protodiarko7 Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 Let me tell you a little about my 88 pathy and you tell me if it's just worth trashing or if it's worth trying to fix it up. first of all- the good things: engine runs real good- strong, never stalls, never gives me any complaints. it's a pathy- which makes it beautiful. the dash is in good shape. the AC works good. all lights work. all of those things are in good shape. seats are comfy. transfer case is solid. differentials are solid. frame is barely rusted, other than light surface rust. most mechanical parts aren't rusted much. now the bad things: BODY RUST. the entire spot under where the rear seats used to be (i took them out) is a bunch of holes. you can turn around and see the ground. there's a hole in the drivers floor board. there's some pretty bad rust spots that if i tried to take care of would immediantly be holes in all of the wheel wells. there's a bad rust spot on the roof, bad rust under the body mounts for the spare tire carrier. about 6 or 7 rust spots/ holes on the lower sides of the body. there's lots of rust holes around the wheel wells as well. the underside of the body- there's atleast 2 or 3, if not more spots that it is so rusted that i would have to cut all the metal out and start over new. the hubs are rusted, but not past being able to be taken care of. the tires are not a matched set, and aren't very good tires. there's enough rust on the frame and other parts that i would have to take the body off the frame to get all the frame rust off. and there's so much rust around the body mounts, i'm not sure it would even go back on. i'm discovering the car to be like a cracker. looks pretty- but when you squeeze it- it breaks off and crumbles. the EGR valve is no longer existing- considering it's completely rusted out. so the exhaust is real loud. i think the passenger side torsion bar is completely shot. cranking it doesn't do anything at all. no lift or drop. the rear coil springs are rusted pretty bad, as well as the casing of the rancho 5000's are rusted too. ALRIGHT- here's another one that scares me a little. the transmission for the most part is pretty solid. but when i try to shift into first gear too quickly, it grinds. when i shift down into second gear when it's going over 20mph, it grinds. when i shift into 3rd it grinds- sometimes- but not during initial acceleration. also grinds on occasion when i shift into reverse too quickly. that's all i can think of at the moment. suggestions please?! should i find another pathy body and try to replace the body? or should i trash it? or sell it? or what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 Well you've basically described my truck, except my body rust isn't that bad but my frame is probably MUCH worse. As to whether you should trash it or not really depends on how much you want to spend, and of course, how much the truck means to you. In my case, money is no option, but i have none anyways. About your trans, from what you describe your driving a 5 speed. I know that in our r50 pathfinder if you shift into reverse if the truck is moving at all, it grinds a bit. But I was told that reverse gears don't have synchros. Also ours grinds if you shift into 4th at to high an rpm (3200+). We had the truck brought to the dealer, and they said nothing was wrong but if you drive normally, i.e. not like a race car driver like i sometimes do, you should be fine. Changing the tranny oil helped too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
protodiarko7 Posted October 8, 2007 Author Share Posted October 8, 2007 well it's worth a lot to me if i can fix it decently. i don't really care if it's gorgeous or not. i mean the spots that i have fixed, my paint i put on it- doesn't even match. i just want my pathy to be SOLID. i'm willing to do a lot of work- i just don't have much money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustyole88pathy Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 sounds kinda like my Pathy when I first bought it as well...Now a grand or so later (due mostly to the lift) and she's turned into something I am really attached too... Therefore, I say fix it. The majority of the work you can do yourself without spending a lot $$$. The rust stuff is really no big deal. All you need is a few sheets of steel from a local hardware store, a grinder, and a welder. Problem solved! If the tranny quits on you (not that I am saying it will), that will of course be a bigger problem...but you could probably get your hands on a Pathy 5spd for a couple hundred bucks. Like redfinder said...change the tranny fluid...and also add an external tranny cooler, and you will hopefully extend the life of your transmission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
protodiarko7 Posted October 8, 2007 Author Share Posted October 8, 2007 well that's encouraging considering, i have a roll of sheet metal, a welder, and a grinder. it will take a lot of metal though. should i remove the body to do serious patching? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted October 8, 2007 Share Posted October 8, 2007 I didn't know you could put a cooler on a 5 speed, something i should look into Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 well that's encouraging considering, i have a roll of sheet metal, a welder, and a grinder. it will take a lot of metal though. should i remove the body to do serious patching? I know for a fact that for the frame, if it needs any patching, you'll need thicker than sheet metal. But for the body it would probably depend on the extent of the rust to consider removing the body off the frame. I've seen replacement fenders and stuff on ebay for pathfinders for relativly cheap, like 40-50 bucks IIRC. I know i'll be buying one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
protodiarko7 Posted October 9, 2007 Author Share Posted October 9, 2007 the extent of the rust is real real bad. but i'll work on it! thanks guys... keep the suggestions coming please =) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Just keep truckin along on it and don't give up, thats what I always think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLouisGod Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 What are you looking to get out of it? Are you wheeling it or just DDing it? Mine had many problems but I worked most of them out, now I just want to drive the piss out of it but Im not looking to do anything to serious with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
protodiarko7 Posted October 9, 2007 Author Share Posted October 9, 2007 it's a heavy wheelin truck. that's the only purpose it has. it's got a lotttttttttttttttttttttt of body rust. i'm looking to fix it. i think i'm going to take the body off the frame and fix it all FOR GOOD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Let's see some pics of the rust. I did quite a bit of body work on my old one, and while it was far from perfect, no one ever commented on it, which means, they probably didn't notice. If the frame is good, and the drivetrain is good, keep it, and patch it up. If it's manual, there's no point in a cooler. Just change the fluid, with GL-4 ONLY, and make sure you fill to 5L as opposed to the 3.5 that the manual states. I always filled mine via top, after removing the shifter. I found that to be the easiest way to get it filled, since the fill hole won't allow you put 5L in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
protodiarko7 Posted October 9, 2007 Author Share Posted October 9, 2007 i'll take pictures tomorrow afternoon of some of the rust spots. i say some- because there's a whole lot of them. but the car drives so good. and i love it- for some crazy reason, so i don't think i could trash it. even if i have to spend a ton of money to get it solid. i think i'm going to try to take the body off. which will be a pain, i'm sure. i don't know another practical way to do it though? and thanks simon! i read some stuff about the filling. i'll just take the shifter out, no big deal. i need to change all fluids, considering i've only had this car for a little over 2 weeks and i have no clue when it was done last. but money runs low real quick. ah, money sucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
95shakinPF Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 It sounds like youve got yourself a project! Best thing is to take the body off(if its really that bad) and TAKE YOUR TIME!!! If you do a rush job, then thats what you will have in the end! (a junk rush job!!) Good luck and send those pics!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 It sounds like youve got yourself a project! Best thing is to take the body off(if its really that bad) and TAKE YOUR TIME!!! If you do a rush job, then thats what you will have in the end! (a junk rush job!!) Good luck and send those pics!! A junk rush job, yes, and it will also need to be completly redone in a year or two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
protodiarko7 Posted October 9, 2007 Author Share Posted October 9, 2007 alright thank you so much guys. now onto my mission of taking a body off... never tried that before. but might as well add 3 inches of body lift while it's off? why not! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
protodiarko7 Posted October 9, 2007 Author Share Posted October 9, 2007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
protodiarko7 Posted October 9, 2007 Author Share Posted October 9, 2007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
protodiarko7 Posted October 9, 2007 Author Share Posted October 9, 2007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
protodiarko7 Posted October 9, 2007 Author Share Posted October 9, 2007 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
protodiarko7 Posted October 9, 2007 Author Share Posted October 9, 2007 alright... how does it look? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TruBlu Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 Here is a transmission cocktail for your pathy.....If it doesn't fix half if not all of your issues then I'll eat my hat. I had issues with my old WRXs transmission. I used this cocktail and she was just like brand new. The same cocktail is my wifes car and my buddies jeep. All have noticed an increase in transmission performance. *1qt Redline lightweight shockproof *1qt Pennzoil or GM Synchromesh *2qt Castrol HypoyC 80w-90. Fill the rest of the transmission using regular 80-90 or 75-90 which you choose. But try to not add anymore synthetics in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted October 9, 2007 Share Posted October 9, 2007 That is pretty rusty, but for a wheeling truck it wouldn't really make a difference i guess. At least your frame looks decent. Mines really rotted, you can probably find my threads on that somewheres. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
protodiarko7 Posted October 10, 2007 Author Share Posted October 10, 2007 i guess it doesn't, but i take pride in my trucks. so i want it to be pretty. but i'll get it fixed! arg. the work ahead. anyone want to come to alabama and help? please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamzan Posted October 10, 2007 Share Posted October 10, 2007 Mines gonna look new when its done. And It won't rust again. Make sure to POR15 that frame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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