XPLORx4

A buddy of mine has one of those, and he's already modded it. He flipped the rear suspension links to give it more clearance, and modded the tires. It's a fun little toy, but it's a little bit small. I'm holding out for one of these.

I love gadgets! But they're all useful! GPS- gotta know where you are and how to get to where you're going! CB- to stay in touch with buddies on the trail ScanGauge- voltmeter, coolant temp, MPG, etc. Clinometer- to help keep the shiny side up!

The "check engine" or "service engine soon" light (aka "malfunction indicator light", or MIL) is generally for emissions-related problems, caused by as simple as a loose gas cap. Various computer sensors that help the engine run efficiently will cause the lamp to glow if there is a malfunction. More details on the MIL are described in the owners manual. The service interval lamp on many cars is completely different than the "check engine" light. Its purposes is to notify the driver that the car is due for regular preventive maintenance, such as oil changes, new spark plugs, etc. The service interval lamp is resettable without tools, and the procedure is often provided in the owners manual. On my wife's 93 Accord, you insert the key into a slot in the instrument panel to reset the service light. On my 04 TSX, you hold down the odometer trip reset button for 10 seconds while turning the ignition on. On 96 and newer cars, the MIL is resettable with an OBDII scan tool, or simply by disconnecting the battery (which erases the computer's memory). However, if the emissions problem hasn't been corrected (ie. replace a bad sensor or fix the problem that caused the malfunction, etc.) the light will glow again shortly. Unless the original poster can verify that all 3 Pathfinders MIL lamps are caused by the same trouble code, I think this thread is just rant and babble.

FYI, none of the O2 sensors do anything while the truck is being started and when the engine is cold. The readings from the O2 sensors have no effect on fuel management until the engine is warmed up and the system goes into "closed loop" monitoring. When the coolant temperature is low, the ECU uses preprogrammed fuel settings, and ignores the O2 sensors. (This is known as "open loop".) The only purpose of the front O2 sensors is to monitor the air/fuel mixture, which tells the ECM how long to leave the fuel injectors open. The oxygen content in the exhaust varies based on differences from the ideal "stoichiometric" air to fuel ratio of 14.7:1. The rear O2 sensors are only used to determine whether the catalytic converters are functioning properly. If the cats are not operating properly, the rear O2 sensor will set a DTC (diagnostic trouble code). They do not control how well the truck runs. If your truck isn't running as smoothly as it was before (while cold) you may have problems with ignition components or a vacuum leak. If the problem only occurs at a specified RPM, it could be caused by a loose part that vibrates only at a certain resonant frequency.

Are the codes for all 3 trucks the same?

What is this thread, anyway? :confused: Does it have a point or is it just senseless rambling? :gossip:

While trying to repair my truck to pass the smog check, I read all sorts of articles about emissions testing and tips. One article mentioned that you shouldn't put high-octane fuel in your tank if the engine wasn't designed for it. High-octane fuel is harder to burn and could increase hydrocarbon emissions.

Yep. And here's how I mounted it:

The best way to determine your actual speed is by using a GPS receiver or by pacing a car with a known accurate speedometer. The Scan-Gauge has a setup preference that allows you to compensate for different tire sizes for the purpose of calculating fuel economy.

DJ- Your larger tires don't rotate as many times in a mile as the original tires. Unless you regeared for larger tires, your reported mileage is inaccurate (lower) because of the larger tire size.

Merlinx- Lots of things affect fuel economy, especially driving style. If you're heavy on the gas and have to use the brake a lot to slow yourself down, those factors contribute to poor fuel economy. I recently bought a really cool device called a Scan Gauge which tells me lots of info about the car's sensors such as intake air temp, timing, TPS, coolant temp, etc. It also calculates gas mileage, both instantaneous and trip. It can help you determine what's going on, plus it reads and resets the computer check engine codes. Another way to tell if your truck is running at its optimum efficiency is to get an emissions test (whether you need one or not). The gas readings can help you understand how the truck is running and whether the exhaust has excess fuel in it or if your cats are clogged/melted. A test should be relatively inexpensive, and if it helps you find the problem and improve your gas mileage, it may pay for itself in a short time.

Probably just the regular sound of the starter motor. Almost every vehicle model's starter motor sounds different. Was your previous car a 4-cylinder?

Interesting articles. I'll have to give acetone a try. I actually bought a Scan-Gauge last month, and have been using it to track my fuel economy. It's a pretty cool device.

TYPING IN ALL CAPS is a lot like postingamessagewithoutanyspacesorpunctuationitsjusthardtoreadsopleasedontdoitthanks

And as a friendly reminder, please, next time we see you, PLEASE do not use all caps. Thx.

The description is too vague to make an educated comment about its normalcy. What does the "grinding" sound like, how long does it last, and where does it sound like it's coming from?

Just about any size that ends in "R16" will fit your wheel. It's the wheel diameter (16 inches), width (you didn't specify), and wheel offset (you didn't specify) that also factor into what will fit. When purchasing the wheels, be sure to tell them it's for your Pathfinder, so they can look up the current wheel specs (offset, etc.) You want at least a 7" wide wheel, but not wider than 8". The offset will vary based on the wheel width. I think you'll want something with zero or slightly positive offset on a 7" wheel and zero or slightly negative offset on an 8" wheel. You can read more about wheel "offset" at this link. I'd recommend either 245/75SR16 or 255/70QR16 for your truck, unless you are willing to do a little trimming (in which case you can fit 265/75R16). Complete size and pricing for BFG AT-ko from Tire Rack BTW, you should be aware that the AR-767's are steel, which means they're prone to rust and are quite a bit heavier than aluminum wheels. When I swapped my gouged and scratched-up aluminum wheels for a set of wheels like the AR-767's the decrease in acceleration and fuel economy was noticeable. However, the plus-side is that they're cheap, and because they're painted black, they're easy to touch up with a can of gloss black Krylon.

How many miles per month do you drive? How many miles per month do you drive off-highway? My guess is the ratio of miles driven to miles driven off-road is rather large. That is, you probably drive more than 95% of your miles on pavement. Since getting into 4-wheeling, I never bought a tire that was biased towards highway-only use. I bought strictly All-Terrain. After the OEM tires wore out, I got a set of Costco Kirkland 30" All-Terrain tires (which sucked, BTW). The next set was Yokohama 31" Geolandar AT, which lasted only about 25,000 miles. After that, I went with 31" BFG AT's, which were installed on my truck for over 40,000 miles, during which time I ran the Rubicon and some of the toughest trails in Moab, and even a few adventures in snow. It was only after I bought an alternative daily driver that I decided to switch to Goodyear MTR's. That, plus the fact that I ripped a sidewall on a BFG AT on a really tough trail. If my Pathy were still a daily driver, I wouldn't think twice about sticking with a BFG AT or possibly the Bridgestone Dueler Revo AT. You should also be aware that MT tires aren't as good for driving on hard-packed snow. If you plan to head up to Mammoth in the winter, the roads will probably be plowed, but still have enough of an icy layer of snow over the pavement on which AT tires will excel over MT tires. If I were in your position, I would definitely get either BFG AT or the Revos and stay away from MT tires, which are louder and don't last as long.

I put a pair of silverstars in my pathy's high-beams. The lights aren't brighter than regular halogens, but they're bluer. It's merely a matter of preference; do you want bright and yellowish or bright and bluish?

Why do you need new cats?

In California, you only have to spend up to $450 in attempts to pass the emissions tests. If, after $450, it still will not pass, you are granted a 2-year waiver during which time you must make the necessary repairs (or retire the vehicle). Only $$ spent at licensed "official" smog-check stations qualify towards the waiver. Any DIY work or $$ spent at non-official smog stations do not count toward the amount. If you're really concerned about it, go to a place that is not only qualified to test, but also repair emissions-related issues. And also find a place that will retest for free if it doesn't pass. Once you have the emissions readings, it will help to know what's going on. I recently spent over $2000 to get my truck to pass smog. First test failed (high hydrocarbons). I replaced the major ignition components myself, and also ran a bottle of SeaFoam engine cleaner into the intake. ($50) Second test failed (high hydrocarbons). Paid Nissan dealer (not a licensed SMOG station) to replace cracked exhaust manifold and diagnose misfire that seemed to be caused by excessive EGR. Also replaced EGR valve. ($800) Third test failed (still high hydrocarbons). Tried to get a waiver, but was denied since I didn't use an official smog station. Finally took it to a licensed smog repair station, who spent a week and a half trying to figure out what was wrong. They replaced the distributor, whose built-in coil had gone bad, making a weak spark, which was the cause of the misfire. ($450) It turns out the misfire (which had apparently been going on for quite some time) had let too much fuel enter the exhaust and melted the cats, so they also had to be replaced. ($700)

The other truck is Burgy's. (Stole the pic off an old thread on AC.) Cut off the rubber seal around the inner rim on the old ones, or pick up new ones at your local dealer.

265/70R16 are about as close as you'll get to a 31x10.50R15. Not sure if that's a common size, though. 255/70R16 are a bit smaller, but would also work if they're available. Another possibility is 265/75R16, but that's nearly a 32" tire. And yes, the baffles are the brake rotor dust shields. The "non-squealing" ones look like this: The "squealing" ones look like this:

From Flowmaster Muffler's FAQ Do I need to install an "H" pipe to my dual exhaust? Flowmaster strongly recommends using an "H" pipe, commonly known as a "balance tube" on all "true dual" exhaust systems. An "H" pipe equalizes the pressures between both banks of the engine giving a broader and flatter torque curve throughout the rpm range. It also eliminates "back-rap" common on deceleration, and creates a deeper mellower tone both inside and outside of the vehicle.

MPG probably went down, since my foot got heavier! Power went up, too. You can experiment by unlatching the clips on the stock air box and keeping the box ajar (to simulate how a POP charger might perform) while ensuring the filter stays on the top half of the box. Drive a short loop around town to see if you feel a difference. In my experience, it was noticeable. However, I had been using a K&N panel filter and already had a performance exhaust when I did this, so the gains I felt might be more than if I had a paper filter and the stock exhaust. You could also remove the air filter completely and keep the intake box ajar just for this short test, but make sure there's no dust, bugs, sand, or other debris near the intake while you're driving.