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2 '96 R50s & 1 Set of Patience - My Rescue Thread


tpounds
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So... After already starting a topic or 2 I thought I'd just start documenting all of the madness of trying to pull a Frankenstein. This will certainly test my patience but I'm all in on this project and it's just due to boredom and sentiment. My parents had a '93 hardbody and a '96 R50 so I wanted to buy one to fool around with but ended up buying 2 of them in need of major TLC instead. It's going to be slow and steady but I can be long winded so read on with a grain or 2 of salt. The first two topics are:

 

And

 

I've already had a handful of issues and really haven't documented a whole lot but I'm going to try to start from my current position and hopefully get help where needed. You'll find that this is truly a rescue thread more than a build because there are sooooo many things that need work. Anyway, I'm off like a herd of turtles. I'll post a few pics tomorrow and cover where I'm at with this project. Thanks to all in advance for your patience. :)

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Well alrighty then. Here is a pic of my garage in my apartment complex.

 

IMG_20190502_132327336

 

As you can see it's a little cramped in my garage but the nose is about 2 inches from the door when closed. In the rear of the garage there is a small workbench and an industrial shelf for all of the goods. The tire carrier is removed for now and the tailgate is open so the trunk is acting as a small parts counter. Pretty snug but manageable. Watching me trying to get on the creeper is probably a little humorous with my old bones trying to get situated on the moving object. I have recurring lower back problems so I take everything pretty slow so the creeper helps a ton. 

 

I'm going to backtrack a bit here to show a couple of pics from the donor vehicle. Just a few reasons why I chose the black Pathfinder to be the fixer upper and the green machine to be the donor. 

 

IMG_20190502_131228550

 

 

Some body rust right in front of the passenger rear tire. 

 

IMG_20190502_131251745

 

One of my favorites, the outer shell of the resonator held on with bailing wire. Backwoods engineering all the way. :)

 

So where I'm currently at? Still dismantling the top engine area. Today I removed the fuel rail and injectors. I'm not sure what to think about what I found. Some carbon build up on the injectors or oil? 

 

 

IMG_20190502_122144881

 

I'm trying to be really careful right now but I'm going to get out the shopvac tonight and suck up everything that is lying around on the intake manifold. Small bits of caked oil, dirt and such hanging out right near the holes left from the injectors are making me nervous. I am getting close to my current objective though so I need to clean up anyway. The valve cover gaskets were horrible, I actually removed one of the bolts with my fingers so you can imagine there is oil everywhere. 

 

Which leads me to the current objective. The timing belt. Slartibartfast recommended that I replace it so that's where I'm headed. I need to order new injector seals and a few more things while I'm at it. Since this thing has never run for me I'm taking a chance that the water pump is still good but I'm replacing the thermostat. I hope that doesn't bite me in the butt later... 

 

Here are a couple more random pics... 

 

IMG_20190502_122851881

Throttle body has been thoroughly oiled... 

 

IMG_20190427_165219463

Slight boot irregularities... 

 

IMG_20190427_165157194

Barnacles close to growing on the struts... 

 

IMG_20190427_165140581

Oil, oil everywhere... 

 

IMG_20190413_143740805

At least I'll get to clean the manifold now... 

 

Well that's it for now. I've got a vision but unfortunately I wear glasses so I'm not too sure I want to see it. Have a good day. 

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Thanks mikah, I moved to Missoula 3 years ago and haven't had a chance to roam yet. Once I feel comfortable driving this thing long distances I'd be up for a fun run, it'd be nice to have a guide. :)

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I think I've talked myself into replacing the water pump as well so further down the rabbit hole we go!

 

Edit: can anyone explain to me where in the world the coolant drain plugs on the block are? Totally confused by the one close up picture in my Haynes manual. 

Edited by tpounds
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Good call on the pump! One less thing to go wrong and make you do the whole thing again. Same goes for the cam and crank seals, tensioner pulley, and water pump bypass hose.

 

LC-9 in the '97 manual has a diagram of where the plugs are. Looks like the right one is between the motor mount and the power steering pump bracket, and the left one is between the motor mount and the alty. One of mine was seized stiff enough that I was worried I'd break something and left it alone. The other came out, but water didn't until I jammed something up the hole to break up the crud that had settled above it.

 

I'd assume the crap on the injectors is the same as what's inside the manifold (mix of oil vapor and blow-by from the PCV and carbon from the EGR), though seeing it all on one side makes me wonder if you just bumped the injectors into the valve cover or something while removing them and the ends scooped up some crap. Are they all like that? Probably worth cleaning while you're in there but not a sign of creeping death or anything as far as I'm aware. I never disconnected mine from the lower manifold, so I don't know what mine looked like to compare.

 

I had some cleaning to do when I pulled my manifold, too. The plug wells and the valley under the intake were all full of dirt and rat crap, and I didn't want any of that going into the cylinders when I changed the plugs. There was some casting flash on the heads keeping junk in the plug wells, which I busted out with a screwdriver while I was at it to hopefully keep things cleaner in the future. Not sure if that's just a VG30 thing or if the VG33 heads have the same issue.

 

Good luck with the creeper and the bones!

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So... After already starting a topic or 2 I thought I'd just start documenting all of the madness of trying to pull a Frankenstein. This will certainly test my patience but I'm all in on this project and it's just due to boredom and sentiment. My parents had a '93 hardbody and a '96 R50 so I wanted to buy one to fool around with but ended up buying 2 of them in need of major TLC instead. It's going to be slow and steady but I can be long winded so read on with a grain or 2 of salt. The first two topics are:
 
[/url] And
 
I've already had a handful of issues and really haven't documented a whole lot but I'm going to try to start from my current position and hopefully get help where needed. You'll find that this is truly a rescue thread more than a build because there are sooooo many things that need work. Anyway, I'm off like a herd of turtles. I'll post a few pics tomorrow and cover where I'm at with this project. Thanks to all in advance for your patience.


Sounds like a hell of a project! Yeah man, update us every once in a while. Personally I love resto projects!


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19 hours ago, Slartibartfast said:

 

19 hours ago, Slartibartfast said:

I'd assume the crap on the injectors is the same as what's inside the manifold (mix of oil vapor and blow-by from the PCV and carbon from the EGR), though seeing it all on one side makes me wonder if you just bumped the injectors into the valve cover or something while removing them and the ends scooped up some crap. Are they all like that?

 

Thanks for the plug info! Yes, all 6 of the injectors are like that. I was checking it out and it is some burnt carbon most likely from the oil. I watched a YouTube video last night and the guy had the exact same thing on his injectors. Same pattern, lower 1/3 of each one. I pulled them because I'm going to test each one for resistance and replace the o-rings for all 6. I'm hoping all of the injectors are still good but if not I have 6 more laying around somewhere... 

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I agree, replace the water pump, seals, hoses, and the woodruff key while you are in there. The parts add just a little more to the cost and a little more work, but you won't have to go back in in a few months when the pump or seals let go. 

 

The pattern on the injectors is normal and not anything to worry about. I have had only a few failed injectors over the years of working on these things so should be ok. 

 

One thing you might want to check if your engine was refusing to start or run is the distributor. I have seen a few with failed bearings and when I was working in the dealership, the guys I worked with who had been in the dealerships for years said it was a common problem in the VG engines. 

Take the rotor off, then remove the dust seal so you can see inside. If there is any rust or grey dust in there, it is a sign the bearings are going bad. Also you can turn the gear by hand. If it is smooth and easy, it is ok. If you feel any roughness or binding at all, it is time to replace the distributor. 

Edited by Mr_Reverse
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Thank you both. I ordered a "kit" from RockAuto that has the pump, gasket, timing belt, tensioner and seals today and it should be here next week. Over the weekend I started pulling more stuff off like the fan shroud and radiator, sucked up as much crap as possible with the shop vac and renamed her to Black Betty cuz the damn things gone wild. Doing this slow and methodical has led me to believe that Nissan engineers are both brilliant and idiotic at the same time. Engine electrical connectors are too damn hard to separate, I broke two injector connectors while trying to remove them from the fuel rails. Not terribly bad but enough to curse at them. Grrr... The plus side is the radiator and shroud are easy to remove but why put the damn petcock hidden by a cross member? Weird. 

 

While looking at the underside a little more closely I noticed another potential issue when I looked at the alternator. 

 

IMG_20190513_115821646

 

I'm not sure how to test or clean an alternator but wow. This was directly under the valve cover screw I removed by hand. That's gonna take a while I think. Now that the shroud is out of the way I also realized the fan clutch is going to need to be replaced as it doesn't move at all. I'm making progress and enjoying it but damn I'm getting ancy, I wanna go play. Here's what it looks like right now:

 

IMG_20190513_114526106

 

I keep looking at the valves on the passenger side and don't like what I see but I'm hoping this could be normal discoloration. If anyone has a comment on the valves being different colors like that I'm all ears, or any comments period I love feedback. 

 

Anyway, just a small update with more parts on the way. Have a good week everyone. 

 

Edit: I forgot, I took my multimeter to the injectors and whoa and behold one of them is bad. Not one of the ones I broke so it looks like I get to cannibalize the other pathy this week and grab 3. I have a method now so fingers crossed. 

Edited by tpounds
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Yeah, that alty's seen some leakage, but I doubt anything inside would mind except for the brushes, and it looks like most of the crud is on the outside of the case. I'd get the belt off, make sure the bearings aren't worn out, then wire-brush the loose stuff off the bottom if it bugs you and check it once the engine's back together to make sure it's charging. I've heard auto parts stores will bench test them for you, might be worth a try if you're concerned.

The color gradient on the rockers is pretty normal. The PCV system pulls fresh air into one valve cover, through the crankcase, and out through other valve cover, so one side gets a constant supply of fresh air and the other gets a constant supply of blow-by gasses and other crap coming out of the crankcase. Mine looked about the same IIRC.

The connectors are a bit weird, but honestly not that tough to get apart once you pop the C clip out (assuming they're the same ones Nissan used on the WD21). Other cars I've worked on (looking at you, Audi and Ford) have much dumber connectors. Good luck harvesting injectors!

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I have found that a small flat bladed screwdriver helps with the injector plugs. Just have to push the green lock button straight in line with the plug until it locks open. A shot of lube can help the more stubborn ones. My fingers are too fat and weak to push the locks very well, hence the screwdriver. 

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Alright, I'm getting closer.

 

IMG_20190516_144854074

 

Before I get further into this I'm hoping to get some tips and tricks. First of all, the woodruff key mentioned in this NPORA forum seems like it's a hard to find part. I didn't know what the heck it was until mentioned by Mr_Reverse and went to the magical Google. If anyone has a source to buy one I'd be grateful for a link, I can't find one specific to this engine anywhere. So, I'm still wary on the seals, I've never replaced one before and it's a little daunting getting this far. Definitely don't want to screw it up with newbie mistakes. 

 

Now, I know I'll probably need to go rent a puller for the pulley but first are there any precautions to removing the nut? Will the crankshaft stay in place? If not what can I do to stop it from rotating? Should I spray it with pb and let it sit? The same goes for the camshafts, any tips are a plus. Getting closer to the cleaning portion of this test I just want it all broken down first so I can visualize each piece as I clean them. Thanks in advance, I'm learning more than my sponge can store right now but it's been fun so far. 

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I used an impact on my crank bolt (to remove and to reinstall). If you don't have an impact, you'll need to come up with some way of holding the crank while you loosen the bolt. If you've got a manual trans, you can put it in gear to hold it. If you've got an auto trans, you might be able to pull the starter and wedge something against the flywheel. I've heard of putting a breaker bar on the crank bolt, bracing it against something, and bumping the starter to loosen the bolt, but I haven't tried that one myself. To get the cam bolts out, I welded up an F-shaped tool that slides into two of the sprocket holes and has a long handle, and used that to hold each sprocket still while I removed it, and then again when I retorqued them. You can also use your old timing belt and a pair of vise grips to hold the sprockets like a strap wrench. Make sure you don't mix them up. PB's helpful when you've got rusty/dirty threads, especially when they're exposed (back side of a nut for example), but in this case I'd be surprised if it made it way to the threads with the bolt head in the way. Might be a good idea when it comes to pulling the balancer, though, if it's reluctant to slide off. I bought a duck's foot style puller for mine and it worked great.

 

To get my seals out, I took a long straight-blade screwdriver, heated the end, and beat it into a hook shape, kinda like a paint can opener. I sanded the outside of the bend with fine sandpaper to prevent scratching the sealing surfaces, then worked the tip in between the sealing surface of the cam or crank and the seal lip. A little grease on the end wouldn't be a bad idea either. Once it's past, swing the handle to hook the seal, and pull. You might need to work your way around the seal and pull in a few different spots before it'll come free. I like to put a big socket on the screwdriver shaft before I stick it in and bang that against the handle like a slide hammer to help break the seal free. There's probably a proper tool, but this worked for me. I've heard of drilling a hole in the seal, threading in a screw, and pulling it out that way, but I couldn't get a hole started and didn't want to slip and garf something. You can press the new seals in with an appropriately sized socket. I didn't have one of those so I pushed them in with a nut driver, working around the seal and pushing a little at a time. I like to put a little oil on the sealing surface before pushing them in, both to make them a little easier to get on there and to make sure they don't run dry when you first start the engine. Make sure they've got the right side out. Also note how far the old ones are pushed in so you know when to stop.

I reused my woodruff key. They're not supposed to wear out. My understanding is that they waller out if you leave the crank bolt loose, leaving the key as the only thing transmitting torque.

This is the writeup I used when I did mine.

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OK so quick question, loosen the bolt clockwise or counter clockwise? It's on there pretty good but I have it static, just a small bit of play. I put pb liberally on there just to be sure. I'm ready to go at it but just want to know which direction. Counter as usual? 

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OK so quick question, loosen the bolt clockwise or counter clockwise? It's on there pretty good but I have it static, just a small bit of play. I put pb liberally on there just to be sure. I'm ready to go at it but just want to know which direction. Counter as usual? 
Lefty loosey righty tighty

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A trick you can do is put the socket on a breaker bar and wedge it so when you bump the ignition it will loosen the crank bolt. Motor turns clockwise. So wedge the breaker bar to the right side of the engine bay on the frame or a good solid place when looking from the front. Of course if you have a impact thats the best way to remove it.

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8 minutes ago, Mrelcocko said:

Lefty loosey righty tighty

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Groovy, much thanks! 

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  • 1 year later...

Reviving this thread finally. I spent some time over the course of 3 months trying to loosen that damn crank nut. I never could get the thing to loosen without an impact wrench. Shortly after trying that I injured my back real bad at work and it took a while to recover from it and then there was... 2020. So... Here I am 2 years later, I sold my green Pathy to a neighbor who then sold it to another neighbor, and then he sold it to one of his friends. That friend of his has it still and we talk about getting mine up and running often. Well thanks to stimulus #3 I've got more parts and a renewed interest to getting my black Pathfinder running.

 

Some things are better over time right? I now have 6 new fuel injectors ready to be installed. I have bought new belts, coolant hoses, a coolant reservoir because the original is literally falling apart, fan clutch, fan blade, starter motor, and various other parts. Just about everything I could think of other than the water pump. If the water pump does go out at some point I'll take it to a local shop and have them get that crank nut off. After 2 years the garage has also become a clutter magnet from storing other things so I gotta get the garage cleaned out too but we all know what that's like I imagine. BUT, I'm ready to fix this thing and start enjoying the wonderful Montana backroads. As with before I will take some pictures and post them along with my commentary. As I like to proclaim, enjoy the ride!

 

P.S.: Thanks to all of the previous posters in this thread and all of the other wonderful how-to and rebuild threads out there. This forum is worth its text in gold.

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