feloniousmonk

So yah... bought a Pathy earlier this afternoon. Worked a bit late to make up for time lost and while I was fumbling in the dark to get into the truck, the stupid alarm goes off. And just my luck, a sheriff's patrol happens to roll by. Being in LA, they automatically assumed the worst. Got patted down. Hands on the hood. The whole nine yards, short of handcuffs. Anyway, the misunderstanding was quickly sorted out once they saw the paperwork. My question... the alarm appears to be factory. On the center console/arm rest there is a 3 position rocker switch with red LED. The 3 positions are labeled, off, impact only (or something like that) and alarm (or i'm going to scream like a useless piece of xxxx). As far as I know, it doesn't have keyless entry (but does have power locks). So how do I use this alarm? What I can think of is when parking... set rocker to alarm, lock and shut the doors. When disarming, unlock and turn alarm off via rocker switch? Also, I don't have a owner's manual. Where can I find one? eBay? any downloadable versions online?

Do factory fog lights suffer the same wiring flaw?

On the fixed factory antenna, doesn't the mast unscrew so replacement can be screwed on? The pathy I will probably buy has a bent mast.

Actually the ES1000 is only 30 cheaper from 4wheelparts. Did more reading and was about to delete my post. ES3000 has speed sensitive valving.

Why the ES3000 over the cheaper ES1000? are they really that much better? Just curious.

On the clutch pedal adjustment, is the following diagram what some of you talked about? Loosen nut on piston rod, reposition pedal and tighten nut?

Thanks again for the input guys. I guess it's a combination of being picky and high SoCal prices. So far I've been staying clear of autos in my search. Just how fragile are these trannies? For what I've read so far it seems they can go bad constantly. Is my impression correct or am I paranoid? I can't really buy a fixer. I rent and I don't have a garage where I can work on the truck. Plus, the whole point of this is to have a rock solid reliable truck that only needs routine maintenance so I can drive my bimmer less (over $700 for a water pump).

No. I am only looking locally. It's not worth the cost or time to travel for a sub 3k vehicle. Just for laughs, this is typical of the kind of "deals" here in LA: http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/car/440152216.html People simply want too much for their junk. I may just have to call it off or look for a different type of vehicle.

Thanks for the info guys. I'm back on the hunt. The 95 I was looking at didn't pan out. Seller was not willing to budge on price (3400) despite the fact that it needed a belt job (according to the seller's own mechanic). More waiting... this is killing me.

Doing more research before I bite the bullet and buy a Pathy. How difficult is it to change the timing belt and water pump? I've seen the parts on ebay, they don't seem too expensive. Can the procedure be done with common hand tools? Also, is it common to have the A/C not work? The truck I've been pondering doesn't blow cold. I know it could be just a simple recharge that's needed, but want to know more avoid paying too much for the truck...

www.mcmaster.com is a great place to get hardware that is hard to find locally. I find it easier than driving around town to 10 different places just to find half of what I need.

http://npora.ipbhost.com//index.php?showuser=472

You could get the pre-runner bar from 4x4parts.com if you just want something to mount lights to.

If anyone is interested, I saw a brush guard listing on ebay for a bit over $200. I am not the seller, nor am I associated with the seller.

I am noticing that they are cheaper elsewhere. Low mileage + low price is just not realistic here in LA. I won't be doing any hardcore off-roading or rock crawling so 2wd will be just fine. Most trucks on the market here have high mileage and are autos. I never liked cars with autos and from what I've been reading of the problems with this particular auto tranny, it's way too much for me to deal with. I just want a truck that is reliable and will allow me to do more hiking, camping and outdoor photography... something I can't do with my BMW. Based on what I'll be using the truck for, to you, I've probably joined the wrong forum. But, from past experiences with Jeeps, I figured serious off-roaders would be more knowledgeable because of the abuse they put their trucks through. Here's a sample of what my options are: http://losangeles.craigslist.org/search/ca...000&addTwo=

Still considering it. Will probably make another offer Monday.

How much is this really worth? Been for sale a long time with the price dropping each month. 250k on the chassis gives me pause though. http://losangeles.craigslist.org/wst/car/435466707.html

The one I've got my eyes set on is pretty close to immaculate. As immaculate a 12 year old car can be I guess. I will probably make another offer next week. Ducked under it last week when I looked at it. No rust at all from what I could see. Yup. Seller's responsibility to have smog check done within 90 days prior to sale. Beyond that, they have to obtain a new certificate/test. Just looked at your lightning pictures. Did you take them? Impressive.

Well, I found a very clean 95 XE manual 2WD with 97k on the clock. Problem is the seller doesn't really want to budge on price despite little interest after several months on the market. Seller is asking 3500 and won't go lower than 3400, I offered 3000. I know of KBB, Edmunds and NADA guides, but I take those appraisals with a grain of salt. None of them are accurate. Not sure if I should try meeting him half way or keep looking.

And that's a bad thing? I'd gladly take that nickname with pride!

Anyone know if these headers are they CA emissions legal? Actually, let me rephrase the question, will they pass the test?

That'd be great. Thank you! Possible to see a picture? I will take a picture once I pick it up. Will probably make an offer today if work doesn't get too crazy.

Test drove a '95 2WD today. It has 97k miles. The clutch was supposedly replaced a month ago. I notice the clutch engagement point was really high, like the last 1/5 of pedal travel. The shop that has done maintainenance on the truck for the owner was showing the truck on behalf of the owner. The shop owner said the engagement point is high because the clutch is new and that with age the engagement point will get lower. True? Also, I noticed two wiring harnesses hanging down from the dash on the driver side behind the knee bolster. One black and the other translucent white. The black one was wide, the white one was about 1" wide with 2 metal contact pins. What could these be? Last question, can the washer fluid reservoir cap be purchased by itself or does it have to be purchased with the reservoir? Anyone got a spare cap laying around? Thanks.

One more question... When looking for rust, are there particular areas to look for?

I'm in Los Angeles, heart of smog hell and the dreaded CARB. Aside from maintenance, and preventive measures (suggestions?) I will probably keep it as stock as I can. Rust shouldn't be too big of an issue around here either, but will definitely look for it. No hardcore off-roading unless I win the lottery to rebuild everything better. Paved and gravel roads are what it'll see. Thanks for your advice. I'm used to high fuel prices. MPG is about the same as my BMW, and the Pathy will actually be cheaper since the bimmer takes only premium. My commute to work is only 12 miles round trip. Around here I'm seeing decent examples for around 3000k, like those mentioned in my original post. I guess it's because of the high gas prices. With regards to the Toys, I've always wondered the same; overrated. Good to know. Thanks! Haha! Probably about as inflammatory as the all-too-common wax debates I see in other car related forums. I do like the way the 2 door versions look more. Lusted for one when they were new (the last two years of high school). Had the fold-out magazine ad taped the wall above my desk. Since reliability overrules appearance, I think I'll hunt for a 94-95.