Jetmugg

Since it's about 0 degrees F here today, I noticed that my '97 Pathy doesn't roll very easily with the tranny out of gear (it's a 5-speed). The super-cold oil in the front diff must be having some effect. I'm considering putting a set of Warn hubs on the front end, and wonder if anyone has been able to measure a difference in MPG after switching to the Warn hubs. SteveM

Next time, you might want to try a longer "cheater" pipe on your breaker bar, or higher PSI for the impact, or a bigger impact wrench, but definitely leave the torque wrenches in their boxes. You might also want to soak the bolts and nuts with a good penetrating oil (Kroil, PB Blaster, etc) for a day or more before trying to break them loose. If the lift kit comes with new bolts and nuts, there is always the option of cutting the old ones off with a grinder/cutoff wheel setup. But please, please, leave the torque wrenches in their boxes. SteveM.

Step #1 - you HAVE TO get all the codes scanned to find out what the OBDII issues are. There is no guesswork involved, just take it to Autozone or some similar place. They will scan the codes for free and usually give you a printout of what the codes are. Step #2 - fix all the broken stuff. The death wobble is for sure caused by the lower control arm bushings. The complete arms, with the bushings already installed are just over $100 at the Nissan dealer. Replace them in an afternoon in your own driveway or garage. My 2 cents. SteveM.

I had a code P0446 for the EVAP system (forgot the exact wording now). This is on a '97 Pathy with the charcoal canister behind the rear wheelwell. Anyway, I followed the tutorial in the "Garage" section to clean out the lines, purge valve, volume control valve, EVAP solenoid, etc. When I pulled the canister off, I decided to pour out whatever loose charcoal had been broken up. By the time I poured out all the loose stuff, there was NOTHING left in the canister (no charcoal). The purge line from the front to back of the Pathy was basically packed with carbon. It took a long time to get it all cleaned out, working from both ends before I finally got it cleared. My question is as follows: Will I hurt the Pathy or cause any other codes by running it with a canister that doesn't contain any charcoal? I can't think of any sensors that would know whether or not charcoal was present, but I'm certainly no expert on the topic either. SteveM

The clutch in this truck was recently replaced by the PO (work performed at a dealer). It's definitely not worn or near the end of its life I suspect that the issue is as a previous poster commented, that the "fingers" on the stock Nissan pressure plate are just plain stiff. I can live with it, but it seems un-necessarily stiff for the power output of the engine. I have driven Ford F450 diesel trucks which have 600+ ft-lbs of torque, and they have lighter clutch pedals than this Pathfinder. Perhaps the aftermarket pressure plates have re-designed fingers that actuate with less force than the stocker. Just wondering out loud - it doesn't seem to be out of the ordinary. SteveM

I've only been driving my recently purchased '97 Pathy for a few days, but one thing keeps coming to mind - why is the clutch pedal so heavy? I have driven 3/4 ton and 1 ton pickups that did not have clutch pedals as stiff as this 3.3L / 5 speed combo. I assume it's normal, as I haven't driven any other manual pathfinders. Is it supposed to be so stiff? SteveM.

When I bought it (about 3 weeks ago), it had a constant "Service Engine Soon" light showing. I took it to Autozone and had them scan the code. It was P0335 (crankshaft position sensor). What I have learned since then is that the sensor is not needed for the engine to run properly. It is only used to identify which cylinder is misfiring if there is a case of a misfire. My sensor was physically broken when I pulled it out. The previous owners had recently had a clutch put in, and I suspect that the sensor was broken during this installation. The only way to identify that there is a problem is if it throws a code. SteveM.

I got it from underneath, working mostly by feel. I pulled the front driveshaft out to make room for my arm, took the tranny crossmember off to lower the back of the tranny, and used a small box-end 10mm wrench to get the bolt loose. (a 10mm gear wrench wouldn't quite fit). To get the electric plug disconnected, I jacked up the rear of the tranny and worked from above, just as described in one of your previous posts, nissandoms47. No more "Service Engine Soon" light. I also changed the rear lower control arms, as the truck was suffering from the "death wobble as well". The death wobble is gone now. All in all, a pretty productive weekend. Thanks for the help guys, SteveM.

Thanks for the help guys. I just finished replacing the sensor. WHEW, what a tough spot to get to. I'm glad my arms aren't any bigger than they are. The old sensor was definitely broken. I think there's about a 98% chance that it was damaged when the PO had the clutch replaced. Once again, this forum is extremely helpful and valuable. This was one of those jobs that I'm not sure I could have completed without some help. I couldn't see or feel the sensor at all without lowering the back of the tranny as low as it would go. SteveM.

Thank you very much. Knowing that the sensor actually bolts through the bellhousing should make it easier. At least I know where to look and feel for the sensor. I just purchased a FSM for the truck, and I'm a bit disappointed in the level of detail for some of the service operations. I was trying to look more at the junction between the tranny and block. Knowing that it bolts through the tranny bellhousing is very helpful information. I assume it's actually a couple of inches back from the tranny/engine seam? Thanks again, SteveM.

I recently bought a '97 Pathy (3.3L, 5-speed). It has a SES code P0335 (Crankshaft Position Sensor). I have purchsed the sensor, and I have the factory service manual for the vehicle. The previous owner had the clutch replaced some time back, and I suspect that the sensor was damaged during re-installation. I consider myself a pretty good mechanic, and have a good bit of experience working on all kinds of vehicles. I'm looking for some advice on replacing this crankshaft position sensor. I can't see or touch the sensor, either from above or below. I've removed the tranny crossmember so that I can jack the rear of the tranny up, and let it down as much as possible with the motor mounts and driveshafts still attached. There is just not enough room for me to get my hands or eyes on the sensor. I have removed the hood from the truck to allow me to lay across the top of the engine, but still no luck. The FSM isn't much help, it just says basically remove and replace the sensor, without specific step-by-step pictorial instructions. I understand that the sensor is located at the approximate 11:00 position on the back of the engine / front of the transmission location, I just haven't been able to get to it yet. I think my next step is to remove the front driveshaft to allow more room to reach around from the underside. Any advice would be appreciated, especially from anyone who has done this job before. Thank You, Steve M.

I'm a noobie here, but have been studying the forums a bit. I just bought a '97 Pathfinder that has the "death wobble" coming from the rearend. I can get new lower arms from the dealer for $100 per side, including bushings. Alternatively, I can get the aftermarket polyurethane bushings for about $50 per side. I have access to a full machine shop and hydraulic press. I have done other control arm bushings on other vehicles before. I'm sure that I could get these done as well, but don't know how much hassle it would be. If it was your time and money - which way would you go - replace with new units from the dealer, or press in aftermarket bushings into the original arms? Any advice would be appreciated. SteveM.