Slick's write up in the past, the headers make filter access even worse. And it is pretty difficult already - especially if you like to warm the engine before changing (like you should).

Hardwaretoad - do you know what model of Alpines you used? Especially the 6x9's? Thanks!

I think you're right. I was just lamenting about that with my nephew this weekend - it's a bummer such a fine machine gets such limited support. It is MUCH more difficult and expensive to do a good IFS, so you need to be able to sell a bunch to recoup your design and tooling investment. Combine that with how relatively few Pathys there are, And then factor in how remarkable competent they are stock, and well, there just isn't enough demand.

I want to get a couple sets of lights and would appreciate leads on the well made, well focused high quality stuff I should be looking for. I am NOT looking for blinged out purple/blue/ultra white blue beam crap - which seems to be 90% of what I can find these days. I want pure lighting function, and lots of it! I have not shopped for lights for a decade or so, so I do not know who is making the good stuff anymore. And I would prefer non-Chinese made for moral issues. I see Greg just got some new PIAA's. Hella used to make some nice stuff. KC's were wildly popular for a while, but I never knew how well they actually worked... So, for those of you in the know, what brands and models would you recommend? 1) Off road lights for the Pathy to be mounted on roof rack. Good, efficient lights for lighting up the trail ahead when off-roading at night at a "slow to conservative to maybe moderate" pace. I DON'T need or want racer style ultra focused pencil beams to light up 2 miles ahead when bombing at 85 mph, just something to really light up the trail for a couple/few hundred yards - something to reriously supplement the stock headlights from up high. I will be adding a Quest alternator, so I believe I can get away with 100 watt bulbs. I already have fog lights that I re-aim out and down to light up the edge of the trail and ruts. I wish I could afford HID, but I can't. Prefer under $150 for a set if possible. 2) Fog lights for our tow van. Something that really lights up a broad swath for about 10-50 feet out. We get some serious tule fog here! I've tried a couple brands of lights (not cheap ones, either), but the focus flat sucked. Not enough focus up and down, and too much side to side. I need something that emits a "slot" of light for the soupy 20' visibility stuff - very tight vertical focus so there is no glare. One set I tried turned out to be a "bluish" light, which I've learned is especially horrid in the fog. Prob 55 watt, but I have a 170 amp alternator so more is OK. TIA!

One way to do this is to add a one more Bosch style automotive relay to the circuit. This is switching a low level signal so a standard relay of 2 amps or more is all you need. Did you notice that these relays normally have 5 pins, and you use only 4? This allows you to use them as "normally open, activated closed", - OR - "normally closed, activated open". It is this latter funtionality we'll use in this application. Wire it so it interrupts the low speed fan TRIGGER signal (not the 12 AWG power line) when you activate it via the high speed switch. In other words, it is wired in parallel to your high speed fan relays, but is switching the SIGNAL to the low speed relay OFF when activated. Put it in the SIGNAL lead right before the low speed fan relay using the "normally closed" contacts. So when this relay is NOT activated, the signal flows through exactly as it does now to activate the low speed fan relay. When you flip on the manual high speed switch, this relay activates and opens (interrupts) the signal going to the low speed fan relay so it switches off. That make sense?

Well, I wasn't going to admit this for fear of revealing just how disturbed I tend to be, but oh well.. It gets soooo bloody hot here, I want to have mine set up to evacuate the under hood heat after shut down. Some cars have this feature, and I think it is a very good idea to avoid extreme heat soaking. I'm going to wire mine in as follows: - High speed by manual switch only, just as 98 SP did. The dual 30 amp relay sounds about right. - Low speed normally activated by thermostat only when key is on. - I'm also going to add a timer to the low speed to run when key is off. I think I've got a circuit (555 timer, a few passive components, and a transistor switch) figured out where the fan will continue to run a set amount of time after I push a button. Pretty simple idea - if the engine compartment is really hot at shut down, I just punch a momentary contact switch before I get out that will start the timer that provides a secondary input to trip the fan relay until it times out and shuts down again. On a side note: I have a HUGE supply of wire I picked up surplus - from 10 to 24 AWG wire - really premium stuff suitable for standard under hood use. Literally dozens of spools, many colors, some with thousands of feet. If anyone wants just a few feet and can't justify buying a whole spool, send me a buck for shipping and I'll send you what you need. PM me.

OK Earth1! Looking forward to your results! I need to order a new bushing kit for my tow van and was resigned to going with rubber, but I'm going to try and hold off as long as possible to hear what you're finding. Crossing my fingers on the Neosynth...

Awesome post, Trainman. In my opinion, flooding the forum with facts is always OK!

Oh yeah, you gotta do a swap. This is the same basic engine as used in the old 300ZX, and we all know what a hopeless slug that was.... * Removing tongue from cheek * I believe this is a fundamentally "OK" engine with a lot of unrealized potential as tuned in the Pathfinder - it is tuned totally for a flat torque curve and low end power, and is very restricted at higher RPM. I think it needs a lot of help as well. Swapping in a higher displacement and more modern higher efficiency engine is a great option for those who have the resources and ability, and live in an area where they can do that and still get it registered. For those of us that need to comply with smog regulations, it is a bit tougher. I believe the most predictably legal approach would be to to borrow Nissan's lead and tune it like the 300ZX. Swapping the heads, CAMS, and MPFI/ECU/intake/fuel supply system plus a set of Thorley headers and free flow cat and exhaust would really wake it up, and should pass most visual and tail pipe smog checks. That combo has already been proven to be able to pass smog, and all parts look close enough that most smog check techs should not even notice. If it still passes sniffer tests with room to spare, boring it as large as possible would be the next step. Any more tweaking and passing smog gets pretty much impossible. I drive around and cruise wrecking yards with one eye open for totaled low mileage non-turboed 300ZX's. It's going to be a bit more of a challenge for me as I currently have TBI and techs are not supposed to pass MPFI engines, but I should be able to get it OK'd at a referee station and re-classified to the year of the engine.

See Product Reviews Forum for the results of my pump test.

The limiter in both areas is depth. I had no problem putting a set of shallow 6.75" Infinity's in the door, but the 6x9's I had lying around were too deep for the rear - the magnets hit the body. Those may have been abnormally deep... So I went with 6.5" in the rear. A "standard" 6.5 or 6.75 will not work in the doors - they will interfere with the windows. Check out Crutchfield.com for recommendations on what will fit in easily. And of course, with enough effort and money, you can make anything fit!