Last week our 1994 Nissan Pathfinder did not answer the call of service, when requested. After just shy of 12 years and all most 100,000 of its 305,000 mile working life it is done. Not the cam belt. That is still in working order at five years and 40,000 miles over the recommend service life. No its the alternator. It started to make some noise and the battery lite is now glowing, all the time. Why call it over? Only one of a few items include the fact that with a new one, I will still not have reverse.
I might be a willing victim of project creep. If you are in there doing something other deferred items might need attention. In this case it would turn this into an epic combination. Removing the belts, results in their replacement. Removing the radiator to gain access to the alternator, involves the hoses, water pump and ends up at the cam belts, of course. Then you have to include the crank and cam seals.
But I will still not have reverse. The "book" on doing the belts on these V six motors is north of 6 hours. I am not that good. Oh, it will still be a 2 wheeled drive Pathfinder, without reverse, when done. But it did pass smog in November, has current tags and the AC works.
But its replacement is a bit of overkill. That includes reverse. And a diesel with 4 wheel drive.
Pictures to follow.
In the last 12 years, everything has gotten "more". The timing of the Pathfinder purchase in 2010 found us in a much different space. At that point, what was needed, was transportation that worked. When reverse still existed in the gearbox, this was a daily driver.
Its replacement, is just a truck.
Yes, it's a retired work truck. Very maintained but with some road rash. Imagine how much this would have cost without the sheet metal issues.
I approve of this message!
This is my 2005 2500. I absolutely love it. Good luck with your new truck!
I also have a Ram. 2004 Laramie version. Good truck, close to 200k on the clock. Pretty good shape, and keeps on doing truck things.
I haven't seen a D21 Pathfinder that clean in decades.
The Pathfinder is now not as pristine. It survived a theft and recovery, the number of the miles and no reverse saved it from a trip headed way south. I did clean out the broken glass from the rear door small window glass. They knew what to break. I still have the screw driver they used to start the car. But in the tradition of old cars, the ignition key is still working. When they decided it was not worth the work, it was driven into an neighborhood and they walked away. As a result of this life lesson I now know more than I need too about an impounded theft recovery and how much it costs to drive your car home.
It's available for sale, located in Southern California. Will need to be towed. Running with working AC.
It's replacement has it's list, my wife has decided it needs new tires so she can drive it to work. "Yes" dear is correct response, after 35 years of marriage. Right?
Because it might snow the morning she decides this is the vehicle to drive to work.
No pressure, the first event that I will be using the truck as it is now intended is on March 20. It's a local SCCA event and is less than 100 mile round trip from where the race car is stored. My registration for the event is in place. I have the longer wheel studs that I should already be using on the race car, thank you Ireland Engineering. I have the set of tires that will be used at the event, just need to get them dismounted/mounted on my rims. Change some fluids, as many as I get too. But most important, get my trailer hooked up to the truck.
So I can drive this at the event. Then there is the event at Buttonwillow on the first weekend of April that I am hopping to get to run. Nope, no pressure.
And its officially mine. It has passed the required smog test, the current registration has been transferred and the taxes on the purchase have been paid. Next, tires. Life driving in the snow that we occasionally get in our area mandates the truck will be sporting narrow M/S tires. Yes, load range "E".
Looks like there lots of options, oh joy!
The Pathfinder is getting picked up tomorrow. Of course the alternator light has gone out and it is not making that sound that is present right before it ceases, but it will not be long before it returns.
But it is no longer my issue. I did not want to give up the gas in the tank, that was working me. It was fresh gas, premium as it was my choice all these years and more that a quarter of a tank. The question, how to get it out of tank. With out having to experience that taste, we might have all had to endure.
In this case, I used the fuel pump already in the car.
With the required purchase of 5 feet of fuel line and paper clip, we were good to go!
After connecting the new fuel to the fuel filter and dropping it into the correct fuel can, you have to jump the fuel pump relay and you have gas in your container! The relay only has a few options, a diagram that shows how they work and after a few attempts, it start to pump fuel! More than five gallons, not quite six. Connecting everything back as it should, the car is still running.
Then the battery was removed. Turns out to be the correct battery needed for the 1970 Datsun Roadster that is getting refreshed. They both use the same Group 25 battery. I am not removing the shocks, someone gets to enjoy the Bilsteins as much as I have!
The Dodge has take its first steps to taking over as the new towing vehicle at our house. Yes it still needs tires. But the pinched exhaust system is no more. This morning, it looked like this.
Backing up into a snow berm will move metal.
The shop that did the work has been my "go to" for exhaust work for years. They are one of those getting harder to find shops that are journeymen at there craft. They take the time to do things correctly, the first time.
This was removed at the rear muffler. No, in Southern California they do not salt the roads in the winter. Cinder, yes.
This is a 2005 Dodge Ram 2500, 4wd. Rust is not one of the things we have to deal with. Nuts and squirrels, yes.
Next, the tires.
