linewar

In'87 I was 8 years old and still riding 2 wheels, probably a blue frame with white mag wheels BMX knockoff from KMart that I beat the snot out of jumping it. My first car was a 93 Mazda MX-3 5-speed, after learning to drive in my Mom's 80 Delta 88 two-door with a 307 and TH350. That was a nice car. Learned stick in my Dad's 84 Nissan truck. No power steering or brakes, no A/C. Bare bones, but it taught me to love shifting my own gears. That MX-3 was about the size of a roller skate, but it got me back and forth to college for 3 years (and I regularly toted my drum set in it) when I sold it to my girlfriend. (later wife) She sold it to her Mom in 2004, with about 150K on the clock and my mother-in-law killed it in 2008 by bringing it to a less than reputable shop that disassembled the entire top end of the engine before telling her it needed a new head gasket, pay $1200 to repair it or $1000 to get it out of the shop. I was driving my current Pathfinder at the time, that's when I gave it to her and bought a Jeep Liberty CRD. That cheap little car sure went a long way in 11 years.

Here's my fuzzballs: Sasha is the Chiweenie (half-chihuahua half dachshund) and Booger, otherwise known as Agent Orange because he is incredibly destructive. They're good friends, but Booger doesn't like the way Sasha smells so he bathes her all the time. Booger also has a unique talent. . . fetching. I did not teach him to do this, he just does it. My wife and I got him from an adoption agency called Cat Haven in Baton Rouge, LA after my cat of 15 years (Impala, RIP) passed away. A day or two after bringing him home, he dropped a milk jug top at my feet and looked up at me. It was so much like a dog wanting you to throw something for them that I jokingly threw it. He went right to it, picked it up, and brought it right back. It is his favorite game; he will go as long as you will throw.

edicer, Here is a close up view of the top of the knock sensor. Sorry it's a little out of focus, but the words look the same except for the Nissan logo on it 180° from the harness plug. Here are two close-ups of the wire coming out of the harness on the sensor. I think this is where your plan runs into a speedbump; there is ony one wire exiting the harness from the area of the left prong. I can verify, however, that there are two wires at the other end of the harness because I spliced them both. It looks like the sensor is the same but you'll need the Nissan Maxima harness to connect it.

Yep, P0325. 4 years ago when I first scanned it and got that code, I literally did a Google search for the code and the how-to on the Nissan forums was the 4th or 5th entry in the search result. I'm sure glad that dude did the YouTube video, though. I have scanned it several times since and it is not throwing any codes but the emission light still comes up yellow instead of green. I have the $100 Innova scanner from Walmart. I'm tracking the mileage now via Fuelly and added the banner to my sig line. I filled up yesterday after only about 20 miles or so driving with the fix, and registered 14.6 mpg. It'll update as I go, but I've already driven about 70 miles and it's only just below the full line. Considering I was getting about 240 miles on a 17 gallon tank of gas, I think it's improved but maybe not as much as I'd hoped.

Yah, that was my hope when I searched "knock sensor relocation" and found nothing. How do I get a cool NPORA sticker like that?

Did it Saturday, and it was not as big as I feared. I just get really nervous messing with wiring because of the whole "point of no return" thing. The knock sensor on my truck has been bad since I last owned it in 2008. There was no MIL on the dash or anything, but I scanned it when I first got my scanner just for fun and found the code. Even back then, the relocation was pretty well established as a cheap fix for the problem. For those not familiar with this, the knock sensor is located under the intake plenums on the back side of the engine. It's about a $25 part, but $800 of labor at a shop because of having to remove the upper and lower plenums. It detects cylinder knock (incorrect detonation of the air-fuel mix) and the engine computer adjusts timing and air-fuel ratio to compensate. The sensor in a Nissan plays a passive role, so the engine may run fine without it functioning, but it will throw a code. Some years ago, someone discovered that you could mount a new sensor and splice into the existing harness to avoid the headache of removing the plenums, so I followed their lead and did it. This guy made a great how-to video on YouTube that I used to know what to do. The only thing about his video that is not 100% clear is the location of the second wire. When you cut into the cover and find the black-covered wire, the second wire is wrapped around the white wire inside the black cover and not separately insulated. It took a few minutes for me to figure it out, but if you notice in the video when he starts the splicing, that splice looks like it's sticking out of the insulation - that's because he put the splice on exactly where it exits the cut he made. Also, the part number he lists is for the wiring harness, not the knock sensor. The sensor itself has a separate part number that I don't remember, but can supply if someone is looking to do this mod and needs the part number. (I bought a package deal off eBay for the harness and the sensor) Overall, it's a relatively easy fix and should help my fuel mileage, since now the engine won't run rich to compensate for the bad sensor. Here are some pics of the finished product: Knock sensor bolted onto intake with harness looped to left: Prettied up where I did my splicing:

When we first installed them, I did it that way, but as you torque down the bolts, the bolt head begins to press through the rubber of the replacement grommets. If I did it over, I would re-use the facotry grommets since they are full-jacketed metal. (through the hole) That would just raise the issue of flexibility in the original grommets since the leak was caused by the gasket material losing all of its elasticity. When we backed out the first few bolts and flipped it around to rubber-side down, it made sense. The bolt grommet acts as a secondary gasket to the valve cover gasket itself to keep oil from slipping through the bolt holes. With the design of the replacement grommets, when you add torque on the metal side of the grommet, it smushes the rubber side down into the bolt-hole of the valve cover. Too much torque and bad things happen, the right amount of torque and it smushes in just right.

I think Utah looks beautiful in that pic. Oh and the rack is a nice addition as well. (I live about 15 miles from the Gulf of Mexico. I only see powdery snow like that when I vacation up that way)

I'm having trouble orienting where in the engine bay that is by the pic. Can you give me a general idea?

Nope. Is it on the passenger side or driver's side? We simply disconnected the hoses for both breathers.

A mechanic friend came over this morning and we knocked out the passenger side (US Models) valve cover gasket. That wasn't as big of a deal as I thought, it's just intimidating. Got the gasket and grommet set from Auto Zone, unplugged all the connectors on the cover and removed them from their mounts, and set them out of the way. The plastic connectors, being 16 or 17 years old and repeatedly exposed to high heat, cracked on two or three of them where you slide them off mounts on the valve cover. We moved everything out of the way, and wriggled the cover on out. Discovered immediately why it was leaking - the rubber gasket was hard and brittle, like rubber thats been sitting out in the sun for several years. That's why re-torquing the bolts did nothing to help the leak. If anything, it may have made it leak worse because the tightness is not the issue - it's the rubber of the gasket deteriorating past its function. Prying it out of the grooves in the valve cover, it came out in chunks. The new gasket was nice and pliable. I didn't like that the valve cover is held on with Phillips-head bolts, so I ran to the hardware store and got the same length and thread pattern metric stainless socket-head bolts. (Allen wrench) It's hard to explain exactly why I chose socket head over hex head, it kinda just felt appropriate. My only rational reason is that I was concerned about over-torquing a hex head. Everything went back in well, and for the connectors that broke where they mount on the valve cover, I used electrical tape and/ or zip ties to fix them in place. Sorry I didn't take pictures, but suffice it to say that the hardest part of this job was selecting new bolts. Oh, and also, if you buy the gasket set with the grommets for the bolts, remember metal side up, rubber side down. Unfortunately, soon the same will have to be done on the driver's side. Man I am REALLY not looking forward to having to remove that entire intake plenum. What a drag. But there are obvious signs of leakage (minor now, just wait. . . ) around the bolts, so it's a job that will have to be done - it's just a matter of when. Just a side note, with the cover off I noticed that the rocker arms of the back 1/3 were a darker brown than the ones near the front, where the oil filler is. Also the inside of the valve cover had noticeable sludge in it in their area. Is that a sign that the former owner didn't change the oil regularly enough, is it a sign of a coming issue with the oil pump, or is it normal due to the way the oil flow works across the rockers?

I drive mostly around town, but it's not exactly a lot of start-and-stop. I'd say pretty average. Oh well. Next project is the valve cover gasket and knock sensor relocation. Then timing belt, then save for new front half-shafts, Warn locking hubs, OME lift, and rims - Procomp or Cragar I reckon. I'm also assuming I'll get in there and see some 16 year-old bushings that need to be replaced. . .

Seems like it was the starter. A buddy came by yesterday and helped me pull out the old one; we brought it to Auto Zone and had it tested. It passed, but sounded kinda weak, so I bought a new one and we installed it. Fired right up. Here's a concern, though: the starter I replaced was obviously not the original. In fact, it looked as though it couldn't be more than 2 or 3 years old. I do have the leaky valve cover on that side.(driver's side valve cover doesn't look that bad - yet) Other than that oil leaking down onto the starter, could something else be causing it to go through starters?

The click (hearing it from behind the wheel) is coming from the engine bay; I think it's the solenoid clicking. Time for a starter change. Anyone ever done one on theirs? Is there a how-to somewhere?

Just got home and decided to try it again. Now, I get clicking when I turn the key. The "Security" light on the dash was off until I unlocked it, then it started blinking. That makes me think it's the starter, not the security system. However, I did have some problems in the past with the alarm system - once, my wife locked it with the door button, then when I unlocked it with the key fob, the alarm went off. But I don't think I'd get a clicking like that if it was the security system - I think it wouldn't make any sound at all.

Saturday, she stranded me at Taco Bell, replaced the battery, still nothing - not a sound when I turn the key, then I climb under and mess with the starter, and she starts. Then, Monday, same thing at the grocery store. Messed with the starter, and - nothing. Have been doing some research today, and it seems it could be the security system OR the starter. The key fob I used to have is gone and I have been using the key to open it and the door lock button when exiting. So, what say you? Security system, or the starter?

Ok, so I looked at that. . . . I have no idea what I'm looking at. I'm decent at mechanical stuff, when it comes to electronics. . . Fred Flintstone.

The cruise on my 96 seems to be non-functional. The only time I can get the "Cruise" light to come on in the cluster is if I hold down the "set" button and turn the separate switch to "on" at the same time. Then the cruise light will blink, but the cruise will not catch. Otherwise, nothing. Any idea where I should start?

Thanks for the welcome, everyone. Just ordered some replacement front marker lights from Rock Auto using the discount code in the Vendor's Section - a benefit of joining already! Next step is a more detailed analysis of her mechanical state. I don't remember the clutch requiring so much effort; apart from a VERY slight chatter taking off in first, it shifts just fine though. Once I am satisfied with that, then I believe an OME lift may be next. A lot of members on the Jeep forum I belonged to had OME lifts on their Liberties and were very happy with them, though I chose to go with a Bilstein adjustable strut setup. I hate that you have to get aftermarket wheels to fit it though - simple as they are, I like those stock wheels. (Plus I just spent $850 on those tires - maybe black Cragar 15" D-Windows?)

Hello all, My Pathfinder has an interesting story. I originally got her in 2006, after several months of research and comparison against the Toyota 4-Runner. At the time I wanted reliability over anything, since I was buying an older car in order to lower my debt load, and my conclusion was that mid-90's 4-Runners and Pathfinders with 4 wheel drive and a stick shift were as close to bulletproof as anything out there. I bought this 1996 4x4 5-speed (I believe it is an SE, because of the black grille, power windows/ locks, and rear LSD) from a dealer in Houston, TX, who had taken it on trade from the original owner, an older gentleman who retired to Houston from Apple Valley, California. (Why anyone would do that, I have no idea.) After 2 years of happy, relatively trouble-free ownership, my mother-in-law needed a vehicle. Wanting her to have something reliable, I bought a Jeep Liberty with a diesel engine, and gave her the Pathfinder in September 2008. 4 years later, she can no longer drive, so I picked up my old Pathfinder on Saturday. As you can see, "Betsy" is in need of some TLC - to start, two front marker lights. She also has a oil leak, not too too bad - about a half teaspoon per week - but any leak is something to be investigated and corrected, if possible. Also a lot of the original tint has gone bad. But she still starts on the first turn, shifts like the clutch is a leg-press machine at the gym, and there is no visible damage to the CV's on the front driveshaft, transfer case or front half-shafts. I was an active member at LOST Jeeps when I had my Jeep, so I am familiar with forum rules and courtesy. I look forward to learning more and meeting everyone.