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What to do with my 95 Pathy?


PamPoovey
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As some of you know, I bought this Pathy in 1999 with 60k miles. It is now closer to 293k and I just bought a 02 in December.

 

95 Pathy has issues:

  • ticking
  • oil leak from area behind water pump
  • the wire to the oil sensor was unintentionally yanked out about 2 years ago, and after not being able to figure out how to put it back on, I just made sure it wouldn't snag anything
  • doesn't always start (strong belief it has to do with the sidepost battery, for when that's when the issue started)
  • Engine codes it throws are 32 and 34 -emission related, but will still pass smog
  • power steering leak
  • I believe rear differential leak (just started last month)

 

It is currently located in Vegas and I am in Ohio (moved. It feels wrong to scrap it, and I had originally daydream of rebuilding it..until I started driving the 02 and felt the huge difference in the two. So I ponder selling it, I know I won't get much for it, but it's been a loyal friend for 17 years. My son has expressed driving it when he's old enough, but I have a hard time letting someone else drive my trusted friend as long as I own it.

 

Your thoughts?

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Well all those problmes you list are easily fixed with a little time and wlbow grease. The oil leak is more than likely from the valve cover screws being loose and letting oil run down OR the cam seals depending on exactly where the oil trails to.

 

Side post batteries are usually bad at starting vehicles (dodge used them and I've seen more issues than I wanna admit with melted battery posts. Top posts are far stronger when it comes to pulling amperage out of a battery for a high load like a starter. It could also be a failing starter due to the oil soaking problems when the oil gets changed.

 

The rear diff leak could easily be fixed with either gasket sealer or a bit of Teflon tape on the threads of the fill/drain plugs or if it's leaking around the carrier flange try tightening the nuts down.

 

The wire for the oil sensor can be fixed with a crimp connector and a short piece of wire with a female spade terminal on the end of it.

 

As for the ticking I'm not sure if you mean from an exhaust leak, or lifter tap. If exhaust it's probably the notorious broken exhaust studs. If it's lifters try a thicker oil first to see if it shuts them up. If not a set of lifters is only like $75 on ebay with free shipping.

 

As for the codes I can't remember what those are but it could be as simple as hitting up a junkyard depending on if you wanna go the super cheap route, or even corrosion in the connector.

 

Power steering leak, depending on where would be a little more labor intensive (due to the high pressure line routing) again it could be as simple as replacing the resovoir hoses or if it's leaking from the pump just swapping out a junkyard pump for the fastest fix if you're not comfortable rebuilding a pump (really easy once you've seen how the pump is put together).

 

As long as the frame isn't rotting out and you enjoy driving it, not to mention you've owned it most of its life I see no reason to get rid of it yet. My vote is to fix it up and keep it around.

 

 

Sent from inside my potato

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Might be a good project for your son to fix up. Then when he has sweat invested in it, he will probably be much more appreciative of the vehicle.

 

Cost of shipping it, it would probably make more sense to sell it and buy another fixer upper for your son though.

 

It would be hard to part it out living so far away, even though I would like to have some of the parts.

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I would also agree with Citron would always be a good project for your son to help with fixing it up. That's what my Daughter has been doing with me on my 95 XE. Since I am looking to get another WD21 for myself as well & they do tend to appeciate it much more when the have all that time into working on them. I figure why not keep it in the family then you don't have to scrap it & you always know where it is & that it will be taken care of & can always lend a hand if needed if something needs to be worked on down the road.

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To answer RCWD21 abou the ticking: ticking not so bad if enough oil is kept in it. Most of the time it will only tick for a few minutes, but I can tell when the oil is low because the ticking won't go away.

 

It's got a Nissan starter, 3 years old.

 

I really appreciate your opinions and yes, it sounds like a great project to involve my son in. The frame is in great shape, little rust from the 2 years it was in Ohio. The pick a parts in vegas, now it's extremely challenging to find spare parts for it. If I am lucky, they have one, and it's already been scavanged by the time I visit.

 

Again thanks, you've all been extremely helpful!

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Get that side post battery out of there, and put the proper sized one with top posts in. It came with a top post battery originally. May want to replace the cables as well, it is likely causing the starting issue. The oil sensor wire is literally a 3 dollar fix with some wire and a spade connector as mentioned above.

 

Replace the cam seals I bet that is the leak, usually the valve covers drip onto the exhaust.

 

As for the ticking, if it is losing oil it is either burning or leaking. Leaking you can fix with parts. Burning is from age/wear and is much more costly to repair. I would run a thicker oil like a 10w40 or 15w40 and see if it slows down.

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Get that side post battery out of there, and put the proper sized one with top posts in. It came with a top post battery originally. May want to replace the cables as well, it is likely causing the starting issue. The oil sensor wire is literally a 3 dollar fix with some wire and a spade connector as mentioned above.

 

Replace the cam seals I bet that is the leak, usually the valve covers drip onto the exhaust.

 

As for the ticking, if it is losing oil it is either burning or leaking. Leaking you can fix with parts. Burning is from age/wear and is much more costly to repair. I would run a thicker oil like a 10w40 or 15w40 and see if it slows down.

 

Thank you, you have all gave me an attack plan. But first things first. Just moved to Ohio nearly 4 weeks ago, got hired at a job today, and so I've got to work on getting it shipped here next. :)

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Sounds to me like a perfect opportunity to have it shipped straight to a shop, drop it off the rollback and order in a jdm vg33 and Mr 510 crank adapter, and have them do the engine swap. Fix all the issues and you get an upgrade on your engine. What ever you spend in cash would easily be offset by the savings in time, headache and general diagnose / repair bs spent other wise.

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I can agree about the engine swap, but disagree about taking it to a shop. If you are able, and have the confidence, do the swap yourself, and diagnose any problems that pop up, then you are a huge step forward in learning to take care of future problems yourself. You will know the vehicle inside and out. Your kid will learn mechanics, and you will both be able to apply the skills to other vehicles.

 

If this was a daily driver and you were on a time frame, then take it to a shop. It sounds like this is not the case though, so there would be nothing wrong with letting it sit in the garage while you go through it and learn. Who cares if it takes two months or two years, as long as it's ready to drive when he is old enough.

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It sounds like your like me and short on funds and time... I would do what I do to all my work cars and worn out beaters. Cut the fenders bumpers and put on Kubota tires and raise hell till it goes down.

 

But that's just me. I don't get attached to vehicles, I'm not nostalgic and I like raising lots of hell.

 

(Besides you mentioned scrapping it... You can always total a vehicle, blow it up, shoot it at a bonfire, set it on fire and then scrap it)

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as far as I know Mr 510 is not making the crank adapters anymore, I tried to get the last one and missed out by a couple of days

I used the PS, alt, mounts from a 2000 Exterra also the the oil filter base plate and the belt afjusters and crank pulley.

 

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