hawairish

I wouldn't think so...the only sensors/switches that should contact fluid are ones that measure a characteristic about it. Doesn't look like it could support sealing anything anyway (the backside is quite irregular)... P/N is 31918-43X13

Ha, yeah those prices are USD. You mean when Canada and Mexico build those border fences?

Here's the website for Nissan of McKinney, btw: http://www.factorynissanparts.com/ I was in touch with Rob a few months ago when pricing LSD plates and discs. Their pricing is very competitive with Courtesy Parts.

Ha, yep For your entertainment: VQ35DE vs VQ40DE (If you want me to post those full-size pictures up, let me know.) I don't think the bellhousings will mate, but the angle of the blocks are different, and all the extra holes may be misleading. For sure, the exhaust gaskets are the same; looks like it's just a matter of moving studs around. The valve cover gaskets are also the same. The motor mount bracket attachment points look lower on the 40, but nothing a SFD doesn't help resolve! Wonder if the internals could be used as a stroker kit...

This is actually something I've been thinking about...swapping in the VQ40, that is. Small power gains over the V8, but I think it'd actually be a pretty direct swap (I'd want the transmission and maybe t-case with it). After all, it reads like a stroked VQ35DE. I'd almost be certain just swapping the motor mount brackets and motor mounts over would get it to sit in the truck, and that's a pretty good start.

LOL, just doing what I do (taking apart the truck endlessly)...

Sorry, didn't realize I had replied to your post earlier...I was starting to wonder why everyone is needing new tubes and seals all of a sudden...

Who needs limb risers when you could have A-pillar chainsaws? Lookin' good, Virgil!

All the torque info is in the FSM link that Slartibartfast provided. It's an extremely valuable resource. For you valve covers, not only does it give the torque, but also the recommended tightening procedure. See EM-34.

My temps are consistent with yours, almost exactly. Though, my needle never moves, stays just below the 50% mark.

The spark plug tube is serviceable, it's the tube seal on the VC that apparently isn't. Check this out: http://forums.nicoclub.com/vq35-valve-covers-t607238.html

Generally, replace parts when they: 1) Fail visual/functional inspection 2) Are worth doing it "while you're at it"...i.e., the cost of the part, relative to the labor process and cost to install it later, is small enough to justify replacing it now. 3) Are designated with a white X in a black circle in FSM diagrams, indicating "always replace after every disassembly". These are usually nuts in high-torque applications (suspension, engine) and gaskets/seals in fluid/oil applications. The strut mount nuts (p/n 01225-00231) satisfy #3. The strut bearing (54325-5V000) satisfies #2. The bumpstop boot assembly (54050-0W002) is a #1/#2 part in my book...it may look fine now, but if you doubt it will last another 30K+ miles (or whatever you want/expect the strut lifespan to be), just replace it. Some boots are a thin ABS material that will eventually reach a deterioration point and fail uniformly. They end up looking like a stack of shredded plastic rings, which may shorten strut lifespan if they allow dirt and salt into the strut. Parts like the upper seat, the upper insulator, or coil end sleeve tubes usually satisfy #1. You can re-use them if they're in good shape (no rust, tears, frays, crumbling, etc.). This usually depends on the age, location of the vehicle, and manner in which it's driven. Obviously, the costs of parts add up, especially if considering OEM. My personal preference about buying OEM vs. aftermarket is that unless I'm certain an OEM part will last 2x-3x longer (to justify its usual 2x-3x costs), I simply won't buy it. (But this doesn't mean I buy the cheapest parts either.)

^^What they said. Double Platinum NGK is spec'd in the FSM, p/n PLFR5A-11. See MA-20 in the 02 FSM Maintenance chapter.

Do you have aluminum or plastic valve covers? From a recent NICO discussion about the VCs, the aluminums appear to use a different coil pack for the #1 cylinder (passenger, front of engine) than #2-#6 because they have a raised boss on them for #1. The plastic covers (2002+) use 6 of the same coils per Nissan (at least for my 04 with plastic covers). Here's the thread: http://forums.nicoclub.com/vq35-valve-covers-t607238.html

It'll definitely be more expensive. Personally, I'll only go with OEM if I must. I mean, would you buy an OEM shock over an aftermarket one? I think you can get plenty of satisfaction from aftermarket parts, and at a fraction of the costs of OEM. Almost always, a single OEM part number represents a single part without accessories/hardware. There are exceptions where the part number is instead an assembly. In order to know the difference (and to get p/ns in general), I use parts.nissanusa.com and courtesyparts.com.

These would be the best, in my opinion, because they have 100mm center bores and integrated hub rings, effectively making them Nissan Truck/SUV-specific. But they're also almost twice as expensive as those without hub rings, and you can also buy hub rings for the universal spacers (but it doesn't put a hub ring between spacer and wheel, of course). 1.25": http://www.ebay.com/itm/321653315154 2": http://www.ebay.com/itm/321885328466

The OEMs don't come with spacers...but that's because there's two OEM numbers for them depending on production date. Pre-12/98 models don't use a spacer. Post-12/98 models use a mount that has the spacer incorporated. The aftermarket ones will fit all R50s because they include spacers, but it only gets used where needed. 54320-0W000 (strut mount only, for pre-12/98) and after-market (generally include spacer, strut bearing, nuts): 54320-2W100: Note the "spacer" already incorporated in the mount.

Got a link? It'd help to know (or attempt to know) the brands of the parts involved. A lot of the parts quality is probably subjective, but the ball joints are probably the most important item in that list and you don't want to skimp on them if you can avoid it.

So the pedal won't even compress a little bit? Does it seem like a hard/mechanical stop? With the truck off, the ABS shouldn't be a factor, and I don't think even a mal-adjusted LSV would lock the line either. Seems a bit puzzling indeed...

I had this problem last year. Same symptoms: fired right up when it sat, but when already warmed up, wouldn't start without a little gas...then it's like nothing happened. I can't remember the code it threw, but it was related to a high idle (it ran about 1K at idle when warm). I pulled off the throttle body to clean some accumulated junk, cleaned the intake tubing, checked all the hoses/lines for fitment/cracks, and did the pedal position learning process 5523Pathfinder described, as well as two other processes: throttle valve closed position learning, and idle air volume leaning. Solved the problem in the short term...it eventually threw the code again, but I just did the reset/re-learn once more and haven't had the problem since. Both procedures are described in the FSM here in case you're not aware of them. See EC-73.

If you can get the complete 3rd member with the same gearing, you can just swap the whole thing for minimal price difference and work. Some Frontiers and Xterras had the same gear ratios (be careful about the HG43 and HG46 axle codes; there were two ratios for each), and there were different torque ratings by model and year. You can use the LSD carriers from any 33-spline diff, but if the gear ratio is different, you'll have to put your current ring gear onto the carrier and set it up like XPLORx4 mentioned.

This is one of those things that always raised an eyebrow when I read it. It came up on some Jeep forums I used to frequent. The guys breaking D30 have probably gone up 5 tires sizes and kept stock gears and couldn't figure out why things broke. To put things in perspective, a D30 ring gear is about the size of the R180A ring gear. Yeah, 35" tires will work, but something's got to give eventually. But, it'd probably do just fine for a more moderate setup. I have a hard time liking the Waggy D44, though. It's just an old axle. Personally, I'd sooner try a JK D40/D44 with wheel adapters, if it offered some possibility of re-using the coil perches, link mounts, or ABS setup (even if it meant custom tone rings), but I'm sure it's not that cut-and-dry.

Yeah, a little big, but manageable. You had to file a corner on the socket (the opening on the truck) to make it fit, but otherwise it fits snug and stays in?

How well do those Carling switches fit in those sockets? Did you have to file/cut anything down?

It's been tried, though, if you're looking for the option... http://www.nissanpathfinders.net/forum/topic/29415-r50-steering-stabilizer