CO_pathfinder

When you come home in another vehicle and you can't help but smile at how amazing the rear end of your Pathfinder is

I'm really making this thread to confirm that my list of things to check is complete and covers all of the most likely reasons why my truck is misfiring randomly, and why the tailpipe is black as tar (misfire and richness combined) Real quick background on my issue: The truck runs mostly fine. It ALWAYS starts within a half crank to 1, and doesn't have any issue starting. When its cold, it properly high-idles until op temps are reached, then it drops down to 740-780, where it will slightly oscillate back and forth. As far as I know, this is not a problem. There is a random misfire both when the truck is cold and when it is warmed up. Its audible and can barely be felt while in the truck. The truck smells like total gasoline when its started up and is cold outside, but the smell mostly goes away once warmed up. The truck doesn't smell awfully rich while running when warmed up, but the fact that the tailpipe, and all associated holes in my exhaust, are blacked by some serious soot leads me to think that my truck is running slightly rich, in addition to the fuel going through my exhaust because of the missing. Mode 1 diagnostic (checking the o2) reads no issue, and flashes about 1/sec. Mode 2 diagnostic (fuel/air mix) flashes only the green light, which means that the ECU is reading >5% rich. Mode 3 diagnostic (codes) gives me "55," all clear, which is weird because I should be getting a 63-68 or a 71, because the truck is audibly misfiring. When driving, I can't feel the misfiring at all, unless a slight (and slow) pulsation in the pedal at high RPM is what I would feel with a random misfire. Changed the timing belt about a month ago, and it might be off a tooth, because when I snap the throttle 2-3k, it hesitates a little. Above 3k, it doesn't hesitate at all. From a stop, if I don't work the throttle and clutch right, it dips pretty low and almost doesn't go, then picks up and takes off as usual. As far as gas mileage after the swap, I haven't really noticed a decrease, but then again my gas mileage never really was predictable to begin with. The misfire was there before I changed the timing belt, as was the black tailpipe. The vehicle did pass emissions back in June. It goes in order of a combination of cost-minded stuff and easiness. 1. Check ECU codes 2. Replace cap, rotor and wires 3. Wiggle wires for MAF, TPS 3. Check and regap plugs; replace if necessary 4. Check O2 sensor resistance (anybody got a link for how to do so?) 5. Confirm ignition timing with timing light; fix if necessary 6. Scratch head a little if not yet fixed 7. Re-do my timing belt 8. etc etc Let me know if I'm missing anything, or if there are things about what I've said that might tip you off to another, less common issue.

Oh I know, just not doing it right now because my cat is already destroyed, and I actually am in fact running rich, as per the ECU. O2 is probably stuck and needs to be replaced because Mode 1 showed no problems, but Mode 2 was showing >5% rich. Will find out the week of Christmas when I have time off from school. Until then, stumble stumble burn burn

Not running rich, missing like a mofo! Just don't know what cylinder... OBD1

Made a charcoal finger drawing by rubbing my fingers on the inside of my very charred tailpipe

Some key words here to note, OP.

You can fit 33's by trimming the fenders, but you'll have to trim them a lot. And obviously account for 21 years of suspension sag. But yes, 33's will fit a WD21 with trimming probably some minor adjustments. As for that axle, is there any way that you can post a picture that shows more of the axle and less of the rotors? It looks like a 44, but could be a 30, cant really tell in the lighting

How in the name of God did you get it for $300?!?!?!? I thought my 91 XE that I bought this summer for $1500 was a steal at 75000 miles!!!! Also, welcome to the forum! (And to the white WD21 club ) Anything you could possibly want about Pathfinders can be found here, and of course, your WD21 chassis in particular. I haven't been here all that long myself, but if I were you I would try to get used to the search function as quickly as possible. Makes life easier and peeves people off less. When the rest of the site see's your post, expect quite a bit of ooh's and ahh's. POST SOME PICTURES (you'll need to save them to an image hosting site, then grab that url and copy that into the "post image" option) As for aftermarket stuff, you won't find nearly the support that you did for your 4runner. For some reason, Nissan seems to get neglected. However, there are several lift options. https://ruggedrocksoffroad.com/nissan-pathfinder-wd21-r50-r51-body-lift-c-38_629.html <-- Body Lifts https://ruggedrocksoffroad.com/ <-- WD21 Stuff in general.. click on the WD21 R50 R51 Section https://www.4x4parts.com/i-18981375-pathfinder-custom-suspension-lift.html <-- Another lift option, Suspension In general, you'll want to start off by replacing your plugs, wires, cap and rotor. Then, has the timing belt been replaced? If not, it needs to be. For the 1993 year, you may either have a belt that has a 60k change interval, or one of the ones with the 105k interval. Next, you'll want to remove and coat all of the rust spots you can find. Crank your torsion bars to get that sagging front end back to where it should be. etc, etc, just ask or search to find out. Once again,

AMEN! End of thread You'll find out next summer whether or not any of these whiffy waffy transmission ideas are possible in practice or not. Never know until you've tried.

Oh, I'm certainly not trying to convince myself that a 23 (almost 24 ) year old dino will ever be fuel efficient. I'm no Tungsten. Moreso just trying to get as much out of it as possible while at the same time learning about the vehicles by tearing JY vehicles apart in order to keep mine in top condition. In all truth, was just spitballing some ideas haha. Swapping internals isn't that hard used to do it all the time in my buddies Firebird; we used to blow that trans up all the time at Bandimere (drag strip in Colorado). It was always 4th that we exploded, so we would just find the same ratio gear from some old JY Pontiac and swap it in. I don't know what possessed me enough to think that an auto was a 5-speed haha. But I think you got my point. I'd steal the (what I would hope to be) longer 4th and swap it for my 5th. This was before you guys reminded me that different trim levels, as well as manny vs. auto, had different rear gears. Whoops. Figured this one out, I think: The top model trucks got the 31s and 4.3, because this was part of the "sport" package, IIRC. So, for WD21, this would be SE, since LE wasn't around yet. This would make sense, Nevermind. I'm pretty sure that Manual transmissions were SUPPOSED to get the 4.625 gears. Unless they came with the 31's, in which case they got the 4.375 gears. Yes, this makes sense? Then, autos all got the 4.375, because a 4 speed with 4.625 would be disgusting.

Sorry 'bout the OD thing, I've always referred to the top gear as OD. Habit of owning auto's for most of my life.

I drive almost exclusively highway miles, so my whole getting ~15 mpg highway, ~17 city thing is rather annoying (and bass ackwards) when you combine it with 200 mile trips 2-3 times a week. I've got a lot of experience rebuilding old transmissions, but haven't really ever messed with the gearing, and wasn't sure if the rpm difference between the auto and the manual was because of the actual 5th ratio or the final drive. I wasn't going to swap the whole tranny, was just going to see if stealing the 5th from an autotragic would net me any useful gains From what you're saying, it doesn't seem like it Manual must have 4.636 and the auto must have 4.363? Excuse my lack of Pathfinder knowledge, I'm still on the learning curve. Then again, who isn't? Anyways, if I nabbed a LSD from an auto (AND the front diff), could I expect to see Pathfinder "hyper-milage"? Long final drive + early shifting = ?

His is an auto. Why exactly do the auto's run lower rpms on the highway?

Weird. WD21Colorado has a 95, and his does 2500 at 75 mph. Must be another one of those "some have them, some don't" things, like 2-door 90's Thanks for the FSM tip

So I'd just like to start by saying screw the old 55mph National Speed Law. Dumbest thing ever. Why? Because it ruins the 5th gear ratio (OD, if you dare to call it that... 400 rpm less than 4th) In the 87-94, the gearing ratios, from 1st to 5th go like this: 4.061 || 2.357 || 1.490 || 1.000 || 0.862. Now, in 95, the OD gear, 5th, had its ratio changed, as the National Speed Law was repealed by Congress (thank Jesús) Does anybody know what this ratio actually is? I can't seem to find it anywhere on here or in the FSM, but then again, I suck at navigating the FSM. I'm considering removing the weak-sauce 5th thats in there now and replacing it with one from a 95 or later when I replace my clutch sometime next spring/summer. Thanks, Sean EDIT: The above, of course, is true for the 5 speed manual, I don't know if the same can be said for the autotragic's ratios

Double amen to that. I know your pain with 5th gear.... stupid 55mph national speed limit law ruining final drive ratios from 83 to 95. Don't you just hate that 4th to 5th is only ~ 500 rpm different? And 75mph is 3500 rpm By the way, the actual gears themselves in the 96 are the same width as the WD21 gears.

Went outside to get some stuff from the truck, and noticed that the snow melted off of the hood only where the hood supports weren't. Weirdest looking thing ever lol

Turns out my alternator belt was 180 degrees loose. Somehow the bolt to hold the alternator on the adjustment rail came really loose/never got tightened, and so the pulley was like 3-4 inches off from where it should have been. Whoops. All better now. Intercooler sprayers for the win tho

Drove it for 200 miles in 4WD, mountains were extremely snowy in Colorado. I like the fact that the 4WD limits wheel slip by further distributing a lack of power! On another note, really pissed at it because it was doing weird stuff 10 miles from home. Loss of power associated with the gas pedal while climbing a hill, felt similar to what happens when you hit the rev limiter in any other car, except magnified. Turned on my flashers, which made it worse, so I turned them off and limped to the top of the hill. Let it idle for a while, which got rid of the whole bucking-horse power problem. Let it idle outside my apartment for 30 minutes, came back out, everything was fine. Power fine, dash lights didn't dim when I turned on the headlights. Stuggled to re-start when I tried. The woes of a loose alternator belt/ alternator that is getting ready to lay down and die.

But if you stick with the 300 turbo setup, you can move your build thread to custom fab

Anddd missed out on another brush guard.. rats!

Put the Nissan Logo Piece back on the front. Its something

Of course Red Followed How-To and FSM to the letter. You should have seen how loose the old one was .... it was so loose that it could touch the timing belt cover!!!!!

Did my timing belt today Tightened and replaced belts, no more squeaky Changed oil too, and when I was re-adding oil I was like "wow pathy, you're hungry for oil today!" Then I realized that I was holding the oil drain plug in my left hand.... Dumped 5 whole quarts of Castrol Edge into the oil collector pan Lastly, heard some misfires come back, but they were present before swapping the timing belt, so I know that I didn't screw it up... now to find WHICH cylinder is misfiring and WHY Edit: Much thanks to WD21colorado (Adam) for his Snap-On tool set and for helping me with the whole process Heres a time-lapse video of the the timing belt process