Chriskaw440

on my 1990 VG30E engine, there is a little vacuum line at the very back of the plenum, right about over where that hard to get to spark plug is. Its a short hose that connects down below a few inches. It's easy to knock it off when changing the spark plug back there. I know because I just did mine last week and car was idling pretty crappy so when I got home I popped the hood and sure enough...I had knocked it off. It was cracked and dryrotted on one end also so I just replaced it. Runs much better now. About to change my 02 sensor too....dont think it has ever been changed so I am hoping for the best with breaking it loose from the exhaust. Easy to get to, but on mine the wire harness is really long and snakes its way up around the tranny and into the engine compartment. No wonder it still cost $100.00....its all the dang wire! Oh and Midas....Ummm...at least the one here in my town, worst shop around. They scammed me with gasket replacements (just shoved them inbetween the pipes and put cement around them. Never bothered to unbolt anything. Took vehicle back to show the dumbasses and they said the tech that did that is now a MANAGER at another location. "Gee...go figure!" I said. For an alignemnt job, they said mine was fine at the time, but a REAL shop later said "oh its off most definitly....thats why your tires are wearing on the insides. I wanted a higher performance muffler that THEY SOLD, but they wouldnt put it on because it required "a little more work" to install it. I gave up on midas. -Chris

ps...I ordered my bushings from ROCK AUTO PARTS (www.rockautoparts.com) and they were great! all 4 for the lower control arms were about $62.00 and I got them in about 2 days. HA! one nissan dealership parts dept guy I called barely had a clue about anything and half the time he was asking questions about parts that had nothing to do with the control arms. I think when God was handing out brains, he was at the fairground arcade playing Pac Man.

see my post under "02 sensor" stuff....I had just replaced my lower control arm bushings because one was blown out causing my rear end to wiggle all over the road. My mechanic said you cant do an alignment on the vehicle until those bushing are replaced since its allowing movement of the axle. It took some work but got it done. Did all 4 in one night. If you dont have a air hammer or chisel, a Sawz-All with a small metal cutting blade on it will work fine to cut the outer metal sleeve on the busing so it will then just pop right out instead of pounding away with a hammer and possibly damaging the arm. then I had to grind out the holes of the arms just a bit so the new busings would fit in place. There was no way in hell they would just pop into the arm with pounding or forcing it....as it would damage the new bushings. I used a big screwdriver and hammer to cut out the rubber part of the bushings on the old ones, then put the arms in a vice to hold them in place while I did the cutting and grinding, then the new ones, with a touch of lubricant, would fit nicely, then back on the pahty they went. MAN what difference now! rides like new again, especially after the alignment was done, new sway bar bushings front and back, and new tires. I checked my panhard rod bushings and they were fine. I removed one arm at a time to do the work. My upper ones are still the originals and I am debating doing all that work again for them, even though they look ok, or just saying screw it and ordering new upper arms and just slapping them on. -Chris.

Thanks for the info! I think I will start going through the system and replace the worn sensors (02) I'll have to see where the knock sensor wire connector is, and since the sensor is smack dab in the middle of the block under the intake manifold...It might be hard to reach the wire but I will check the wiring diagram and see where it goes....and if possible, unplug it and see what happens. Timing and all should be fine as a new belt and water pump were put on it by Nissan just about 2 years ago and I have hardly put any miles on it since then, as I work from home and don't travel a whole lot...we use the wife's vehicle when we do take trips I also discovered a cracked vacuum hose at the very back of the plenum and replaced it (when I did the plugs, cap and rotor last weekend) and of course that made a noticible difference in idle...much smoother. Sincerely, Chris

Hi, It's a 1990 SE (VG30E) Heck some Nissan Dealerships I called about the knock sensor told me my vehicle didn't have one....thank you goodbye! Duhh....in some parts of the country these models did have them, and some did not. They were just too lazy to know their stuff I guess. (even after I told them the ECU is flashing the code, they still said, our info tells us that it doesnt have one....sorry.) Anyhoo.... I am not that knowledgable with how the ECU will operate or control the engine with that error code. Two places told me about it just running in "loop mode" and to just let it be, unless it starts running badly, then it would be time to get it corrected. The engine runs so good, especially now since I just did a tune up on it this weekend with new plugs, cap and rotor, etc..... smooth as silk, even with 234,000 miles on it. I cant put anything less that premium gas (92 - 93 octane) in it or it knocks of course but I dont mind because I still believe the higher octane is better for the engine anyway. Otherwise, I get about 350 highway miles to a tank of gas, about 300 +/- miles around town driving per tank. The 02 sensor looks like its been on the exhaust pipe since day one...and I have no records from whoever owned it before me 5 years ago. Its an easy thing to replace of course. SO on that year and model, is the ECU in loop mode or still doing what it should be and regulating everything else? thanks for any info and suggestions. -Chris

Hello again, first of all, I took the advice on ordering suspension parts (control arm bushings) from ROCK AUTO PARTS and all I can say is THEY ROCK! great service, prices and fast shipping....I live in SC and every order I placed arrived in about 2 days time. Thanks for the tips! although replacing the actual busings in the control arms (rear end) is a bit of a bitch...I got it done, having to cut out the old ones and then grind the inner sleeves of the arms a bit larger for the new ones to slid into place using 2" diameter wire brushes and drill....and some drum sanding drill bits. Had to use a sawz-all to cut the metal sleeves of the old bushings out of the arms....they wont come out by sheer force or pounding! (at least not on a 1990 year pathy.) just cutting the metal sleeve of the bushing of course, not through the end of the arm. Ok my O2 sensor question....my ECU has always shown the flashing code for bad knock sensor, but the engine still runs fun and I am told by the mechanics that verified the code that its running basically at a "base-line" mode, at least until the knock sensor is replaced....but they said since its still running great...dont worry about it!! it's about $1000.00 to do in any shop, unless I do it myself. So for now...it stays as is. My O2 sensor has NEVER been replaced far as I can tell, and since the computer has the engine running at a static mode (or base-line), will replacing the sensor even matter as its maybe not being recognized anyway?? I unplugged it at the harness in the engine compartment and ran it like that for a couple of days to no noticable difference in operation or performance, so I reconnected it. so, with the ECU is baseline, is it going to recognize a new 02 sensor? I'm not sure how it all coincides and since a new one is about 100 bucks, I don't want to waste the $$ if its not going to matter anyway until the knock sensor is replaced and the code cleared. 234,000+ miles and still going great! thanks, Chris Racine

awesome link! My local dealer wanted like $29.00 for each bushing! so I think I will order from the link you provided and the diagram is great. Can't wait to "get 'er done" now. much appreciation! -Chris

Cool thanks for the info. I remember a couple of years ago when I was at the local Nissan dealership after they installed a new clutch (and did a poor job of it too! idiots.....) to get them to do their work CORRECTLY and I asked about a noise that was coming from my rear end (the Pathys rear end...not MINE lol) and they put it on the lift and suggested that my control arms were worn out and probably causing the "klunking" noise. BUT, of course....they didnt quote me to just replace the rubber bushings....they quoted replacing all four control arms! go figure. I'll shop around to find the bushings....probably just get stock ones as I dont really do any hardcore driving due to the age of my engine.....it has to last me a while longer!! with a new house now, and not a condo...I have a nice big garage so I am anxious to back to doing car work and such. Thanks again! -Chris

Thanks everyone for the tips. On the control arms, are the bushing replaceable or do you just have to get new control arms all together? I know on sway bars its easy to replace all the rubber bushings but its hard to tell on the control arms from looking at them on the vehicle. Since there is over 230,000 miles on the vehicle....I'm sure there pretty worn. But that engine still runs perfectly and gets 350 miles to a tank of gas! -Chris

ah true since it is a '90 and the rubber is probably dried out or even fallen off as I have seen on other vehicles now that I recall. thanks. -Chris

Seems strange but lately my '90 SE Pathfinder seems to "want to wander around in the rear end" when I accelerate or decelerate (without braking). Mine is a 5 speed with less than 8,000 miles on the new clutch. For example...just driving down the highway...straight line and all...then give it some gas....and I can feel the rear end wander to the right thus pointing the nose of the car to the left and if I pump the gas pedal over and over I can make the whole vehicle start just-a-swayin' down the road LOL. Basically when torque is applied to the driveline...the vehicle contorts or whatever you call it. I crawled underneath and all seems tight and it otherwise rides great. No lift kits, no hard driving in years, mostly stock other than K&N cone type air filter. Tires wearing normally, shocks not leaking or seemingly blown, springs not broken. Far as I can tell sway bars are tight and upper and lower control arms are normal. Lug nuts are all tight. No bearing noises. Engine runs normally and its not stuck in 4x4. Could it be broken motor mounts or tranny mount causing the driveline to move out of center when torque applied maybe? I cant check those too easily since I dont have a lift or can take the weight off the mounts to see. Just feels weird and embarassing as I wonder if cars behind me can see the ass-end of my pathy wandering around down the road LOL. I swear it was not always like that. Thanks for any suggestions or ideas. Sincerely, Chris with the ass-wiggling pathy.

Yeah I just emailed 94pathy to ask some specifics about replacing the knock sensor. Thanks for the tip! Hope yours is running good still since replacing the idle air control motor and solenoid! I have a sputtering idle with some fluctuation at idle and I am hoping it is just the knock sensor since the computer wont let the engine run at its best for the time being. If it still idles funky after replacing the knock sensor then I am looking at the Idle air control system next!! It still has great power and good fuel economy...just want it to idle better of course. It also has a K&N style pod air filter and that made a big difference in throttle responce and over all pep. I had black smoke at start up too for a while until it warmed up and it turned out to be the engine coolant temp sensor being erratic because the harness on it was about to fall apart from age and deteriation from cleaning chemicals and soforth. Mechanic managed to get it connected tight and bye bye black smoke (running rich). Thanks again....this forum and group is great. -Chris goign to check out ebay too for parts.

Looking into replacing my knock sensor (code 34) on my 1990 SE Pathy, so it will finally run its best. I know the air Plenum has to come off, but does the intake manifold have to come off also? Haynes manual shows where it is but that's about it. To pay a mechanic the cost of labor is more than my checkbook can handle....about $600.00 I've been told....that's not including the cost of the sensor ($129.00 to $195.00 depending on where you buy one) and the gaskets/seals. Nissan says my particular pathy doesnt have a knock sensor according to my VIN number...but my computer is programmed for one obviously and I was told it depends on where the vehicle was built. That was kind of confusing to deal with LOL. thanks, Chris Racine :help:

I think it sounds Great! I am a graphic designer and photographer...I'll see what I can come up with for you. Great vehicles and beautiful women have always gone together hand in hand....nothing wrong with the idea at all as long as it is done in good taste. I have one of my beautiful wife from her fitness/bodybuilding days with one of my older vehicles...but that was an RX-7 so that doesnt count LOL. Great site..I love it already and I am a newby! -Chris R. :cool2: