DoctorBill

A Google Search turns up just a ton of crap on "Warratah" and also says the spelling is "Waratah". Does anyone have one or more links to these "Land Anchors" ? This is the only useful link I could find: New Zealand Overland Rental scroll to the bottom. Just asking...probably wouldn't buy one, but would be nice info for all to see. Fencing comes up in a lot of the Google items... a brand name in Australia. Never heard of this device! Looks like one could make one easily with some 1/4 inch Iron Plate and 4 or 5 steel rods. Must be 'fun' to get back out of the ground ! DoctorBill

You are out in the middle of nowhere and slide off the road. You have a winch in your pathfinder on a hitch receiver like mine. There are no trees or big rocks or fence posts - the ground is flat. You have no cell phone and no one comes to your rescue. You have in the back of your pathfinder tools you brought with you. Question How do you get yourslf out of the ditch? What tools should you have in the back of the Pathfinder for a situation like this ? A big steel rod & a sledge hammer? In other words, can a winch do any good with nothing obviously available to pull on ? What do you do on flat ground ? Set up a picnic ? Just wondering. DoctorBill

Just doing some homework on Hitch Plates designed to mount a winch on a 2 inch bar: The Warn MultiMount receiver mentioned by GrimGreg in Post #2 on this Thread - The Warn Multi-Mount is for a 2" receiver. The price shipped to your door is 329.68. Nick Hartman . . . . . His E-Mail Address United Web Sales (800)337-9005 ex 3222 Mon - Fri 7 am to 4 pm PST The Sears one mentioned by Simon in Post #26 on this thread - HIDDEN HITCH® WINCH ADAPTER $89.99 plus shipping and Tax. Harbor Freight sells one also (must mail order it) - 9000 lb Receiver for Winch- 2 inch bar ........$40 plus shipping and Tax The local store has them in stock here in Spokane, WA They also sell a 2 inch bar "receiver" for a Vise ! Hitch Mount Vise Plate ........$20 plus shipping & Tax Just FYI. Am going to buy the Harbor Freight one for $40 locally today. DoctorBill PS - here it is...(9-18-09)

We will never know if the "Hitch Winch" would have worked or not - 'cause it is defunct. The "Mounting Plate" is connected to the "Mounting Base" by two hardened steel bolts (HDW 9.8 on the bolts)., so ultimately the winch is held in place by two bolts. How many bolts hold anyone else's 3,000 lb winch to the plate ? Assuming anyone of you has a 3,000 lb winch.... I don't "off road" so I didn't need a big one. The Sears Plate welded to a 2 inch bar is $100 (after taxes). I think I will try to make one. Harbor Freight sells the bars for $20. We have a metal recycling place in town where I could get a piece of ¼ steel plate - bolt and/or weld it to the bar. DoctorBill

Alright. I realize folks are being helpful - I am not blind. Maybe stupid.... I will take it apart in a while. I discussed some reasons to use it. but you have all ultimately convinced me that it is too dangerous to use for anything at all. Maybe I should quit now while I only have about $90 into this winch and put it into a box in the garage. That Warn Hitch Insert from GrimGreg's post looks to be quite expensive and I would use a winch maybe once every five years. I just bought it because it was on sale and I am obsessive compulsive. Thank most all of you for your nice, well meaning posts trying to keep me from getting hurt. I was not trying to be a butt, I just wanted to give some points about the design. DoctorBill

I agree, this is a weak setup. I knew that from the start. But as my Brother-in-law just said when I told him about some of the comments posted here, "Stupid is as stupid does." It has a 3,000 lb toy winch on it - Harbor Freight $75 bought with a coupon for $59.... You can get hurt with a "Block and Tackle" hooked to a tree if you aren't careful ! I never intimated it was to be used as a construction winch to lift HumVee's off the docks. Any winch, if used stupidly, is dangerous - that is intuitive. Knowing Physics and Force vectors, I am going to be scared sh**less when I use it. Even more so now that I have been thoroughly taken to the wood shed over it. I have pulled dead shrubbery out of my yard with a chain wrapped around my trailer ball. This seems a bit more sophisticated and has the added advantage of a "Radio Control" where I can stand back far enough. Pulling something really large (if one tries it) should probably employ a pulley attached to a tree at an angle. The ins and outs of Winch Use sounds like a good Thread Topic - since I am receiving quite a lot of heated debate on this simple (minded?) idea. I should say now, "...don't try this at home." like they do on the bottom of car ads on TV... Maybe the Federal Government should make Harbor Freight pull all winches off the market.... We do need more Government Control, you realize. Can this entire Thread be erased? I wouldn't want to cause appoplexy. lol (just so everyone knows I am joking....) DoctorBill

First. Winches seem inherently dangerous for the average amateur driver to have on a vehicle. Second. I have no plans to hook up big vehicles and try pulling them out of muddy streams or pulling farm tractors out of fields. Third. Juvenile comments aimed at gratuitously insulting someone on this forum belong in a sleezie bar somewhere in downtown Maple Ridge, BC. Being a "Troll" is the word for that kind of stuff. First time I have seen such behaviour on this forum....too bad. Fourth. This winch will be used with great care with me far from it using the "Radio Control" device and any bystanders beside me. Fifth. If one uses a Block & Tackle pulley system to up the power, the bolts and Bar and Ball would be even more likely to break ! Sixth. From the You-Tube movies posted, it is a wonder more people aren't hurt by Winches. Some of the Liberal faithful should push for Legislation to make them illegal since "it is for our own good..." Thanks for the warnings, folks. Since I was worried about a winch before this Thread (why I never had one until now), I will use it seldom and VERY carefully. DoctorBill

What is the "Best Way" to wire this Winch up ? What gauge wire should I use - 10 gauge? One RED wire and use the frame for ground ? Where to run the wire? How to make a connector for the winch ? A knife switch at the Battery or have something like Jumper Cable clamp stored near the battery but not hooked up ? An 'in line' fuse ? What amperage ? Ideas would be nice ? DoctorBill

If a trailer hitch can pull a huge Boat or camping trailer or utility trailer full of gravel, then this hitch and ball ought to work fine. I am worried more about the steel plate - is it thick enough ? I don't intend to pull anything like huge bolders or tree stumps or such. Probably more the ocasional small car out of a ditch in winter. If the pull is really strong, I'd imagine the Pathfinder will slide. Of course, I am new to winches. Never had one. Had a friend who would use his HUGE front bumper mounted winch on a Chevy 4x4 on stuff that scared the hell out of me. Has anyone ever seen a steel cable snap ? Heard it can cut a person in half...! ...or are those stories for around the campfire to frighten young children ? DoctorBill PS - The Warn 2" "MultiMount Receiver" which GrimGreg showed in Post #2 above costs $329.68 UPSGround to Spokane, WA. "Bill, The Warn Multi-Mount is for a 2" receiver. The price shipped to your door is $329.68. Nick Hartman nhartman@unitedwebsales.com United Web Sales (800)337-9005 ex 3222 Mon - Fri 7 am to 4 pm PST"

My brother-in-law told me about an idea for setting up a Winch such that one can store the winch inside the Vehicle to keep thieves from taking it. At least for smaller winches... I have dubbed it "The Hitch Winch" for lack of a better name. I had a piece of steel plating used for machine walk spaces of about 1/8 inch thickness. I drilled it out and mounted a Harbor Freight 3,000 lb electric winch on the plate and then mounted a trailer hitch to the plate. The Hitch Winch is thus portable from vehicle to vehicle and will face the direction in which the cable is put. This one has a Radio Control allowing one to stand away from the winch for safety. This is my first winch - ever ! A winch virgin...or virgin winch... Now I have to set up some 10 gauge wires to the Battery and a plug type 'thingamabob'.... Has anyone done this before ? I'm sure it is nothing new under the sun.... Half Inch #8 Bolts on the Hitch and the Bolts that came with the $75 Winch. Some folks might want to mount the Winch directly to a receiver bar - different strokes for different folks... This winch is not a big powerful monster like some I have seen - and this setup will rotate to the direction of pull. Less wear and tear on the cable and on the cable rollers. Just don't do anything stupid with it...! Take it or leave it - your choice. DoctorBill EDITED IN 16 Sept - The concensus is (after many posts) that this is a BAD IDEA. Dangerous. So I disassembled it. Not much point reading further except as regards safety while winching. I want to thank the folks who were concerned about my safety and posted here. DoctorBill

I have taken many door panels off of car and SUV doors. No big deal... But usually one or more of the connectors (plastic thingies) breaks off or won't go back on when I am done. And, I usually find out afterward that there was a screw somewhere I hadn't expected. My 1995 XE - V6 Pathfinder's driver's side door lock needs work (it just spins) and the window hits something about half way down and jams. I suspect the window is hitting something related to the lock not working.... So - can someone tell me how to remove the door panel w/o destroying the connectors and where any screws should be expected ? Maybe someone can explain how to get the lock cylinder out (if I might need to remove it) or how the lock mechanism works. If I can get at the lock mechanism, I can take pictures and make another Thread about working on the Pathy's Door Locks... DoctorBill

I did the 90° degree twist thing....(?) The TB Tensioner was at 5 O'Clock. I torqued the L3 and R3 Bolts to what is in the manual - has anyone had them come loose ? I keep worrying that I should have Threadlocked them in place...! Perchance it will "go away" as the TB is used and just naturally loosens a tad... I shall look into the dashboard thing...once I get some of my other jobs knocked off ! Like the Frazetta painting - "Just one damned problem after another !" My Karma. Edited in at 9:45 AM - Success ! The Tone stopped. I put the newly greased AC Tensioner Pulley back on and started 'er up. No Tone. Wasn't the TB or the Alternator. Hopefully, I saved myself $50 on a new Tensioner Pulley. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - K9sar - "Are you sure you didn't put the timing belt on backwards?" I - being a Reasonable Conservative - put it on correctly (several times). You know, I heard once that a Democrat had done that - put a timing belt on backwards ! But then, the engine ran backwards. So the guy blamed George Bush and called Nancy Pelosi on the phone. She told Barak Obama about it (he also blamed George Bush) and then Obama told the CIA ! The Democrat was hired by the Department of Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to plan all future weapons for all military procurement. You can now rest assured that you are in good hands....How's that !? DoctorBill

Adamzan - Listened to your video and my "Tone" is just that - not a mechanical whine. Like the Tone you get on TV when they are "Off the Air"...or the tone you get on the phone before you dial....a clean tone. I took off my AC Tensioner pulley and used a Grease Gun Injector Needle (made in Canada!) and gently lifted the rubber seal on the Ball Bearing Race without cutting or nicking it and injected some grease in there.....as cleanly as possible....then pushed the Seal back down. Will report later if it works or not. Was going to run the engine with the AC Belt off (wanted to tie it up with wires so it doesn't get caught in the other belts !) to see if the "Tone" goes away. Terrano1992's instructions, but I cannot do that safely...so I won't ! DoctorBill

Terrano1992 Seems like you have incorrectrly installed distributor (rotor is turned "early"). If so, you need to reinstall distributor to get 15° BTDC "near a middle". I did not mess with the Distributor - If it is installed wrong, it was done previously. I am supposing that what you are saying is to lift it out, rotate it one gear tooth or so and push it back in. BUT - 18° BTDC is only one degree out of the 15° ± 2° - so why worry about it ? FSM pages EF&EC-24..28 - full procedure of "Idle speed / Ignition timing / Idle mixture ratio inspection". OK. I suspect AC tensioner Pulley as a source of whine under the hood. Alternator bearings can produce high pitched whine also. Remove AC belt to determine. The belts are confined by each other - that is - in order. To take Alt or AC out, I have to remove the ones in front, unless I were to "wire" them completely out of the way of the Damper and any moving belt. Scary - but a good process of elimination - Sherlock Holmes' methodology. Alternator ~ $150 Schucks Alternator Tensioner Pulley, AC - $50 Tensioner Pulley A/C Other topic I have an old SEARS Dwell Tachometer that was connected to the Coil when Distributors had points - but gave RPM. Is there a way to get it to work now, or is it an old relic to be tossed ? My Tach in the Dash is schizophrenic and completely useless for setting the Idle. DoctorBill PS - I am getting static from my ISP because of spending so much time on this Forum the last month ! They said I cannot go over 8 - 10 hours per day ! Didn't realize I was putting that much time into this Thread....Ha !

Timed the engine to 18° BTDC according to the marks - turned Distributor almost full throw CCW. Had it in "PARK". The Idle speed has dropped to quite low - will probably have to up that. Going to drive about 20 miles in the vehicle in a few minutes to get a front disk turned for daughter's KIA RIO (hunk of junk)...we'll see how the Pathy works on the road. Later: 2:20 PM Drove to next town twice - about 40 miles total - no problems, no leaks, no worries... has power like before. I'm still quite nervous in the service...waiting for the "Big Bang" ! Shifts nicely - still that high pitched whine from something. (?) I will check the Timing again this evening - this time I'll have it in "Neutral" ! DoctorBill

I was VERY careful about lining up the Belt marks with the marks on R3 and L3. The Countershaft Sprocket mark was exactly on the line on the Oil Pump also. Then I counted 40 teeth on the Belt between the Camshaft marks across the top. FSM - EM-15 number 4. (2). I did not count the teeth from the L3 mark to the camshaft sprocket mark. I also noticed that the FSM has nothing in it about timing the Pathfinder - anywhere! If I am wrong - please inform us where it is at in the FSM. YET....the Chilton Manual, page 2-15 both frames, describes timing the engine with a timing light. I posted one of the frames on that page previously. That is where I saw 15° BTDC with AT in "N". So - apparently, it can be timed. and nothing said about a vacuum advance in Chilton. If some of you change the TB and don't check the timing, who knows what is going on? Who is right and who is wrong....? I have some Spray Motorcycle Chain Lubricant and some 3-IN-ONE "High Performance Spray Lubricant" with which I can spray on the AC Tensioner Pulley (ACTP). I just don't want any of it dripping down onto any belts. How about I take the ACTP off and soak it in motor oil....let it drain and remount it ? However, I seem to remember the ACTP had a Bearing pressed in the pulley and it was one of theose "Sealed Race Bearings" that oil couldn't get into anyway - unless I used one of those Grease Gun Syringe doohikies for greasing Universal Joint Bearings and forced grease between the rubber and steel. Probably wind up ruining it.... DoctorBill

HIGH PITCHED TONE AT IDLE. Got everything back on the front end. Runs fine - no fluids leaking out after about 30 minutes at idle. I am hearing a rather loud high pitched constant tone which disappears if I rev it up, then comes back at idle. Any ideas on that ? I don't want to hurt the Water Pump Bearing, so I am tempted to loosen the Alternator a bit. I can push the Alternator belt down about 1/4 to 1/2 inch with my Mallet Handle. I figure maybe if I loosen the Alternator Belt and it doesn't squeel, it will be OK. I can always tighten it later - hurting the Water Pump Bearing is forever....more or less. lol Air Conditioner Tensioner Pulley sounds loud. You can hear the AC Tensioner Pulley as the engine idles. Should not be able to ! I think maybe I should buy a new AC Tensioner Pulley. When I spun the pulley on the bracket before I installed it, I could hear the bearings. I imagine if they were good, I would hear nothing. I understand trying to lubricate them will make things worse - I'd get dirt into them. Ball or Roller Bearings ? MAIN HARMONIC DAMPENER BOLT Put Permatex Blue Thread Lock (not permanent) on the HD Bolt. I could not get my Air Hammer in there, so I put my 1/2 socket wrench on the Bolt and whacked it with a rubber mallet several times to tighten it. Do you think that was sufficient tightening ? It should be about 95 ft-lbs torque according to the FSM, but I don't want to try getting to the starter and jamming any gears. I have had enough with boogering one thing after messing with something else. I have no idea what whacking the wrench yielded, but the Thread-Lock should keep the bolt from wandering out - yes ? HOW DO YOU TIME THE SPARK ? I am using an old SEARS timing light connected to the Number One Spark Plug. The Timing is at 30° BTDC or at the last mark on the right of all the marks (exactly). If I loosen the one Bolt on the right side of the Distributor (the only bolt to loosen ?), which direction should I turn the Distributor to go back to 15° BTDC ? Will I get zapped easily turning the Distributor - Spark ? Unpleasant experience ! APPREHENSIVE ! Nervous....if it ran for 30 minutes, could anything go belly up at this point ? I figure if anything were done really wrong, I would have known about it within a few seconds ! DoctorBill

I did not realize that the '95 Nissan Pathfinder Automatic Transmission would be any differerent that any normal A.T. Just another case for saying that this vehicle was designed by THE THREE STOOGES ! The Oil Filter Design was bad enough ! Had they just put a two inch extension OUT from the engine block, the oil could be redirected away from everything below it. Was this vehicle designed really quickly by the Japanese to fill a perceived nich in the market? Quick and dirty designing unlike the Japanese - who I respected up until now. I know most of you NPORA folks worship the NP, but after working on it - I'll take any JEEP vehicle over a NP any day, any time, anywhere as long as it has the straight six engine ! That was the BEST ENGINE ever made.....and their AT's were indestrucible. How about folks doing a "non-partisan" listing all the wierd stuff in the design of this vehicle.... DoctorBill

Billowing Smoke ! All day long, I have been a Gofer and have been playing Mumble'e'peg with that freaking automatic Transmission ! This morning the Fluid level was way high, so I drained about 1.5 quarts out with a long plastic tube via siphoning - while doing Gofer service. I knew it was probably too much, so I had to add some back. Did the brake plus shifting thru the gears thing, checking the Fluid level, adding, shifting, checking - ad nausium. Long story short - I've added back most of what I drained out ! I had a Suburban 20 years ago that had an automatic. Never had this Bullroar stuff happen ! Maybe this is due to the AT Cooler not filling immediately or maybe this vehicle is the Devil's own Pathfinder. So, I drove it around town - runs fine - was very nervous expecting to hear a "Kitchen sink disposal grinding sound" any minute - nothing. Not one stinking, itty bitty, eenee weenie drop of oil has dripped out of the engine ! Can it be ? I dood it right this time....?! No more crap ? Well....one bit of something happened that had I not anticipated it would have given me the proverbial Heart Attack. Smoke billowing out of the engine when I got back home from my test drive. But no worries...had dropped some AT Fluid on the exhaust manifold. Gotcha ! Had my wife seen that, she'd have had the Hershey Squirts ! So I guess this Thread really is done. I think I can take it all down and put all the Timing Belt Covers (front and back) back where they belong, Time the bugger, then put the shroud, parking lights, rubber under cover, underside steel plate, etc etc back on... Any further adventures in Pathfinder land will be with a different title. DoctorBill

Funny how the guy I bought this vehicle from always smelled of hot sulfur....! I am doing what Terrano1992 suggested - checking all the Fluid levels especially the oil and AT Fluid. Good thing I listened to him - the AT Fluid level was high again...strange how it varies from time to time - although I haven't really driven it enough to allow it to work as it should work. Drained out another quart - then had to add some back to the "Cold" level. After a short drive, I will check it again. Oil level is OK. Most of today I have been acting as the "Gofer" for my brother-in-law who is re-siding our house with Vinyl Siding - at a Family discount rate ! I work on the Pathfinder and then gofer this and gofer that and hold something, etc. I have never checked a Transfer Case or Differential's fluid levels. Tell me how I should do that....please! I don't want to *my "vocabulary" is so small* that up... DoctorBill

"It ain't over 'till its over" - famous quote. Just realized that tomorrow, I have to take it all back down so that I can put in all the Timing Belt Cover Plates. I can then re-check the timing marks - make sure. I was thinking that we should come up with a list of lessons learned here... How about that ? I don't know why those Oil Pump Bolts had become loose - maybe they were always loose, but the gasket hadn't let go.... I wonder what happened. I sure did not mess with them - except that Alternator Tensioner Bracket + Oil Pump Bolt. That is the only one I loosened - kind of went nuts trying to get the Alternator Belt off ! It should be noted that I should not have changed two variables at one time - bad science. I tightened the Oil Pump Bolts AND changed the Crankshaft Front Oil Seal. I am assuming the Crankshaft Front Oil Seal was not the culprit. But now I will never know. However...I am a happy camper now. DoctorBill

Success ! Ran the engine at idle for about 15 minutes after dark (cooler) and watched the Talcum Powder (nice and white) with a flashlight. Narry a dark spot formed. Not one. Knock on wood..... So - tomorrow I will drive the bugger around town for a half hour. The exhaust manifold was sure slapping - tapping away ! I guess this Thread is done. If you read ALL of it, you could have stopped at the point where I put the Belts on and it ran. No A T Cooler leaks and the AT Fluid is where it should be. All is well in DoctorBill Land - for the moment. If a leak develops, "I shall return." I want to profoundly thank all those who gave me such good help. You have all been quite patient and I appreciate it. Bye for now - or until the next problem. DoctorBill

Oh you darn betcha ! I hate messing with those damned spark plugs ! I would rather listen to an hour of "Obama Speak" than take out those plugs! If I can turn the Crankshaft Damper with my hands (leather work gloves on), then that's less other work to do. Funny thing - I am becoming fed up working on this thing....it is getting OLD. The crankshaft turns - not easily - but it turns. Look - it is either going to leak or it is not going to leak. Don't need Mr Spock to figure that out....This job is done. The Timing Belt change and AC Cooler addition worked out fine. The Oil Leak is a sideshow....I don't know why anyone comes back to this thread now ! DoctorBill

When I killed the engine, I didn't make any effort to get the Cam Pulley marks to the R3/L3 positions, nor the Damper pulley mark back to TDC. Thus....when I went back to put the timing belt on this morning, the pulleys were not where they should be when applying the TB. Now, I'll bet I know what you are thinking - just put the TB back on 'cause the Pulleys are where they were when it stopped - all lined up. Yes....? What if one of the cam pulleys had moved - as they are apt to do ? If I put a TB on, it will be with all the marks where they should be w/o relying on things to have not moved at some time. With an engine's well being on the line - I will be safe - not sorry. "So let it be written, so let it be done." Rameses III Besides, Precise1, who knows - maybe some waskawe Democrat varmint, lurking in the shrubbery, slunk in during the night and moved a pulley....cause this is a big 'ol nasty, gas guzzling, SUV type conservative's vehicle and I should be punished for owning it. Think of all the Polar Bears suffering because we Pathinder owners are a pollutin' an' a shootin' ! DoctorBill

OK - will turn CS and L3 until lined up....just being careful ! Must go into town for some House Siding materials first (nails, slats, etc ) - probably have an answer to whether the Pathy leaks or not tonight. Pray for it... DB