Towncivilian

Am I the only one who has an accurate gas gauge with a working low fuel indicator lamp?

http://www.courtesyparts.com/pdf/1996-Nissan-Pathfinder.pdf The alarm uses both the high and low note horns, *and* a theft warning horn. Interesting. I did not know 96 Pathfinders had a theft warning horn.

Fuel filter is probable and is probably the cheapest thing you can try. I'd go for it, especially if you don't know the last time it was changed.

Three horns? There are only two from the factory. Maybe the older years don't honk. Check the owner's manual to see if there are instructions.

Does the fluctuation happen when you use cruise control? You've checked for air intake leaks and ensured the air filter is sealing properly, right?

My Pathfinder has also lived in Florida its whole life and it still had the fuel filler neck replaced for the recall. Make sure it's been done.

I usually don't top off brake fluid for two reasons: 1. The brake fluid level drops in the reservoir as the pads' friction material wears down; on many vehicles, when the brake fluid is low enough to illuminate the indicator in the instrument cluster, the pads are due very soon for replacement 2. During brake pad replacement, if somebody topped off the fluid and you compress the calipers, a bunch of fluid will spill out of the reservoir, compared to simply returning to max/a little above max if the fluid is left alone Now if you're losing brake fluid at a dangerous rate via a leak, absolutely top it off until you can fix it ASAP of course.

1999.5-2004 Pathfinders also have streams - three per nozzle.

Hold the lock and unlock buttons together until the car beeps.

Stream is standard, mist is not. Find another Nissan vehicle with mist spray pattern nozzles, they'd probably fit.

Page GI-18 of the factory service manual shows where the engine serial number should be.

Next time, use a proper fuel system cleaner like Chevron Techron, Gumout Regane, or Redline SI-1 rather than Seafoam. The three mentioned products contain PEA which cleans effectively without leaving behind its own deposits as a solvent-based cleaner such as Seafoam does. I'm not saying your problems are necessarily caused by the Seafoam, just that there are better products. +1 to changing the fuel filter and cleaning the TB.

Check the fuse labeled "TAIL" in the engine bay fuse box, too.

What was the order you bled in?

I don't think band adjustment is required, is it? There's an overhaul procedure but simple adjustment is not listed anywhere in the factory service manual.

3 jugs of SuperTech should be under $40, it may be worth a try. If nothing improves, maybe adjust TPS, clean MAF, change fuel filter, ensure dropping resistor for the transmission has the proper resistance... can't think of anything else that is cheap and easy to do.

What fluid was used by the shop? Lucas transmission additive is gorilla snot that thickens up the fluid and nothing else. I suggest getting 3 gallons of fluid (SuperTech Dex/Merc is fine) and doing a cooler line fluid exchange so you know the fluid is fresh and what type is in there.

I expected these to be called something other than R52 for some reason.

Don't pre-facelift R50s have LSDs with higher breakaway torque (but not as high as a WD21/D21/D22)? Also see this thread: http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/topic/22182-laxmans-2001-r50-lsd-modification-and-install/

That magnet looks neat for sure. But not all of the fluid passes over the magnet, so I don't even want to imagine what other ferrous wear material was still floating around. That's why I run a Magnefine in-line filter; all fluid passes over the magnet, and much of the non-ferrous wear material will get caught in the filtering media, which is in the range of 35 microns; even the best in-pan strainers don't go lower than about 80 microns. Strainers are more like rock catchers than real filters. Installing an in-line filter is especially beneficial after a rebuild, since there will be new break-in wear, plus any debris that may have entered through the rebuild process... transmission shops aren't exactly clean rooms.

What fluid is in the diff right now?

The torque converter does not lock until fluid is at operating temperature. This is normal.

Plain DexIII is specified as suitable by the FSM (at least for Canada - maybe because Matic D is harder to find). But plain DexIII should not be causing this problem as long as the fluid level when hot is correct. I replied on NICO (sorry for the delay) to adjust closed throttle position switch, which could be causing this issue according to the AT section of the FSM for not shifting D3->D4.

With ~51k on the fluid it's probably time to change. Lucas also isn't the greatest gear lube in the first place; it ranked the worst in Amsoil's independent gear lube tests; see page 19 of this whitepaper. Try finding some Mobil 1 75W-90 or Valvoline Synpower 75W-90; either one should have enough LS additive in them already. Change the front diff's fluid too and maybe the transfer case as well (usually it takes ATF but you can put 75W-90 in the transfer case, just don't mix the two; if you stick with ATF, use a synthetic fluid which claims to meet Dexron III specifications).