Nate94XE4x2

Well hell, boys. Another look at the ECU diags in mode 1 told me the O2 sensor was dead weight. So I jacked up the truck right after a drive, hit the O2 bung with a torch, got the 24" pipe wrench dug in, stripped it some more, brought out all the colorful language, questioned my understanding of lefty-loosey when under, backwards and upside down, and damn near quit again when the thing moved. By no means did it come out the rest of the way easily. Don't know if they skipped the anti seize or what. New one in and whaddya know, thing runs like a champ again. I've had a lot of old vehicles. This is the first to demonstrate that a bad O2 sensor will put you in a bad mood when the engine runs like crap. I'd check my newfound mpg rating if my odometer hadn't quit...

I replaced the IACV because the old one tested bad and threw an ECU code. Talk about a pain in he ass to get to. No go on the O2 sensor: prev owner deleted cat and put in track pipe. I kinda wonder if the O2 sensor didn't get welded into place. No go with the right socket tool, no go with a monster pipe wrench even after soaked with PB blaster and the correct angle for leverage and everything. Now it's rounded right to hell but still connected and giving SOME readings. Guess I need to MAPP gas the pipe next, try heat.

94 XE Automatic Symptoms: normal start and idle immediately after start except with what sounds like misses every 1 to two seconds? If I put it in gear within 5 to 10 seconds after starting it to move across the parking lot to the gate or back out of the longish driveway, I'm lucky if it doesn't stall out when I get to the gate or street. Lots of hesitation when I first start driving. Seems to do all right with my foot to the floor once it clears its throat but goes back to lots of hesitation when going back to normal throttle. This continues for about five minutes in cool to warm weather before everything seems to smooth out and things work fine for the rest of whatever drive I'm on. However, even when warm such as if running into The store for five minutes, same thing happens upon return and starting the truck. Sitting for two days, running into the store for 5 to 10 minutes or filling up with gas, no difference on restart. This all seems to have started fairly directly after I ran it out of gas for the first time ever. Around the same time, I also replaced the idle air control valve. I am also unable to remove the O2 sensor to replace it, which I believe to be bad or dying given ECU tests and fault codes. Since then, I have replaced the fuel filter, I have tested every sensor and switch I can find to test including the MAF and TPS sensors, which have all checked out. I have tested half the fuel injectors, The ones I could get to through the multi connector. I have removed the fuel pump from the tank and found both to be so clean after 260,000+ miles it looks like it came from the factory, with a clear screen on the pump. I have blown the fuel lines from the tank up to the engine compartment out with air, I have looked for vacuum leaks. I have run a 32oz bottle of Techron fuel treatment through a half a tank of gas. I did hook up a fuel pressure gauge between the fuel filter output and the fuel rail input. I get around 45 PSI with key on, I get about 38 after start and idle with jumps above 40 when I blip the throttle. I'm not sure if this is low or not, I am under the impression that the fuel regulator regulates the fuel rail to 40-ish psi. I guess I don't know if I expect straight fuel pump pressure to be higher. This thing has been running flawlessly for many years before now, what am I missing? Is the fuel pressure I am seeing normal or low? And when I find out this is spark plug wires or plugs or cap or rotor, which I have somewhat recently replaced with Bosch/Denso, can I pay one of you to shoot me?

At some point, I've seen a post and how-to on making a remote box that allows you to enter The different modes of the ECU and view fault codes via a box mounted on the dash or center console. Anyone know where I may have seen that?

PROBLEM SOLVED! Finally pulled the steering wheel last night. Of the 3 copper spring-loaded pins that make contact with the rings on the back of the steering wheel, the outtermost pin had been ground down so far that it no longer was long enough to make contact with its ring... like so far down that the center indent on the pin was completely flat! Other two pins still looked fine. Tons of copper "dust" all over everything, something must have gotten in there and acted like sandpaper on that one pin. Now that I think about it, I do remember scraping noises at some point. I guess I was seeing things when I thought I tested for continuity. The easiest fix is probably to get another pin assembly from the junk yard. However, this was at 10PM and I wanted it to work RIGHT DAMN NOW. So I hacked that bitch. Took a piece of 12ga solid copper wire, the width of which was exactly the difference in length between the worn down pin and the others, and folded the very tip of it back on itself as tightly as I could to make a little copper wire circle roughly the diameter of the pin. Clipped the circle off of the wire, then soldered it to the tip of the pin as straight as I could. Used a file and filed off excess solder and copper so that it would fit through the pin hole... filed the face flat and even beveled the rim like the other pins were and drilled some of the solder out of the center of the wire circle to match the indentation in the center of the other pins. Put it back together, cleaned up the rings on the back of the wheel, put down a thin layer of teflon grease on the rings, and put it all back together. Ta-da, Resume/Acc works! I love it when a plan comes together.

I've done a search and haven't come up with anything specific to this. So... My Set/Decel and my Cancel steering wheel cruise buttons work fine, but my Res/Accel button does not (very sketchily did once or twice at one point). I have replaced both the steering wheel switches and the cruise control module. I believe I have tested, at the cruise module, for continuity across the contacts for the Res/Accel button being pressed and was able to measure it being pressed. Minor aside: Occasionally, when I Set the cruise, I get a steadily flashing dash "CRUISE" indicator. Turning off the main cruise switch and back on clears this up. Anyone hear of this particular malady? I suppose I should take the steering wheel off and clean contacts, but I did see continuity back at the module. At the very least, I can still Set it and Cancel without having to tap the brakes, it holds just fine once set, I just can't Resume back to speed once cancelled.

The deed is done, the rotors changed. The Pathfinder is definitely a different beast than what I've ever taken apart before... cars with 150-250ft-lbs of torque on a 32-46mm castle nut. Drift pin worked great on one and the other was so loose it was already wiggling when I unscrewed the lock washer. Those screw-on lock washers didn't come through for me on the FSM diagram, those are slick! And that is one hell of a beefy spindle, again compared to the Toyotas, Hondas and other assorted CARS I've had apart. Annoying to have to remove the whole hub for a brake rotor, but you can't win them all, I guess. Thanks! Nate B P.S. Ended up making a "socket" by taking a Dremel to a cheap hole saw, which enabled me to put a torque wrench to it in order to get my 30ft-lbs of torque on it without having to guess.

Mine's "Twitch". He earned that name the first time I closed a door and had the door locks trigger down due to the jolt. The jumpy tachometer also contributed.

From your description at 60mph, it sounds to me like your torque converter is not locking in. Not sure where you live, but here in the cold it takes a good 10-minute drive to warm it up enough to where it will lock in again, usually over 40mph or so.

Thanks for the reply, but that tells me nothing. As I mentioned, I did reference the shop manual/FSM. A direct quote from the FSM, the FA section, page 25: "Remove wheel bearing lock nut... 2WD Trucks: With suitable tool." An illustration shows "KV40105400 (J36001) or suitable tool". Not helpful. I'm hoping someone has experience with it and can tell me, "Yeah, a 46mm axle socket will work fine" or "Just use 2 chopsticks, it'll spin right out". Anyone?

Anyone have any pointers specifically for a 2WD on this topic? According to the shop manual, the front hub nut isn't on that tight but there's no mention as to what size the thing is, only to use special tool so-and-so or equivalent. I'm trying to figure out what I'll need before I take anything apart only to find I have to put it back together to go get a tool. Thanks! Nate '94 XE 2WD

No wing, no roof rack, no 4WD... about the only thing I have is A/C, cruise control and ground clearance. Wish the deal I scored on this would have been of the 4WD variety, for sure. Guess I will re-clean it as suggested and, if it re-clogs again, I'll just have to accept that Indiana has dirty, dirty roads. How long you think before would figure you out and check the muffler valve instead? Actually, the hose to those rear squirters can get pinched off when the Johnson bar bumps up against the atmospheric depressurizer.

Anyone have any tricks on how to keep the rear nozzles from clogging up with road dirt? About as soon as I unplugged them and got them working again, the vacuum behind the truck that also dirtied the window clogged the nozzles to where I barely get a dribble.

I'm somewhat of a fuel-injected rookie. Starting this winter, when I go to start the truck, it fires right up for a few moments before the engine speed reduces, sputters for a few seconds, and then resumes idling. The colder it is, the worse it is, and it will die if it's REALLY cold. It smells pretty rich in the process. What do I check/fix/replace/kick?

I've had this same problem... just one of the reasons I've named my Pathfinder "Twitch". I did open the lock timer, I did find bad solder joints, I did fix them, and it does still happen. I surmise that it is worn-out solenoids on the locks themselves or other worn-out components that don't allow the solenoids to fully unlock the doors. If you lock the driver or passenger front doors, the rest of the locks go with them. I suspect that the trigger for this is pretty high in the lock travel. Closing the door jars the lock, it hits the trigger, everything locks up. I have also been "trapped" inside the car... closed the door, doors locked, unlocked the doors, trying to open the doors pulls the lock down a little bit which triggers the lock, etc.... this is one of the reasons I suspect the solenoids or related parts. The last time it happened, it was because the outside handle wasn't quite all the way retracted. When this happens, I cannot even pull the lock up manually. Seems to be worse in the cold. Haven't found the end-all be-all fix for this, but I do suspect the lock solenoids in the doors. A door panel removal with a multi-point lubrication plan may just fix things but I haven't gotten there yet.