systemf

Are you popin many CVs? <- serious question

I know, and I used your results as one of the determining factors for doing mine. I did want hard evidence of what the cams give you which is why I ran the dyno tests (still have to run the after dyno test). Also, I'm not sure if there is something different on the left hand steer models in North America, but I couldn't get that swivel rachet to fit on the left hand side cam bolt so I built my own tool. I even purchased the same rachet you showed in the pics. Also when you pulled the harmonic balancer using the jaw pulled there is a risk of destroying the rubber on between the pulley's and the balancer or chiping the brittle metal off around the pulley end. I learned this the hardway because mine always sticks requiring tons of force to get it off. The correct type of puller to is pictured and will not destroy the balancer assuming you have the bolts threaded in. You can just barely see some chips in the outside of my pulley caused from trying to remove it with a jaw type puller. The puller I am using requires two bolts and I think they are M6 .75 pitch about 3 inches long and some large washers. Oh and they used your post in the HOW-TO because it does apply to most VG motors. The firewall maybe a little different, but almost everything else is similar enough where it counts.

I ran it for awhile. Expect lower fuel economy, but it shouldn't hurt anything. I ran Delo 400 for YEARS in my Z24 and got compliments on the wear in the head when I had it rebuilt. If your oil consumption is coming through the valve seals, which I would guess it is, the thicker oil will not reduce it as much.

I used to be a timing chain person, until I replaced the timing belt on a VG motor. It was without a doubt one of the easiest in depth repairs I have ever done to any automobile. Nissan's way of doing the timing belt even made changing timing belts on my Honda much easier. I have done the timing belt on my Q in about 3 hours with beer breaks. Now, I have also done a timing chain on a Z24 and let me tell you once that VQ motor chain starts slapping, assuming anyone owns one long enough (200k miles), then the VG doesn't seem like such a bad motor. It is a much easier motor to work on in my opinion. As for the VQ being thirsty? My friends own a Murano AWD with the VQ and got an average of 22mpg on their vacation including some dirt road trips into the mountains. That is much better than my stock Q with a VG would get. I'm not saying the VQ isn't a great motor, it is, but it is also much more disposable giving people the power they think they need while reducing the ease of maintenance and longevity. I have 207k miles on the caR50 and 140k miles on my Q. Both pull compression numbers at what the FSM says a healthy motor should with deviations of less than 14psi per cylinder. (172-184psi) I challenge any VQ owner to run the same test.

I will post all updates here: http://overlandtrucks.com/phpB....php?t=1527&start=15

The R50 was also available with the TD27T...at least in New Zealand, maybe OZ too And once again, who has more than 150k miles on a VQ motor. How long are these lasting with an open deck and aluminum blocks? The VG maybe the grunt of the bunch but I would rather have it 50miles from the middle of no where when it comes to reliability.

So who has a butt-load of miles on the VQ? more than 150k?

Turns out I had a vacuum line disconnected and the MAP EGR lines crossed. Engine runs much better. Lost a little low end. Anything above 2k is better than before. Above 3k the engine REALLY starts to pull. Dyno results will be much more accurate than my butt. One thing I noticed is that the engine runs a lot smoother except at idle where the lope is much more defined than I thought. It almost sounds like a muscle car, and the vibrations can be slightly felt inside the cab. Anything above 1k is vibration free. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS GRIND FOR AUTOMATICS. A much milder grind would suite them well. This is based off where I cruise on the highway (around 2.6k to 3k) VS my QX4 which would cruise at 2.2k to 2.7k with tires. Schneider does offer milder grinds that would work for the auto. I will have gas mileage numbers in a couple of weeks.

Not sure about that grind. It will lope at idle. Truck is back together. Drove it 10 miles with the timing off and didn't reset the ECU so no accurate performance data. It does idle pretty tough (almost sounds really low like a small V-8) and has a mild lope. No OBDII codes so far.

Schneider can do whatever grind you want. Also, these are REGRINDS, not new cams. Now if my cams could get here so I can put the damn thing back together.

Better...I have a before Dyno sheet and will get an after dyno run so I can say EXACTLY how much power and were you can expect that power to be. I will also report on the OBDII compatiblity...something no one has done yet to my knowledge.

Intake/Exhaust, 260/270, .420"/.440

Last night I resurfaced the lifters. They look just like the picture (in the link below), before you could see wear lines. Now I am waiting on parts to come in........... http://redz31.suomiz.net/pages/headwork.html#lifters Here are some pictures of the lifter resurfacing. This was done with 1000grit and some wD40 on the paper. The picture was taken on the first pass. All lifters got two passes just to make sure the previous wear had been removed. This one is blurry but you get the idea, right is resurface, left is not. further away

Rubber bands to hold the lifters in. Tons of dirt stuck behind the timing belt cover on the cam seal. Cams have room to come out. The cams looked to be in good condition. I am going to resurface the lifters and reuse them.

#1 TDC This damn thing never wants to come apart. Finally I got it off. This took an hour. Left Valve cover off. Right hand valve cover off. I made this tool to get the rear cam bolts off and it worked great.

I tore apart the caR50 tonight and got the cams out.

Here is some more info about the heater-knob 4x4 that others haven't mentioned. Remember that the Heater knob 4x4 is only the tip of the ice-berg this will actually give you the ATX14A transfer case which has a lower low than the TX10. The problem is you have to take an auto to get the ATX14A and you will never be able to get gears for the ATX14A. I would dump the ATX14A in my Q for a manual in a hear beat, but it does have it's advantages. The all wheel drive is very nice and the transfer case has been reliable so far.

This won't fix your dead spot, but: In my experience with pre OBDII vehicles that have failed with high CO it was probably due to a worn cat. I am not sure if the 95s had a 3 way cat, but if they did that should take care of CO and HCs. With my vehicles I just ran denatured alcohol in the tank, about 1 pint for 4 gallons, and passed every time with no other mods. I have actually had a busted ring landing on #3 in an old Honda blowing blue smoke out the back of the inspection shop and still passed with alcohol, the engine was replaced the next day, but I had to get an inspection. The emissions test pass stuff at AutoZone also does the same thing. Now this is just my experience with older Hondas that used speed/load based fuel injection systems, nothing as accurate as the speed/density based system on a 95 pathfinder.

According to the FSM for a 99 R50 the bolt to rotor torque should be 36-51 ft-lbs of torque.

The timing belt on the VG is not a con. Sometimes it's better to have something you need to service than something you don't. The one time I had to put a chain on my old Z24 it was a pain, and this was just a single chain. The belt on my VG was much faster.

The SE package even on the earlier models is nice!

I have had two autos, a 98 and a 99...both have the shift to reverse delay.

My original exhaust was cut right after the post O2 sensor and 1.75" tube was run for each bank and put into a Dynomax Dual 2" in and single 2.5" out. Don't expect much if any power from an exhaust system. The 3.3's stock cams are so mild an increase in flow here is needed before anything at the exhaust side becomes the bottle neck. RYI: The R50s are easily capable of a true dual setup since R50s have two cats, one right after each manifold and dual tubes back to the stock muffler. Some exhaust shops might say that the reduced back pressure in a dual setup will cause a CEL light. This is untrue for R50s and was a problem that had to do with EGR backpressure on some newer Chevys.

This noise you are talking about, are you eleventy billion % sure that you have enough fluid? or is this just lack of the torque converter to lock up due to that transmission not getting up to temp? I am going to assume that since you have 98 in your name that you have a 1998 with the VG motor? It really shouldn't matter as the trannies in the VQ and VG are similar. Currently in my 99 Q I am over cooling the transmission a little more than I like and am running the fluid into a large cooler -> back into the stock cool and to the tranny. It is always best to keep the stock cooler inline unless you fear the cooler is clogged. These transmissions like to see a little bit of heat in the fluid and they do run cooler with Mobil 1. Also, when flushing your transmission: This will require about 13 quarts. I disconnected both rubber cooler lines where they meet the metal lines to the passenger (USDM Left hand drive) side of the crankshaft pulley. Take some 5/16" rubber hose and run it from the discharge line to a bucket. Run the vehicle until no more fluid comes out of the hose and immediate shut it off. Add fluid until you are full again and repeat until you see clean fluid come out of the line. Also, running an auto when there is no fluid in the pan is nothing like running your engine without oil. The automatic transmission is not producing power and does not have to handle the loads that a crankshaft does. When an automatic has no load on it little heat is being generated by the torque converter and fluid pressures are not as important. Now, you can damage things if you run it for too long, but the residual fluid left in the torque converter and transmission should be enough to provide lube for 30 seconds or so. When I flushed my transmission I never shut off the engine, I just kept pouring fluid down the spout and it could come right back out the discharge line. That transmission was put into a WD21 and has over 200k on it right now, not to mention some of the loads I pulled with my R50 before I started wheeling.

First thing: Don't settle for a 2 wheel drive truck. If you are doing any kind of dirt road/beach driving you may only kick yourself one time for not having the ability to power those front wheels, but that one time could cost you your vehicle. I agree on the tranny replacement, I have put over 160k on these autos with no problems. I don't know how opposed you are to a manual, but that 1997 with the manual tranny looks like a good deal assuming it is in good shape. The manual transmission will provide years of reliable service assuming only STRAIGHT GL4 (NO GL5) fluid is put into it and make the vehicle much more economical, powerful, and fun to drive.