Z_Pilot

NISSAN SERVICE CALLED BACK They could not have been more unhelpful THis is what they said: Them: Do you want us to order the water pump, timing belt, and tensioner? Me: Uhhh...it depends on if I sustained vavle damage...what did the compression test show? Them: they can't run a compression test until the timing belt is replaced, they have to run the motor for a compression test. Me: Really? Them: Yes, just call us back if you want us to do the parts and labor....$1200 :contract: What do I do guys? I thought you could do some type of "leak-down" compression test with a "dead" motor to get a better guess if you have valve damage...but they are saying you have to run the engine. Are there different types of compression tests? What do I do? >"wing-it" and hhave the t-belt replace ($1200 later) and hope that I don't have valve damage or > just put a JDM motor in because my morot is probably f-uped?? :help: :help: :help: Z

Jay- Probably the best thing to give you an idea of what to do is to look at what is included in a complete lift kit that is sold at AC or Calmini. No, you don't have to buy one of those kits, but you can see what they include. What I did (essential IMO): BDS springs BDS torsion bars 4 Old Man Emu Shocks Superlift UCA's Optional things I did: All new balljionts new tie rod ends L&P stage III steering kit All new poly bushings ($$) Rancho steering stablizer mount kit Old Man Emu stabilizer Z

I understand. I did not mean to piss anyone off...I was just looking for help, opinions and advice. I did not know where to put my thread. >I own a WD21...90-95 WD21 topic area? >It needs to be fixed... Garage topic area? >However, I really wanted everyone to see the thread... General topic area get the most traffic. It ended up in the 90-95 WD21 area. Sorry 'bout that! Z

Gary, wow those schematics really help me out! Now I will know to what extent the stalership may be bull@!*%ting me. I like your comment about the tensioner assembly....it definately looks like the culprit... Z

Casey- Thanks for the reply. I was hoping to hear a "good" story concerning a JDM motor. I thought that it was the way to go. A friend of a friend explained to me that Japan has very strict emissions laws. When an engine does not pass, for some reason they pull the motor (and the Americans get them). Whether or not he is full of sh*t, I don't know. I was hoping that it was an economical and safe route to go. As far as pulling the engine to look at the heads....well, I wish I could, but the Pathy is on the other side of the Big Island...and I am not going to pay Nissan to do it. As far as Thorleys are concerned...did that already...I guess I will have them pulled and installed on the next motor. I'll PM DJDank soon...anyone know which island he is on? ...in the meantime, I am still waiting to hear from nissan about my fate. Thanks, Z

Gary- You're probably right...I try to have a somewhat-good understanding of our engine, but I guess I assumed that the water pump was off of the timing belt because it is so far back there. One thing that I forgot to mention is that a friend opened the radiator cap right after we broke down and the fluid was cold! ...Thus suspecting a water pump problem...then again, we only drove like 2 or 3 miles before we broke down...maybe not enough time to heat the water up....? Thanks for your reply! Z

Yeah, I think I will go around to some of the 4wd shops here to ask their opinions. I don't know how many of you have been down here to the islands, but they don't just lift rigs down here....they create monster trucks Phospahete-free antifreeze...never heard of it, but I'll look for it. Thanks for the advice. Z

Awww slick, I was looking for some hope with valve damage. You know, damaging the valves while cranking it did cross my mind later, but at that time we diddn't really suspect a timing belt problem. There are a couple of sources to get an engine in Hawaii, but they all have over 100k miles on them...I'll probably just have a 50k engine shipped over from the mainland. Thanks for the reply Z

I should know early next week what happened. I am not ready to jump on the mechanic in NC that did the job yet. Perhaps he used a rebuilt NAPA water pump that he has had good luck with in the past...perhaps it is the idler pulley or something like that. Thanks for your contrubution.

NPORA members, I really need all your help, advice, and opinions. My post/thread is in the other topic section (90-95 WD21), but the "garage" topic section gets more traffic MY THREAD CLICK HERE THANKS!! Z_Pilot

NPORA members, I really need all your help, advice, and opinions. My post/thread is in the other topic section (90-95 WD21), but the "general" topic secion gets more traffic MY THREAD CLICK HERE THANKS!! Z_Pilot

I'll do my best to condense this story. North Carolina, this last spring. I am an airline pilot, and had a new opportunity to fly in Hawaii. Seeing that I will be transferred in a few months, I decide that i'll ship the Pathy. I am not a mechanic, but I really believe in preventive maintanecne. Approaching 100k I decided to do a water pump\timing belt job (among other things). Long story short, the shop (allegedy) replaced the water pump & timing belt. I fly into Charlotte (where I used to live) to pick up my last possesion (Pathy) to drive it back to New Mexico for a couple of weeks (while I continue training on a different aircraft). The 1800 miles when flawlessly...she ran great! I finish the last phase of my training, pick up the Pathy in NM and tow a uHaul to Portland Oregon...again, she ran great, no problems. She ends up in Seattle a couple of days later to board a ship for the big island, Hawaii. It is a long wait, takes a month and a grand. I am living in Kona (west side of the big island). I have to pick her up in Hilo (east side of the big island). I go to the gas station & fill her up...as I leave the gas station, I hear a loud squeal..me thinks it has been sitting for a month and been in salty air...rediator fan or serpentine belt is squeaking. No biggie, I will figure it out later. One mile later, I smell something burning. I am on a highway with a dozen cars in front of me. Me thinks: "nah, it's not me." One mile later, she dies without warning. I coast to the nearest pull out, and guess what, it is the turn-in for a correctional facility! We crank her and crank her...she turns, but nothing happens. We check all of the electrical connections. All looks good. Hmmm....getting dark, right outside of a prison\jail...time to get towed somewhere. I know nothing about Hilo and no one will advise me which shop to take it to. Besides, it is after-hours. I give up and have her taken to the (closed) nissan dealer\service center (the only one on that side of the isalnd). We noticed that a Checker Auto Parts store is still open. We rent a car, go there, buy some tools, starting fluid, and a coil. With the starting fluid, we eliminated a fuel problem. We replace the coil (after checking the connections again)...nothing. She still cranks, but does not run...not a battery\starter\alternator problem. My friend is a bit more mechanically inclined than I am, he takes the distributor cap off and wants me to crank the motor while he looks to see if the rotor is turning. It does not. Hmmm...not good. Time for some brainstorming. We think about some of the seperate events that happened that night. This was our conclusion: The squeal we heard was the (new) water pump seizing. The smell we heard was my timing belt smoking\melting. Keep in mind that I had just replaced these items Fortunately, there was no clunking, vibrations, or noises. I have my fingers crossed that I did not have valve damage. The Pathy is now at the other side of the island at the dealership. I requested that they do a compression test for valave damage. I don't want to pay them to remove the head to check. If they think that I did not do valve damage, then they are to replace the water pump and timing belt. (I know the dealer is mucho $$, but I'd have to fly over there, and arrange a tow to some random shop that I don't know anything about) If there is major damage, then I'll have to figure out how to tow the Pathy a 100+ miles to Kona. Then, I have many choices to make, hopefully with your advice. The Pathy is a keeper bceuse I love her (and already sunk mucho $$ into her). Lesson learned: Buy a new genuine Nissan water pump. Questions: With the information that I shared, would you come to same conclusion about the water pump seizing \ timing belt breaking? I coasted about 75 yards until I stopped. Any other thoeries? What are the chances that I did not receive valve damage from this event? 50% - 50% did\did not? Should I have heard anything if the pistons were banging into the valves? Is it true that if I just had a valve job done on a 100k engine that I risk the chance of blowing the rings? What's the best option for me if I have major valve damage (considering $ too)? Buy a used engine imported from Japan? (that has 40 to 60k miles) Rebuild engine? Buy a rebuilt engine $2500! :o Other options? Yes, it would be fun to have an L&P ported head on top of a rebuilt engine with slightly higher compression pistons, but living exspenses are higher out here, and I just dont have the $ for that. Thanks for any and all advice you can share with me. Please send me links, suggest a used engine depot, or anything.... Z_Pilot stranded in Hawaii :sniff:

KillVox- Post some pics of your pre-runner. Where did you get it? Did you have it made? Z

I absolutely LOVE my Old-Man-Emu shocks from down under. I got medium duty ones because I dont plan on towing much or or carrying big loads. The ride is awesome. FYI- It is coupled with a BDS lift >> springs and torsion bars. I am very happy with my set-up...most people probably won't be because it does not look like much lift....probably 2.5 to 3". Z

I went 2.5" all the way with a high-flow cat and a high-flow muffler (w/thorleys). I lost too much torque. Stick with 2.25 piping and go high-flow witht the components IMO. Z

34" rear 33.5" front Just Right Z

Good Question- I'll get back to you on that tomorrw... Z

Simon: you're right on! Here is the space you mentioned: The ride improved exponentially

Thanks for the input fellas. Problem fixed. I went bacck to the shop in theis town and asked them to "undo" 50% of the torsion bar adjustment they did the day before. This setting still allowed the front end to be lifted and the ride improved exponentially How the pathy sits now:

last pic

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Hey all. I had a hybrid lift installed and I think it worked out pretty good. > BDS springs & T-bars > Old Man Emu shocks > Superlift UCA's However, the guy that installed it left the front at stock height (more or less) saying that the suspensiuon would move freely... I had to move and did not have time to screw with it, so I drove across the country with the rear end roughly 2.5" lifted and the front 1/2" lifted Yeah, it looked dumb, but rode very, very nicely. As soon as I got to my temporary destination (NW NM), I had a shop crank up those torsion bars to lift the front porportionally to the rear. (see pic this post) As you can see, it looks OK now, but the ride is terrible I don't mean that the ride is terrible as in the shocks or springs are too stiff, but the front suspension does not absorb shock....it just bounces like one of those gay-ass lowered thug-rides The ride is so un-natural, I am afraid that I am going to break something. As you might be able to see in the pictures in the following posts, the UCA is "resting" on the frame & the UCA is touching the shock. What's the solution for the lifted front end? I can't see where any diffrernt -sized bumpstops will make any diffrernce... Please help, Z

I ordered the Thorleys from Summitracing.com. I ordered a high-flow\high performance muffler and cat from Spintech.com. Then I got a local muffler shop to put it all together (2.5 pipe) for $150. Z

Consider a Spintech(.com) muffler if you want to be different. I have one (have not heard it yet; Pathy still in the shop). You'll get a beasty sound + good flow. Z