Precise1

Hmmm.... Perhaps thats why when I bought the truch it just had the exhaust manifold gasket fixed, new exhaust installed, and has a melted patch of floor board on the drivers side that I can see some day light thru... You think ?? LOL. At least the previous schlep payed for it, and not this one... Definitely going with headers and free flow cat soon. Bernard

Darn it Mr P, why'd ya have to go dangle that infront of my nose ?? Now I'm tempted, but I already ordered the parts. Looks like $250 when all said and done including changing out all oils... Thanks for the invite tho; I was just up there 2 months ago LOL. :furious: Bernard

Dooohh Rami, that sucks !! I'm actually suprised it didn't roll over on its side and play dead... Glad it didnt for your sake Did you soak your ECU, and how in the world did you bend your front plate like that ? Bernard

Thanks Mr Pickles, but I'm in North Cal and thats just too far... One last question... The tranny input shaft... I have it indicated that it is 1"x24 spline. My manual doesn't supply this information, and I want to make sure I buy the correct clutch alignment tool... Thanks again for all the input ! Bernard

LOL Slick, nothing like boredom to spawn the imagination... Not to shabby for 1 wheel action in a stock SUV, Eh ? I had my old Nissan 720 PU so twisted down in Mexico, my buddy said he'd walk, and did, LOL. 100 yards later he got back in, impressed. While I dont expect my Pathy to equal what I've done in that truck, I have no reason to think it cant handle most of it. We need to get you out on a trail LOL. You said Manteca I believe, thats south bay or I'm forgetful. I'm in north bay, petaluma. Maybe we figure out a ride or weekend camping trip. Your BF must be a character to put together a sand rail like that; I'd love to meet him. Easy on the access impaired ramps... Bernard

I'm not really sure what all the whine of 'lack of power' is all about. Its a darn truck (ok, SUV, but very truck like in feel) and its not made to race. If I want to go fast/get there yesterday, I get on my 140HP motorcycle ! My basically stock 95XE with 31" tires (not stock size) cruises just fine at 70-75 MPH (as fast as I want to go) and will hold 65 mph in 5th (or 4th with acceleration) up any grade, although I have not taken it to 7000 feet elevation yet, I suspect it will be fine. If you are trying to tow a car trailer with a 57 chevy on it, well it wasn't designed for it. From what I read, a good breather, headers, and free flowing exhaust will give you up to 20% more from the motor (around 180 HP) which is plenty for this vehicle and thats not a difficult/expensive mod. The Pathy is rediculously reliable, long lasting, and able off road in stock form, but now it has to be an interstate 'pack' leader also ? Then get the Porsche Cyanne (or what ever) with 350+ HP. I just came back from north California's largest U-PULL-IT with thousands of cars, and guess what. Plenty of Chevy Blazed, and Ford Busto's and NOT 1 Pathy ! None ! 1 vehicle cant do it all, but I think the Pathfinder (4runner also) comes as close as any. I'm not knocking the severe mods like solid axles, chevy motors, etc, as that can be cool for the sake of doing (and SALUTE to those with the inginuity to do it) but there are other vehicles out there that have those stock. If you want a super something, there are more viable bases for that. If you want a solid, reliable vehicle with all around capability, the Pathy is a good choice, motor and all. Hope this doesn't come off as a rant, but it just seems like common sense to me. Bernard

Hey Slithering Joe. I have a magna flow from the cat back on my 95XE, and it seems fine with a nice muted growl sound. The previous owner has a receipt "flow muffler, tail pipe, tip" with labor for $200. Then there is another for the pipes from the exhaust manifolds through the Y until the resignator(?) for $300. My cat looks ready to crumble, and when it does, I will install a high flow cat, and Thorly(?) headers with some aftermarket intake. That should put me in the 170+HP range Good luck. Bernard

Thanks PuddleDuck !! Just what I wanted to hear... May your puddles be long and muddy, your, umm, feathers stay waterproof, err, your webbed feet never tear, and, ahh, there be no #6 shot with your name... Phew... Bernard

In the San Francisco bay area you are looking at $70-95 for Stealerships, and $50-75 for private shops. Yeah, I do most my own work... And the GF's car, and Mom's car, and... The only time I pay someone else is if I dont have the time/equipment/place to work on it.... Bernard

LOL, should've gone with a FIRE EXTINGUISHER !!! Every 4 wheeled vehicle I own has at least 1 automotive extinguisher. Being a VW fan, this lesson gets beaten into you. On the other hand, of all vehicles <5 years old the Landrover has the highest incident of engine fires, so price has nothing to do with it. Nothing like watching your car burn on the side of the road, for lack of a $15 item. At least you can call someone to whine to on your $100 cell phone and log it in your $300 PDA. LMAO... Bernard

Copy ya mzXtreme... This being my first time doing this on a 4x4 (and owning this Nissan 2 weeks now) I'm doing it by the book, but being a lazy, cocky bastage I'll use any cheats I can figure out The other side; being unemployed has its advantages, and I plan on poking around and doing damage control. If it takes a week, well, its in a buddy's garage... sly Probably going to do the CV shafts at the same time (boots are WAY torn) then have it aligned. I expect to make blood (knuckle) sacrifices to the Nissan/tranny god (impact tools and air compressor, save me !) and only pray I dont rupture the same tissue twice; thats when the PAIN begins... I'll post anything I find that seems worthwhile. Wish me luck... Bernard

Hey Cank-h, glad you were able to get it done so cheaply ! The Stealerships love to overplay that stuff. Me, tomorrow I'm going to a u-pull-it wrecker looking for grill guard, nerf bars, trailer hitch, etc.... No need to pay mint. Anyway, I'm moving soon and selling my P/U now which means the pathy gets some of the move duty. I looked at the tire carrier and thought that it has to be removed so I can move some 'long' stuff (with the back open). IF the truck came with the carrier, and you remove it, are there internal bolt brackets that will shift and become unavailable for easy reinstallation. I would assume they are atleast tack welded in place, but this thread has me wondering... Before I start pulling things apart, is this a concern ? Anyone remove/reinstall a 'stock' tire carrier before ? I'd appreciate 1 less headache right now Thanks guys !! Bernard

Hey Crazy Geologist. Unfortunately, the $1500 quote seems to be on par. Figure $300 for parts, $400 for rebuilt tranny, and 8+ hours shop labor (thats what it is rated at) and maybe an alignment due to removing the torsion bars. But, as others have said, you may not need a new tranny. The question is does the clutch bark when you step on it ? This generally indicates the throw out bearing. Does the tranny whine or howl while driving, maybe increasing in pitch with RPM ? That generally indicates unhappy tranny bearings. When was the last time tranny lube was replaced. Hey lgranch. Yeah, thats my thread in the garage, and I'm planning on replacing the clutch assembly next week. Someone suggested I take pictures and do a write up, but I'll only do this if I come across something the manual doesnt mention/states incorectly. Glad to hear it is not too bad of a job, but I'm not looking forward to removing all that crap... Of course I'm going to rent a tranny jack (that baby looks HEAVY!) I figure I'll save at least $500 by doing it my self, and know that it was done correctly/carefully. There are not many shops I trust... Bernard

Hey Slick. Mookie is right, there should be no rubbing/clearance issues with 10.5"x31" tires; Thats what I have on a basically stock 95. LOL, darn near shot beer out of my nose when I read that you 'tow' your disabled grandma around, you know what I mean... Thanks for the album link. Some really nice stuff to see, and yes, I believe that rail is FAST (probably TOO FAST) !! Keep having fun !! Bernard

LOL Big Mike. 120 K ? Is that 120 KILO ?? Or are those 120 MM... My guess is artilery shells regardless. LOL, better brace up the rear view before hanging one of those LOL, my point is to make the thief think about mortality, not take out the truck and 1/2 the neighborhood. Kinda hard to walk up behind someone with something like that, and besides, I dont think they are legal in Cali... Bernard

Hey Slick. Maybe 30" or even 31" tires are what you need next, but I'm sure you would feel it pulling 3000 LBS. While you do lose 'performance' unless you live in the mountains and/or have a lead foot, you should actually see slightly better gas milage (freeway miles) with slightly bigger tires although there is a point where this defeats its self. As for the towing, if your hitch is rated for it, and you have good springs in the rear I think you should be fine, but that is probably nearing the practical limit (speculation). Sand rail huh ? Is it VW driven ? I have a '65 VW Bug Baja Convert, and a '78 Superbeetle Convert that I am lowering/customizing. If you are running a VW sandrail this is a site trying to get their forum rolling http://www.allaircooled.com/ and a GOOD sister site http://www.SuperBeetles.com for VW know how. LOL, sorry about the plug... I'm blathering now, and only a mile off topic. Bernard

I just make a mobile to dangle from the rear view mirror out of spent 12 gauge & .357 shells I'm not sure how well this works, but I have never had a car stolen (radio has been taken... AM/FM Cassette LOL). Maybe it only effects the more inteligent thieves... Bernard

Sorry bwyan, the idiot factor kicked in... http://www.maximumautoparts.com/NI_cat.html B

Hey bwyan. I just saw this an hour ago while looking for clutch parts LOL. Click 'performance parts' then look up brush/grill guards... (personally, I plan to try to junk yard/u pull it) Good luck. Bernard

Hey Slick. First, remember that japanese motors are generally designed to run at higher RPM than american motors; partially due to smaller displacement, partially due to mentality. If you ran the Jeep and the Nissan at redline and held them there (all else being equal) I bet the Jeep would die long before the Nissan. Here is an easy compromise. My '95 XE came with 215/75/15 tires, it now has 10.5"x31" tires. First gear does not suffer much at all, while 5th will only maintain speed up a steep grade, if I want more power I shift to 4th, and due to the taller gearing from larger tire size, this is not a problem at freeway speeds (65 MPH here). I personally feel that the V6 works just fine with these tires; I have heard some complain about 'lack of power' but I dont try to win speed races with a 4000 LB SUV.... You could go 'half way' and mount 235/75/15 tires, never feel a difference in power, and cruise with less RPM. I think you get the point. Here is a handy tool that will give you all the info you need about this, and assuming you can operate a calculator, you have it made http://secret-secret.com/turbo/DIY/tirecalc/turbotire.html Bernard

Thanks Matterhorn, for the info and the tip. Just got a quote for the clutch/pressure plate/bearing replacement from a local shop where I'm known by name. $1077.23 + TAX :o Soooo, tomorrow, I go inlist the help of a machinist/ex-mechanic buddy and his garage... PITA or not, I'm not paying anything close to that much !! My last Q's for you gents: Should I stick with OEM, or are there some brands you recommend for these parts ? What is a good online resource to get Nissan parts ? Thanks much guys. Be well. Bernard

Hey there. I haven't bled/adjusted the clutch yet, but hope to do it today. 87pathy-6 years ? LOL, it goes away when it warms up ? Arent you concerned about damaging the friction plate ? Mine is barking more frequently now. Usually at start up, warm or not. I also noticed the clutch slipping during shifting on an uphill freeway merge. It would probably last a bit longer, but its getting time for that to... Thanks, I'll check the oil in the tranny. I didn't think of that. Was planning on replacing all fluids (tranny, diff, brake, clutch, etc) so I have a maintenance 'starting point' anyway. Looks like tomorrow's chore... Yep, after some thought (if the above doesn't fix the prob) it will go to a shop. I dont need the grief right now, and my time is better spent elsewhere. One Q left tho, what is a 'normal' lifetime for these trannies ? Anyone had theirs rebuilt yet ? At what milage, and for what reason. Thanks much for the input guys; it always helps when trying to figure out a new vehicle (i've been reading many threads here to try to learn) Bernard

LOL Mr Pickles. The wait etc is the same here, but at least (or at worst; no cheating) your smog information is electronically sent to the DMV. This also means they know if your car fails, and if it was by 10%+ you are a GROSS POLLUTER. I think there is a shoot on sight mandate for this. I had smog fun with a 78 VW bug convert I'm customizing. Full tune up $100 self installed, 1 smog test fail $70, EGR filter from canada $70 self installed, retest for free 'cause I got good with the guy, $60 smog test at other place, passed with compliments on how good it ran LOL. You do the math. Before I take my new '95 Pathy in for smog, going to change oil, burn 1/2 tank Redline fuel system cleaner (yes, it helps) and replace O2 sensor... No F#(&!^@ around... I'm all for not polluting, but do they make the system so hard. There should be a FREE (or reasonable) state run place that will test your car (a pretest station), tweak little things like idle, and advise you on what probably needs to be done if it still fails. That way you can fix/have it fixed and pass smog. Everybody wins... Sorry, I was dreaming here in the land of the Oh Mighty Dollar. Bernard

Hey there, Newbie here. Sorry if this is long winded, but rather make you read than ask many Q's. Just purchased a '95 XE 4x4 MT 2 days ago. Last night and this morning (being started 'cold') when I engaged the clutch I was greeted with a moderate 'boooorrrrrrrk' sound which continued as long as and only when the clutch was engaged. This goes away once the truck warms up/engine idle drops/drives 1 mile (some combination of all) other than a moderate 'feeling' in the shifter going from 1st to 2nd. From experience with my 83 Nissan PU 4x4, this is the clutch throw out bearing saying good by. It may be a protracted, tearful exit, or it may leave tomorrow. Please correct me if I'm wrong. The truck has 108k, with new timing belt, 10.5X31's, exhaust manifold gaskets, rear shocks, thermostat, tune up, exhaust from CAT back and runs VERY nice and smooth. Previous owner (starving college student) purchased it from a dealership and owned it for 1 year, so the vehicle history is a mystery. It is in very good shape in/out/under and drives well for a 9 yr old truck. I dont mind fixing the clutch/etc because I LIKE it, and plan to own it for years. I bought a Chilton manual (not my favorite) today to read up a clutch job; as I read, I began to whimper and cringe. I'm a machinist and home mechanic; my current project is a '78 VW Convert, and I dont blink at a clutch job, but we are talking apples and elephants here. I plan to inspect/bleed the system, and go through all adjustment procedures, but dont really believe that is the problem. Here are my Q's. 1) Is this really something I want to do my self ?? They mention removing exhaust, slave cylinder, shifters, engine mounts, starter, torsion springs. Clocking the clutch to fly wheel, clutch allignment tool, removing flywheel to check pilot bushing,etc 2) If I or someone else is in this far, what else should be inspected/replaced (I understand 'throw out bearing/pressure plate/clutch plate' but anything else ?) 3) Has any one had the bearings replaced in their tranny, is this common, how many miles of 'normal useage' should a tranny last ? (My 83 PU had tranny rebuilt @ 110k along with clutch job) 4) Should I go for aftermarket clutch parts, what are the pros/cons? The truck will be mainly onroad with some recreational offroad. My offroad philosophy is 'you may get there faster, but I will get there, and back, and drive it to work the next day...' I don't want to get stuck with a headache task as I have other important things to deal with right now. Any do's/dont's. comments, experiences welcome. Help me love my Pathy... Thanks Bernard

LOL, I'd love to pay $40 bucks for a smog check... Try $60 minimum with NO free retest (unless you get good with the guy, he may test run it) but if it fails, the test has to be made at another facility, sometimes a state specified smog-only shop where they wont even pretest and/or turn an idle screw. Welcome to California boys... so your complaints seem silly to me, but then it is relative. And you, I am considering moving out of state... Bernard