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[thE_iyE]

I want a nice looking four-door SUV that gets good gas mileage and is relatively reliable but makes good horsepower as I'm a young speed guy. Almost a dead-on for the Pathfinder. My other car is a mustang, and the other one is a jeep. The Jeep only fits two of the five requirements, and to do a swap, it'll cost me an arm and a leg, and not be that much more reliable and be in a ****** frame, which ruins the first requirement it meets.

When it comes to SUVs, particularly ones that go off-road or face tough snow storms and get driven by teenage-'ooh-fast-car'-mentalities, they ought to have good low-end torque, so diesels are popular options for those who fit those wants. I personally, being the mechanic, don't like diesels for the lack of reliability they tend to have in general populace cars and for how dirty they are. That and diesel is quite expensive (even if it's efficient). My answer to solve such difficult questions is a positive displacement blower like an eaton. So what I want to do is place the ford 4.2l windsor block from an f150/ranger, it's manual tranny and t-case in a pathfinder and put the heads and intake (including supercharger) from the 3.8l SuperCoupe on top with a cherry and call it Fred. Suggestions, specifically those that include tips on if switching the tranny, t-case, or axles is necessary, spacial awareness, thermal awareness, or the like?

[5523Pathfinder]

Well, first thing I will say, is that if you have money and time, anything can be done. That whole package would be the way to go. Of course, you are going to run into numerous fit and clearance issues. V8's are a tight fit into the pathfinders engine bay, but if you rip everything out, you will know what to keep and what not. I see your in Utah, do they use salt on the roads there? Pathfinder frames have been known to rot out was well over time. Many members have had to let their vehicles go due to this. Of course, many things can be done to help prevent continual rust issues. Axles would be next. Rear axle is tough, but for how much power you want to out down, you are going to be pushing the limits. Front axle, well, you might as well do a SAS and get it over with. This well help give you room for the engine and transmission. Not that the front axles are weak, but it will implode the first time you put the hammer down in 4wd. Of course, it will take all custom mounts for everything. Good luck with endeavor and keep us informed on how it all goes.

[thE_iyE]

Well, first thing I will say, is that if you have money and time, anything can be done. That whole package would be the way to go. Of course, you are going to run into numerous fit and clearance issues. V8's are a tight fit into the pathfinders engine bay, but if you rip everything out, you will know what to keep and what not. I see your in Utah, do they use salt on the roads there? Pathfinder frames have been known to rot out was well over time. Many members have had to let their vehicles go due to this. Of course, many things can be done to help prevent continual rust issues. Axles would be next. Rear axle is tough, but for how much power you want to out down, you are going to be pushing the limits. Front axle, well, you might as well do a SAS and get it over with. This well help give you room for the engine and transmission. Not that the front axles are weak, but it will implode the first time you put the hammer down in 4wd. Of course, it will take all custom mounts for everything. Good luck with endeavor and keep us informed on how it all goes.

 

Rust is a big issue here because they do salt the roads. What tends to be the the areas of high rust in these cars? I can always see if I can get one from Nevada, New Mexico, or Arizona and coat the underbody whilst I gut it, if it becomes an issue.

I think the best way to describe my desires is to take the guts of an f150 manual combined with the few important parts of the SuperCoupe and throw it in a Pathfinder. That entails changing to a ford 8.8" which will take the beating, but I don't know a thing about the front axle if someone wants to chime-in on that if they know something about it. For the record, they are v6's, and not v8's which is going to help clearance a lot. On that topic, what is the angle of the stock v6 in the '95 and earlier models? They are OHV, not OHC, right?

Has anyone put a SBF in a pathfinder? What's an SAS?

[Bubbley11]

The frame by the rear tire is the usually spot for rust, and SAS stand for a "solid axle swap". No more IFS, Hello dana 44.

[thE_iyE]

I had no idea the Pathy was an IFS... Easy enough to replace from the right truck, I imagine, since I'm sure it's coil spring. Any possibilities of beefing-up the front axle? I know the Mustang Cobras have IRS and handle the power well.

[5523Pathfinder]

Yeah, frame rot usually starts in the rear, but can be found just about anywhere since there are multiple drain holes in the frame, rust tends to sped from there. Salt doesn't care, it's hungry! The front suspension is IFS, but has a torsion bar setup, not a coil spring. Cut it all out and start over. Several SAS swaps have been performed with leaf springs and coil spring/link setup. Honestly, I think you may want to consider a Explorer. Find one with a V8 and you will have a heck of a start. If you subscribe to 4wheeler, they did an article a few months ago about what to look for, how to modify, ect, to help you modify for what you want to do.

 

Matter of fact, here it is...

 

http://www.fourwheeler.com/how-to/131-1306-how-to-buy-a-used-explorer/

Edited January 5, 2014 by 5523Pathfinder