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BikerJared

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    audio wiring

    in 90-95 WD21 Pathfinders

    Posted

    I wish I had asked this question. I'll be digging through these links tonight.

     

    I used the factory wiring and cut the amps out. I'm not running massive speakers up front, (Infinity Kappa Perfect 6.5" components). I couldn't figure out how to get wires into the doors.

    '91 SE Pathfinder

    in 90-95 WD21 Pathfinders

    Posted

    I've seen them somewhere -- seems like these boots rip frequently on the trail and there are kits you can take to button them up. I'm not sure if that's exactly what you're asking for.

     

    Your truck looks almost the same as mine (mine's a 94 but I don't know if I could tell them apart). The lift looks really good.

     

    Here's mine for a comparison of stock:

     

    6686298641_b865e2a2eb.jpg

    Pathfinder Engine Questions

    in 90-95 WD21 Pathfinders

    Posted

    Thanks for the responses. I'm still shopping engines and trying to find one in good shape.

     

    Nefarious -- I dig the 3.4 for the compression ratio increase. That increases efficiency the most because you're then able to convert more of the explosive/heat energy into motion. You're right though -- looks like a ton of work to get it right.

     

    A turbo would be fun, but the heat and lag add more stress on everything overall. I may go that direction someday though.

     

    Does anybody have any details on what My1Path's engine build is like? His build seems the simplest with good results. I wont be doing a lot of the work myself -- I've got a shop that is interested in it. They want as much info as possible though before they start.

    Building a VG34 and installing it in my '88 Pathy

    in The Garage

    Posted · Edited by BikerJared

    Ah -- thanks for the clarification. I'm looking at buying a 3.3 right now to at least do the swap. I'd like to add cams/bore/pistons like Mr.510 has.

     

    I deal with software though -- the biggest thing I've done on a car is replace a starter and headers. :) If somebody was building these and I could just order one, it would give me an easier (though more expensive) option.

    Pathfinder Engine Questions

    in 90-95 WD21 Pathfinders

    Posted

    Not sure if this should go here or garage. I've got a 94 Pathfinder with Thorley headers and a stock VG30E.

     

    I've been planning on building out this truck for a few years and am finally to the point where I gotta start buying stuff.

     

    What I want:

    Gobs of power, but as good of MPG that I can get. I imagine this rules out FI solutions. I like the idea of dropping in a 3.3L + cams + possible bore to 3.4L with VQ pistons.

     

    Questions:

    1. Will my Thorley headers work on a 3.3L? (I'm guessing that minimum that they bolt holes will need to be bigger.) Nobody seems to make decent headers for these cars anymore...

    2. I've got two VG33Es local (one for $800 with 119k and one for $650 with 114k and finally one for $735 with 89k). Is it less trouble to buy one from a junk yard or to get a JDM motor? What should I look for in choosing a motor? I gotta pull this trigger quick before these motors are picked up by other shops.

    3. It seems like Mr.510 and Project Pathfinder used the VG30 heads on their VG33 bottom ends? (I actually wasn't entirely sure with Mr.510's but it seemed that way.) Why do people do that and not just use the VG33 heads with a bored bottom end?

    4. Finally, I'm a software engineer and not a mechanic by trade -- can somebody recommend a mechanic in Utah or Salt Lake Counties that would be willing to take on a project like this? I'm willing to take a crack at it in my garage, but I don't want to ruin stuff. :)

     

    Thanks in advance!

    Building a VG34 and installing it in my '88 Pathy

    in The Garage

    Posted

    So, is Mr.510 doing these swaps for other people or just going forward on his pathy? :)

     

    FYI for all those going this route, you do not need to cut and weld the tab on the water pipe, Simply bolt it to the bottom hole on this bracket and everything fits just fine. This is how I did it and this is how Mr510 is now doing his future swaps.

     

    Improve MPG?

    in 90-95 WD21 Pathfinders

    Posted · Edited by BikerJared

    If you don't trust your gas gauge, when my idiot light comes on, I routinely fill up with 17-18 gallons of gas.

     

    I'm at 4500 ft elevation in Utah, and before I installed any mods, I was averaging 18 MPG. I've got headers and new exhaust and I'm barely scraping 22 MPG if I drive nice. What you're describing means you drive like a nut, or there is something wrong with the truck.

     

    It could be a number of things, a mechanic will be able to check them all out. If you know what you're doing, I'd at least check spark plugs and compression. That's generally simple to do. Next I'd look at injectors. If you have a Service Engine Soon light (commonly referred to as a CEL or check engine light), get that checked out. I had an O2 sensor die last winter and my MPG went from 18 to 12. The light came on and the code came back that the system was running lean. Actually, the O2 sensor had died and was reporting bad data.

     

    Once you've done that, there are knowledgable people here that can help you take the next steps. As a software engineer, what I've described above is the limit of my experience. A good Haynes manual also has some good diagnostic procedures that you could try on your own.

     

    Good luck.

    Gaping the spark plugs?

    in 90-95 WD21 Pathfinders

    Posted

    Also, you can usually get a cheap measurement tool at a parts store.

     

    Unless the gap is way off though, I don't think you'll notice a big difference in power.

     

    It seems like you may be shooting in the dark here - have you done any diagnostic work to get to the root of the problem?

    Doug Thorley Headers Installed

    in 90-95 WD21 Pathfinders

    Posted · Edited by BikerJared

    Hey William - could you start a new Group By thread for this? Its a bit off topic for this thread. I haven't spoken with JWT, but based on the Doug Thorley GB, we'll probably need 10 people to pull this off.

     

    @RustFlames I've never done this before either - I have no idea how money works or anything like that. @Steeevo put the Doug Thorley one together.

    Doug Thorley Headers Installed

    in 90-95 WD21 Pathfinders

    Posted · Edited by BikerJared

    @William : Will do. I hope he can work something out.

     

    @Alkorahil : I lost the paper with my codes. I'll pull them again tonight. Its getting bad too. I'll go to accelerate from stops and the car will barely move in 1st and second gear.

     

    @fixinto : Here is the plug. Anybody know what this is? (Right in the center - kind of dark though. Its resting on the wheel well).

    8393234920_840088ab26.jpg

    Doug Thorley Headers Installed

    in 90-95 WD21 Pathfinders

    Posted

    I considered the S1 cams. Most of my driving though is > 60 mph as I use the truck to commute. The S2s give me power exactly in that range and provide better fuel economy. That's my only reason for going that direction. If I did more off road or city driving, the S1s would be the only option.

     

    I am planning to swap the bottom end for the VG33 + some VQ45 pistons at some point. I asked JWT about it and they said they'd redo the map for $100 - which for me, makes it worth it. I'd prefer to not drive the car super lean for longer than I have to.

    Doug Thorley Headers Installed

    in 90-95 WD21 Pathfinders

    Posted · Edited by BikerJared

    Alkorahil - I pulled the codes and wrote them down. I didn't forget about your question! From memory, one was 12, (MAF related) and another was a lean condition iirc. I get the full set and post them.

     

     

    fixinto - So, this makes me wonder. On the passenger side of the car, there is a plug that's not plugged into anything - right next to the exhaust manifold. It was so close that I tucked it under some nearby conduit because I was afraid it would melt. I wonder if that used to plug into an O2 sensor. I'll take a picture and post it tomorrow. MAF was cleaned when the headers were installed.

     

    tungsten - I'm running 2.5" crush bent annodized pipes through a Magnaflow muffler of some sort. Everything except for the cat was replaced. When the truck runs well, it has a lot more power than it used to. It's a totally different truck. I'm very happy with that.

     

    I've checked the plug wires (all within tolerances). I've also replaced the PCV valve without any luck. It seems to act up the most when its cold, but lately its been bad even when the engine is at operating temp. If I'm on the highway though, it runs fine.

     

    This is leading me to think that the change has the ECU out of its mind or that the MAF is bad. If I'm missing an O2 sensor though, I'll be annoyed because it doesn't look like there's a bung for one on the headers. Are there two O2 sensors on these trucks or just one? (My both my B14 Sentra and B15 had two, and if you left one off, it would freak out).

     

    In regards to the cams - I talked to Ben at JWT. It sounds like I want the S2 cams, valve springs, ECU program and pop charger.

    S2 Cams : $560

    Springs : $129

    ECU : $595

    Pop Charger : $159

     

    That's a decent stage two upgrade. Ben said if I bought everything he'd cut me a deal on the pop charger and may be able to work with me on other things as well. He said that they can program the ECU there and mail it back. I figure its not as good as a dyno tuned one, but close enough. Ben actually owns a pickup in the same gen as my Pathfinder and I guess it shares lots of parts. He didn't think it would be a problem at all to setup the program the way I like it.

     

    If anybody does a group buy on any of those parts, let me know, cause I'm in. I plan on doing this either way in the spring (April/May timeframe).

    Doug Thorley Headers Installed

    in 90-95 WD21 Pathfinders

    Posted

    So, I went to take it back to the mechanic yesterday morning. It was really really cold. I started it to let it warm up a little and smelled what I thought was lots of exhaust from the front of the car. I walked around looking for steam spewing out of the newly installed exhaust, and didn't see any.

     

    I popped the hood and saw gas spraying out of a rubber hose coupling near the front of the engine - all over the engine heads!

     

    I tightened the clamps on the hose and stopped the leak - shut the car off, and dried everything out. It wasn't a part that they would have removed in order to do the work, and I think that the weather is so cold, that the pipes that hook into that rubber tube shrunk at a faster rate than the rubber tube and made enough of a gap to spray gas. I'm just glad I caught it.

     

     

    Anyway, I drove it down to the mechanic and they said it was running really lean (understandable). They cleaned the MAF, reset the codes and gave it back. (They also unplugged the battery for about 5 hours and let it sit).

     

    Two blocks away, the CEL came back on. Its only on when the weather is really cold. Right now in Utah, its about 3* F with a -4* F wind chill (on 3mph winds). Possibly colder in some places.

     

    I started it this morning and let it warm up a bunch and it drove just fine. Since my next steps are cams/intake/ecu, I'm going to give JWT a call and see what they think.

     

    As far as power/mileage goes, I've noticed significantly more power. I've been tracking my gas mileage for about a year to establish a baseline before I do all my big changes. After a few tanks, I'll have a good idea of how the headers improved things.

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