XPLORx4

Both the AC lift and the SFD will preserve the same maximum CV angle as stock. The SFD with stock springs will preserve the same operational angles as stock, and the SFD with the AC lift will preserve the same operational angles as an AC lift w/o the SFD. The only time you will exceed the stock maximum angle is if a strut spacer is installed between the body and the strut, and similar spacers are not also added to the subframe.

I would not advise doing that, though it may be possible to do so. Your best option would be to find a local shop that specializes in rebuilding rear ends and have them do the swap for you. That way you can be sure that the backlash is set properly.

It's usually easiest to just swap the entire third member, gears and all. However, if you want to keep your LSD, but just change the ratio from 4.3 to 4.6, you only need to swap the pinion and ring gears. You can use the same housings and even the diff carrier. So, if you have a 4.3LSD and a 4.6open, you can just unbolt the 4.6 ring gear from the open diff and bolt it to the LSD, and swap out the pinions. For the front, it's simplest to just swap out the whole diff assembly to avoid setting the backlash. Unfortunately, since you're messing with the gears themselves on the rear diff, you WILL need to reset the preload and backlash properly.

Check the MAF sensor. If it's dirty, you won't be able to start the engine.

They were probably thinking "give it a more comfortable ride" and "keep costs down". Coilovers are usually stiffer than struts/springs and are more expensive.

Unless your current struts are shot, there's no need to replace them when installing the new coil springs. However, since the labor to install new springs into old struts is the same as installing new springs into new struts, most people just do them both. You should definitely replace the strut bearings whether you get new struts or not, since those wear out faster than the struts. With regard to rear shocks, the main advantage of replacing the rear shocks is that you get better articulation and off-road performance with longer shocks. If you don't do a lot of off-roading, or cannot afford to replace the rear shocks with ones that have more travel at this time, you can wait.

Re: 4 vs 2 cats. It's possible that only CA-emissions-equipped vehicles have 4 cats.

As far as I'm aware, no Pathfinder came equipped with an auxiliary electric fan mounted to the radiator or A/C condenser. If yours has one, it was probably installed (albeit poorly or incompletely) by the previous owner. If you want that fan to activate when you turn on the A/C, I assume the relay is a standard Bosch-style automotive relay with 4 terminals: 30, 87, 85, 86 terminal 30: 30-amp fused wire connected directly to +12vDC battery terminal 87: power wire to fan terminal 85: ground terminal 86: tapped into the A/C compressor clutch wire The fan itself should have a chassis ground wire (in addition to the power wire you attached to terminal 87). Now, whenever you turn on the AC, the fan will also operate.

A poorly performing EGR valve is usually the cause of high NOX emissions. If you do need to replace the catalytic converters, go here for a list of CARB-approved aftermarket options: http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermktcat/aftermktcatdbase.htm You can provide the list to your SMOG mechanic, who can probably call various vendors to source the parts. BTW, according to the CARB site, it looks like 96-97's have just two cats (attached to the exhaust manifolds) and 98 and later have 4 cats.

Do you mean where can you find the stock fender flares?

I don't think the R50 airbox has the right dimensions to do the 4Runner deckplate mod (as described here).

These were the Calmini ones that never came out. Not enough demand for them to manufacture the coilovers. They wanted volumes of ~10+ per month to justify production.

OK, so I finally got off my butt and posted photos I took in 2002 of a prototype R50 coilover conversion. Enjoy

I personally wouldn't advise using a split boot as a permanent fix. Split boots are probably better for emergency or temporary use until you can replace the whole CV axle. http://www.raxles.com/splitboots.aspx http://answers.yahoo...14003600AAoDStL

When it comes down to it, it's just nuts and bolts, and a snap ring. It involves jacking up the front end, removing the wheel, removing the small hubcap covering the axle snap ring, and removing the snap ring. To provide enough space to pull the CV out, you remove 3 14mm nuts from the bottom of the ball joint, so that you can swing the A-arm down and out of the way. Then remove the 6 12mm bolts holding the inner joint to the differential and pull the CV axle toward the center of the vehicle to remove it from the hub. There's sometimes a removable bushing/collar/spacer on the outer part of the CV axle that needs to be moved to the new one. Installation is basically reverse of removal. If you do not own a floor jack and/or jack stands, you're not comfortable using a lug wrench or 3/8" drive ratchet with some 12mm and 14mm sockets and some extensions, or if your time is worth more than $100/hr, it's probably wiser to pay a qualified mechanic to do the work.

If you're taking it to a shop, just have them replace the axle.

Wait a sec, that device you installed on the dash that looks like a fancy digital inclinometer also tells you the AWD axle torque ratio? How does it do that?

Since you aren't using the stock air filter/box, where did you install the air filter?

FWIW, my '97 LE has fake wood-grain trim and a part-time TX-10 transfer case. I don't think the all-mode transfer case was available in the LE until at least model year 2000. Having the part-time TX10 cas is a benefit, since there are 3.92:1 and 3.7:1 crawler gearsets available to replace the 2.02:1 stock low-range gears on the TX10, but there are none for the all-mode transfer case. The crawler gears radically improve the 4WD low-range drivability and performance.

I don't know anything about GM's "auto track" system. The QX4's 4WD system has 4 modes: Auto 4WD, 2WD, 4H, and 4L. 2WD, 4H and 4L function the same as they do on the part-time 4WD system in the Pathfinder, the key functional difference being the low-range gearing. The Pathfinder's part-time case is 2.02:1 low range, but the QX4 (and later model-year Pathfinders) uses a full-time 4WD case with a 2.569:1 low range. This wiki page describes how the AWD system in the QX4 functions.

Look for HG46 or HG43 on the door jamb sticker/placard. HG43 means you have 4.36:1 gears, and HG46 means you have 4.63:1 gears.

His profile says Florida.

They're probably among the lowest-quality oil filters you can buy. There's more info here: http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oilfilters/reference.html

x2. The LCA and ball joint are detachable. After you remove the nuts holding the ball joint to the LCA, the LCA swings down, leaving the ball joint attached to the knuckle.

You said at one point, it WAS able to move forward and backward. Did you not adjust the linkage correctly? It seems like something about that bracket is causing the problem now. Look into that issue first, since before you messed with that, it was working. Or, try testing the transmission without the transfer case attached. Take off the transfer case and front driveshaft, and reinstall your original 2WD driveshaft. Or, just verify that the transfer case operates properly while it's not installed.