GhostPath

If its like the Z-cars, you are correct (I think Nissan was pretty consistent with their behavior in this manner). The automatic ECU will try to send signals to the transmission controller, the manual one won't - but if you put the automatic ECU in a manual car, the ECU will simply assume that the transmission controller has tanked and will go about its business. The manual ECU doesn't even have the circuitry to talk to the transmission controller at all, so if you put it in an automatic car, there's a pretty good chance that it won't work to the point where the car won't move.

Good. Brakes are the one thing that nobody should ever take even the smallest chance on. If your engine dies, the worst that happens is that you have to coast to a stop. If your brakes die, quite often so does someone - either the operator or whatever you hit.

Um... That car isn't safe to drive. At the very least, replace the master cylinder to stop that leak leaking - not least of which because your engine is sucking in that wonderfully corrosive brake fluid. Leaking master cylinders are time bombs waiting to happen - guess what happens if that leaky seal in the master cylinder gets worse? You'll lose the primary braking circuit, and you could blow that seal out at any time with any application of the brakes - which means you could kill someone. If you get in an accident because you couldn't stop, you could be charged with criminal negligence. Fix the car or park it, because taking that chance isn't worth it.

The gray thing the brake fluid reservoir is sitting on *is* the brake master cylinder. The big black drum on the firewall that it is attached to is your vacuum-assist power brake booster (also known as the brake servo). It sounds like you have a bad master cylinder and a bad booster. I don't know what year model you have, but the Nissan FAST system says that there's no gasket between the master cylinder and the booster on the WD21. However, there is a gasket, a spacer, and another gasket between the booster and the firewall/pedalbox.

DOT 3 and 4 are compatible with each other, with DOT 4 being the better fluid. DOT 5 is NOT and should not ever be mixed with DOT 3 or 4.

Could also be the coolant temp sensor - that affects fuelling as well. Your symptoms are consistent with that problem - at least they were on the 300ZX, with the same engine. Common problem after all this time.

I already purchased a new keyway for the timing gear and harmonic balancer - I was going to replace them on general principles. Thanks for the suggestion of the channel-locks, though - I was thinking about some sort of chisel...

I'm working on changing the timing belt and water pump on my 93 Pathfinder (VG30). Got the remains of the buggered-up-by-prior-owner harmonic balancer off the crank easily enough; unfortunately, the crankshaft woodruff key won't come off - seems to be rusted in place. I've doused it with penetrants; before I go back to attack it later, does anyone have any ideas or suggestions? Thanks.

I've got a copy of the Nissan FAST software, the same one they use at dealerships. You can use it to look up your VIN and see what configuration it left the factory in - whether XE, SE, or LE. So if you don't know what your truck was, find someone with the FAST software and get them to run your VIN, or go to the dealership and ask them.

The Tornado device does NOT increase mileage in most engines. The only ones it works on are ones where the intake is a straight shot from the throttle body to the intake ports, like some BMWs. Otherwise, it will actually decrease fuel economy. The K&N increases air flow to the engine... which makes it flow more fuel....

Yup, North Central Texas.

Well, apparently he was an idiot:

Oh, no, I wasn't expecting it to get good gas mileage. I know it's not going to get good mileage at all. I'm just looking for something reliable to trundle parts and such around in. I'd wandered off into domestic vehicles for daily driver duty and been sorely disappointed.

Hi, everyone. I’m new to Pathfinders, but not to cars or Nissans. I’ve recently been looking for something to use as a daily driver/parts shuttle for my other projects and I found something that’s interesting – a 93 XE 2WD with 250K on the clock that is being offered to me for $500. I do have some questions about it before I purchase it, and I thought this might be a good place to ask. I have used the search function before I posted this, and couldn’t find any answers. 1. The previous owner was trying to change out the water pump and botched the job; he couldn’t figure out how to get the lower timing cover off, so he cut most of it off, then gave up. Unfortunately for him, the vehicle was then repossessed by the dealer that he’d just bought it from. Unfortunately for me, that means that a lot of parts are missing. Will a timing belt cover set from a Maxima or 300ZX fit and work? 2. The ignition switch/lock flops around in the column housing and doesn’t turn, though it is the right key for the car. Has anyone had this problem? How much of a pain is this to replace? What kind of expense am I looking at? 3. The battery was out of the one I looked at and it’s been a while since I had a chance to drive one at night – what color is the instrument illumination? Thanks in advance for any help y’all can give.