New year, new-to-me Pathy

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Pathyj1
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New year, new-to-me Pathy

Postby Pathyj1 » Fri Dec 31, 2021 11:46 pm

New year, new project. Just picked up a 2001 Pathfinder with 160k miles from my friend.

Plan is to use it as a city/highway daily driver, occasional light off road, maybe 10k miles per year. Hoping it’ll last me another decade or so. Friend tells me it was routinely maintained but it seems like not much work was done beyond oil changes.

I’m a moderately experienced home mechanic, but this is my first Nissan. I’ve been around Toyota’s more. Plan is to baseline all fluids and replace failing parts as I discover them.

I’ve already replaced the oil cooler o-rings that were pretty much sealing nothing. Valve cover gaskets will get replaced.

What other parts should I be looking out for at this age and mileage? I know this is a very generic question but I’m just taking the first step. Thanks all! And happy 2022!!!
Last edited by Pathyj1 on Sun Jan 02, 2022 6:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.


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palmerwmd
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Re: New year, new-to-me Pathy

Postby palmerwmd » Sat Jan 01, 2022 12:32 am

Happy new year!
Glad to have you, we need more R50s 8)

Please show us some pics and tell us whats on the truck? 4x4 or not?
What shape is the interior/exterio in?

Cheers :D

Pathyj1
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Re: New year, new-to-me Pathy

Postby Pathyj1 » Sun Jan 02, 2022 6:18 pm

palmerwmd wrote:
Sat Jan 01, 2022 12:32 am
Please show us some pics and tell us whats on the truck? 4x4 or not?
What shape is the interior/exterio in?
SE 3.5L 4x4
Southern California car so very little rust.
Interior is clean for its age.
Fading exterior to be expected.
I believe all stock and no accidents.

Uh… but I can’t seem to figure out how to post pics. I’m trying with my phone and my pics are apparently too large. I see a thread mentioning Photobucket but I assume that’s outdated. Tips?

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palmerwmd
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Re: New year, new-to-me Pathy

Postby palmerwmd » Sun Jan 02, 2022 6:44 pm

Pathyj1 wrote:
Sun Jan 02, 2022 6:18 pm
palmerwmd wrote:
Sat Jan 01, 2022 12:32 am
Please show us some pics and tell us whats on the truck? 4x4 or not?
What shape is the interior/exterio in?
SE 3.5L 4x4
Southern California car so very little rust.
Interior is clean for its age.
Fading exterior to be expected.
I believe all stock and no accidents.

Uh… but I can’t seem to figure out how to post pics. I’m trying with my phone and my pics are apparently too large. I see a thread mentioning Photobucket but I assume that’s outdated. Tips?
Congrats , 4x4 plus the 3.5 that sounds like a really nice rig! :D

As for pics when you push "reply" on the bottom of your reply box there is a tab "attachments".

You can attach a pic there. it even gives you the option ( which can toggle) for the pic to appear "inline" in your post.

These things are a lot easier from a computer of course and I usually do my forum surfing from home on the computer and use my fone only if I am on travel away from my desktop/laptop.
I find on a phone these things sometimes take a bit of extra scrolling and hunting.

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Re: New year, new-to-me Pathy

Postby Pathyj1 » Sun Jan 02, 2022 7:25 pm

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palmerwmd
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Re: New year, new-to-me Pathy

Postby palmerwmd » Sun Jan 02, 2022 7:33 pm

Beautiful!

At current market 4x4 SUV are a premium.
But my guess is since you got from a buddy it was a good deal?

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palmerwmd
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Re: New year, new-to-me Pathy

Postby palmerwmd » Sun Jan 02, 2022 7:37 pm

Pathyj1 wrote:
Fri Dec 31, 2021 11:46 pm
What other parts should I be looking out for at this age and mileage? I know this is a very generic question but I’m just taking the first step. Thanks all! And happy 2022!!!
Except the occasional seal there is very little that goes wrong with these.
When you do the tranny fluid use a careful method.. just drain the fluid (when its hot and you row it thru all gears with foot on brake) and then replace the atf with castrol multiimport.

Do this twice in first month.
The rest is routine, diffs, radiator fluid replace ( even though these do not have the SMOD problem of some later years, at this age a new rad might not be a bad idea. be sure to use OEM Tstat ONLY.

You will almost certainly need new shocks/struts even if they dont leak. also check out the bushings in your fornt suspension.
Rockauto sells a front end kit for our cars and you get a lot of parts all at once.

Pathyj1
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Re: New year, new-to-me Pathy

Postby Pathyj1 » Sun Jan 02, 2022 9:16 pm

palmerwmd wrote:
Sun Jan 02, 2022 7:37 pm
Except the occasional seal there is very little that goes wrong with these.
I know valve cover gaskets universally need replacement. What other seals should I watch out for on these Nissans?
palmerwmd wrote:
Sun Jan 02, 2022 7:37 pm
When you do the tranny fluid use a careful method.. just drain the fluid (when its hot and you row it thru all gears with foot on brake) and then replace the atf with castrol multiimport. Do this twice in first month.
I’ve done ATF “exchanges” on other cars where I drain plus run the engine and remove old fluid from the ATF cooler. This is what I consider the “careful method” as opposed to a flush. Is this appropriate for this car too? Mobil 1 Multi-Vehicle ATF ok?
palmerwmd wrote:
Sun Jan 02, 2022 7:37 pm
The rest is routine, diffs, radiator fluid replace ( even though these do not have the SMOD problem of some later years, at this age a new rad might not be a bad idea. be sure to use OEM Tstat ONLY.
If it’s an all-metal radiator, a radiator replacement will probably be lower on the priority list. But for the coolant would Zerex Asian Blue be ok (which they say is good for Nissan)? I’ve used the Red on my Toyota and I’m trying to stay consistent with my fluid brands across my multiple cars.
palmerwmd wrote:
Sun Jan 02, 2022 7:37 pm
You will almost certainly need new shocks/struts even if they dont leak. also check out the bushings in your fornt suspension.
Rockauto sells a front end kit for our cars and you get a lot of parts all at once.
Thanks. Unless I hear/see the wheel wells sitting on the tires, this too will be lower on the priority list! Though I’d love to be working on cars every day, I typically get only one day a month.

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palmerwmd
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Re: New year, new-to-me Pathy

Postby palmerwmd » Sun Jan 02, 2022 11:03 pm

Pathyj1 wrote:
Sun Jan 02, 2022 9:16 pm
palmerwmd wrote:
Sun Jan 02, 2022 7:37 pm
Except the occasional seal there is very little that goes wrong with these.
I know valve cover gaskets universally need replacement. What other seals should I watch out for on these Nissans?
palmerwmd wrote:
Sun Jan 02, 2022 7:37 pm
When you do the tranny fluid use a careful method.. just drain the fluid (when its hot and you row it thru all gears with foot on brake) and then replace the atf with castrol multiimport. Do this twice in first month.
1) I’ve done ATF “exchanges” on other cars where I drain plus run the engine and remove old fluid from the ATF cooler. This is what I consider the “careful method” as opposed to a flush. Is this appropriate for this car too? Mobil 1 Multi-Vehicle ATF ok?
palmerwmd wrote:
Sun Jan 02, 2022 7:37 pm
The rest is routine, diffs, radiator fluid replace ( even though these do not have the SMOD problem of some later years, at this age a new rad might not be a bad idea. be sure to use OEM Tstat ONLY.
2)If it’s an all-metal radiator, a radiator replacement will probably be lower on the priority list. But for the coolant would Zerex Asian Blue be ok (which they say is good for Nissan)? I’ve used the Red on my Toyota and I’m trying to stay consistent with my fluid brands across my multiple cars.
palmerwmd wrote:
Sun Jan 02, 2022 7:37 pm
You will almost certainly need new shocks/struts even if they dont leak. also check out the bushings in your fornt suspension.
Rockauto sells a front end kit for our cars and you get a lot of parts all at once.
3) Thanks. Unless I hear/see the wheel wells sitting on the tires, this too will be lower on the priority list! Though I’d love to be working on cars every day, I typically get only one day a month.
1) Just be sure you refil so it never runs dry
The more careful method is to just drain it and then top it off.
This of course leaves half the old fluid in.
I dont know anything about the Mobil1.. but I do know the castrol multi import is a known good fluid: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Castrol-Tran ... thena=true
This is also a known good fluid:
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Valvoline-Ma ... lsrc=aw.ds

2) yes he asian blue is a good fluid. even though back then they still speced the Nissan Green

3) Godspeed :)

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VStar650CL
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Re: New year, new-to-me Pathy

Postby VStar650CL » Mon Jan 03, 2022 4:42 am

palmerwmd wrote:
Sun Jan 02, 2022 11:03 pm
2) yes he asian blue is a good fluid. even though back then they still speced the Nissan Green
Green and blue are completely interchangeable (and completely miscible if you happen to like turquoise). You just can't mix orange with either one, that literally makes jello.
palmerwmd wrote:
Sun Jan 02, 2022 11:03 pm
3) Godspeed :)
+1!

Pathyj1
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Re: New year, new-to-me Pathy

Postby Pathyj1 » Tue Jan 04, 2022 5:19 pm

Thank you palmerwmd and VStar650CL. I’ll be doing work little by little and try to keep this thread updated. Definitely will have further questions!

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Re: New year, new-to-me Pathy

Postby smj999smj » Sun Jan 23, 2022 8:59 am

The transmission fluid should state that it is recommended for NissanMatic Type "D" ATF; most synthetics are. Type "D" ATF is actually the original Dexron formula and similar to Dexron II, as well; they have a slightly thinner viscosity that Dexron III/Mercon ATF, which is okay for top-offs but not recommended for servicing. My personal favorite is Valvoline Maxlife ATF. You can get it in gallon jugs for around $19 @ Walmart and it can be used in a lot of Nissan transmissions, as well as for Nissan power steering fluid and some transfer cases.
You should run the VIN and check for any open recalls; there is a recall checker at the NissanUSA.com site. There was a recall on these a few years ago for corrosion at the bottom of the front strut towers. The engines in the 2001's were pretty good, but they were more prone to check engine light issues than the earlier VG33E engine-equipped R50's. Variable intake timing, oxygen sensor and air flow meter codes were not uncommon. As far as mechanical problems, leaks at the engine oil cooler "O" seal were not uncommon a there were a few that had the screws in the power valves come loose and fall into the engine. A few had issues with burning oil due to the piston rings getting stuck, so it's best to keep the oil changed at the proper intervals.
Another common issue was the bushings splitting in the rear suspension upper and lower links, which would cause the back end of the vehicle to wander at highway speeds. Maintenance is key, just like any car!

Pathyj1
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Re: New year, new-to-me Pathy

Postby Pathyj1 » Mon Jan 24, 2022 10:46 am

Listing this for reference later! Thanks, smj.
smj999smj wrote:
Sun Jan 23, 2022 8:59 am
...My personal favorite is Valvoline Maxlife ATF...

...There was a recall on these a few years ago for corrosion at the bottom of the front strut towers...

...Variable intake timing, oxygen sensor and air flow meter codes were not uncommon...

...As far as mechanical problems, leaks at the engine oil cooler "O" seal were not uncommon...

...there were a few that had the screws in the power valves come loose and fall into the engine...

...Another common issue was the bushings splitting in the rear suspension upper and lower links, which would cause the back end of the vehicle to wander at highway speeds.
FYI, so far I have slowly done the following. I should note that this car is not registered nor insured yet, so I've been having to cautiously test drive this around the neighborhood where minimal cars and cops are on the road!
  • Replaced the oil cooler o-ring.
  • Changed motor oil to Mobil 1 full synthetic.
  • Replaced coolant with Zerex Asian Blue. Need to run the engine more or actually burp the radiator since the heater stops blowing hot air when idling.

I have the Castrol Multi-Import ATF in hand, so a transmission fluid exchange may be the next job.

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Re: New year, new-to-me Pathy

Postby palmerwmd » Mon Jan 24, 2022 1:58 pm

Please keep us updated as it goes! :D


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