hawairish

As djratlif mentioned, aftermarket caps are hit or miss. I've used Stant caps with good luck; dirt cheap compared to OEM. $36 from your dealer sounds steep for OEM, too...I'd think they're closer to $20-$25 online. The Stant was a few bucks (and 5% off coupon for Rock Auto in the vendor's section). I actually just replaced mine the other week; it was throwing a similar code on my R50 (I had a hunch my old cap was too loose even before the MIL came on). How is the fitting on the cap when you both tighten and loosen? (What's the brand and p/n, btw?) If it comes off too easily after it clicks closed, that could be a sign of a bad fit. Your local emissions station may also be able to test it (for a fee?), but otherwise, I'd just keep the receipt and the old cap. I also wouldn't go replacing anything evap-related without first just checking all the hose fittings on the evap stuff. A lot of that stuff is just hoses. The canister you're talking about should be close to the fuel tank at the rear of the vehicle; the FSM should show it's exact placement. It's usually just a black box with some hoses coming from it. Also, you won't hurt anything by driving it under this condition. The ECU might make minor alterations to the fuel delivery, but nothing that would damage the engine. You're also fine reseting the code as you did (hopefully without the other battery issues!), though you might be more content just letting the AutoZone guys doing that for you with a scanner. Also, some codes trigger at first detection and take multiple (usually >3) detections to turn off the MIL. On a parting thought, and just to be sure, you are turning off the vehicle before opening the cap, and not starting it while the cap is off? Those will immediately throw a code.

You might want to stop the presses...those are the HD springs for the R51. It's the snot green background. There's only one option for the R50 (same price though). (Admittedly, I've done the exact same double-take on that page before.)

Heh, sorry, I meant to imply that I didn't know HD rear springs existed, only MD. The fronts had 3 flavors, though. P/N 2922?

You do NOT need to remove the upper links or bump stops as seen in the pics. They're off because I was changing the bushings and extending the bump stop, while adding spring spacers. Removing them doesn't make it easier (removing a link, let alone a single bolt link, is a B.. as is) You will need 4 jack stands and a good floor jack. Two jacks support the unibody under the rear doors, and two will support the axle. The factory scissor jack will work, but I'd avoid using it. You want the full weight of the vehicle on the axle when you put the axle on jack stands, and probably the jack stands at their top point. (You don't have to worry about this toppling over, either...the links and PHB keep everything stationary.) I mentioned to put it between the shock mount and hub, but I now remember needing to move it inward against the shock mount, as shown in the top pic to get a better pivot point. You can see the silver jack stand in the back of the first pic...the truck is just barely off that on the driver's side; on the passenger side, it's still on a jack stand and prevents the body from rolling. Use the jack to lower down one side of the axle until the spring is loose (or the hub is on the ground), then lift the spring up to clear the lower pad before pulling it down/out. A rubber mallet adds some persuasion if needed; you can also loosen/remove the bump stop (12mm socket and short extension) for wiggle room. If the hub is suspended in the air and the jack is down, just lean on the brake drum a little...the link bushings will flex...just mind the brake line. From there, put the spring back in, jack up that side of the axle to put the jack stand back, then repeat on the other side. Also...OME "HD" springs?

No need for compressors on the rear. Pull the shocks and disconnect the swar bar at the end links. Lift the axle at the pumpkin and put jack stands under the axle between the shock mounts and hub. Lift one side of the axle close to the shock mount, pull the stand, and slowly lower the axle down until the spring is loose or the hub is on the ground. I'll post a pic of the setup in a bit. I used this method on my R50 with OME springs and 2" spacers the other week, but used to do it on my Wrangler, too. Really easy.

Hey brc19761, glad you got this sorted and that it was trivial. We've probably all beat ourselves over small oddities that get the better of us. About the procedure you tried...sounds like when you started the vehicle up after entering the self-diagnostics, you likely put it into its O2 sensor mode. (At least that's what happens on my 04; the OBDII procedure is the same it appears). The SES light will flash two indicate running rich/lean at the O2 sensor. That's probably why you couldn't get the pattern (there wasn't one). When I do it, I use the stopwatch on my iPhone and just remember 3, 15, 25. Sync the stopwatch start with Key-ON then: At 3s, 5 gas pedal stomps (within 5s) At 15s, gas pedal stomp + hold At 25s, SES light flashes. If you don't have it already, an 08 FSM is available at Nico here: http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Pathfinder/2008_Pathfinder/ EC-53 describes the OBDII diagnostics; EC-67 explains the steps and how to read the patterns, reset the codes, or jump to different tests. Good luck!

Sorry, I meant strut bearing not wheel bearing. And adding to what the other guys just mentioned, excessive vibration would be bad for those manual spring compressors. I used a 1/2" ratchet, and my Popeye forearms. On the particular set I rented, I did have to re-insert the safety clevis pins from the other side because the pin heads wouldn't clear the spring otherwise. (I remember thinking that was probably an indicator to get different spring compressors . But, again, no issues whatsoever. A little grease on the threaded rod helps; probably a good idea to make sure the threaded hook twists freely up and down the threaded rod before using them.

You'll also need the upper spring seats rubber seats (top and bottom). If you've not done it before, I'd remove and disassemble a strut first before assembling the new ones, even if you think you have all the pieces. It doesn't take much time to disassemble or assemble them. The FSM has all the torque settings and parts explosion. You'll need to torque the wheel bearing to spec (43-58 ft*lbs). The upper spring seat has markings that need to be aligned properly. Mine had a "W" that pointed toward the wheel, and a notch that aligned to the back of the strut body. You should be able to tell pretty quickly if the upper spring seat needs to be turned because it'll sit awkward on the threaded strut shaft. I can see the notch on the upper seat in Tad's picture, so I'd say that needs to be rotated 90°. (And if you don't believe me, it's in the FSM.) I did this the other week to install taller strut spacers and bolts. I had also never replaced struts before. I needed to disassemble the strut to do so because the heads of the bolts didn't clear the upper spring seat. Each took about <20 minutes to do with rental compressors (the basic threaded bar types) and sockets/ratchets. I had no problems compressing OME MD springs. I don't consider it difficult at all, just be aware of safety considerations. I wore thick leather gloves, eye protection, didn't put my hand anywhere inside the spring (palmed it flat on the concrete), pointed the spring ends away from anything that matters (face, kids, car), and worked carefully. Also, if you use the rental compressors, spread out the hooks as far as possible. I've seen a few guys complaining that they didn't work because they tried compressing only the inner wraps. I had them compressed in 1-2 mins with steady/alternating tightening. Also, a box wrench around a strut bolt on the upper mount prevents it from spinning while loosening/torquing the nut to the shaft. Otherwise, you can torque it after it's installed on the truck. The toughest part I had was keeping the wheel hub and LCA balanced enough to re-install the completed assembly back on the truck. I had to disconnect the sway bar on both sides so that I could move it up/down for clearance. I started by getting a nut on an upper stud so it could be suspended from the strut tower. You also have to be careful about the bottom of the strut resting on the CV boot, and careful about the wheel hub tilting outward as Bushnut mentioned.

My Wrangler had the same fading issues....very common on the flares and bumpers (and soft top). A lot of Jeepers recommended Back to Black. I used it and Armor All, and wasn't terribly impressed by either. The B2B worked best, but required a few coats and didn't last nearly as long as expected (probably because of the AZ sun/heat). I was tempted to try the heat gun, but applying heat to plastic didn't seem appealing enough, though the Youtube videos were pretty convincing. I gave up on keeping up in the end. So Pav, does WN leave some sort of residue or shell over the plastic or something? This is the stuff that works on headlights, too?

I was telling duke90 about these guys: http://www.jcroffroad.com/PLST.html. All Jeep stuff. They've got a line of DIY bumpers for $300-$400 shipped free. You just fold the pieces up, weld the seams, and finish it. I figure you could probably weld up everything except the bumper mounts, fab your own mounts for the R50 (or any vehicle really), and be done with it. They even have a winch version. I think the width is right for the XJ/MJ, but it isn't as tall of course so it probably shows some stuff.

Hey Jeff, I chatted with you on eBay a bit; sorry I've been so lousy about giving you a call. Glad you found the forum and posted up. I've been really satisfied with your spacers. The user whose pics are in your auction (borninabarn) is also on this forum and originally posted your information up here. I want to get an additional set of 1" or 1.5" struts spacers from you to add to the kit. I'll shoot you a PM later about that. I think we also chatted very briefly long ago about a particular modification, called a subframe drop (SFD) on R50 Pathfinders to get past the hurdle of more than 2" of strut spacers. You can see the results of my custom 2.5" SFD here. I currently have 2" of spacers (your 1.5" plus another .5"), but should have no problem at 3" and maybe 3.5". I plan to release a DIY version and information for the SFD to the community in the coming weeks. Both you and another member (fleurys) make a great product, and I'd like to reference both of you as part of it. (PS, you may want to reach out to the moderators about wanting/needing to post to the Vendors section). I'm sure a lot of the guys would like to see an updated price list if you've got one, too.

I liked that one also. Seems beefier than the aftermarket one. Good looking trucks, both of them. And yes, nice garage CDN_S4.

Why is there a wad of grass up there anyway? Woodchuck nest? Seems like that area might have made solid contact with a hill or ditch at some point judging by how well packed it looks. I'd pull that out and inspect the crossmember and t-bar anchor just in case. The tension rod bracket does look a little shifted, too; the bottom doesn't sit square like the passenger side. Does the tension rod or lower control arm look bent at all? I'd still crawl under and see if there are some reference points you can measure from my other post with the body alignment points. It's free (albeit free-zing out there in IL). Got any better pics of the tension rod and bracket?

Can you get a picture of that torsion rod (bar?) area? The way you described it (if a torsion bar) seems odd...I'd imagine a very noticeable bend, among several other things, if anything was encroaching on a torsion bar. You should definitely post up a pic in the WD21 board and get some other opinions there, too. No problem on the sleeve; I'll never use it. No worries on shipping, either (got your PM). A youngin', but all good. I was up the road at CDO . My folks were out at DMAFB; you spend any time there?

This is probably everything you need to know about the body: http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Pathfinder/1990_PATHFINDER_Body_Repair_Manual.pdf Check page 22 for the frame measurements...this could at least narrow down how bad your frame might be off. This is for a 1994 model, but should come in handy on a lot of stuff for you: http://www.nicoclub.com/FSM/Pathfinder/1994_Pathfinder/

And about the alignment stuff...if you don't see any visible frame damage, it may be the steering components. I'd check for bends on the tie-rod end links and the center link, and other steering components. Can the truck simply not be aligned, or doesn't hold an alignment? If it veers, the first thing I usually check is tire pressure of all things. On a truck like yours, I'd also check the rear axle...leaf spring mounts and perches for any signs of shifting (um, I think these were leaf sprung trucks :-). You can use a tape measure to square/compare things all around. I know the newer FSM's have diagrams that show the measurements between frame/unibody points to check for square and alignment. Aside from having to roll around on that freezing pavement, at least this is also a free way to check on things.

No prob! Probably worth changing the front and rear diff fluids too, in case you have any doubts about the previous owner's maintenance habits...ha. Hope the frame damage isn't too bad...whole truck looks pretty straight from the pics. Is there visible damage? For the radio, Google/eBay/Amazon for "ND-K770". This is a $10 insert that moves the mounting surface out. It looks like it's for a knob-style radio, but you knock out those pieces, mount the radio's installation sleeve to it, mount it to the truck, and then insert the radio into the sleeve. Doesn't look like the install sleeve is on the radio, though, which you'll need. I've got a Pioneer sleeve sitting around, as well as the removal keys...should work fine with your Pioneer since I doubt they've changed the sleeve. What's the model number on the radio? I can tell if it'll work pretty quickly. They're yours if you want them; you'd just need the plastic trim ring to finish installation look. PM me your details and I'll drop them in the mail. Also, is the 80 in your handle a ref to birth year, and did you go to HS in Tucson?

Well, pseudo-Tucsonan anyway. Moved there during HS, then went to the UA. I'm up in Phoenix now after a 4-year stint in the Twin Cities and Chicago. But yeah, Peppersauce...tons of memories there. The last couple times I had been out there, though, the local ranchers had been letting their cattle graze too much...cow pies everywhere at the main spots. But, we usually went further in, too. That's the big perk about AZ...rust isn't an issue. The main thing is to chip away all the crusty stuff and brush off the surface stuff so that if you put some protective spray on it, it won't just flake off with the rust. You can probably also get matching rattle can paint from DupliColor (love that blue, btw.) in addition to some rust-protection primer (some other rust-belt guys might have suggestions). There's also DIY rhino-lining. But some of the spots there might be a lost cause unfortunately, in particular the fenders. The goal at this point is to prevent additional rust...short of replacing the front fenders, you'd probably want to see how the inner wheel wells are holding up, too. I'm pretty sure Hardbody fenders are an exact fit. If the door lock specialist charges more than $30 or so, I'd think about skipping on the service. You can buy replacement lock and key sets on eBay for both doors for pretty cheap. I'd look into door panel clips while you're at it, also very cheap (you'll likely break them when removing the door panels, if you go that route. And it looks that radio just pulls out! Surely too deep for that opening, and probably the cause for some shorts or bad connections. The good news about everything is that they're pretty easy things to tackle, a fairly inexpensive, too.

Welcome, Kevin. Mt. Lemmon...man, haven't been up there for a while. Lived in Tucson about a decade and got up there occassionally. Did a fair amount of camping on the backside up in Oracle. Good little spot. The rusted fenders should be an easy fix with replacement fenders. But if you're going to be in IL for a while with hopes of bringing it back here to AZ, I'd just wire brush off whatever rust you see and put some protectant spray/sealant over them. The IL winters will trash any new stuff, especially if you don't get them primed/painted. If the hole is bad enough and you just need a temp patch, there are a few options. I'd keep it simple with sheet metal, rivets, adhesive, etc., just for the sake of keeping the elements out and promoting more rust. No key for the door locks? Did the guy change the locks or something?

My bad, I overlooked that. Since you've done all the big items, I'd be looking for something trivial and cheap: If you went with OEM bushings on the arms (front and rear), were the bolts torqued when the vehicle was on the ground? Replace the steering rack bushings if you have those available. It's not too difficult to replace them, just need a 21mm socket and a breaker bar to get things started; 4 bolts. Probably wouldn't hurt to shake a few things to check for play. Also wouldn't hurt to go around and give all the bolts you see a good torque-to-spec. If you haven't replaced the struts, see if you can get a friend to follow beside you on a road and watch your tires. A worn shock (and/or unbalanced tire) can show up-down bouncing while driving. I see it all the time on vehicles; on an axle (real or absent), one tire is bouncing away while the opposite tire is riding steady. Lastly, as fixinto was alluding to, the vibration could originate from somewhere else. A bad (or loose) mount (tranny or motor) could cause excess vibration; the steering system would likely be the most susceptible to it.

I had a bad shake as you described, and at those same speeds. Aside from the SFD, the only change to my front suspension recently was changing the LCA bushings from rubber to poly. No vibrations, even with Duratracs (which I'll stop blaming for the wobble), and I haven't even gotten it aligned yet. I'd try to get a look at the LCA bushings...in particular the front ones, and see if you spot any cracking on the rubber or if the inner metal sleeve looks a little off center. If you see any cracks in the rubber, the bushing is likely already shot.

Yeah, those look pretty sweet.

I might try to talk you out of the 1.5" SFD, btw. The subframe spacers are fine, it's the motor mount spacers to think about—not because of the discussion above, but because the two studs on the motor mount that attach to the subframe are too tall to allow for additional bolts underneath them. You'd have to consider cutting down all 4 of the studs a little, or consider drilling a hole in the subframe between the two existing holes and using a single bolt. However, I think welding a nut to a round tube to a bolt would make a perfect twist-on spacer. If we talk in the spring, I may have a nice solution by then.

Oh, and she rides great. Ride in the rear is much firmer than before...I think part of this is the shocks (I'd prefer to have kept my OMEs), but much of it is the poly bushings all around. She's definitely more truck-like now; does feel a bit of the bumps, but handles corners and accelerating/stopping well. It's definitely exposed some new plastic rattles! Some of the OEM bushing sleeves pressed out too easily; they bushings were trash. I think I may eventually do the panhard rod bushings, too, since I'll need to drop that anyway. The interesting thing is that my steering vibration around 50-60mph on my Duratracs is gone, too; must've been the front bushings. I still need to get an alignment (very minimal camber), but will wait until I up the strut spacer stack.

And finally... Before: After: Before: After: Before: After: Sorry some of the pics are kinda dark. My house is 10-stories tall. The driveway has a slight pitch to it, but there is a little rake on it now. I will be swapping out my .5" front spacers with at least 1" spacers; that'll bring the front spacer pack to 2.5" to match the subframe spacers.