MadManMike Posted June 2, 2007 Share Posted June 2, 2007 For crying out loud! My pathy keeps needing more and more repairs first I learned about the timing belt replacement, thats going to cost me about $1100 (with water pump, seals, rad hoses, temp sens..etc ). Then about a month after I have it the starter starts acting up... great another $100.. Now I am driving down the road and I started smelling it getting hot, look down at my temp sensor is way up there.. pull over and it's low on coolant (obviously have a small coolant leak somewhere) who knows if I will ever find it . Now 4 months after I have had it I am smelling exhaust from the front (fuel also) and I started hearing a ticking Uhg... sounds like the stupid exhaust manifold.. another $300 maybe more. So far: $2400 for the car Expenses to come: $1100 for timing belt etc $100 for starter $300-$400 for the exhaust manifold so thats $1500 in repairs that I know need to be done, not to mention the repairs that aren't nessiscary but would be nice.. like a new A/C system. Total for my 1995 Pathy $3900 << not sure it's so worth it I know, I know.. it's a used car and used cars have problems.. but I wouldn't have bought it for that price had I known that all this stuff would go bad in the first 3 months Any way I thought I would vent and feel sorry for my self... sigh... if it wasn't so darn beautiful I would get rid of it! -MadManMike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 Can you do any work on it yourself? It doesn't NEED to cost that much. Find and fix the coolant leak first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigfisch1191 Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 (edited) Can you do any work on it yourself? It doesn't NEED to cost that much. Find and fix the coolant leak first. the guy you got it from drive it threw his front door... but yea you can do alot of that on you own just buy a chiltons manual. Edited June 4, 2007 by bigfisch1191 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadManMike Posted June 4, 2007 Author Share Posted June 4, 2007 Well I found the coolant leak so to speak... I was driving down the road and the heat started to go up again, I immediately pulled over. Jumped out to see if I could see the leak this time ( last time I couln't see any thing leaking) .. This time it was spraying out of the bottom of the rad like a pressure washer. It was spraying on the drivers side so I don't think its the lower rad hose. When I got home I took out the rad and haven't been able to find the hole. Might just buy a new one tomorrow and pop it in. And now I have decided to attempt the timing belt, my dad has done timing belts on fords chev's etc... so I hope this one is not to much more difficult. But I think I am going to leave the exhausts manifold to the repair shop.. We put headers on our toyota motorhome when the manifolds broke... we snapped bolt after bolt.. it was one of the most frustrating jobs we have ever done So I am not sure I want to attempt this one. I couldn't even get the heat shield off with out snapping a screw and stripping one.. so it's obviously rusted. -Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solid snake Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 For crying out loud! My pathy keeps needing more and more repairs first I learned about the timing belt replacement, thats going to cost me about $1100 (with water pump, seals, rad hoses, temp sens..etc ). Then about a month after I have it the starter starts acting up... great another $100.. Now I am driving down the road and I started smelling it getting hot, look down at my temp sensor is way up there.. pull over and it's low on coolant (obviously have a small coolant leak somewhere) who knows if I will ever find it . Now 4 months after I have had it I am smelling exhaust from the front (fuel also) and I started hearing a ticking Uhg... sounds like the stupid exhaust manifold.. another $300 maybe more. Dude, it doesn't have to cost you that much. May be about $500.00 with what you have mentioned already. First off, like 88 said, fix that coolant leak. I would recommend to replace the hoses lower upper and upper bypass hose to cover your butt. If the temp sensor is working, obviously becuase it was showing you that you were over heating, why replace, instead replace thermostat. Timing belt starter, and may be consider headers to replace manifolds. Upper hose: http://www.autozone.com/R,APP1040719/vehic...oductDetail.htm lower hose: http://www.autozone.com/R,APP1045460/vehic...oductDetail.htm Bypass hose: http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail....065&PTSet=A Thermostat: http://www.autozone.com/R,APP79374/vehicle...oductDetail.htm Water pump: http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail....=54&PTSet=A Timing belt: http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail....161&PTSet=A Starter: http://www.partsamerica.com/ProductDetail....123&PTSet=A Headers you can order from summit racing for a set of thorleys about $350.00. There you go just did the shopping for you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gtrotta Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 MadManMike, don't feel bad. Last year I sold my trusty Dodge Raider and bought a '97 Pathy with 132k from my neighbor. In short order: Check enging light came on Knock sensor and ECU unit went (it was clogged with carbon granules). Check engine light went off Then it started getting 8 mpg and our best efforts couldn't figure out why. We eventually figured the fan clutch was frozen, and when we replace it it was back up to 15 mpg. Cruise control didn't work -- light lit but set button didn't engage. Traced it out to bad relay, so caught a break there. CD player turned out to have a CD stuck in it...can't get it out with tweezers or needlenose, so I'll have to replace it. Replaced the worn tires (some knockoff brand I'd never heard of) with Dayton Timberline HT's. No sooner was all this done, the some woman talking on a cell phone rear-ended my wife while she was stopped at the traffic light. The person took off and my wife was so shocked she didn't get make/model although we think it's an early-model teal saturn, since the airbags didn't deploy despite it being a knock hard enough to bend the Pathy's bumper down. So does anyone have a black rear bumper out there. Best, Gian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Pathfindero Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 Whoa, wait a minute, your trusty Dodge Raider?!?!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadManMike Posted June 4, 2007 Author Share Posted June 4, 2007 (edited) Dude, it doesn't have to cost you that much. May be about $500.00 with what you have mentioned already. First off, like 88 said, fix that coolant leak. I would recommend to replace the hoses lower upper and upper bypass hose to cover your butt. If the temp sensor is working, obviously becuase it was showing you that you were over heating, why replace, instead replace thermostat. Timing belt starter, and may be consider headers to replace manifolds. Dunno some one told me replace temp sens. in the past... or maybe I was thinking thermostat.. Why headers? I installed Hooker Headers on my our motorhome and got zero better gas millage... zero more power... zero more torque... couldn't tell a difference with any thing. And headers are $350.00 and replacement manifolds are $30 a side As long as I replace the studs I should be okay right? Okay looked over the rad and found a small dent with a little crack the size of my index finger nail.. So I am going to braze it and call it good. So that takes care of the coolant leak. Like I say I am going to attempt to do the timing belt etc.. my self. Is it really necessary to replace the cam/crank seals while I am in there? or just if they look bad? So for general repairs while I am replacing timing belt I have: Water pump Lower & upper rad hoses and upper bypass hose thermostat All drive belts t-belt tensioner Any thing else? Oh and about the starter... it's kinda funny... Last month while I was changing my oil filter I dumped a bunch of oil on my starter.. and ever since it hasn't had a single problem starting.....lol but I figure it's on the fritz and I probably should replace it any way. -Mike Edited June 4, 2007 by MadManMike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solid snake Posted June 4, 2007 Share Posted June 4, 2007 Why headers? I installed Hooker Headers on my our motorhome and got zero better gas millage... zero more power... zero more torque... couldn't tell a difference with any thing. And headers are $350.00 and replacement manifolds are $30 a side As long as I replace the studs I should be okay right? Like I say I am going to attempt to do the timing belt etc.. my self. Is it really necessary to replace the cam/crank seals while I am in there? or just if they look bad? Well, other would suggest headers since tha manifolds themselves can warp. But if you are able to fix it with new studs, then take the cheaper route. These mods are deffinetly a DYI project, so you can save money on labor costs. As far as the seals, do it for cheap insurance for the future. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadManMike Posted June 5, 2007 Author Share Posted June 5, 2007 Well brazing the radiator didn't work... so I went down a bought a new one and after cutting my self and skinning my knuckles and splashing antifreeze on my lips ( you would think I am trying to kill my self) I got the new rad in.. put some water in it and it doesn't seem to be leaking any where.... next test is to turn the car on and see if it holds up under pressure -Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedPath88 Posted June 5, 2007 Share Posted June 5, 2007 I installed Hooker Headers on my our motorhome and got zero better gas millage... zero more power... zero more torque... couldn't tell a difference with any thing. Theres the problem If you can get the manifolds cheap then yes, you have a point there. Headers available for Pathfinders do make a difference, as many here will tell you. Even better if coupled with new exhaust. They will also solve some exhaust problems associated with our engines. but if saving money now is the goal, then replace the manifolds. IF you are sure they are bad (ie warped beyond allowable limits even with a resurfacing or cracked) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadManMike Posted June 5, 2007 Author Share Posted June 5, 2007 (edited) Theres the problem Hey! whats wrong with hooker If you can get the manifolds cheap then yes, you have a point there. Cheap enough for you (Linky) ... wonder if they really are the same quality as OEM... Oh and I wouldn't replace them unless they are warped. My guess is that one or more of my studs are broken, just replace them and I am set. -Mike Edited June 5, 2007 by MadManMike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted June 5, 2007 Share Posted June 5, 2007 On the timing belt, I've left the Cam/crank seals alone. Seems to me if they're holding oil, no need to worry about it. Especially since, if I put in new ones, they're SURE to leak. I've got 315,000 kms on my 95, and done 2 timing belts, and still no oil leaks. Be sure, though, to do the water pump, tensioner, and thermostat when you're in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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