Jump to content

PhreakdOut

Members
  • Posts

    10
  • Joined

  • Last visited

About PhreakdOut

  • Birthday 10/08/1969

Previous Fields

  • Your Pathfinder Info
    ex owner of a 1993 Nissan Pathfinder SE V6 4x4 with 235K.
  • Mechanical Skill Level
    Standalone Tool Chest Mechanic
  • Your Age
    36-40
  • What do you consider yourself?
    Rarely Go Off-Road
  • Year
    1994

Contact Methods

  • Website URL
    http://
  • ICQ
    0

Profile Information

  • Interests
    Do Detroit roads count as "off roading?" Cripes! Motor City should be called "Pot Hole City." <br><br>The Pathy is a winter truck. I hate Michigan winters but the Pathy loves 'em. <br><br>Summer Car: 2004 Mazda RX8 6spd<br><br>Project Car: '88 Nissan 300ZX Turbo (Shiro Special)<br>New engine, aluminum fly wheel w/ stage III clutch, T3/T4 turbo and aluminum sheet metal intake manifold under construction. In short, it's a Money Pit and most of the reason I never get around to fixing up the Pathfinder. That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

PhreakdOut's Achievements

NPORA Newbie

NPORA Newbie (1/5)

0

Reputation

  1. It seems the RPMs rise just a little slower. Like the engine is restricted. Not making power because of the MAF, a plugged converter, the mixture, the ignition spark, the fuel delivery ... etc. I'm not sure what it is. It appears to be a vacuum issue as the brake booster is not much help anymore. Recently I noticed braking was affected. I doubt it's the converter as it's not getting really hot from a restriction. Considering how quick the change in performance happened, it seems like an electrical connection or a dryrot vacuum line has come loose. It all came about after servicing the K&N filter. As suggested before, I got rid of the K&N and went paper, cleaned the MAF VERY well. It's possible that a connection in the MAF or a line close by has broken connection? We just bought a replacement vehicle today, so I'm done trouble shooting. She still runs and drives ... it's just the off idle performance bites right now. So if anyone is interested, please check out the Vehicle for Sale thread. The first $900 takes it. I need it gone soon. (No room in the driveway and impatient wife)
  2. Here is that ground wire I was talking about. You can see where it was folded back under the electrical tape and had melted into the MAF wireing harness insulator boot. (Wierd) (Sorry about the photo size. I reduced it in Photobucket, but it seem to take their webpage some time to update linked photos.) I'm pretty sure it's a vacuum issue or fuel pump. The brake's performance has gotten worse with this issue. (Low vacuum in the brake booster?) I had a split in the line between the throttle body and the inlet valve to the purge tank on the driver's side. I replaced the hose and no improvement. I checked the other two, nada better. I tried unhooking the purge line, plug it and then do the cruise test. Nope. I noticed that after I shut down, the fuel pump is noisey for 30 seconds. Kind of a buzz or whirring noise. Not like other fuel pumps I've had in the past after you turn the key one position. I have a new fram fuel filter and will put in this afternoon or tomorrow am. I have little to no time to chase down problems on it so the wife is pushing me to get rid of it. I love the truck but honestly, it's driving me batty. I'm sure one of you Pathy Gurus would have it up and going in two minutes. (My loss) Here's the link to the FOR SALE THREAD: http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=11216 Here's a pic of the truck being stubborn in my driveway.
  3. I can shed a little light on the subject. Probably more than you'll want to know. (For the past 16+ years, I've worked for two different OE exhaust manufacturers as an engineer and business manager.) The small hole: Between Nissan, Honda and Toyota: Nissan is the only one smart enough to use this feature. If the muffler or resonator is mounted on a very slight angle, the hole will be in the lowest position. Why? This allows condensation to drain out of the exhaust. (Really blow out) Honda and Toyota don't do this because it can cause a slight sputter noise or be unsightful. It's function will increase the life of the exhaust by getting the acidic moisture build up out. Useless trivia: You will only find this done on trucks built for use outside Japan. (Drain holes in exhaust are not permitted in Japan because of their style of parking garages uses lifts to stack cars over each other. Dripping acids are not a good thing. Hence the reason Toyota and Honda refuse to use them.) There is also concern about CO levels in parked vehicles. If you go off roading and plan to sit in water (Where water will get in the tailpipe) I would recommend you leave the hole in there. Exhaust tuning: Usually when tuning exhaust, it is difficult to take out the major high frequencies and the low frequencies all in one container. Resonators, if filled with glass wool are for high frequencies. Resonators that are mainly empty with a branch tuner tube are for a very narrow specific low frequency. (Such as a booming noise at highway speeds) The resonator will not decrease or increase performance. If you feel the need to straight pipe it, go ahead so long as you don't mind a change in exhaust note. Personally, the OE exhaust is very restrictive. I could live with a little more sound.
  4. I cleaned the MAF a couple times now. I also cleaned around the throttle body and found some holes that we covered in carbon. I'm not entirely sure what it is. Perhaps some bypass for idle quality? The truck idled just fine before. Try to step on the gas from a dead stop and you'd think you were pulling a stump or dragging an anchor. (Just like the commercials) Looking over the MAF wiring harness, I noticed some electrical tape. It was wrapped well so I had assumed it was from the factory. I pulled it off and saw the three wires going into the MAF harness. (Matches the EWD in the service manual.) But there was this bare wire (looked like an engine ground) that was wrapped inside the harness and not connected to anything. Just folded over up against the harness and taped up. What the heck is that? I didn't notice it on the EWD. Does anyone have an engine ground wire coming off their MAF wiring harness? The previous owner may have torn it loose when changing air filters and just taped it up in this cheesy manner. The wire is silver, flat and has no insulation. Hence must be a ground. Any help, other than offering me a gun, is appreciated. I owe you guys enough already. Mil Gracias.
  5. I don't know the answer to that one. The diagnostic didn't give me an error for the O2 but I'm not sure how extensive that test is. I'll look into it as well. THX.
  6. Trust me, I "like" my Pathfinder but I love my Z. I wouldn't do it. If I can get to spring with a few temp fixes, then I'll yank the engine out of the Pathy and rebuild her during the summer. My bad for not giving her attention this summer. I think this is her protest. (Acts just like my wife)
  7. What kills me is that I have a brand new VG30ET sitting on an engine stand in my garage. But that is slated for my '88 300ZX Turbo.
  8. I felt stupid for not thinking about that. -thnkboutit- As soon as I read it I immediately ran over to Murray's Auto and picked up a new filter and cleaner. I sprayed the MAF wire a few times and let it dry. Swapped out the filter and the K&N was still a little oiley. This makes a lot of sense. Duh! I took it out for a short test drive and my "seat-of-the-pants dyno" didn't notice much improvement. I will try hitting it again with the cleaner and disconnecting the battery. (Perhaps that will force the MAF to "relearn" if there is such sophistication in this ECU.) I'll post up if it works. Hopefully this is just a case of Rectal-Cranial Inversion on my part.
  9. Great advice! Thanks. I saw quite a few postings stressing the cooler. I may delay that till spring since Mich weather is so cool right now and the Pathy's commute is just 8-9 miles per day. ATF cooler, It doesn't have an external one (to my knowledge.) I will check for sure. I'll look into the solinoid. It wouldn't surprise me, the OE Vac lines are all hard and brittle. I'm looking to just buy vac line in a bulk roll. (My project Z will have all new lines when I get to it.) Fuel filter, cap and rotor: Filter is definately on the hit list. Cap and rotor look new. I'll pull it off tonight and check the contact points to see if they look worn. The old plugs, the current wires and cap all looked like they were replaced just before I bought the truck. Air fliter is a K&N and I cleaned and oiled it just recently. Soo many possible causes! I agree, I'm planning to go down the list.
  10. Hey there all: I just discovered this forum last night when looking for some answers to repair questions. I wish I had done this a year or so ago when I bought the truck used. My Pathy has all the typical questions in the FAQ and the Search function actually works (lol) so I won't bother anyone with the "What the heck is that terrible noise when I back off the driveway or why is it so noisy when it's running cold?" I will be torquing those bolts down as soon as the sun rises. As for the manifold, well time to look at headers of learn to love the "Model A Ford sound." Good grief I've hated that noise. My Pathy was originally a South Carolina truck owned by a friend of mine at work. (He bought it new.) Just a few little spots of flaked off paint and very little rust. She has 195K on the odo but the speedo assembly was replaced at 55K so I'm kidding myself ... she's got a quarter million on her. The driver's side needs some body work after the wife spun it into a ditch on an icy day. (Don't get me started on that topic.) I've replaced the shattered chrome mirror assembly with a pair of black ones off EBay and it looks 100% better. (Chrome is so dated) LOL. The big problem I'm facing now is a recent lack of power. I know it's not a fast vehicle, but in the past 4 months it's become much worse. Time to get my lazy butt out there. I checked compression and changed the plugs. Compression averages 120psi. Is this normal for this age of truck? It's very even all the way around so no worries about leaking headgasket. The plugs were greyish with no blistering. (Just on the edge of looking lean.) I suspect they were changed 25K ago. Wires are all in good shape as well. I pulled the pass seat to check the codes (then realized the code lights are visible from the rear. DOH! Damn Nissan service manual. I ran diagnostics I through V and no codes came up. I'd hoped it would be something simple like a MAF. I hate timing belts. I've changed a bunch on Z31s. This is pretty much the same except with more room in the engine bay. I can't remember when my friend changed his belt but it's probably due. I've also pulled the trans dipstick and fluid levels are OK. Shifting sucks. It'll run up to 5K and shift. But then again, we have no power so we have to floor it to get out of the way of traffic behind us. There was some crap on the stick but after wiping it off, running the truck for 15 minutes and checking it again, nothing. No burnt smell, that I can tell ... afterall I don't go running around smelling other peep's dipsticks. That could land me in jail. I suspect the tranny needs a flush and filter but is acting accordingly to the throttle position. Is this consistant with what you guys have seem? ( Embarrasing power levels were caused by the belt skipping a tooth on the gear. ) I'd hate to tear it all apart and not fix the problem. :furious: Any suggestions? - Gracias! Brian
×
×
  • Create New...