sewebster

I don't really think you can do either job properly for no money and no time. It just isn't really the way it works. If you don't want to put work in you should really keep using your engine that is running already. You can get a set of stem seals on rockauto for $13 by the way, though I'd probably splurge on the $20 expensive felpro set. But you could spend a fair amount of time dinking about trying to compress the valve springs if you aren't experienced in fabricating a suitable device...

Hehe, on my truck the alternator belt tension adjuster bolt was just gone entirely... so they must have used the same pry bar then tighten the lock bolt method. I just replaced the bolt and it's back to normal

Well, I paid a lot more for rings than stem seals, but doing the seals is a heck of a lot easier, though you'll have to make a spring compressor that fits. Low compression could be a valve problem too.

You are looking at the right side, right? The bolt heads are on the transmission side...

Maybe you should try just replacing the valve stem seals in your current engine... could be the issue. Do you get smoke on initial startup?

My recent experience seems to indicate that rebuilding an engine costs more than just buying a rebuilt engine, especially if you try to "do it right." How low is low? If it's just a little lower than the other cylinders then maybe you can live with it. Otherwise I guess it could be head gasket or piston rings (or pistons). Head gasket is pretty easy to change out, doing the rings is a lot of work...

Hmm. Well, when I pulled the filter off after some bum lifters ate my camshafts, there was very fine metal visible suspended in oil in the middle of the filter. So either it got through the filter, or maybe you're right, it clogged it and caused it to start bypassing. This was a Nissan filter. I wish I could have taken the pan off to clean it out, but it's just so much work. I tried fishing around inside the drain hole with a magnet but couldn't get much of anything, so hopefully there isn't much left in there now. I've used so much expensive RP break in oil on this thing and still barely driven it anywhere. Currently it doesn't run due to some ignition timing issue. It SEEMS that the new camshaft distributor gear is somewhat rotated compared to the original camshaft, and now I can't get to the correct timing because the rotor is only so wide. I think I might actually have to modify my distributor to try to figure this out.

Does the oil go in the central hole, and out the surrounding ring? Because if I look inside a used filter there is junk in the middle. I assume this is stuff has been caught by the filter and NOT stuff that made it through the filter... This is a VG30E.

What kit did you use? I'll have to do this too at some point, because it just seems ridiculous the way it is right now. I wonder what the dealership does, if anything, to avoid oil going everywhere...

Yeah, I didn't use tape, because of the grounding issue, but you are right, it will almost certainly get cut through by the threads anyway. It's certainly not leaking much, but I guess I'll do that at my next oil change.

Mine seems to be leaking from my brand new sensor unfortunately. Not sure what to do other that tighten it more. I have the correct 1/8" BSPT fitting... The other thing though, is that whenever I change my oil, despite all my attempts, it seems that some fairly large amount of oil comes out of the filter and drips down essentially through my starter and onto the ground. Even wiping off as much as I can it takes a while for it to all "settle down" and stop dripping off the bottom...

Cool, thanks for the pics. So, aside for gas testing, any way to tell if my cat is messed up? If I look inside will I be able to tell if it is "clogged"?

Hehehe. Yeah, I meant the bolts were 10 mm diameter, I think you mean the head is 14 mm (so you use a 14 mm socket). I stripped out the "nuts" in the upper piece of curved metal (where you had trouble getting the tab in at the back because of your steering stabilizer shock). I just more nuts on TOP of the stack though. When I take it apart again I'll drill out the upper piece and just use a through-bolt and nut.

Thanks. Another thing that's on my todo list. I guess with the tires on the ground the bar isn't under any tension and it makes it easy. By the way, my FSM (91) lists the torque for the bolts for the two center bushings at something like 60 ft-lbs. I stripped the welded nuts trying to get this on my truck (too bad I didn't replace the bushings when I had them apart last time...). Anyway, might want to take it easy on those. Not sure if the book is wrong (that's a lot of torque for 10 mm fasteners...) or if I just got unlucky.

I am probably going to make one of those "special tools" so I can adjust my wheel bearings properly... but it sounds like people get away without one, which is good to know. I figure I'll get a chunk of steel. Drill and tap a big hole in the middle and red loctite in a large bolt to put the socket on. Then drill two holes, one on either end, so match the hole spacing in the lock ring. Then use shaft retaining compound to secure pins in the holes. Can probably use the shoulders of bolts rather than drill rod.

So what are the American smog rules? Can't modify anything? I don't know that it is so restrictive in Canada...

After reviewing the internet, I have determined that you have your shocks upside down, not me. If you search for "mounting shocks upside down" you find tons of links on debate about it.

Hmm. I never really thought about which way to put in my rear shocks (Rancho 5000). I have the boots at the top.

Well it took me an hour and twenty minutes to take it apart, check the nut (which was already tight) and put it back together. I didn't refill the coolant though. Also the balancer was easy to just pull off by hand since it hasn't been on there long. Tips: -quarter inch ratchet with a spinner handle extension is nice for a lot of this stuff -impact wrench for the large crank bolt (you can buy an electric half-inch drive impact gun for under a hundred dollars)

It's somewhat tight for sure... just can't remember if I torqued it properly after I decided the tension was good. It doesn't really need to be all that tight to hold the tensioner in place just to check the tension.

You know what, I can't remember if I tightened my t-belt tensioner nut when I put my engine back together. I haven't run it since I am still waiting for my lifters to arrive, but I guess now I need to take the front back apart to be sure. I'll time myself and see how long it takes I guess

What about immobalizers? Stats seem to say they work, but why can't the thief just pull the wires out of them and stick them back together? (maybe I don't know how they work)

Yeah, I'm sure they had a reason for it (though, engineers can make dumb decisions sometimes...). It's just messed up for me right now, so I'm trying to figure out how to fix it. I can do something that will be mechanically sound, maybe even with some vibration isolation pretty easily. I'm really trying to figure out if I need electrical insulation for some reason. Then I'd machine some special washers or something. But I don't want to do that if I'm not supposed to... "ungrounding" things could be bad for instance.

Link works for me... did you click it or copy and paste... need to click. Yeah, getting a nylon washer big enough for M8 seems tricky here, but I did make up some from a teflon tube I had. Nevertheless, without a hat washer system, it isn't really going to work "properly." Rubber washers don't allow the proper torque (12 ft lbs) since they just squash. That might be ok, but I worry about them drying out over time since they'll be hot and then things being loose and having an air leak at the injectors. Unlinked link... http://nissan4u.com/parts/pathfinder/us_wd21/1990_11/type_18/fuel_and_engine_control/fuel_strainer_and_fuel_hose/

What I have now is quite hard and brittle plastic. It is shiny and really doesn't seem like dried out rubber. They aren't hat washers. I'm guessing they are original since they are somewhat obscure and seem quite old. I also wondered if maybe it was supposed to be some vibration isolation thing. I may have them installed on the wrong side of the fuel rail tab... the diagram in the FSM seems to show them going underneath, but then the injectors don't seat as well. Getting the injectors to seat properly was a major pain. Maybe my fuel rail is somewhat bent or something. The only reason I think of electrical isolation is because this has something to do with fuel, which can ignite, and "electricity" can cause a spark... but I don't see how this would be a problem specifically in this case.