TrailChaser Posted June 9, 2004 Share Posted June 9, 2004 I bought my 95 Nissan Pathfinder a few months ago, and for the last month I've been hearing some strange noises whenever I turn on concrete/pavement. I've been thinking maybe the previous owner welded the rear-end together to make it positive traction, and now the weld broke??? I know for sure that it's not positive traction right now, but it's like really real tight limited slip. When I peal out on a dirt road it always hooks up positive traction, but when I turn on pavement the outside tire doesn't squeal. Any help would be great. I don't really want to open it up to have a look but I may have to. I'm not too familiar with mechanic work but I'm learning, so don't get too technical with me. Thanks, David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChromoTech Posted June 9, 2004 Share Posted June 9, 2004 is that when you have it in 4 wheel drive?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChromoTech Posted June 9, 2004 Share Posted June 9, 2004 i got a 95 too im good with figuring out stuff on my pathy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrailChaser Posted June 9, 2004 Author Share Posted June 9, 2004 is that when you have it in 4 wheel drive?? I only hear the noise when I'm in two wheel drive, but I've never driven it in four wheel drive on pavement so it might. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted June 9, 2004 Share Posted June 9, 2004 I bought my 95 Nissan Pathfinder a few months ago, and for the last month I've been hearing some strange noises whenever I turn on concrete/pavement. I've been thinking maybe the previous owner welded the rear-end together to make it positive traction, and now the weld broke??? I know for sure that it's not positive traction right now, but it's like really real tight limited slip. When I peal out on a dirt road it always hooks up positive traction, but when I turn on pavement the outside tire doesn't squeal. Any help would be great. I don't really want to open it up to have a look but I may have to. I'm not too familiar with mechanic work but I'm learning, so don't get too technical with me. Thanks, David What kind of noises? You say you've been hearing noises, but you didn't say anything other than that. Why do you think you might need to "open it up"?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94extreme Posted June 9, 2004 Share Posted June 9, 2004 ya, what kinda noises? any movement in the rear end when you floor it? it does kinda sound like you have lsd to me. maybe time for fluid change? sometimes that may give you some clues... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepRescueService14 Posted June 9, 2004 Share Posted June 9, 2004 dude, dont worry its a growling type noise from your rear end like in parking lots or when making tight turns like u turns???? mine makes the same noise and my posi works fine.. its just the clutches... TURN THE RADIO UP! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94extreme Posted June 9, 2004 Share Posted June 9, 2004 TURN THE RADIO UP! Ha, ha, ha.... ...and when the check engine light goes off then the car just fixed itself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrailChaser Posted June 9, 2004 Author Share Posted June 9, 2004 What kind of noises? You say you've been hearing noises, but you didn't say anything other than that. Why do you think you might need to "open it up"?? I'm not really sure how to describe the noise, it's like a grinding popping sound, but I don't feel it in the pedels and if I goose it while turning it still responds fine. I was thinking I may need to "open up" the rear-end to see if it's a broken weld, or some other problem... The main reason I don't want to take the rear-end "pumpkin" apart is that I don't know what I'm doing since I've never worked on a rear-end. I'm sure I'd be able to tell real quick if it's a broken weld. Does anyone have experiance with positive traction by welding something together in the "pumpkin"? PS: pumpkin is what my dad and his friends called the gear housing in the rear-end where the drive-shaft hooks up... Bear with me here, I'm really new to mechanic work so I'm not sure what the actual names of parts are yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrailChaser Posted June 9, 2004 Author Share Posted June 9, 2004 ya, what kinda noises? any movement in the rear end when you floor it? it does kinda sound like you have lsd to me. maybe time for fluid change? sometimes that may give you some clues... When you say movement are you talking about the axle or wheels moving in some way they're not suppose to? Everything seems solid back there. What's lsd? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted June 9, 2004 Share Posted June 9, 2004 A limited slip differential. Try changing the rear diff fluid before doing anything else. Look for a small orange sticker on the back side of the diff housing facing the rear bumper. If you have that sticker, then it's a LSD rear and it's probably working OK, but the fluid could need changing. If someone drove through real deep water then never changed the fluid, it could have gotten water in it and water/gear lube mixes would definitely be a bad thing to have rolling around inside your rear diff. It'll come out in thick white globs if it has water in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
94extreme Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 When you say movement are you talking about the axle or wheels moving in some way they're not suppose to? Everything seems solid back there. Yup, sometimes some bushing (rubber) maybe worn out in the rear end and the veh. will sway when you gun it or slam brakes and it may clunk or whatever. all that stuff is in proximity. Oil change is def in order just to see what it looks like. If you have a lot of metal shavings in the oil, well you know you have trouble. If you have the orange sticker then 80w90 with lsd additive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeepRescueService14 Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 pumpkin, third member, diff, rear end.. same thing.. there is nothing servicable (or weldable, unless you're a butcher) in there besides the gears, clutches and bearings.. when your gears are going they either howl, or they just go bye bye. and your with bearings they just howl and sometimes a light grind all the time.. although... since i have the same noises it might be a good idea to check the oil for water and junk ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denisb Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 I have sorta the same problem/noise. I checked for oil in the water and there was only oil in there, so I left for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrailChaser Posted June 10, 2004 Author Share Posted June 10, 2004 Yup, sometimes some bushing (rubber) maybe worn out in the rear end and the veh. will sway when you gun it or slam brakes and it may clunk or whatever. all that stuff is in proximity. Oil change is def in order just to see what it looks like. If you have a lot of metal shavings in the oil, well you know you have trouble. If you have the orange sticker then 80w90 with lsd additive. Can someone give me a short do's and don't to changing the diff oil? :help: I really apperciate all the help so far. Thanks, David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
88pathoffroad Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 Remove the fill plug. Do this first in case the plug is seized. You wouldn't want to drain out all the oil and then not be able to fill it back up. Place drain pan or catch basin underneath the center of the diff. Remove the drain plug. Drain all oil. Clean off magnetic drain plug. A light coating/crown/halo of iron particles on the drain plug is perfectly normal. Reinstall drain plug. Do not overtorque, just tighten it up nice and snug. Refill with 80W-90 GL-5 gear oil. If your diff is a limited-slip, use GL-5 with the limited slip additive in it. The diff is full when gear oil is level with the lower edge of the fill plug. Should take about 4.5 quarts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrailChaser Posted June 10, 2004 Author Share Posted June 10, 2004 Remove the fill plug. Do this first in case the plug is seized. You wouldn't want to drain out all the oil and then not be able to fill it back up. Place drain pan or catch basin underneath the center of the diff. Remove the drain plug. Drain all oil. Clean off magnetic drain plug. A light coating/crown/halo of iron particles on the drain plug is perfectly normal. Reinstall drain plug. Do not overtorque, just tighten it up nice and snug. Refill with 80W-90 GL-5 gear oil. If your diff is a limited-slip, use GL-5 with the limited slip additive in it. The diff is full when gear oil is level with the lower edge of the fill plug. Should take about 4.5 quarts. Thanks for the info... That'll give me something constructive to do this weekend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
red-finder Posted June 10, 2004 Share Posted June 10, 2004 I changed the transmission and transfer case fluid in mine last weekend. I thought I would go ahead and change the differentials too. I couldn't get the fill plugs off, so I didn't drain them. Make sure you get those out first. I would hate to drain first and then find out you couldn't open the fill plugs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrailChaser Posted June 20, 2004 Author Share Posted June 20, 2004 I've been thinking maybe the previous owner welded the rear-end together to make it positive traction, and now the weld broke??? I know for sure that it's not positive traction right now, but it's like really real tight limited slip. When I peal out on a dirt road it always hooks up positive traction, but when I turn on pavement the outside tire doesn't squeal. That's from my first post... It seems I was wrong... I was driving around with my wife today and got the ideal to leave one tire on the pavement and one tire on loose gravel while power braking to check for positive traction. I mean, if the tire on the pavemant turns exactly as much as the tire on the loose gravel it would have to be positivetraction right? Well, I tried it out. I had my wife stand behind the Pathfinder while I did a slow burnout/power brake. Both tires moved exactly the same. "nice squealing sound from the slow moving tire on the pavement" So does this little test seem conclusive to anyone else? I will find out for sure when I change the gear oil. I bought 5 quarts of 80w-90 with the lsd additive. I hope it doesn't hurt anything since it's probably a posy. Thanks, David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatterHorn Posted June 20, 2004 Share Posted June 20, 2004 a posi is a limited slip differential ... just a different brand name that I think was thought up by FORD ... maybe Chevy ... I dont know ... the point is ... you are SUPPOSE to have LSD additive in your diff ... from your test, if both wheels are moving the same, then you have a locker ... not an LSD ... OR ... something is seriously wierd with the clutches in the LSD which is causeing them to bind and thus you have a locker ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrailChaser Posted June 21, 2004 Author Share Posted June 21, 2004 OH, I didn't know that. I thought it was called positive traction because both wheels turn the same no matter what the traction differance between the tires... Again, more of my dad and his friends shade tree mechanic slang. If it does have a locker does that mean I should be able to control whether it's locked or not? Can the rear axles"or splines" on a Pathfinder be welded to make it act like it's got a locker? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Leprecaun Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 Okies, been through this a few times, the rear diff(pumpkin) can be welded to provide a permanet locked solution not the best idea as when it breaks you have to replace the gearing in it. Nissan LSD lockers are almost the best you can get on the market, they operate under ramp loading procedure, which means the more you stomp the gas the more traction delivered to both wheels, by applying the handbrake about 4-5 clicks you can get both wheels to lock up as you reduce the spinning one to the same rate as the opposite tyre. As for lockers themselves you have ARB's Air locker controlled by a switch from within the cab and a aircompressor. Autolockers activate when 4WD is engaged and this provides traction to both wheels on that axle. With the 94 Terranno I have, I have a autolocker on the rear and a airlocker up front. I had welded my original rear LSD to full lock but when running up a hill it cracked the weld and the planetry gearing. As said above check the oil, even though the Nissans breathers are well above most water levels its something that should be done if you go offroad a fair bit ie every weekend, you do it when you do your oil service. If you have broken the weld you would not have traction to both wheels just the one and in the oil will be a mess of weld and gears. Easiest way to check this is jack the car up engage 4wd and spin the wheel by hand, if you can't move the other one, its locked together. As for the noise it could possibly be a autolocker which has gotten stuck in the locked position. Auto lockers work when 4wd is engaged, airlockers work by manual control, welded is permanent. If you go into 2wd with car on jack you should be able to spin either rear wheel. Hope that helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 95PathDN Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 Autolockers activate when 4WD is engaged and this provides traction to both wheels on that axle. Auto lockers work when 4wd is engaged, airlockers work by manual control, welded is permanent. I beg to differ. An auto locker is ALWAYS locked, regardless of the position of the transfer case. 2wd is locked just as much as 4wd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MatterHorn Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 yep ... auto lockers 'Sense' wheel slipage and lock the axels together - thought I would throw that in there as it wasn't exactly clear ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 95PathDN Posted June 21, 2004 Share Posted June 21, 2004 yeah, not ALWAYS always. auto lockers become unlocked too, but it is not dependent on being in 2wd or 4wd Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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