quaintbucket
Observer
This thread was a long time overdue but...
1997 Nissan Pathfinder LE, stock and auto transmission. 2nd owner, lady driven. Only used 4WD to get up to Whistler, BC in the snow. No more, no less. 230,000 km. $3300. A bit over my price range but was hoping to bring it down. The previous owner was pretty forthcoming about the issues it had. I got it for $2700. Bought it in Feb 2013.
I was slowly rebuilding my funds up to get ready for repairs that summer until it got sidetracked with my daughter's birth so I stopped working my second job to have more time with my family.
I had to put Charlie under storage insurance after driving it for a year to try save money while getting by with 1 vehicle. It wasn't working out so we attempted to put it back on the road but found out that my AirCare had expired while it was under storage. Oops. I took it to AirCare and failed miserably due to double the maximum limit of NOX. I was distraught and couldn't understand what was wrong but bought myself 3 months temp insurance. Anyway, long story short: I failed 3 times before finally passing with amazing numbers. The problem was the MAF sensor was completely caked with gunk that it might as well be unplugged. Go figure! Here's the image of my test results. Crazy.
The performance and fuel economy changed drastically when that MAF sensor got cleaned out. Before, I was only able to go up to 4000RPM with a lot of stuttering and hesitation. Afterward, I was able to rev it up to 5500 RPM and quickly pass people.
Enough with the novel, here's some pics!
Despite having 40% tread left on the Wild Country XTX Sport tires, I was able to actually get up the mountain with a tiny bit of struggle (did not use 4HI until I absolutely had to) until I ran out of roads and started hiking.
Got a nice view on the top!
On my way down, I saw a little dirt path (same trip) that I thought looked interesting. I started to make my way through until I hit a muddy patch and tried to get myself out by using 4HI but couldn't go anywhere. I was really confused until I got out of Charlie and saw some ************ had dumped a mattress in the bush and it got caught underneath the carriage, leaving me with just two wheels on the ground. I walked a good 10km out of the bush and came across a hunter who just arrived. I asked for help to get pulled out. It was a little dodgy because I had no recovery point on the rear of the pathfinder so we wrapped a chain around the rear axle and slowly pulled out with the pathfinder in reverse slowly. Got out without any damage... lucky!
Undeterred by that little mishap, I went out a few weeks ago up a different mountain a little bit of rock crawling and some practice off-roading. I think that went pretty well until my bumper got ripped off on my way down! I kicked it back on and it's holding for the time being. I really need to fix it...
Some pictures from on my way up.
I like going super early in the morning to see these kind of things. Winter is kind of my thing.
From my way back down when things were warming up in the afternoon. Sorry for the crappy pictures, I only had my iphone when my P&S camera broke.
Charlie's Check List
What does Charlie Have?
Everything not listed is STOCK for LE.
Tires: 235/75/15 Wild Country XTX Sport with 30% treads.
Stereo Head unit: Alpine UTE-42BT
DONE
- Tuneup! (Spark plugs, spark plug wires, distributor cap and rotor, air filter, fuel filter)
- Knock Sensor relocation
- Replaced dead alternator twice.
- New seat cover for driver seat
- Got rid of broken roof crossbars
- Replaced broken air intake duct boot to throttle body
- Bought a cheap OBD2 scanner
- Quick & easy rust repair
- Removed running boards... by kicking it off. The rust was so bad. Gained extra clearance
- Check recall on struts and fuel filler
- Replaced stereo. Stock unit was crapping out and besides, I picked this one up for $60 brand new. Works fine for what I need to do.
TO DO
- New tires (ON ORDER, General Grabber AT2 235/75/15!)
- Valve Cover Gaskets
- Timing belt
- Proper Rust Repair Job
- Fix evap system (P0446)
- Change differential oil
- Check suspension components
- Check steering components (might have to change tie rod ends)
- Change bushings throughout...
- Replace some coolant
- Add trailer hitch
- Replace speakers
- Add CB Radio I got lying around
- Replace Antenna and add CB Antenna
- Manual Locking Hubs
- Add recovery points
WISH LIST
- 1-2" lift. Most likely will go with OME as this is primarily my DD
- 8000-8500lb winch
- Roof rack box
- VHF radio
- Rack for ceiling of cargo area. Using this as a paddle rack for my wife's dragon boating team and my canoing+kayaking expedition. During hunting/camping season, will double as my gun rack.
- 32 or 33" tires on steelies.
- Skid plate (hint hint people) as I had a couple close calls...
1997 Nissan Pathfinder LE, stock and auto transmission. 2nd owner, lady driven. Only used 4WD to get up to Whistler, BC in the snow. No more, no less. 230,000 km. $3300. A bit over my price range but was hoping to bring it down. The previous owner was pretty forthcoming about the issues it had. I got it for $2700. Bought it in Feb 2013.
I was slowly rebuilding my funds up to get ready for repairs that summer until it got sidetracked with my daughter's birth so I stopped working my second job to have more time with my family.
I had to put Charlie under storage insurance after driving it for a year to try save money while getting by with 1 vehicle. It wasn't working out so we attempted to put it back on the road but found out that my AirCare had expired while it was under storage. Oops. I took it to AirCare and failed miserably due to double the maximum limit of NOX. I was distraught and couldn't understand what was wrong but bought myself 3 months temp insurance. Anyway, long story short: I failed 3 times before finally passing with amazing numbers. The problem was the MAF sensor was completely caked with gunk that it might as well be unplugged. Go figure! Here's the image of my test results. Crazy.
The performance and fuel economy changed drastically when that MAF sensor got cleaned out. Before, I was only able to go up to 4000RPM with a lot of stuttering and hesitation. Afterward, I was able to rev it up to 5500 RPM and quickly pass people.
Enough with the novel, here's some pics!
Despite having 40% tread left on the Wild Country XTX Sport tires, I was able to actually get up the mountain with a tiny bit of struggle (did not use 4HI until I absolutely had to) until I ran out of roads and started hiking.
Got a nice view on the top!
On my way down, I saw a little dirt path (same trip) that I thought looked interesting. I started to make my way through until I hit a muddy patch and tried to get myself out by using 4HI but couldn't go anywhere. I was really confused until I got out of Charlie and saw some ************ had dumped a mattress in the bush and it got caught underneath the carriage, leaving me with just two wheels on the ground. I walked a good 10km out of the bush and came across a hunter who just arrived. I asked for help to get pulled out. It was a little dodgy because I had no recovery point on the rear of the pathfinder so we wrapped a chain around the rear axle and slowly pulled out with the pathfinder in reverse slowly. Got out without any damage... lucky!
Undeterred by that little mishap, I went out a few weeks ago up a different mountain a little bit of rock crawling and some practice off-roading. I think that went pretty well until my bumper got ripped off on my way down! I kicked it back on and it's holding for the time being. I really need to fix it...
Some pictures from on my way up.
I like going super early in the morning to see these kind of things. Winter is kind of my thing.
From my way back down when things were warming up in the afternoon. Sorry for the crappy pictures, I only had my iphone when my P&S camera broke.
Charlie's Check List
What does Charlie Have?
Everything not listed is STOCK for LE.
Tires: 235/75/15 Wild Country XTX Sport with 30% treads.
Stereo Head unit: Alpine UTE-42BT
DONE
- Tuneup! (Spark plugs, spark plug wires, distributor cap and rotor, air filter, fuel filter)
- Knock Sensor relocation
- Replaced dead alternator twice.
- New seat cover for driver seat
- Got rid of broken roof crossbars
- Replaced broken air intake duct boot to throttle body
- Bought a cheap OBD2 scanner
- Quick & easy rust repair
- Removed running boards... by kicking it off. The rust was so bad. Gained extra clearance
- Check recall on struts and fuel filler
- Replaced stereo. Stock unit was crapping out and besides, I picked this one up for $60 brand new. Works fine for what I need to do.
TO DO
- New tires (ON ORDER, General Grabber AT2 235/75/15!)
- Valve Cover Gaskets
- Timing belt
- Proper Rust Repair Job
- Fix evap system (P0446)
- Change differential oil
- Check suspension components
- Check steering components (might have to change tie rod ends)
- Change bushings throughout...
- Replace some coolant
- Add trailer hitch
- Replace speakers
- Add CB Radio I got lying around
- Replace Antenna and add CB Antenna
- Manual Locking Hubs
- Add recovery points
WISH LIST
- 1-2" lift. Most likely will go with OME as this is primarily my DD
- 8000-8500lb winch
- Roof rack box
- VHF radio
- Rack for ceiling of cargo area. Using this as a paddle rack for my wife's dragon boating team and my canoing+kayaking expedition. During hunting/camping season, will double as my gun rack.
- 32 or 33" tires on steelies.
- Skid plate (hint hint people) as I had a couple close calls...
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