88pathoffroad

Could be gunk in the intake system somewhere (god, the intake setup is such a maze of intertwined parts on a VG30E) or perhaps inside the TB, try cleaning your MAF again if you haven't recently...

Very nice! Good to know.

Sounds like someone forgot a wiring grommet when they were assembling the firewall components. Tape it up with duct tape!

I'd pull the rear wheels and get into those brakes if I were you. It's unsafe to drive a 4000 lb vehicle around with only front brakes. Not only for you, but for everyone in front of you. That said, the ABS sensor wiring on the rear diff could have been pulled loose, check for that. The sensor is on the pinion housing on the front of the diff, on top. On the tranny issues...change the gear oil. Especially if it hasn't been done for a while. Use ONLY GL-4 (NOT GL-5) gear oil, and don't let the auto store guys tell you it's the same thing. GL-5 will eat brass(synchroes, spacers, rings) and it will kill your transmission internally if left in there long enough. The chatter sounds like throwout bearing or clutch noise, especially if it continues to make the noise with the clutch in or the trans in neutral.

Tried looking underneath yet?

Have you tried upgrading the wiring and relaying the stock headlights yet? In stock configuration there are no relays, the headlight voltage comes through the fuse panel, then to the steering column, the turn signal/headlight switch and then back out to the headlights through uber-small wiring. Not a good formula for brightness. I'd do that first to see if it makes enough of a difference. You're considering spending a lot of $$$$ on new headlights, it's very possible that the relays and upgraded wiring for a few measly bucks could fix your problem without the extra expenditure.

I second the fluid level check. Run it through the gears one at a time with the engine running as well to ensure that fluid flows through all circuits inside the valvebody and lines. Filling it once is the first step, you gotta run it through the gears and re-check after that to be sure it's full.

When I towed the 89 home on a dolly, I pulled the rear driveshaft bolts and just ziptied(with Panduit straps 4' long) the DS up to the rear frame crossmember. Not a problem.

OK, I officially call BS on that idea. I went out and looked. There are two drain slots at the joint between the trans and t-case that will allow fluid to drain out if either the output seal on the trans or the input seal on the t-case start to leak. It's not possible if you take a look. The two just aren't sealed together like that.

I don't think that's so, but it seems like rational reasoning. My t-case calls for 80W-90(per my FSM) and I have an automatic, so draw your own conclusions. I really doubt that the trans/t-case seals will allow fluid exchange like that. I'll take a look at the separated t-case/trans in my garage and get back to you on whether or not it *looks* like it might do that or not.

Yeah, the bottom hose needs shortening. What I did for mine was split the hose in the middle, shorten it up a little and use a piece of tube with two hose clamps to get the angles/positioning right so it wasn't kinked.

Shouldn't the torque and HP lines cross at 5250 RPM's? Maybe it's adjusted for elevation/temp or something.

You gotta pull the tranny/t-case mount to get the pan off without dropping the exhaust is the thing. Mine's exactly like that, no drain plug, no room to remove the pan. The new trans I got from the 89 however, has a drain plug. Woohoo!

Hey, he never asked if it would fit on the vehicle, he asked what would fit on the rim. *snic*

Personally, I have no experience with that model, but I'd assume it'd go up the firewall and link to the breathers for the front diff and/or the t-case. You can just run a new hose up to a point where it won't get a lot of dust or suck water if you just want it plugged off, but that tube shouldn't be spewing fluid at ALL in the first place.

The wax choke may be sticking. That's the cylindrical dealie on the front of the TBI with two hoses going to it. The dealership techs tell me it's a common problem.

Not unless you have 5+" of lift. Why do you feel the need to "center your wheels"? Are they offset in the wheelwells in some way? Pics would be nice.

265/75/15 IIRC. About a 31x10.50x15.

Oil consumption at that level probably means ring wear or broken rings, not valves. The fact that the No-Smoke additive helped a lot also indicates the same. That doesn't mean I'm correct, it's just my 2 cents.

Is the period key on your keyboard missing or what? Heh. I'd plug it off rather than have a vaccuum leak, but that's just me.

I've looked through all the specs and all the US-issue cams are the exact same for all the VG30 engines as far as I've seen. Maxima, 300ZX n/a, 200SX(V6), Pathfinder VG30i and E. Just so you know.

I have several dimmers from junkyard Pathys in my garage if you can't find one elsewhere.

10-20 psi at idle isn't enough for both the engine AND the SC. Read up on it.

That'd be cool, but you gotta come up with your own serpentine belt setup and tensioner for the SC...plus you'll need to upgrade to the 300ZX oil pump and possibly change either the fuel pump or the pressure regulator, the list goes on...

Also, the VG30 heads are the same from 87-95. The SC fit isses are due to the intake, not the heads.