Slartibartfast
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Posts posted by Slartibartfast
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It is possible to fit the D21 sealed-beam headlights. You will need the buckets, grille, and corner/parking lights, and you'll need to change the light plugs. (It's generally recommended to build a relay harness for these rigs anyway, both to preserve the switch and to make sure the lights are getting full power.) I'm not crazy about the look, but it does open up a lot of options for better lights.
I've seen people swap LED pods in place of the factory fog lights. Could be done cleanly if you can find the right size of pod.
I had Hella 500FFs on my front bumper for a while. They were great when they were aimed right, but they wouldn't stay aimed right. I've got a cheap lightbar now, which does not have that issue. It's not a 1:1 replacement for the Hellas (it's more of a flood light), but it's good for spotting deer off to the sides. I've got it wired so it only works with the high beams, so I don't have to deal with two separate switches when there's oncoming traffic.
For the hood vents, sounds like you're talking about something like Raptor grille lights. I haven't seen it done, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. Might be tough to make it look intentional, though.
4 hours ago, Frenchy said:Yeah, those "fake" vents are not fake.
There are holes all the way through the vents, but they're about the size of coin slots, and the hole in the hood behind them rests against the rubber strip that goes over the core support. I think my door seals let in more air than the hood vents do.
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Pretty much just R&R. The Allen bolts may fight you, mine were stuck pretty good. The service manual wants you to select new snap rings of the correct thickness to set the end-float on the CV axles (and the tension on the seals at the back of the hub), but I don't think anyone actually does that.
Hawairish started a thread comparing different brands of hubs. Even the cheap-looking ones he looked at seemed pretty decent inside. The OE manual hubs are supposed to be the strongest, but good luck finding a set of those. Warns are popular. I'm running Mile Markers on mine, and apart from the chrome plating being crap, they've been great. I also posted a video in that thread (second page) from when I replaced mine, showing what's involved.
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Looks like I was wrong about the knock sensor, and Peejay is correct--code 34 is for electrical faults only. The computer does not throw a code for actual knocking.
The electrical checks for the knock sensor are pretty simple. Might as well chase those down while you're after the other three. I suspect you'll find a common fault behind all four--maybe a shared ground that's come loose/corroded, maybe harness damage.
Come to think of it, the knock sensor grounds to 35M. The MAF grounds to 35M. The transistor for the coil grounds to 34M, which is right next to 35M. If those are loose/corroded/chewed, that could be three of your four codes right there.
The harness diagram in the '90 manual is just this side of useless (they tried to show three different engine options in one diagram). The knock sensor diagnostics in the '95 manual show 34 and 35M near the coil, but I don't see any grounds in that neighborhood on my '93. I think 34 and 35M might be the two at the front of the upper intake, on either side of the Allen bolt, near the coolant temp sensors. Loosen, clean as needed, retighten, clear codes, see if that gets you anywhere.
The injectors are grounded through the computer, so they shouldn't have anything to do with those two ground points. The same mouse might've chewed on that harness too, I guess. Or maybe the previous owner parked it because an injector was dead.
12 hours ago, peejay said:Slart, would you mind demystifying the knock sensor operation?
Looks like your understanding of it was bang on! But here's the long version.
The knock sensor is piezoelectric, similar to a guitar pickup or a microphone. It allows the computer to "listen" to the engine. If the computer "hears" pinging/knocking, it retards the ignition timing to prevent engine damage. It does not set a code when it does this. I don't know how long it waits to reset the timing back to normal afterwards.
EF&EC-72 ('90 manual) says that code 34 is set when the knock sensor circuit is open or shorted. The diagnostic procedures for code 34 ('90 and '95) and P0325 ('97) are just electrical checks on the sensor and its wiring. Looks like the computer also pulls timing when that code is set. I guess it's playing it safe while it can't tell if the engine is pinging or not.
The '90, '95, '97, and '03 manuals all make clear that the knock sensor is not used in normal operation. It's just there to save the engine when something else goes wrong. Sorta like a smoke detector.
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I've never found a service manual for the Terrano. But one of the guys (pretty sure it was Ekim Naelcm) on the FB page made an R50 auto trans work in his Terrano, and IIRC all it took was swapping over the bellhousing and having a torque converter made, which means it's (at least a variant of) the same RE4R01A that's in the North America-spec gas-engine trucks.
The '95 US manual specs 8.5 liters (9 US quarts) for the 4WD, 7.9 (8-3/8) for the 2WD. It calls for "Genuine Nissan ATF" or Dexron II. The R50 (which has an upgraded variant of the same slushbox) service manuals spec Nissan Matic D, so I assume that's what "Genuine Nissan ATF" means. I used bottom-shelf generic dex-merc in mine and it didn't seem to mind.
I flushed mine by putting the cooler lines in a bucket, running the engine until it stopped pumping brown fluid into the bucket, adding fresh fluid through the dipstick tube, and repeating that process until the fluid coming out was recognizable as the fluid I was putting in. Dropping the pan looked like a PITA, and I'd been told that the filter is more of a screen than a filter anyway, so I didn't bother with it. I have since seen a picture of a trans filter full of what looked like clutch material--not sure what else was wrong with that transmission, or how common that is. Might be worth checking the filter (and wiping the sludge out of the pan) for peace of mind if nothing else.
Be careful filling the transmission. The level changes a lot as it warms up, and you're supposed to check with it warm. I thought I had it close, warmed it up, and had to drain about a quart to get it back down to the mark.
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Sounds like the hubs weren't locked. The stock hubs on these are supposed to lock automatically, but they're not known for their reliability. Manual hubs are a huge upgrade and an easy mod.
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Your best bet is the '90 manual. Free download from cardiagn.com last time I checked, or message me if you can't find it and I'll get you a link. The '94/'95 manual from Nicoclub should be close, but it's for the round-dash trucks, and there are some minor changes on those that can hang you up.
The EF&EC section has a walkthrough for troubleshooting each code. I'd start with the ignition signal, injector circuit (that'll be the misfire), and MAF codes, and see if the knock sensor code goes away on its own once those three are resolved (clear the codes and see if it comes back). If the engine has no idea how much air is coming in, one cylinder isn't firing, and the timing is messed up, it may well be knocking, and annoyingly these don't have separate codes for a bad knock sensor vs actual knocking.
I would also look for any obvious rodent damage. An injector circuit code could be due to a chewed wire, and my '93 had a MAF code when a rat's nest in the air filter got sucked into the MAF.
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Looks like it'll keep you busy! Download the service manual from Nicoclub if you haven't yet, sounds like you're gonna need it.
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I looked up the front U joints for an '02 on Nissanpartsdeal and found part number 37126-01G26 for the front prop shaft U joint (still available, but not cheap). They're listed for '96-'04, so there shouldn't be any mid-year-change confusion going on with the joints.
Did the shop say what prevents the joints they've tried from fitting? If they just can't get the snap rings in, there's this whole thing in the R50 service manual about using color-coded snap rings of varying thicknesses to set the end-play in the joint. If the snap rings are too thin, the joint will have excessive play--if they're too thick, they may not go in at all. (PD section of the service manual, free download from Nicoclub.) Unfortunately the part numbers the manual gives for the special snap rings come back as both discontinued and for a WD21 (first gen Pathy), so that's bizarre/unhelpful. But, yeah, if the snap rings are the problem, and they can source thinner ones, that might be just what it needs.
If that's not it, or they can't find thinner snap rings in that size, I would look for a used shaft from a wrecker. Even if the joints are bad, maybe you'll get lucky and find that the aftermarket joints fit the new-to-you shaft better than they fit your existing one. That said, I have heard of others having vibration issues after replacing front U joints (possibly due to the situation with the snap rings), so if you find a good used assembly, I would just slap it in there and be done with it.
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The core support is just sheet metal. It'll move. You may have to get a little creative depending on the tools you have. You could probably do most of it with a hammer and a block of wood if that's all you've got. Go slow. Check the other side to see what it should look like. Make sure you know where the wiring is so you're not smashing something important with the hammer. Try not to kink stuff. Don't beat on the parts that aren't messed up. Looking at the picture, it looks like it's only messed up outboard of the headlight. I would try to get a ratchet strap on the part that's pushed in the most and pull it forwards (hook the other end to another truck or a tree or something), and/or start beating it from inside the wheel well with the deadblow. As you straighten that out, the twist at the top should start straightening out, too.
The core support doesn't have to look good--you just need to make it line up to the new fender and get it straight enough that the headlight bolts up and points straight enough ahead that you can adjust it properly.
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The parts that would be hard to fix aren't the parts you can see in the pictures. It obviously needs a bumper, a fender, and some work on the core support. Can't tell if the suspension, inner fender/strut tower, cooling system, or subframe are messed up. Check the alignment.
Engine bay looks clean. Worth checking when the timing belt was done last. If it was done at the recommended mileage, it's about ready for another one.
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That's gonna need some welding. Dbot had similar rust on his, and was planning to rebuild it, but it doesn't look like there's gonna be an update on that one sadly. There was more of his left, though, so his pictures may give you a better idea of what it's supposed to look like--and his measurements are a good example for what you'll need to do to make sure it goes back together afterwards. Take a bunch of measurements and make cardboard templates before cutting into it. Both will be good to have when you've got a bunch of rot cut out (there's always more than you think there is) and you realize you're building something important, from scratch, in empty space, and if it's not in the right place, other things won't fit right.
The layered construction will make it a bit annoying, but at least the thinner metal's easier to bend. Rebuild with fresh steel of the same thickness as the original (measured where it's not rotten). Looks like you'll need a new bolt as well, and it would be a good time to do the bushings in the panhard rod if they need it.
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You shouldn't need to pull the covers to do the belt, unless you're doing a cam swap or something. The timing's all outboard.
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It wasn't my idea to make three flavors of cross-head that look identical but aren't! Given they're not seized and the torque spec is low, standard Phillips should do just fine regardless. I'm sure that's what I used when I did mine.
I'd expect that rubber to squish out a bit when you tighten the screw. Even if it doesn't fill the cup entirely, the cup should still be spreading the load about the same.
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Sorry to hear, and sorry to his family. I was just looking for this thread to see how the rust work was going.
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I hadn't thought about it, but yeah, makes sense they used the Phillips (probably JIS actually) screw heads to prevent overtightening/warping the valve cover.
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Looks like it's just squished a little by those tabs. The top picture looks like the gasket's got a clean/flat spot all through those areas, suggesting that it was making good enough contact with the head. And yeah, IIRC the gaskets I used were pretty soft anyway.
Is the gasket cracked in the first pic, near the PCV nipple? Otherwise, it doesn't look that bad.
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I put a link in the comparison thread to the video I made several years go when I installed mine, in my driveway, with mostly the wrong tools. If that idiot can do it, you can too
You'll need an M6 Allen socket and a pair of snap ring pliers, and I think that's pretty much it. The hard part was getting the bolts out, and if yours have been out recently, then they shouldn't be anywhere near as difficult as mine were.
The auto hubs were a neat idea, but even when they worked, they were more trouble than they were worth IMO.
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When I had the intake off my VG30, I did the plugs, cleaned up the casting around the plug holes so dirt/water could escape more easily (the drains into the valley were mostly blocked by casting flash, so there was a lot of junk packed in around the plugs), did the valve cover gaskets, and cleaned out some rodent mess. Look for rodent damage or anything else obviously scabby with the injector harness. Inspect anything rubber that you have to mess with--I don't remember finding much wrong, but your climate may be harder on rubber than mine. Look for cracks, look for coolant residue. If the vacuum lines to the EGR and FPR are original, go ahead and replace those while you're in there. Might be a good time to replace the rubber line between the two fuel rails, or at least check the clamps. Make sure you mark where the distributor was before you pull it out.
If you pull the lower intake, make sure you get the right gaskets. The VG33 lower intake gaskets are thin and made from stamped steel. Make sure you don't get the VG30 gaskets that are thicker steel with rubber seals. (If you get the wrong ones, nothing will line up. I made the opposite mistake and got to take it all apart again.) While the lower intake was off, I relocated the knock sensor to the back of one of the heads. I'm not sure if this was a good idea, but I didn't want to have to dig back down to it if it acted up later.
Make sure you bleed the coolant properly afterwards. Should be a marked bleeder bolt on the intake.
I did my timing belt at the same time--but that's the front of the engine, not the top, and having the top apart didn't make it easier. If anything it just made for a larger jigsaw puzzle.
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Sounds like the hubs to me. Backing up is supposed to disengage them, driving forward in 4x is supposed to engage them. Sounds like one of them isn't disengaging all the way.
The CV axle installation may be related, if the shop put the hubs back together wrong, or if they attempted to service them while they were apart. I made that mistake on my '95, hoping that a wipe-down and some fresh grease would make my worn-out hubs a little more reliable. My attempted half-ass rebuild turned an unreliable hub into an outright malevolent one that randomly tried to engage while I was driving and made me think the wheel was about to fall off from the godawful noise it made.
What I did, and what I recommend, is to chuck the auto hubs in the bin where they belong and replace them with manual hubs. Hawairish started a comparison thread for the various manual options.
While you're in there, check your wheel bearings (play, smoothness) and brakes. Most of your symptoms match the hubs, but I don't remember mine feeling bound up when the hubs were playing games.
Your gearbox oils shouldn't have anything to do with this. That said, if the rear end has LSD, did you use the additive for it? Without it, the clutches in the diff can bind and chatter when you turn, though from what I've read the synthetic oil may be nerfing them anyway.
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From what I've read, no, it should be a simple plug-and-play. Limp mode puts it in third IIRC. Does the light in the E-AT switch flash when you start the truck?
Check your transmission fluid level when the transmission is warm. Too high or too low can both make a slushbox act weird, and they're easy to overfill. I filled mine to what seemed about right when it was cold and had to drain about a quart once it warmed up to get the level correct on the dipstick.
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I looked up some part numbers on nissanpartsdeal to see what was up with this. The short version is
I don't see why they wouldn't fit. I've heard of people doing dash and interior swaps, and I don't remember anyone complaining that the seat belts didn't bolt up afterwards. If you want to be sure, you could pick up a few grey belt parts from a wrecker or a part-out to confirm that they mount up the same before you shell out for fresh ones.
I swapped '95 seat belts into my '93, but they were the same parts, just cleaner (PO was a smoker). For the most part, they're not that tough to work with, but be careful with the belt guide clips halfway up the B pillars. Gotta ease those out gently. And take a picture of the rear belts before taking them out, so you don't mix up the three in the middle.
The long version:
I looked up the same part (left-hand front belt buckle, color code K) for '87, '90, '93, and '95, and found three part numbers. '87 is 86843-03G60. '90 is 86843-12G60, but the listing suggests that the 12G60 replaces the 03G60, suggesting it's just a minor design change from the original. '95 pulled up 86843-61G00, which for some reason isn't listed as a replacement for 12G60. '93 pulled up 12G60 and 61G00, because transition year, but searching with my VIN pulled up 61G00 only.
NPD has an actual photo (for a change!) of 12G60. I compared it to my grey 61G00, and so far as I can compare a low-res picture on a laptop screen to a scuffed-up original IRL and determine which one is which shade of grey, I'm like 90% sure the 12G60 is in fact the brown one.
I don't think they changed the part number just for the color, though, because the blue and red buckles also have early and late variants listed for '93.
So, yeah, as is often the case with part numbers... something changed around '92/'93.
Give it a shot, let us know if it works!
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Mine were hard and brittle when I took the covers off, and that was mid '10s IIRC. If yours are original, then yeah, I'll bet they're dribbling like an excited puppy.
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I had a look at the manuals. Not sure if yours is VG or VQ, but the diagram is on EL-37 in either manual, and looks about the same. They sure crammed a lot of crap into that circuit, and amusingly, power to the bulbs still isn't properly relayed. It's just the WD21 wiring, but backwards, with a battery saver module riding it piggyback.
The relays are how the battery saver control unit turns the headlights off if you leave them on for too long with the ignition off.
Battery positive goes through two fuses to the two headlight relays. These relays are controlled by the headlamp battery saver control unit. That unit controls both relays together (single trigger wire that Ts off to the two relays). When the relays are engaged, they supply + to the common pin on each headlamp. The high/low filaments in the bulbs are grounded individually through the headlight switch.
I'm ruling out the module, because it can't turn on one relay but not the other (if that was bad, it would take out both sides at once). If the switch was bad, I'd expect it to drop one filament at a time, like the WD21 headlight switches do. But each fuse and relay does one headlight, so one bad fuse or relay would take out high/low on that one headlight.
Just like with the headlight bulbs, I'd check for any obvious heat/corrosion on the components and the fusebox, and maybe give them a wiggle to see if the light flickers. If it all looks good, you could try swapping them side to side to see if the issue follows the relay. If you're lucky enough to catch it while it's acting up, you could tap the relays to see if that brings it back on, or test for 12v+ at the common pin at the bulb to verify that the problem is on the + side.
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After all the hype of how amazing AI was gonna be, it's kinda depressing to see it in action.
Transfer Case Module replacement
in 96-2004 R50 Pathfinders
Posted
Oof. Yeah, that's deep! You're lucky if that module's the only thing that responded poorly.
I have not heard of any other model using the ATX14A automatic transfer (which I assume is what you have, given it's got a control unit). I've seen two variants of that, one with just a heater knob on the dash for 2h/auto/4h/4l, and one with a knob or buttons for 2/auto/4 and a manual shifter for high/low. I imagine you'll need to match the donor to the control style that yours has to get the right module. The case numbers didn't get me anywhere, but might be something you can confirm against a possible replacement at the wrecking yard. Hopefully they're not coded in or something dumb like that.