SC88Pathy

Take a look at my sig, I'm also running 31's. I'm not saying what you're posting is crap, just that the gains aren't that impressive considering the amount of money you're investing. I see similar fluctuations in mpg do to seasonal changes. Also worrying about the aerodynamics of an aftermarket bumper on these vehicles is kind of silly. They have the aerodynamics of a brick, your bumper is not going to change that. Worrying about the "extra" weight of the external spare is also kind of silly. Instead of having a 4000 pound truck you'll have a 3950 pound truck. Now if you remove the spare carrier, remove the passenger seats, switch to fiberglass fenders, remove all of the internal sound deadening, and have a fiberglass or carbon fiber hood built then you'll probably notice a difference. Another little talked about tid-bit. Most engines in the real world are at their most efficient (i.e. best HP to fuel use ratio) at about 75% throttle. (Theoretically engines would be at their most efficient at WOT but it doesn't work in real life due to friction and other constraints) (also I got this fact from Road and Track's technical section several years ago, sorry I don't remember the exact volume no.)

BZZZT! Wrong! With headers you're producing more HP with the SAME amount of gas. Headers only affect exhaust gasses, they have no effect on the intake. More HP + Same amount of gas = Better MPG Of course the type of people who get headers are more likely to be the type to floor it... Mods that do change the amount of fuel you use would include: hotter cams, forced induction (SC or Turbo variety), ECU remapping (depending on how it is remapped), etc Also to give you an idea of just how much your mods have "improved" your fuel mileage I get 16.5mpg in my bone stock 88 with a mix of rural mountain roads and freeway. Oh and I drive like a bat out of hell, redline is my friend.

Honestly, try your Nissan Dealership. They know all of the issues with Pathfinder alignments. Or try a 4x4 shop, chances are they'll have a good understanding of how to work with modified steering systems.

I have TWO torn CV boots, one on each side!

I'm probably out too. Won't be getting my first paycheck from work until next week, or maybe the week after. Maybe we should push this back to the first weekend in September? (6th - 7th)

How to get the best insurance rates and/or insurance benefits (this goes for any kind of insurance): Work in the insurance industry.

Also isn't carbon fiber designed to shatter on impact? Something tells me that might not be best for an offroad bumper... Also Slick, will these bumpers fit 87-89 Pathy's too?

Either day works for me. Now I'm just hoping that I get paid before this trip... Otherwise I might not be going...

You know I'v also heard of people supercharging the KA24 engine. That would probably be a better solution for off road power.

I'm down.

I'm pretty sure in California you only need two mirrors. So one internal and one external is fine. And you don't need mud flaps in California (at least on SUV's), but the tires cannot stick out more than a couple of inches from the body.

OK so I lose with 0 (the Pathfinder is still registered under my parents name, I think it makes insurance cheaper? At least thats the line that they feed me when I question them about it). But I have a question, do old or new sparkplugs laying around in garages, sheds, toolboxes, backseats, etc count?

^ Has yet to go wheeling with me < Is level 45, I think. V Has no idea what all this level business is about.

^ Spreading lies and deceit about me < Has gotten lost in SF trying to find his way from Chinatown to the Metreon. V Needs to take a bath.

Woohoo that's way closer! Now froggy (enjoi) has no excuse for not coming! Bwahaha! I'v heard a lot about Johnson Valley, supposed to be some great wheeling out there.

Haha I already know how I'm getting out of work: it's a networking opportunity!

The Big Sur fire is still burning down here. It's very far away from my house but the smoke has been horrible. Today it was really smokey at my house, smokey enough to partially block out the sky. It's dissipated now but still visible towards the south. The fire is still only 18% contained too, and its been burning for several weeks.

Happy birfday Slick!

I am really excited for this. So many things that I need to do to the Pathy before though... Exhaust, skidplates, sliders, body lift maybe... Well it's several months away, time to start saving!

sc88pathy BOO YAH!

Anyways getting back to the topic, it sounds kind of fishy. Most jobs like this would provide you with the van, or at least help you with the purchase price. Same goes for fuel costs. Well what you really should do is find out what kind of mileage (kilometerage?) a van of that size gets. From there figure out how much you should expect to spend on diesel (most cube vans are diesel). How prolific is bio-diesel where you are? If it isn't used much you could make your own bio-diesel and save a lot (there are a number of companies that sell make it yourself bio-diesel kits). If a lot of people use it though chances are any sources of used vegetable oil are already taken. Just did some google research and it looks like most newer box vans get between 10 and 20 mpg. Apparently the Dodge Sprinter vans get better mileage than most... So I did some quick math for you (this is all miles and US dollars you'll have to convert this all to Canadian dollars and kilometers yourself): 90 miles per day at 15 mpg = 6 gallons of gas Diesel is currently around $5 a gallon here so you're looking at about $30 in fuel a day, or $150 a week. And based upon eBay listings you're looking at around $8,000 - $10,000 for the van itself (assuming you want a van from this century).

I'll throw my hat in the ring. Should be starting my new job next month so I should be having much more money to spend on getting her fixed and on trips! And (hopefully) by that point the Pathy won't be my daily driver so I wouldn't have to worry about it getting banged up on rocks.

Care to explain this? The only costs involved in "converting" to bio-diesel are replacing your filters as the bio-diesel cleans deposits in your tank and fuel lines. Otherwise there are no changes that need to be made (one exception is a fuel tank warmer if you live in cold climates). I think you're thinking of converting to vegetable oil.

It would be "easier" to just put on a new Pathfinder body. A hardbody swap is going to entail a lot more work (if it's even possible which I don't think it is).