Warm up and base line idle procedure?

[ferrariowner123]

Does anyone on here know what the warm up procedure is for the VG series pathfinders, i've been having issues with my 96 manual.

 

I took it in to a shop and that seemed to work and it just seems like all of the old symptoms are coming back, 2k idle for a few minutes to warm up and then it calms down, is that normal?

 

The reason i ask is because im not sure of it actually do it before hand, and the car seems to behave normally (other than the weirdness while warming up) but my mileage still SUCKS!! Im averaging 13.3 mpg, (and before you ask, i got those numbers before i got my new tires) before all of this i was getting average 16.5 ish.

 

So what is the warm up procedure for cold start? what should it do at what rpm and then where should it go after that?

 

I know this is an extremely specific question, but im really hoping i can get a definitive answer so i can take it back it and they can actually find the problem and prevent it from coming back.

 

Thanks

 

-Kyle

[Towncivilian]

My VQ35 starts with a 2.2k idle and gradually lowers to 650-800 range as coolant temp rises. I can provide exact data later from OBDII logs if necessary.

 

Try following the idle relearn procedures in your year's EC section of the FSM.

[adamzan]

over 2k seems kinda high to me. All the ones I've seen usually start at 1500 and drop from there.

[Towncivilian]

It might not have been 2.2k exactly, maybe 1.5ish is closer. My memory is kind of fuzzy at 2:30 am.

[sroeser01]

Mine starts up at about 1200 or so and after about 10 seconds it drops to 700. I'm sure if that's normal but it runs amazing and I'm getting about 20 mpg consistantly. Cleaning my maf helped

[theexbrit]

Like a total plank, I cleaned my TB using the tried & trusted lazy man method of unhooking the air intake hose & squirting Seafoam into the TB & all over the butterfly with the engine running!!

 

I blew a ton of shee-ite into my idle air control & for a while my cold idle was way over 2000rpm & warm idle about 1500!

 

It gradually settled down over time & now cold idle jumps to 1800 on start & drops immediately to about 1500. It seems to stay at 1500 or so for quite a while before gradually creeping down to about 800 as the truck warms up. Warm & in gear it idles at about 750rpm.

 

One thing I will say, after my amateurish (I used to be a mechanic & should have known better) TB clean I'm getting great mileage & the truck has more power than an Elephant fart

Edited October 20, 2012 by theexbrit

[ferrariowner123]

My VQ35 starts with a 2.2k idle and gradually lowers to 650-800 range as coolant temp rises. I can provide exact data later from OBDII logs if necessary.

 

Try following the idle relearn procedures in your year's EC section of the FSM.

 

Do you know where that relearn process? i feel like the VG series didn't have a relearn process, i dont know why i think that.

 

And my car will some times calm back down while it warms up, i just feel like it should be faster and shouldn't shoot up so fast after driving.

 

And if its not too much trouble those logs you're talking about sound really helpful.

 

Mine starts up at about 1200 or so and after about 10 seconds it drops to 700. I'm sure if that's normal but it runs amazing and I'm getting about 20 mpg consistently Cleaning my maf helped

 

Thats exactly what it was doing after i came out of the shop, was working great, and now, it's slowly deteriorating.

 

HOW THE HECK DO YOU GET 20MPG???? I want that!!!

 

I miss my 16 MPG

 

Like a total plank, I cleaned my TB using the tried & trusted lazy man method of unhooking the air intake hose & squirting Seafoam into the TB & all over the butterfly with the engine running!!

 

I blew a ton of shee-ite into my idle air control & for a while my cold idle was way over 2000rpm & warm idle about 1500!

 

It gradually settled down over time & now cold idle jumps to 1800 on start & drops immediately to about 1500. It seems to stay at 1500 or so for quite a while before gradually creeping down to about 800 as the truck warms up. Warm & in gear it idles at about 750rpm.

 

One thing I will say, after my amateurish (I used to be a mechanic & should have known better) TB clean I'm getting great mileage & the truck has more power than an Elephant fart

 

Thats whats happening now, it shoots up to 1800 initially for about two seconds, sits at 1500 then 1100 (depending on the day). and only after getting up to temperature will it calm back down to 750-900 ish. really irritating!!!

 

If anyone has any suggestions, my ears are open for listening.

 

Ill quote what my shop said in the invoice (these guys have the best reviews in town and in this part of the state really)

 

"Found TPS out of adjustment. (I did that) Adjusted to spec. Off throttle switch was not closed. Set as needed. Ignition Timing was 5º advanced. Reset to spec. Throttle body was dirty. Serviced as needed. Base idle was too high. Set to spec. Let vehicle sit overnight and started fine cold, and idled normally. Noted that harmonic balancer is slipping on insulating ring. Needs new Balancer

Valve covers are seeping oil. Left Exhaust manifold is cracked in two places. Needs new manifold. Oil dark. Steering rack is leaking and needs to be replaced. Transfer case is leaking at case half's. Clutch fluid is dark."

 

SO they completely failed to mention the second half of that, and im only just now reading it. So im a little surprised so much is needed.

 

Well there goes a lift before the end of the year.

 

-Kyle

[Towncivilian]

Tighten valve cover screws, check if steering rack & tcase are really leaking, engine oil color means nothing (how long ago was it replaced?). You can bleed your clutch master cylinder yourself, use any DOT3 or DOT4 fluid and bleed it every year or two from then on. Done the brake fluid ever?

 

Page EC-23 has fast idle cam adjustment procedure, but your shop probably did that already. You're right that there is no relearn procedure, my bad. Adjust accelerator & cruise cables if there's any slack, see FE-3 and EL-175 respectively (this won't affect idle but is a good idea to do regardless).

 

Was the idle air control valve cleaned in addition to the throttle body?

 

I don't think you're having any cold idle issues, mine starts at 1.6k or so (I really did misremember, 2.2k would be ridiculous) and slowly gets down to 750ish as temp goes up. I don't have a log of cold start -> operating coolant temp from sitting idle though so any graph I can make would be useless I think.

Edited October 21, 2012 by Towncivilian

[ferrariowner123]

Tighten valve cover screws, check if steering rack & tcase are really leaking, engine oil color means nothing (how long ago was it replaced?). You can bleed your clutch master cylinder yourself, use any DOT3 or DOT4 fluid and bleed it every year or two from then on. Done the brake fluid ever?

 

Page EC-23 has fast idle cam adjustment procedure, but your shop probably did that already. You're right that there is no relearn procedure, my bad. Adjust accelerator & cruise cables if there's any slack, see FE-3 and EL-175 respectively (this won't affect idle but is a good idea to do regardless).

 

Was the idle air control valve cleaned in addition to the throttle body?

 

I don't think you're having any cold idle issues, mine starts at 1.6k or so (I really did misremember, 2.2k would be ridiculous) and slowly gets down to 750ish as temp goes up. I don't have a log of cold start -> operating coolant temp from sitting idle though so any graph I can make would be useless I think.

 

 

Well, i didn't exactly use OEM when i replaced the valve cover screws, so they could just be crap. Is there any surface cleaning involved when replacing the gaskets? other than that, its pretty much idiot proof, correct? You either properly installed the gasket or you didn't, and you know pretty quick if you didn't im assuming?

 

The T-case, i have noticed a leak, but i dont think its anything major just surface fluid. plus im on courtesy parts, there doesn't appear to be anything that acts as a gasket or a seal. Is it pretty much dropping the case, cracking it open and then running RTV around the seal, and torquing it to spec?. That sounds easy any way. just disconnect sensors, shafts and transmission, drop it, seal it and put it back in.

 

Steering rack, i dont even know if i want to look, $800 for a new replacement sounds like a head ache for my wallet and my sanity. I've heard steering racks are a BIOTCH to take out. and I have honestly NEVER change the fluid, and I seriously doubt the previous owner before me did, It has never gone dry and only makes noises on full steering crank (turned all the way to one side) which im pretty sure is normal on every car. I'll pressure wash it the lower half of the engine bay on a clear day and let it sit over night to dry off. and ill check it over the coming weeks of winter.

 

Anyone have a recommendation on cleaning solution? I've used "gunk" (the heavy duty gel kind) on an e30 transmission i pulled, seems to work great on quarter million miles of grease and dirt.

 

Brake fluid hasn't been done by me and i seriously doubt im qualified to. Every time i have bleed brakes, (done it on an e30 4 corner rebuild and when I replaced on the rear hard lines on a rusted CR-V) I feel like the pedal goes too far to the floor (at least farther than i think it should), would a vacuum bleeder solve this? I can get a hold of one.

 

I'm assuming there is something in the service manual about clutch bleeding as well or is it along the same lines as bleeding brakes?

 

 

Also, whats your personal recommendation (Towncivilian) for fluids for all these?( t-case, PS fluid, brake and clutch fluid, etc. )

 

FIC, i think it was done, everything else related to idle was adjusted. so i would assume he'd look there.

 

Throttle cable has a tiny amount of play, not enough to cause any noticeable issues or improvements. So I have left it alone.

 

I do not believe the IAC was cleaned, looks fairly easy to get to with the throttle body out of way. But im starting have small bouncing issues again, so im taking it back in and ill ask a ton of questions.

 

And if im not having any cold start issues, what do you think would be causing my poor fuel mileage? I have zero SES codes, O2's look fairly new, based on the aftermarket butt connectors running to all four of the senors, MAF was cleaned not too long ago, new spark plugs less than 5K, new rotor right after that, NGK spark plug wires in April, fresh air filter 3 weeks ago. Im running out of things to be wrong, i have a small wheel bearing whine, and two exhaust leaks. But there is NO WAY that it would be causing 3 MPG losses

 

These are my MPG rates per tank over the last few months

 

 

 

 

Ignore the 13 MPG in late April, bad timing caused by el retardo putting the timing belt on wrong.

 

Also, Towncivlian, could you send me those OBD-II Data logs, im very curious to see them, and what you use to get them.

 

I hope everything helps, this is definitely my biggest post. lol

 

-Kyle

[theexbrit]

That is piss poor mileage, considering it's a stick & you have manual hubs But look on the bright side, you're only paying $3.96 a gallon, here in So Cal I'm paying up to $4.97 a gallon Take that into consideration & we're getting about the same mileage

 

Sorry mate, don't mean to make light of your problems, just jealous of your gas prices What did you do in June? It looks like that's when it started dropping.

[Towncivilian]

I use Torque ($5 Android app) with a generic ELM327 ODB-II Bluetooth reader found on eBay to generate logs. I've got quite a few and they're kinda messy Excel spreadsheets, if you still want them I can zip them up and upload them somewhere I guess.

 

If you replace any gaskets, you always want to make sure the mating surfaces are clean and free of significant defects. Other than that, adhere to torque specs and tightening procedures and you shouldn't have any problems.

 

Sorry, I don't know about transfer case seals.

 

A vacuum bleeder would speed up the process. Be sure you follow the bleeding order of your '96, which is:

 

For 1996-1997 models:

1. LSV air bleeder (Models equipped with LSV)

2. Left rear brake

3. Right rear brake

4. Left front brake

5. Right front brake

 

Bleeding the clutch MC is the same procedure as a brake caliper or wheel cylinder.

 

I've got some Gunk engine degreaser sitting in my garage but never really used it yet. Simple Green is a pretty good degreaser.

 

Factory fill P/S fluid at your mileage contains break-in wear (in addition to the normal wear of the system) and crud left over from the manufacturing process, which can hasten the demise of seals and such I'd think. If it is leaking, you can try something like Valvoline MaxLife ATF to possibly slow or stop the leak. I would use a turkey baster or suction gun to siphon out the fluid in the P/S reservoir and refill. Do this several times with a couple days of driving in between until you go through two quarts of ATF, then siphon & fill once every oil change.

 

As for fluids:

• Transfer case: any synthetic ATF as long as it meets Dexron III or VI
  
• Brake / clutch fluid: I use Valvoline DOT3 and DOT4 Synthetic Brake Fluid (misnomer, all brake fluid is synthetic)
  
• Power steering fluid: Valvoline MaxLife (to hopefully slow or stop any leak you might have)
  

You can find torque specs and fluid capacities in this thread at NICO.

 

Try running some Chevron Techron in your gas tank. Use the bigger 20oz bottles. Run a couple tanks back-to-back with Techron; pour it in before fueling.

 

Are you sure your SES bulb isn't burnt out? Turn the ignition to "ON" and it should light up.

 

Tire pressures all good?

Edited October 21, 2012 by Towncivilian

[ferrariowner123]

That is piss poor mileage, considering it's a stick & you have manual hubs But look on the bright side, you're only paying $3.96 a gallon, here in So Cal I'm paying up to $4.97 a gallon Take that into consideration & we're getting about the same mileage Sorry mate, don't mean to make light of your problems, just jealous of your gas prices What did you do in June? It looks like that's when it started dropping.

 

Thats what im saying, i thought to get this mileage in a pathy, you needed a setup like 01silverpathy's and enjoi408's to get mileage like that.

 

I don't mind it much, because while i do drive alot, im 7 minutes from work, 10 minutes from school using the highway and 10 minutes within everywhere else i go, so i fill up every two weeks or so, but if i know i can get the mileage, i want the mileage.

 

And $5 a gallon is insane, i know ill be picking up a 240sx for a new daily if its plateaus that high. It peaked at $4.30 ish towards the middle of summer and it dropped almost a dollar after that over the next two months. I buy all my gas from Costco, (Work there so its a no brainier) so if its 4.30 in my logs, is 4.45 else where.

 

but going to your question about what i did in June actually brought an interesting answer. I did a little detective work and looked at my old bank statements from late May to early August and it revealed that on 6/18/12 i bought the Washington State Discover Pass (A BS licence you need to park or drive on forest roads or something like that, its a huge fee if you dont have it, one of the many perks to living in Washington State). So this pass was bought right when my mileage started to decline because on that day, i did my first real off road adventure, (if you could call it off roading, in my build thread, there are some pictures of the trails were on) but it would be also the day that my bearing whine started.

 

Also it was the FIRST time I had ever used Low Range (Low gear, whatever it is) other than the day i bought it (to verify it functioned). Could that be the culprit for all this? Somewhere in the drive train?

 

 

hmm, im curious now.

 

I use Torque ($5 Android app) with a generic ELM327 ODB-II Bluetooth reader found on eBay to generate logs. I've got quite a few and they're kinda messy Excel spreadsheets, if you still want them I can zip them up and upload them somewhere I guess. If you replace any gaskets, you always want to make sure the mating surfaces are clean and free of significant defects. Other than that, adhere to torque specs and tightening procedures and you shouldn't have any problems. Sorry, I don't know about transfer case seals. A vacuum bleeder would speed up the process. Be sure you follow the bleeding order of your '96, which is: For 1996-1997 models: 1. LSV air bleeder (Models equipped with LSV) 2. Left rear brake 3. Right rear brake 4. Left front brake 5. Right front brake Bleeding the clutch MC is the same procedure as a brake caliper or wheel cylinder. I've got some Gunk engine degreaser sitting in my garage but never really used it yet. Simple Green is a pretty good degreaser. Factory fill P/S fluid at your mileage contains break-in wear (in addition to the normal wear of the system) and crud left over from the manufacturing process, which can hasten the demise of seals and such I'd think. If it is leaking, you can try something like Valvoline MaxLife ATF to possibly slow or stop the leak. I would use a turkey baster or suction gun to siphon out the fluid in the P/S reservoir and refill. Do this several times with a couple days of driving in between until you go through two quarts of ATF, then siphon & fill once every oil change. As for fluids:

• Transfer case: any synthetic ATF as long as it meets Dexron III or VI
  
• Brake / clutch fluid: I use Valvoline DOT3 and DOT4 Synthetic Brake Fluid (misnomer, all brake fluid is synthetic)
  
• Power steering fluid: Valvoline MaxLife (to hopefully slow or stop any leak you might have)
  

You can find torque specs and fluid capacities in this thread at NICO. Try running some Chevron Techron in your gas tank. Use the bigger 20oz bottles. Run a couple tanks back-to-back with Techron; pour it in before fueling. Are you sure your SES bulb isn't burnt out? Turn the ignition to "ON" and it should light up. Tire pressures all good?

 

I've seen and used torque, looks like an amazing app, had i known about the data logging, i would have got it a long time ago.

 

The gaskets were not prepped probably then, this is a continuation of my timing belt nightmare with the driveway mechanic, but sounds like ill be heading back in there to get those gaskets installed correctly.

 

Now a vacuum bleeder would speed up the process but will it maintain my pedal pressure (its perfect where it is right now)

And question, what is an "LSV" (im sure its very obvious, but im brain farting right now)

 

P/S, while it has never been changed by me, i feel that it has been changed before, because right out of the factory, this car was a fleet vehicle, which means proper maintenance (i hope, im running on that assumption, lol) ill get a hold of some Max life and run it through, see how see holds from there.

 

and is the techron their fuel system cleaner? Wont that gum up the spark plugs?

 

and my SES bulb functions, it turns on for a split section while starting up.

 

Tire pressure i should check, i need to get an alignment, so when i do that at Les Schwab, ill have them do a full inspection.

 

Thanks for the help guys

 

-Kyle

[Towncivilian]

Pedal pressure should stay the same as long as there is not any air in the system. Do be aware that much of your pedal feel relies on the adjustment of your rear drum brakes, so you may want to have them cleaned, lubricated, and adjusted.

 

LSV is the load sensing valve. If you look at your rear diff you'll see it. It's only on 4WD Pathfinders. The general info thread on NICO has bleeding instructions.

 

 

Gum up the spark plugs? Haha, where did you read that nonsense? Techron, along with Gumout Regane, Redline SI-1, and a few other fuel system cleaners, contain polyether amines (PEA) which cleans effectively without leaving behind its own deposits as other solvent-based cleaners do. It was co-developed by BMW and Chevron.

Edited October 22, 2012 by Towncivilian

[ltsnotme]

 

What app is that?

Edited October 22, 2012 by ltsnotme

[ferrariowner123]

What app is that?

Its called FuelLog, its available on the android market

 

Pedal pressure should stay the same as long as there is not any air in the system. Do be aware that much of your pedal feel relies on the adjustment of your rear drum brakes, so you may want to have them cleaned, lubricated, and adjusted.

 

LSV is the load sensing valve. If you look at your rear diff you'll see it. It's only on 4WD Pathfinders. The general info thread on NICO has bleeding instructions.

 

 

 

Gum up the spark plugs? Haha, where did you read that nonsense? Techron, along with Gumout Regane, Redline SI-1, and a few other fuel system cleaners, contain polyether amines (PEA) which cleans effectively without leaving behind its own deposits as other solvent-based cleaners do. It was co-developed by BMW and Chevron.

 

Okay so there is that solved. ill just vacuum everything out till its clean, hopefully my buddy with the bleeder kept the instructions.

 

and what exactly does a load sensing valve do and why is it connected to the brakes?

 

and i will definitely be getting some techron and all of these fluids. car has needed this maintenance for some time now. cant all be mods everytime i work on it i guess.

 

Back to my MPG have any guesses?

 

Thanks for the help.

[Towncivilian]

A load sensing valve ... senses loads. Specifically, it senses the weight of the cargo in the rear of the vehicle and allocates more or less braking power as deemed necessary to the rear brakes.

 

Techron might improve your gas mileage slightly if there's a lot of crap to clean out. Have you ever changed your fuel filter?

 

How often do you change your engine air filter? Changing it too often can be detrimental to engine health since filters become more efficient as they load up with contaminants. Nonetheless, a dirty air filter has little affect on fuel economy on fuel injected vehicles as determined by an SAE study.

Edited October 22, 2012 by Towncivilian

[ferrariowner123]

A load sensing valve ... senses loads. Specifically, it senses the weight of the cargo in the rear of the vehicle and allocates more or less braking power as deemed necessary to the rear brakes.

 

Techron might improve your gas mileage slightly if there's a lot of crap to clean out. Have you ever changed your fuel filter?

 

How often do you change your engine air filter? Changing it too often can be detrimental to engine health since filters become more efficient as they load up with contaminants. Nonetheless, a dirty air filter has little affect on fuel economy on fuel injected vehicles as determined by an SAE study.

 

Well that's pretty cool, i had no idea what that spring was for.

 

Fuel Filter Was changed around 120K so its good there.

 

The recent air filter change was the first time it had been changed, it was sharpied 08/09 on the filter, meaning that was its installation date. so it was due.

 

and here is hoping the techron does it, i doubt it though, i would have seen a slower drop, wouldn't I? not something that fell over the course of 3-4 months in terms of MPG?

 

-Kyle

[fixinto]

I am not sure what could be causing your crappy mpg. but to answer your first question. I have a 1996 SE manual 5speed. and when i start its 1200rpm for several seconds then down to 700ish. U say after the initial 2200rpm idle after it warms up it seems to run normal but crappy MPG. Im not sure if clogged cats would cause that. hmmm about anything i say i would be guessing so i will not speculate, sorry bud.

[Slartibartfast]

but going to your question about what i did in June actually brought an interesting answer. I did a little detective work and looked at my old bank statements from late May to early August and it revealed that on 6/18/12 i bought the Washington State Discover Pass (A BS licence you need to park or drive on forest roads or something like that, its a huge fee if you dont have it, one of the many perks to living in Washington State). So this pass was bought right when my mileage started to decline because on that day, i did my first real off road adventure, (if you could call it off roading, in my build thread, there are some pictures of the trails were on) but it would be also the day that my bearing whine started.

 

Assuming that the issue did start with the trail ride, and that it isn't related to the bad bearing...

 

Maybe a wire/sensor underneath got snagged? One of the wires from the O2 sensor on my WD was completely unhooked and it didn't throw any codes. I didn't notice a mileage change before and after fixing it, but I wasn't paying very close attention then.

 

You might try jacking up the front end to mess with the wheels and make sure that both of the hubs are properly unlocked.

 

Mine completely died a while back after I went over a weird off-camber bump in my yard. I was very low on gas at the time and apparently it got all the gunk in the fuel tank moving around, and clogged up the fuel pump. Maybe your trail run got some gunk sloshing around?

[ferrariowner123]

Assuming that the issue did start with the trail ride, and that it isn't related to the bad bearing...

 

Maybe a wire/sensor underneath got snagged? One of the wires from the O2 sensor on my WD was completely unhooked and it didn't throw any codes. I didn't notice a mileage change before and after fixing it, but I wasn't paying very close attention then.

 

You might try jacking up the front end to mess with the wheels and make sure that both of the hubs are properly unlocked.

 

Mine completely died a while back after I went over a weird off-camber bump in my yard. I was very low on gas at the time and apparently it got all the gunk in the fuel tank moving around, and clogged up the fuel pump. Maybe your trail run got some gunk sloshing around?

 

Hmm that sounds very plausible, was never a whole lot of low clearance parts of the trail, but you never know, ill take a look soon, see i can see anything that indicates a break.

 

Good idea.

 

Thanks bud

 

-Kyle

[ferrariowner123]

Well i've got some updates.

 

I went under my rig to find out a couple of things.

 

Found out that the transfer case is just RTV'ed togethor.

 

 

 

 

and after thoroughly inspecting my O2 sensors, i found that only one looks to be replaced in that it was spliced into the factory harness, the other three look completely stock. (or just a very good replacement) car was too hot so i couldn't remove them and inspect the tips. Im going to try and crawl under there this weekend see if i can clean them up and notice a gain, if i see anything improving, we have a winner. Is there anything wrong with cleaning them. (i just cannot afford $120 in O2 right now. Tires a friggin expensive!!!)

 

Im leaning more and more to this being the source of my issues. But im still blown away that there is NO CEL's.

 

i have a Bluetooth OBD2 reader on its way and should be here first week of November. Hopefully i can do some digging then, if my cleaning remedy doesn't work.

 

And on a few related notes, i dont think my transmission plug is stripped. Tweedle dee and tweedle dum from oil can henry's must have been an absolute idiot. i think ill just pick up a drain plug removal kit from HF and see if i can get that sucker loose, after insuring the fill plug comes out, lol

 

Also, any opposition to using an impact wrench with the correct fitting? Just keep it on low?

 

 

 

 

Also, on a related note, i saw this a few months ago while doing my timing belt, it just doesn't look normal. Can anyone tell me whats going on here with my steering rack bushings? The one either looks WAY too tight, completely pushing itself out. idk

 

Weird one (drivers side)

 

 

Normal looking one, (Passenger side)

 

 

 

Also, another question, on my Clutch system. There appears to be two bleed nipples. one right near the top of the, almost touching the hood, and the other down on the salve, (i think, brain is tired) is the top one for bleeding the master and the one on the salve for servicing/ bleeding the slave?

 

Last thing: What the heck is this and why do i have it? I have two of them and the are connect from each side at the bottom. (the bar that runs from the bumper to the lower frame area)

 

 

It looks like the remits of a skid plate?

 

Or is it something included with a grill guard because i think this car had one on at one point. The mounting holes/ thread where it looks like a brush guard would go, are rusty. I would hope that Nissan wouldn't leave these mounting points un-painted, Thats just asking for rust problems

 

Thanks again for the help guys.

 

-Kyle

Edited October 28, 2012 by ferrariowner123

[theexbrit]

Your driver side steering rack mount kinda looks like mine did. My steering pipes had been leaking a little & the oil had dripped onto the rubber mount & destroyed it, they're fairly easy to replace & not too expensive as I recall when I did mine (I replaced both rubber mounts). I think the transfer case doesn't have a gasket, just RTV as do some of the other joints on the R50, someone will correct me if I'm wrong. As for the "skid plate" I have this on mine also, not sure what goes on there if anything, as mine looked just like yours. I made a guard out of diamond hole steel & fixed it on there to protect the steering rack, etc a little. There are a lot of holes for bolts & things under the front of mine that are obviously meant for some options, but mine aren't rusty as I live in a (semi) desert They do look like they're painted though, so if yours are rusting maybe something was bolted on there as you say.

[ferrariowner123]

Your driver side steering rack mount kinda looks like mine did. My steering pipes had been leaking a little & the oil had dripped onto the rubber mount & destroyed it, they're fairly easy to replace & not too expensive as I recall when I did mine (I replaced both rubber mounts). I think the transfer case doesn't have a gasket, just RTV as do some of the other joints on the R50, someone will correct me if I'm wrong. As for the "skid plate" I have this on mine also, not sure what goes on there if anything, as mine looked just like yours. I made a guard out of diamond hole steel & fixed it on there to protect the steering rack, etc a little. There are a lot of holes for bolts & things under the front of mine that are obviously meant for some options, but mine aren't rusty as I live in a (semi) desert They do look like they're painted though, so if yours are rusting maybe something was bolted on there as you say.

 

 

Okay, that makes sense on the steering rack, just another thing to add to the list....

 

And ill paint those mounts, see to it that the rust stops. And i live in an area that isn't prone to rust this severe so it makes me think that there was most certainly a gaurd of some kind.

 

I just need to a look at my O2 sensors, see if i have traced the problem.

 

-Kyle

[devonianwalk]

Okay, that makes sense on the steering rack, just another thing to add to the list....

 

 

I'm with you on this. Mine is leaking something fierce and desperately needs replaced. I'm going to tackle this hopefully some time soon.

[fixinto]

Does anyone on here know what the warm up procedure is for the VG series pathfinders, i've been having issues with my 96 manual.

 

I took it in to a shop and that seemed to work and it just seems like all of the old symptoms are coming back, 2k idle for a few minutes to warm up and then it calms down, is that normal?

 

The reason i ask is because im not sure of it actually do it before hand, and the car seems to behave normally (other than the weirdness while warming up) but my mileage still SUCKS!! Im averaging 13.3 mpg, (and before you ask, i got those numbers before i got my new tires) before all of this i was getting average 16.5 ish.

 

So what is the warm up procedure for cold start? what should it do at what rpm and then where should it go after that?

 

I know this is an extremely specific question, but im really hoping i can get a definitive answer so i can take it back it and they can actually find the problem and prevent it from coming back.

 

Thanks

 

-Kyle

OK let me share my experience with you on the whole, "changed valve cover gaskets and cant get it to come down to normal idle thing" hope this helps u man.

 

OK, changed the valve cover gaskets, plugs, wires, rotor, button, and when i got it back together i could tell it ran smoother and "better" however, the idle would not come down for anything. it started up and the idle would be 1800ish, "warm cold no matter" crappy idle. While i as doing the V cover gaskets i cleaned the throttle body with deep creep sea foam spray and throttle body cleaner. I personally believe this is where the problem began. "the ecu was adjusted to the crud build up in the throttle body" it wasn't sticking or anything so i should have let it alone, but .../shrug. Anywho back to the topic. After monkey butting around with it and the Haynes manual i couldnt get it to do the iac relearn thing. so i threw the manual in the back of the pathy and poked around under the hood to c what i could c so to speak. there is a "thermal element" attached to the throttle body and has a "rod" that pushes out when the pathy warms up. this brings the idle down to normal. Well needless to say it was not working. So instead of ordering one online for over 130 bones, i "zip tied it up out of the way so the throttle linkage can return to the warm idle spot." there is a "FIC" with a spring under your normal throttle and cruise cable on the side of the throttle body. Part of that linkage rest against the "rod" on the thermo element. the way u tell if urs is working or out of adjustment is there are 2, lines on the cam of the fast idle cam. I <~~~~ like that hehe. the one closest to your throttle cable linkage is for fast idle. after the vehicle warms up the "rod from the thermol element" pushes on the bracket on the FIC and turns it to the second line toward the front of ur pathy. this allows the truck to idle down at warm temps. so after i used a hose clamp, and 3 zip ties linked together to get to the air intake clamp screw and secured it there it idles normal because i lined up the 2nd mark on the fic to the lining posion on the thingy above it. now that being said, i used the idle air adjustment screw on the rear side of the intake manifold to get my idle where it needed to be. and reset my tps to where it should be "cause i jacked with that trying to get the idle down to begin with". "easy way to do the tps on the 96 is thus. instead of jacking with ur tps, unplug the throttle closed / open one above it. take an ohm meter "multi meter" or w/e and ohm out the top 2 pins of that plug with the throttle close. It should read close to zero ohms. then done. if it doesnt read close to zero ohms losen the 2 screws on the side of the throttle body and adjust it and measure till it does read zero ohms. then that is the indication ur throttle is completely closed. after that just tighten the screws back up on the side of the sensor and check ur idle. if your idle is still high refer to the idle adjustment screw on your intake manifold it will be at the back under the bpt canister for your egr valve. "easier to see and get to if u take out the 2, 10mm bolts and just pull that out of the way while ur adjusting it." hopefully by doing this u can get ur idle where it needs to be. After you finally get your idle there, u want to turn the pathy off. turn the key on for at least one second,"without starting it" then off for 10 seconds. then start the ride. let it idle for a while making sure the temp gauge indicates ur pathy is completely warmed up. then turn it off again, wait 10seconds, turn the key on for a few seconds again without starting it, and then off for 10seconds. start then start the engine. let the engine idle for 30ish seconds, unplug the TPS and then plug it back in within 5 seconds. "dont worry the jumping or searching rpm is normal for a bit" let it idle for a few mins then turn it off. should be good to go bud.

 

OK if all that wasn't overly confusing and i didn't miss speak too many times that should be bout it.

Hope this helps u out man, because i was goin nuts lookin into this for the past week or so.

 

tools possibly needed include.

 

long flat head screw driver "pry back the (FIC) assy"

 

10mm wrench or socket "for the 10mm bolts on the bracket of the bpt"

 

small phillips head screw driver, "i fondly refer to as nubby" thats to adjust the idle air screw in the back of the intake on the drivers side as mentioned above.

 

zip ties, hose clamps, paper clips, bungy cords, bubble gum, chicken wire or whatever u wanna use to tie back the fic linkage to get the idle down to where it should be.

 

A crap ton of patients, and understanding for your pathy and her age.

 

"note also that i am no mechanic, so this may or may not be the best solution available" i simply took everything that i have read over the past.......week and 1/2 i guess. and some basic understanding of mechanical devices and lined out my problem.

 

ok bud this should about cover that. i hope that i have helped u out on this. My MPG is back up to around 20-21 and my pathy purrs like a kitten again. hope u have similar luck.