Precise1

Absolutely NOT Mark I have enough to keep this going by myself !! Just been busy the last few days.... Here is a quickie. I live in a small cheap comverted basement, trying to save $ to buy a place or move somewhere I can. It has 1 low beam and 1 low doorway that I eventually learned do not accomodate someone 6'1"; I eventually got sick of having a sore head. About a year ago, one nice warm sunny day, I was puttering around the place, rocking out with the stereo cranked, just generally feeling spunky and in a good mood. For some reason (which I cant remember-Wonder why...) in my boundless exuberance I LEAPT across the room, and only made it half way. Mid air with my head slightly down I said hello to mister beam and caught the edge of it with my forehead at about the hairline. I had enough momentum for my feet to rotate from under me to before me, kinda looking like the floating person magician trick. Unfortunately, the magician was not present, and gravity took over. I did a perfect backflop from about 4 feet or so, with 0 forward motion. Laying there on the floor, taking a moment to reflect on recent events, I was looking straight up at Mr Beam, and could see some strands of my long hair pressure welded to a noticable dent in the beams edge. Thats when I started to feel the numb/tingling sensation on my head. Oh @!*%e, Oh ishet, OH frag was what I was thinking as I got up slowly, testing out my neck. I calmly walked to the bathroom, expecting to see a nasty scalp wound. The last thing I wanted to do that afternoon was drive to the ER, covered in my OWN blood to get my head shaved and stitched. One look told me... NO HEAD WOUND !!! No gushing blood, no split scalp... WTF ??? Yes, a nice rising lump with an oozing abrasion across it but that was all. COOL !! I took two advil, went to the freezer and pulled out the chunk of stainless steel I keep in there just for special moments like this (works GREAT for burns also...) and put it on my head. Then I turned the music down; it was giving me a headache. Now I walk around the place like a hunched old man and cant wait to move !! Bernard

Brandon, if you get NO power, check the battery terminals for corrosion/connection. Then check fusable links. Then check the battery. Odds are it's one of these. If the battery is dead, that may be it, or the alternator may be failing... Hard to go any farther with what you supplied, but thats where to start. Good luck, and post if all that checks out... Bernard

Hey mzxtreme, is there Napa auto parts out there ? They have "Sta-lube" gl4, and I'm sure you could find it online and have it shipped; you only need a gallon+.... B

LOL, sounds like you have those things welded in !! Got ya about the flared nut, start cutting !! Just make sure you don't go under there pissed and get carried away !! I'm not your dad, but I'm gonna act like it for a sec... Please wear safety glasses... Good luck Bud ! Bernard

Hey K Man. I'm the same way (especially with a 4x4), I ALWAYS change all the oils (and will do full tune up if necessary). I merely consider it starting the clock on a maintainance schedule. It doesn't cost that much, and the gears like it . I don't know what happened with the previous truck's tranny; maybe it was what you put into it, maybe not.... OK, by the math you have not changed the tranny oil for 52K+ miles. Maybe the oil hadn't been changed for 20k, 30k, 50k before you bought it... So, that puts you at 52K-102K running that oil. The replacement schedule is every 30K, more often if you wheel it, do water crodssings, etc. Change your oil, or you WILL start hearing a whine !! Maybe it runs fine now, but oil brakes down/gets contaminated! Do not fear changing the oil, it is good not bad; just put in the right stuff ! There is a TSB posted in the garage by madkiwi that you should read about adding 'extra' oil. I think just jacking up the passenger side will let you add the 'extra' recommended, but I had the tranny out to do the clutch so I just poured it down the shifter hole. I put in 4 qts 80-90 gl4 and 1qt lucas oil stablizer for good luck. Shifting is stiff the first 1/4 mile on cold start, but then fine. I HIGHLY recommend changing the oil, and soon, but then it's your tranny. Be well. Bernard

Mark, you are the sole reason there are aerosoled bits of pizza in my keyboard, up my nose, and in my sinus cavity.... While I'm sure others have broken their nose unsticking a stuck steering wheel, you are the only one that I know of. But then, I can see exactly how that would happen... Oy !! B

Someone did a little write up on starter replacement, in the garage I think. Do a search. The most important thing you need to change the starter is patience. B

Whoa, that's REALLY bad !! You should be able to get at least double that average for 'normal' driving. My first guess would be the O2 sensor(trace/check the wires also), but something is definitely wrong !! Have you checked to see if you have a hole in the gas tank ?? Bernard

"I did splurge on the Bosch+4 plugs at the tune of $5 each but well worth it if the hype is true. " LOL, the plugs for my superbike are $22 each x4... YOWW ! B

Sorry, dont know the size of the bolts off hand... Just an afterthought, if you can get a nut splitter on there, it may save you a lot of swearing. You can also get away with splitting the nut with a hacksaw. If you are REAL careful you won't even damage the bolts, but then sounds like they need to be replaced anyway. Unfortunately, I have done a lot of this type of stuff; farging PITA most the time, but the right tools always help. Good luck... Bernard

If you can't get them to budge with an impact wrench and you have at least 90PSI(hopefully 120PSI), then hack/grind/drill them off. Thats what the mechanic will probably do, and charge you for. Just buy the new bolts, etc, and do it yourself. Just to cover all bases, do you have FULL air pressure ? Is the air gun torque setting on max ? Are the bolts spinning instead of breaking loose ? If you live in salted road country it may be different, but I have only had to cut/drill bolts off a few times in my life... Good Luck. Bernard

Ouch Vengeful, that made me want to throw up just reading it (as I take the last shot of Sauza). Just glad that you (and others) were able to purge successfully, if you know what I mean. Too many young adults go no farther due to excess (and lack of understanding what it actually does), but I'm not one to preach, just warn. My 2 experiences with 151 include my friend dribbling/choking a BURNING shot (you can imagine the aftermath), and waking up in a friendly ditch with little stomache lining left... Thank you for the disclaimer, and vague references; nothing posted here reflects the NPORA site at all. Yeah, know what you mean, been there. As for hitting the same tree twice, well, darn those buggers; the nerve of growing somewhere and holding still !! BigMike, all I can say is OOOWWWWW !! I've wiped out on bikes (petaled and motorized) in almost every conceivable manner, and hurt like heck from it, but for some wierd reason, never broke ANY bone in my life(other than my nose, but then, I didn't break it...). I don't know how it compares to dislocations, but I can only imagine what 4 broken bones, left and right, feel like. I bet you test the waters before you jump these days ! Excellent stories people, keep them comming; I know we are not out of fuel yet !! Bernard

Got ya 88. I didn't know about a check valve system in there. Yes, sometimes I read too much into things, but I think this is just a result of not reading enough into things in the past. LOL, I must be getting old. Thanks for the patience and explanation Bernard

I plan to put on a cone filter very soon, and I will make my own aluminum adapter plate. If you take some measurements I'll make you a nice one pretty cheap... Let me know. Bernard

I'm not sure what the going prices are in your area, but I'd say it's worth a serious look. If you are mechanically inclined, the work parts needed aren't that big of a deal other than the cost of tires. You may be able to get him lower because of that, but if you can get a solid, clean, well running low mile Pathy and fix/replace what is mentioned (assuming there is nothing else) for about $3K or so, I'd jump on it.... Bernard

I see what you are saying 88, and yes Mr P, once you know what is 'correct' you're ok. BUT you can't get a good reading with the engine running so thats out. Oil level is to be checked a few minutes after running to let most of any oil that will drain down do so. If you have the extra capacity oil path, when you shut the motor off, that will also start draining so when would you when to check it to 'calibrate ' the dipstick. Not to mention you never know if your lines and filter are completely filled when its running. It's this ambiguity that I'm wondering how to get around. I want to know, down the mililiter !! Um, just kidding. I guess the best way is just to do the math on the system you installed, add that much extra, and call it good ? Bernard

I highly recommend you get in touch with diesel boy !! Good luck. Bernard

And now for something completely different. This one popped up from childhood. I was maybe 10. I had spent the night a friends house but the next morning he had choir practice. No biggie, I'd just hang out and intertain myself for the hour. The church was backed to undeveloped land, and me being a nature enthusiast went to the rear of the property and poked around. About 1/2 way up a slope I saw 2 old empty 55 gallon drums with both ends removed laying on their sides. Cool !! I go over to check them out and develope ideas. Nothing unusual about them, but when I pushed it over there was a 4+ foot gopher snake enjoying the radiant heat from the steel drum in the sun. Cool ! I grab it just behind the head. (FYI a gopher snake is decent sized constrictor, much like a corn or indigo snake in other parts of the US and can get well over 6' long, 3" in diameter, and being a constrictor, fairly strong and they will bite, constrictor style, not letting go willingly. They look somewhat like pacific rattlers, but bigger, somewhat different markings, and different head; I knew what I was doing.) The rudely awakened snake promptly did its thing, coiling around my skinny little arm pretty much up to the shoulder and begins @!*%ting on me(side effect of constricting). The pressure is pretty strong, not dangerous though, but I can't really bend my elbow. Anyway while I am checking out this beautiful, pissed off specimen I kick over the other drum, and there lies an even BIGGER gopher snake. Cool !! So I grab it also, and it behaves like the first. So here I stand arms wrapped with serpents, getting (I am a dork for trying to use profanity here) on. Cool ! It only took me a few moments to realize what I had done. The snakes were holding me as well as I had them. I could not let go of either snake's "neck" with out being painfully and repeatedly bitten. I could not bend my arms nor drop them to my sides or the snakes would vent their anger on my thighs. I could only hold them out front, like a zombie, or to the sides, like a cross. Did I mention these are fairly heavy for a runt of a 10 year old boy to be holding like this ? I knew time was getting short because my hands were red and begining to tingle. I was not going to hurt them, that is just plain wrong, it was MY fault this happened. I needed help, just someone to hold one snake head for a moment; I needed my friend. I don't really have to describe what happens when you walk into a church and interupt a prepubescent coed choir class walking like a zombie with two (relatively) large and pissed off snakes coiled about your arms. My friend saw me first, his eyes went very large and he began to shake his head while singing. I began nodding and kept walking. Thats about when the screaming, running and fainting began... My buddy was no stranger to snakes so all I had to say was "I'm stuck, grab one..." and he did. We ran outside and back to the barrels where we let the snakes go. They of course took off, but at least we brought them back home. My buddy gave me a very long and wierd look, then ran back inside for some more singing. I sat there with arms that looked like barber poles from the snakes, waiting for blood to return to my hands and stop tingling, feeling embarrased and sorry for myself. That lasted about 4 minutes. Looking at the barrels, then the slope, I had an idea !! Get in the barrel and roll down the hill !!! Cool !!! No, NOT Cool, as I was about to learn. I jump in one, got it rocking and start rolling. The first 20 feet was FUN ! Then as it picked up speed the gentle bouncing grew into violent slamming. Of course I had braced my self inside but within 50 feet was completely akimbo. For the next hundred feet or so I was maniacally playing a circular gong from the inside, mainly with head, knees and elbows. I was gaining valuable insight to circular motion, centrifugal force, and vector acceleration. One particularly nasty slam tossed me part way out of the drum, but try as I might I could not get all the way out; some force had me pinned against the side of the barrel and I didn't have anything to lever against. The remainder of the ride was spent smacking my head on the grassy hillside once per rev. The grand finale was the end of the ride. I believe it was a bay tree, I know it it hurt, a lot ! With a sudden, final and very loud BONG the FUN was over. I scrambled out of the drum and tried to stand up. Never did make it... All I achieved was what felt like a slow motion cartwheel with no hands and wound up in a crumpled heap in the grass for 10 minutes or so before I was ready to try again. It took that long for the earth to get back under me and stay that way. Now this is when the snakes should have shown up to get even, but maybe they saw the adventure and figured that justice/karma had been served. I do know that my friend had been keeping an eye on me through a window and saw the whole ride; maybe he figured to leave me for dead... Somehow, I suffered no real injuries other than bruises on 50% of my body, but I was invited by the church staff NOT to come back, EVER ! Bernard

Virtually everything I have read, here and elsewhere, is very specific to use only gl-4 NOT gl-5. I've decided to believe a 95% concensus. Every autoparts parts guy (without looking anything up) told me "just use gl-5". I decided NOT to believe them. I asked one of these yokels if that was what he put in his Pathfinder MT ? He said "um, no, I have a Blazer2 automatic..." I said "Piss off then..." gl-4 is harder to find but it is out there, just call around. Thats a real good point somethingcool; never thought about that. Besides, then you have 1 less different oil type thing sitting around. Bernard

??? LOL ??? Yes, that is where it would be if someone hadn't pulled it off. But then, I know how shift my 95 anyway and mick2 has a 97.... B

Um, well, 3 feet of 1/2" hose holds around 1 pint (if my math is correct) plus one 1 pint for an oversized filter. If you have this set up and put 4 quarts in your motor, then start it, assuming you fill the lines and filter with oil, your engine is now running with only 3 quarts in it which could effect lubrication. Not something I would want to do... The dip stick isn't very helpful in this situation unless you work it out and re-graduate it for operating conditions. Or were you joking ? Bernard

Good write up MM !! I like the idea, and I'm sure I'll do it soon. My question is about the appropriate oil level, especially if you go with the ford filter. More oil is good up to the point where you start blowing seals; with the 'normal' amount of oil specified, in this set up you will actually be a little bit low at operating condition. What is the happy balance ? I guess you could calculate the volume of the length of hoses+'oversized' filter difference, but does any one know from experience? Maybe I'm overly concerned, but I'm also an aircooled VW buff so I'm familiar with deeper sump, oil cooler atachments, etc. The biggest mistake is that people add this to increase oil capacity and cooling, but fail to to take into account the greater oil path volume and actually end up starving the motor and killing it sooner than if they left it alone. I know its apples and eggplants but the principle is the same. Technically it would also apply to after market auto tranny coolers, but with 8+ quarts it probably doesn't matter, but then, with larger diameter hoses and greater capacity coolers, who knows ? Feel free to slap me down if I'm being silly... Bernard P.S. Didn't I read an entire thread about what garbage Fram is or am I loosing my mind ?

@!*%e !!! mick2, I'm sorry. I read everything you described but was too stupid to notice the '97 part. Here I thought I was helping or something... Thanks for the patience and good humor; I should have payed better attention. I dont know crap about the 96+ models... My only suggestion is buy a 95-. I know, not very useful. Again, sincere apologies.... Bernard

Hey there Sirus. 'accidently ended up getting my 94' Pathfinder (XE-V6) vandelized' ? As opposed to on purpose ? Sorry, couldn't help my self. Don't feel alone, some twit broke off my driving lights last night... While I haven't done this myself, I went out and looked. I have a '95XE so they are probably identical. If you open the rear you will see 3 screws through some trim on the side of the lense which is covered by the hatch when closed. Looks like that has to come off regardless, so remove it. If this doesn't expose some screws, then look inside the truck where the rear of the assembly would be. There is a plastic clip door; remove it. You now see the rear of the entire light assembly and 3 nuts. Looks like these hold in/together the assembly. A bit of a hassle, but it keeps people from walking up and unscrewing you lense; instead they have to break a window ! FYI, there is a lot of room in that space, perfect for a cargo net, road flares, a kilo of your favorite substance during border crossings... JUST KIDDING !!! Good luck Bud. Bernard

Not to mention you can boil a battery that way, and thats not funny. I have literally seen batteries that are puffed up like a baloon; I don't have to explain the fun you will have if it were to burst. Don't be lazy, make this a priority ! Bernard