gv280z

This isn't the first time I've heard negative sayings about the cvt, I don't think they last very long. I guess they get burnt up or something. I agree with Ahardbody, give me a good ole manual with a clutch anytime, even though my current pathy is an auto, I still wish it were stick. Manual shift drivers like us I'm afraid are a dying breed. Not very many people these days even know how to use one. There is nothing like rowing through the gears and wrapping out each one and just enjoying driving period.

Out of the ones you listed, the only ones that really get my attention is the VW's and the two Subies. I don't know anything about the Mazda's, the only Mazda that has popped up on my radar is the MX-5 and the RX-8 sporting the timeless Wankel. I'm proud of Ford for the focus (first Gen, I don't know if the new one is 3rd or 2nd gen but I don't like it styling wise), they've done a pretty good job on finally breaking into the subcompact hot hatch market and competing with the others. I'm sorry I just can't put the Koreans into the same class as these other cars, there's no way. The Veloster does look cool but I don't know anything about the engine or build quality..it's not really moving my needle (I'm so glad you're a mature bunch here and we don't have to worry about any hilarious 6th grade humor with a comment like that!) so I don't put much into it. GTI's are awesome and I'm really digging the new BR-Z / FR-Z from Subaru Toyota and I think to have a WRX would be a riotous good time. I would actually go with the WRX over the STI version for the softer edge and far less turbo lag, it'll be easier to drive around town and live with on a daily basis. I just wish they hadn't jacked it up with the new generation styling wise. The early 2000's looked awesome, sharp, tough and macho, the style was genius. I feel the same way about the same year model Nissan Sentra SER 2.0 and Spec V, those things were HOT! And then Nissan had to go and screw it up. Even though I think the looonnggg line of Mitsubishi Lancer Evo's are a little more technically proficient, slightly better race car, I'll always side with the Subie over the Bishi. I'm conflicted on Mitsubishi. Back to the point: My pick is the WRX over the GTI, point goes to japanese build quality and awd over front wheel dr. VW's are notorious and backwards, and they're interiors while great looking it seems they don't hold up over time. Infact, if the Subaru wasn't on the list, I'd go with the Mazda over the GTI even though I know nothing about the Mazda, I know it's well made and easier to support than the german. Actually, now that I think about it the BR-Z is way better looking than the new gen WRX so that poses a new conflict....BR-Z is rear drive with a boxer engine, makes me think dirty thoughts (cuz it's sexy as hell) and is a Subaru. The WRX is all wheel drive and turbo charged (is the BR-Z a turbo?) I think I would have to spend a little time with each one of these and do some research and test drive. One of these will probably put you more at ease and comfort and provide an overall feeling of One-ness, than the other.

Mine actually does that sometimes, even though it's turned to economy at the time.

This happens to me sometimes too, my feeling is it is the transmission didn't downshift for whatever reason. I usually only notice this while offroading that I seem to be stuck in 2nd gear, even though I've been at a stop for a few moments. When this happens, all you can really do is turn off the car and let it reset, turn it back on and drive on.

Just adjust the two nuts on the bolt on either side of the bracket that holds that big rubber stopper on, move the "inside" nut down or out a few turns (toward the bottom of the bolt), tighten up the outside bolt and that's it. I just went through this very same thing. I accidentally bent the crap out of the bracket holding the stopper. I had a jetski trailer hitched up and I opened up the rear hatch for some reason, and closed it, forgot to lock the tire carrier shut and I pulled forward, it swung hard and hit the front of the trailer and bent that bracket a full 90 degrees. I had to use a large wrench to bend it back so that the rubber stopper is facing the tire carrier light button / on / off switch when you close the carrier. Because of all this, my carrier rattled and I had to adjust those nuts to tighten it up. If you back both nuts down a little bit, it'll close tighter and the rattle will stop. I had to make this work so the rattling wouldn't drive my wife nuts cuz I didn't want her to find out I did something stupid and kinda messed up the latch! So, trust me, I know what I'm talking about!

Damn man...I think I would really try and find an engine for it, barring that then I would immediately yank the tires and rims, I think they should fit and look good, and grab the roof rack and then just try and part out the rest...but I think that would kinda be a shame, would really like to get it running again.

Precise 1 your truck is just about perfect, that is roughly my goal, if I could gradually spend the doh and get away with it without setting off the wife alarm, which is like moving at the pace of about a centimeter a month...I've already got my 31" tires, now I just want some cooler looking rims and do a spacer insert for the rear springs and crank the t bars in the front and then try to get it aligned, hopefully the alignment guys aren't like 'Well, uhh your cranked up too high in the front, we gonna HAVE to bring that down man!' Maybe in a couple of years I might be able to step to a 32" or 33" but the bigger heavier tires with the larger diameter raises the over all gear ratio which lowers torque and adds strain to the engine and drive train so I might just stop with the 32" x 11.50 But yes, you and I seem to fall inline as far as these things go, your truck looks great. Very smart.

Ever since I was a young guy, I don't know, somewhere in my teens or earlier maybe, I always wanted a 4x4. The Toyota in Back to the Future probably had a lot to do with it. Anyway, now that I've got one of course I want to play in the mud with it, and also wanted to be able to be useful in emergency offroad situations. As we all know this requires traction and clearance, & power and ofcourse what a rabbit hole that is to fall into. After watching offroading videos on Youtube for hours, and this one inparticular (not offroading vid but this guy is stuck in the mud, literally) http://safeshare.tv/w/kRRyGqbZGQ I eventually came to a realization about mudding and your vehicle and You: ANYTHING CAN GET STUCK. Boom, there it is. Seeing a 10" lifted monster redneck truck with 37" boggers get stuck (just a generic generalization from watching youtube vids) and the aforementioned guy stuck up to his knees in mud puts it all into perspective for me atleast. We put so much emphasis on tires and traction, but the reality is that even if you've got a set of TSL Super Swampers on your ride and you wander off into something deeper than 2/3rds the height of the tire (thick mud) with a stock ride height now you've involved the axles and the undercarriage, the chassis, and you gonna get stuck. With a lift ofcourse this is staved off a bit but the A-Arms and rear axle are still being dragged through the mud. So far I'm happy with my new Coopers, and only a small part of me..maybe 20% I feel like I want to upgrade to an M/T, put a bit of a lift, AND THAT'S IT! Psychologically I am set against allowing myself to fall down that rabbit hole when I KNOW bigger, meaner and WAAAAY more expensive trucks than mine get stuck in mud that they shouldn't have wondered into, Ofcourse this is akin to comparing a toddlers stride to an adult stride, but I guess (maybe it's just me) it's always kinda seemed like there was a point of demarcation that if you have Y=Tire size times Z=lift / truck size divided by HP, then X = NEVER GETTING STUCK....it's not true. For me, I'm not going to waste the time, effort or money. I love the classic look of my WD21 and don't want to mess it up. I know that stock this truck was one tough SOB and that I feel lucky to own one in good condition I haven't had to put that much in repairs to. I know this is a hard core offroading website where I guess it kind of IS the point to go overboard and enjoy setting your imagination on cruise control and BELIEVE me I get that 100% I don't mean to step on anyones toes, and some of you guys here have done some incredible things with your trucks. Personally for my life I can't allow myself to get caught up in some of that stuff. I do LOVE to tinker with stuff and invest lots of time and effort on trying to improve, re-invent, re-imagine and put my own personal spin on something. I used to be really into R/C cars and rock crawlers and playing with store bought toys and putting way too fast motors and hobby grade electronics and stuff into them somehow, even though they weren't designed for it. I get it. Maybe I'm getting older, maybe my wife has corrupted (straightened out) my imagination and drive to waste lots of time and money on fun but pointless projects, who knows. When I began to plan this post, I didn't know it was going to turn into this, didn't really mean for it to go on like this. Just meant to express a feeling and this all poured out, I guess after seeing that guy that got stuck while WALKING in the mud it made me think, if this guy can get stuck like that, anything can. Gotta get back to work! Almost time to go home too...gotta get some work done. Greg

31" Cooper AT 3 for now. I'd like to go bigger at some point but no more than 33", probably would stop at 32 x 11.50 / 15 and put a bit of a lift..some springs or spacers and crank.

Please forgive me, I had no idea all my Retarded was hanging out when I posted. I totally missed that you're driving a late model R50, which is fine, I just thought it was older. I get to reading different posts in here and forget sometimes to look at what people are driving, I forget they're not all WD21s. Yours is at the very tip toey end of the likeable Pathfinder line for me.

Your GPS doesn't know you're parked. Nice work, looks handy. What's even better is it's wet gloppy mud in the eye of everyone that thinks vehicles are trash just because they're a little older or from a different generation. (I DO feel that way about most American cars) Now here you guys are, the whole family unit out having a good time with everything loaded up in the faithful Pathy that would give its life to protect you and get you safely where you need to go. That's nice.

My first 1/4 tank usually gets me about 60 miles or so. There are only about a gazillion things that could be affecting your mileage: Tires under inflated, restrictive air cleaner (recommend drop in K&N by default, always) restrictive exhaust (mine is all stock btw) O2 sensor, your over drive is disengaged, old / bad cap and rotor / plug wires, spark plugs (NGK V-Power or Super G or platinum) old / dirty fuel filter under the hood, these are easy to change, dirty throttle body, dirty mass airflow sensor, get a can of MAF cleaner and spray inside the air filter box. Try running some really good gas i.e. Chevron / Shell premium and bottle or two of some Sea Foam or Lucas tune up in a bottle, or some STP fuel treatment. Look into getting a Gunk 3 step process performed at your local lube n tune shop. If the previous owner ever had any timing belt change and it was at a reputable place there should be a sticker / lable thing showing mileage performed at when you raise the hood, it'll be there on the front of the frame engine compartment, somewhere near the hood catch / release. This is just part of the process of you and your new ride getting to know each other, it'll take some time.

http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/topic/31473-hid-projectors-installed-w-pics/?hl=%20red%20%20lights I remembered seeing this so thought I'd just post it up for you. I gotta say though, this guy REALLY wanted this project to go through, I don't think I would have had the stones to pull it off. This wasn't just some simple remove and replace job.

I know from experience that soldiers serving at Ft. Lewis, WA do have access to an on base do it yourself shop that has open bays, tools, lifts, jacks and stands. It's near the southern most gate to I-5 toward Olympia. Only a small fee required, if any, I don't really remember.

Nissan's philosophy on car building: Design a GREAT engine and then build the car / truck / van / suv around that little jewel and the entire market shares the same bullet proof heart. The Big 3 U.S. auto maker philisophy: (excluding the 302 / 305 / 318 / 350 engines, okay...sheesh) design a basically crappy car and throw a basic low buck, low design engine into every different car. The domestic 4 cyl and inline 6 they put in the Jeep..I mean, what are they? Do they have a name and people talk about them i.e. KA 24, SR 20, or 20R, 22R, VG30? No, they're just basic hunks of metal designed to be as in-efficient and simple (not in a good way) as possible. I hate most of the waste of space and fuel domestic cars still running around this nation, I don't know why cars like the Pontiac sunbird or Buick LeSabre or Olds 88, Alero, Topaz, the K Car that somehow saved Chrysler from bankruptcy in the 80s and every car of this same ilk (I know I'm forgetting some huge ones) ever had to exist. It's embarrasing. The Cobalt, there's another one. These piece of crap basically throw-away cars. (I know South Korea is in this same category but hey, okay I'll give them a pass, they're getting better) Only in MAYBE the last decade errr half decade did Ford start making some actual good quality cars to compete with our Nissan Honda Toyota Mazda monopoly from Japan. I'm really proud of Ford for the Focus, I think they did a great job there. If I were a mechanic you couldn't pay me to work on any basic domestic jalopy from 1980 on up through the 90s. I once had a 1977 Toyota Celica ST with a 20R engine and a carb. Rear wheel drive, floating axle and 4 speed. Canary yellow and I loved it, it was a great car, I wish I still had it today, I'd drive it around town for damn sure.

I remember Elbe! Is that the little town that has the all the insane chainsaws in the gas station, and the Hobo inn out front? Man that's such a great drive going up through there, Hwy 7 I think it is? I know it went like from East gate Ft. Lewis: Spanaway then Elbe, Ashby, The Hobo Inn, then came the metal artwork guy, then the little cafe on the left with the alphabet made from tree roots, and then it was on up Route 5, or was it 6, the old logging road that wound up the foothills. I made that trip a bunch of times. If I were going to have a newer Pathfinder, yours would be the generation I'd want, post first wave of R50s but before the really big facelift in like 05..I don't like those.

I used to live in Washington, I really miss it. I lived in Mt. Rainier's shadow for 4 years. I actually saw Mt. Rainier cast a shadow from a rising sun twice, it was a perfect straight edge right off the (from NW looking SE) left jagged edge of the caldera.

Sad, Stupid, crazy...and interesting...For me, and this just hit me, the front end with the IFS held together through all that abuse, and lasted longer than the rear end! Everyone always talks about how a solid front axle is ofcourse much tougher than the independent dogbones / halfshafts but man wouldn't you have expected the front to break WAY earlier and infact it never did break. All the actual problems were body, rear end related. The engine of course had started smoking, burning oil but it was all still working, well enough to pull him off the car pile and over the mud berm into the pit.

You guys remember when this awesome freaking beast was let loose on the world back in the early 90s? We all went WOW!! with stunned faces and then the Government said "Ahh but there's a catch! Each State is allocated only (I forget which) 1 - 2 twin turbo 6 speed tranny Supras per year/month (again I forget the details)" What was it? Why the clamp on the number of allowed 6 speed tranny Supras, was it emissions or something? I'm sure I'm somehow mis-remembering and screwing this all up, I just read the wiki on the Mark IV and didn't see anything there on the regulated number of these.

Well I think I can safely tell you the sticking in shifting action from 1st to 2nd or 3rd to 2nd has nothing to do with your transfer case, more likely its just the synchronizers trying to line up. If your clutch isn't fully disengaging because the master cylinder and probably slave cylinder as well are worn / failing, that would also cause shifting problems. Start working on replacing one, then the other, I don't really see it would make a difference which one first.

The three most important things I tell my son about wheeling offroad ( and for those learning) I'm not ranking these in any particular order, if you make a mistake on any one you probably get stuck: 1. Pick your line carefully; 2 Don't go in the same deep ruts made by vehicles bigger than yours, you'll just get high centered, instead straddle and try to drive between the ruts; 3 Once you're in the muck and you feel your about to get stuck, don't stop! Just keep going and start working the front wheel back and forth to find some traction, keep those tires spinning with occasional blips of the throttle to clear the tires. These are my personal guidelines cause I'm always alone wheen wheeling so I have to be careful and don't have a winch..or a Wench too... Most issues you'll deal with while wheelin are in my estimation much more about traction than power / low end torque, you probably won't encounter any situations where you'd acutally need to shift into 4 Low.

To go into Neutral and then into 4 Low, the transmission must also be in Neutral, be it manual or auto.

well atleast with having 4 wheel drive capable on the Pathy, good tires up front, can shift into 4 hi in low traction / wet slippery condition and have good traction tires pulling up front. Like being in a front wheel driven car in the rain, there really low threat of spinning out.

why not just go find another used set of tires for the rear? Used tires are usually pretty inexpensive. Crap you can get 235/75 R15 Goodyear Radials from walmart for like $80 a tire brand new, not that you'd actually (*ahem/cough*) want a set..but as basic tires go...ehh, if I weren't trying to offroad and just wanted a decent tire I'd probably lean toward the Cooper Cobra Radial GT. Those look pretty cool in the 255 / 75 / 15" size and they're not that much..maybe $105 a tire.