XPLORx4

How did you determine that the issue is due to no spark? Are the plugs wet with fuel? Fuel odor out the tailpipe? If you're certain it's not getting a spark, it could simply be the ignition coil. The ignition coil is embedded inside the distributor, so you basically would need a new distributor. But it could potentially be any number of sensors, too. The crankshaft position sensor will also cause a crank-no-start condition. Unfortunately if the engine won't run, you won't be able to tell if the check engine light is on, and whether it's worth the expense to get a code reader. On the other hand, if you intend to do most repairs yourself on any 1996 or newer vehicle, an OBDII code reader is a must for a DIYer's toolbox. If the PCM is throwing a code, the code reader will tell you what it is, so you can figure out where to look. If the previous owner indicated it was running OK and then started running poorly, do you know which parts they replaced in an attempt to fix it?

Hmmm. I have a hunch what the knuckle might possibly used for. I'm looking forward to what you come up with, hawairish.

The body cladding on the doors is standard on the 96-98 LE models. QX4 body cladding doesn't have any horizontal strakes in it.

The hose on the bottom of the TB is probably a coolant line for the idle air control valve (IACV). Throttle body spacers do little good on engines that use port fuel injection, such as the VG33e, where fuel is mixed with air in each intake port, far downstream from the throttle body. They are typically mildly effective on older engines that use throttle body fuel injection (where fuel is sprayed into the throttle body and mixed with the intake air charge). I think you just bought yourself a $10 paperweight. http://www.ehow.com/info_12218609_throttle-body-spacers-really-work-fuelinjected-vehicles.html https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Nissan_engines

Did you get a refund for the $297 they charged you to not fix the problem?

Welcome to the forum. That's super cool and very clean! Is the flat part of the mount gusseted underneath so that it won't easily bend down if the antenna hits something? The antenna will be able exert a pretty large torsional force to the 90° angle where the horizontal and vertical faces meet. Looks like the mount was welded, so it wouldn't be that much more difficult to tack on a small gusset there. Nice window sticker, too.

Well, you could take it back to the dealer who charged you $297 for nothing, and have them actually fix the problem.

I have had good results with MasterPro CV axles from O'Reilly Auto. No binding.

Nice. How do you get climb up and down from there? Do you have a ladder?

Replace the links only if your truck exhibits the death wobble, which feels like side-to-side swaying during light deceleration/acceleration. Twisting motion won't tell you if the link bushings are bad. You want to be looking for lateral (forward/backward) movement. To check this, park on a flat surface and place the tranny in neutral. Firmly chock the front wheels, and release the parking brake. Go grab a rear tire at 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock and rotate it forward/backward as you watch to see how much play there is in the bushings. You shouldn't see the link move forward/backward very much (if at all) relative to the chassis. You shouldn't be able to move the tire forward/back without the chassis also moving. It might be useful to do this with a helper who can move the tire for you while you watch the bushings. If your truck exhibits the death wobble, you only need to replace the links (or just the bushings if you have a press). Technically, you don't need to replace the upper links to cure the death wobble, but if the lowers are shot, you might as well do the uppers too. The upper links mostly keep the axle from rotating when accelerating/decelerating and ensure that the correct driveshaft angle is maintained, but have less effect on keeping the axle properly located under the chassis.

Welcome to the club and congrats on your new ride! The R50 uses a reverse-cut R/P set in the R200A diff, which means there aren't any off-the-shelf ratios better than 4.636:1. I see you want to put in some Nismo 5.13 gears, so I'm curiously eager to see what you plan to do with the front diff.

OK, lastly: It's an LE, which means it has extra goodies that the XE and SE didn't have, including dual heater leather seats, compass/ext temp readout, Homelink buttons on the visor. Includes floor mats? Rear cargo cover? Basically, go through it with a fine-tooth comb and make sure that everything works. Rear defrost, power mirrors, sunroof, wipers/washers (both front and rear), etc. You get the point. If everything works (and I mean EVERYTHING), and the vehicle is in KBB "excellent" condition, it may be worth the asking price. If anything doesn't work, you have more points of negotiation. I did notice that the wheels appear to be el-cheapo steel wheels which were standard on the XE, not the LE, which should have been some kind of upgraded alloy wheel. Might wanna ask about that.

One more thing, in case you have grand plans for modifying the Pathfinder with big tires, lift, etc etc etc: Check the VIN ID plate in the engine bay (http://home.exetel.com.au/apcs/R50/VIN-Plate.jpg) near the windshield wiper motor. Look for the code "HG43" or "HG46". This indicates which gear ratio is installed in your diffs. HG43 means 4.363:1, and HG46 means 4.636:1. Be aware that HG43 gears will struggle to turn bigger tires more than HG46 if you decide to upsize later. I have a 97 LE which had HG43 gears from the factory. When I got bigger tires, I swapped out both diffs for HG46.

Looks like a good deal if it's a California vehicle that hasn't spent a winter in the northeast states. Ask to have a mechanic check it out before you buy it. Of course, drive it to see if it makes any unknown rattles and verify that the alignment tracks straight. Does it have a carfax? How many owners? What about maintenance records? Is engine compartment clean or dusty/sooty? Frequency of oil/filter changes? When was the last time it had trans/diff/t-case fluids replaced? Coolant flush? Brake fluid flush? Air filter? Spark plugs/wires? Cap/Rotor? Fuel filter? You will want to check the tires for cupping, inspect the brakes, rear suspension link bushings, and other suspension components such as swaybar bushings, bumpstops, etc. The Pathfinder has an issue that people refer to as the "death wobble" during acceleration or deceleration at highway speeds, which is caused by disintegrating rear bushings in the lower trailing links (aka rear lower control arms). Check for spare tire removal tool and jack (under rear seat). Also check for a tool bag (also under rear seat) that contains the lug nut wrench and some unfamiliar tools like this, which are for removing the spark plugs: 395663608.jpg Finally, don't just trust the owner's statement that there aren't any leaks. Look under the engine and transmission, transfer case, and rear diff yourself.

Yep. That would be the ones.

Work out the lengths for the upper links and axle/driveline angles properly, since if you tilt the axle back too much, you may need to also reposition/reweld the panhard rod mount

You'll probably need both the tranny control module and the engine control module.

Absolutely. The first few times I tried to shift into 4L, I did it timidly because I'd never done it before, and I got the grinding every time, until I shut off the engine before shifting, then restarting. I was like: OK, I'm in 4H. Stop car and shift transmission to "N". Push down on the t-case lever, move it to from "4H" to "N". Kewl, the lever moved! OK, now that I know the lever moves, now let's shift to 4L... GRIND GRIND GRIND!!! WTF??? Oh no did I break something? Let's try that again, move to 4L... GRIND GRIND!!! Crap. Shut off engine and shift, then restart! Eventually, I learned the proper technique and I haven't heard the grinding sound since. Move the lever swiftly, firmly and make sure it locks into place. The lever is pretty far back when in 4L, farther than you'd expect if you've never done it before. Now, I'm like: I'm in 4H. Stop car, shift tranny to "N". Grab t-case lever. Pushyankpull. Clink! Done. Shift into "D,2,1". Go. Whenever I'm in 4L, I almost ALWAYS have the tranny in "1" or "2". You should almost never be in "D" or "O/D" unless you need to go faster. "D" in 4L has a max speed similar to "1" in 4H.

Make the shift from 4H to 4L quickly and firmly. Press the t-case shift knob down into the floor, move the lever quickly back to 4L (while keeping downward pressure), then let the lever pop up to lock in 4L. If it takes longer than 2 seconds to shift between 4H and 4L, that's way too long. Do not linger in "N". It'll take some practice.

Where does one acquire the steering linkage from?

By the way, the swaying side-to-side is frequently referred to as the "death wobble" on this and other R50 forums. It is caused by worn bushings on the rear lower control arms, which allow the rear axle to steer the vehicle. Replacing the rear lower control arms (or if you have a press, just the bushings) is the remedy.

Try replacing the bulbs first.

jyeager- I don't want to build it myself. I don't have the time or motivation. I read on the pinned topic about the SFD that online orders at KRFabs are not being accepted. Huh? Can anyone weigh in on this? Also, what are your opinions about 2x4 stock being cut and drilled vs blocks that use a different shape/design. Probably my main concern with 2x4 stock is that over time it could look like this: ___ \ \ \ \ ---- I have seen others who make their SFD drop brackets like this: ====== | | ====== I do agree, though, that the most important parts are the strut spacers which have the proper camber angle.

CDN_S4 are those shocks mounted body up or down?

Hey guys, I've been quite satisfied with my 97 Pathfinder's off-road capability for nearly 10 years now. Believe it or not, it's still got just the 2" coil spring lift and 32" BFG KM2 tires. My last major wave of upgrades was in 2006-2007, when it got new t-case crawler gears, a front locker, and a custom rear bumper/tire carrier. I have finally decided to bite the bullet and get a SFD. This means I will need all of the parts required to lift the Pathy another 4" (for a total of 6" lift, since I will keep the front 2" springs). Fortunately, I already have extended brake lines installed, which I added with the expectation of eventually getting the SFD. However, I am a firm believer in a turnkey solution, which I haven't really seen made available anywhere. I know I need subframe drop spacers, strut spacers, motor mount spacers, steering extension, and a panhard rod drop spacer (plus appropriate hardware). Other than KRFabs, who else makes an R50 4" SFD kit? Also, another thing that is still not clear to me is what is the best way to lift the rear suspension. SFD is great for lifting the front, but shouldn't the kit also include a simple way to lift the rear? Also, I know I will need longer rear shocks, but again, getting shocks that are valved properly and have the right compressed/extended lengths is not well-documented. I would appreciate help in getting all of the necessary parts together before taking the plunge.