Slartibartfast

It's not the tube that clogs. I saw a pic on here a while back of a stock WD cooler taken apart, and it had what looked like mud (clutch material I guess) mounded up pretty bad on the aluminum part of the radiator that sticks down into the cooler. But yeah, with proper maintenance it probably wouldn't be a problem. Sort of like how arteries usually work okay, but get all clogged up with crap if you don't keep them up... except that most of us don't have pre-owned arteries.

The real trick with a truck like that is keeping the girl in the bed when you're at speed! Straps work, but other drivers get the wrong idea.

I think Tungsten's talking about the three fake air vents in the hood. (They don't actually pass air.) You might be able to adapt some mounts from something else. Looks like the only welding in Hayseed's mounts is at the bottom of the triangle. If you could find a mount (at Home Depot or something, probably for hanging joists or flower pots or something), you could bend the rest of it to work and drill the holes bigger if needed. Or, with the mirrors... if you've got manual side mirrors, you could french some smaller lights into the fronts of the mirror housings. That would be pretty cool.

I've got the Haynes manual. If I had an old 720 it would be perfect. But I don't. Get the FSM.

Judging by the other custom fab on his truck, Hayseed may have made the adapters himself. Doesn't look like it would be too difficult to replicate the mounts. They probably share a bolt with the fender, beneath the cowl.

Somebody on here twin turbo'd a VG30. Looked like he needed a shoehorn to get it all in, but it's possible at least!

It should offset the gearing change from putting giant tires on it. And/or you could replace the VG30 with a VG33.

You could swap a Club Cadet riding mower engine in there, and it wouldn't be stock either. And given that you wouldn't have to swap in a new computer, it would probably be simpler, too. I figure, if you're going to put that much work into something, it should be somehow better when it's done. Better mileage, power, something. From what I've heard, the KA's mileage is comparable to the VG, and a built KA puts out about what a stock VG puts out. If you want a challenge... put a VQ up in there!

... yeah, the snap is probably the root of the problem! Maybe it's a ground? Worst case, get the wiring diagram from the FSM and test stuff until you find what's busted off.

Pretty sure it's not wired like that. I've had one or more dead bulbs and the others kept working. In fact the wiring for the high and low beams is all the same at the switch... the running lights, left headlight low, right headlight low, left high, and right high each have their own contacts. Unless this has suddenly failed (doubt it), I'm leaning towards a busted ground wire.

So the high idle lasts longer? That sounds like the coolant temp sensor to me... it thinks it's too cold so it's staying in open loop warm up mode. I haven't heard of one laying black smoke, though. Maybe it thinks it's really really cold!

Or maybe the belt was slipping when you hit it? Wouldn't explain the CEL etc though. But yeah, those things make all kinds of noise!

Take pictures as you go! Makes reassembly a whole lot easier if you know what it's supposed to look like. I usually take a picture of the bolt I pulled out next to the hole I pulled it from, so I know where it goes later.

Maybe the car had some kind of UV coating on the windows? I don't think the problem is the cold air leaking out so much as it is the sunlight getting in. In fact, a little ventilation when parked keeps most cars a lot cooler. When I park in the sun for a short time, say at the grocery store or something, I open the sunroof and hang a fan in the gap. I haven't checked the temp difference with a thermometer, but it seems to cool it down somewhat. Also, 'bad' air? Like exhaust or something? Unless the floors are really far gone, or the rear window's open, that shouldn't be an issue. That said I only use the 'recirculate' setting when I'm going for maximum heat /AC or passing something smelly.

Also if you modify the shift lever, you probably wouldn't have to modify the rubber boot. Trust me, you do not want to drive one of these without that boot in there.

Speaking of R50s... My dad's taking it in to get the trans fluid changed. Is there an internal filter that needs changing (pan drop)? My impression was that it's more of a screen than a filter, but searching around I'm not so sure.

Boxes is right... to be fair it's what sells. The largest part of the market wants fuel economy, truck-like visibility, car-like handling... so they make something the size of a truck, with the limitations of a car, and the styling of a track shoe, and call it a crossover. Just like everybody else.

Is it throwing any codes/check engine light? And do you mean choke like choking and sputtering, or it just won't go past 3k? If the computer is in limp mode, it won't let the engine rev past 3k. A bad MAF (or a bad connection with the MAF, or a broken wire to the MAF) can cause this.

Something something something top dead center. I'm sure it's in the service manual: http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/pathfinder/1995_Pathfinder/ Edit: EM section, page 32.

I'd try Rob (Autorakhil) in the Genuine Nissan Parts thread, he can get just about anything.

Colorado, nice work, looks like it came that way. I found some carpet padding, so I cut a piece of it to fit under my rear seats and replace the spongey stuff I tore out to repair the floors.

Sucks for sure. Pricing for repairs really depends on how good you want to get it... and how bad the mechanical bits got hammered. Good luck putting it back together!

Wow... you guys are sharp. I totally didn't see that. And yeah, he's not much for wheeling... PO was, though, judging by the amount of mud that came out of the wheel wells!

Thanks! I didn't know Nissan was downing in the 00s. How are you seeing the brake fluid? Enhance, McGee! (But yeah, he's planning to do all the fluids etc, and made sure to find a non-rust state car.) Anything else to look out for? Power valve screws?

... and brought back an 03 R50. It's pretty clean, apart from the moss in the seams (Seattle car). The thing that has us wondering, though, is the engine bay. Everything inside is primer grey, and the panels were clearly painted with the hood shut. Is this stock?