03/19/12 - Decided to check the coolant reservoir (again), it was almost bone dry! Went to get some more coolant, took my wife's car, picked up a screw!!! Got the coolant later that evening (in the truck), added it, haven't checked it again, I will tomorrow evening.
03/20/12 - (Expensive "lesson"...that new tire for her car cost $160!!!)...truck seems to be running ok, haven't noticed the high idle, the real test will be on the evening drive home!...still did the high idle thing...coolant level was normal (full hot mark) in the recovery tank.
03/22/12 - "A quart low, but still holdin' it in the road"...bought a quart ($4.23!!!) at lunch and put it in, will monitor again on the drive home
03/12/12 - Truck seemed to be doing better (dare I say, "normal") today...Keywords high fast idle low oil...Found somewhere on the web about a mustang with similar symptoms, the hypothesis is that the ECU senses low oil level/pressure and raises the idle speed to make what little oil is there flow faster? Guess it makes sense!
03/31/12 - Went to the junkyard for Pathfinder parts, but not ONE had an engine or tranny...did get a spare tire holder AND spare tire off an extended cab Hombre! Need to put them on...
07/19/12 - I noticed the idle was REAL low yesterday, like almost cut-off low...and changed when the brakes were applied/released...sure enough, now it's "hissing" near the brake pedal...My prelim online research shows the booster has gone out
07/22/12 - Yup, it's the booster...started the disassembly process today...then Bo came and took me to PAP, we found a booster in one with the dash already removed! $16 (incl. warranty)
07/18/12 - Started tear down
07/19/12 - Continued tear down
07/20/12 - More tear down, broke the HVAC connector...
07/23/12 - Bo came thru and got a connector from PAP East Lot!
08/04/12 - Got the old booster out; cracked the instrument cluster "glass" when I went to get the laying mat out of the pathfinder!
08/05/12 - B took me to get the new booster from Advance, need to paint it before I can put it in
09/23/12 - Finished!!! And test drove it!!!
03/19/13 - Clutch is acting up, has been for at least about a month? I think the slave cylinder needs replacing, but now that it's warmer, it's not as bad, and I have been able to still drive it to work!
05/26/13 - Bought the valve cover gasket, tried to install it, gonna require removal of some other parts i'm gonna need gaskets for
05/27/13 - Ordered the gaskets
05/30/13 - The gasket parts came
08/12/13 - Truck broke down at work, wouldn't turn over; push starting didn't work either
08/13/13 - Bo and Jack came to tow it home
08/14/13 - Ordered and picked up a multimeter test lead kit from Sears
08/17/13 - Spent all day testing the circuits...always showed a little less than 12v at the solenoid, thought that might be the problem, but then...
08/18/13 - Thought the manual might be "wrong", and what if the starter/solenoid is bad? pulled it...checked it, didn't do nada....ordered Tough One starter from advance
08/19/13 - got exhaust bolts at ace; picked up starter at advance; put new starter in, didn't like the "gap" in the bellhousing
08/20/13 - bo picked up the starter
08/21/13 - bo brought the rebuilt starter back
08/23/13 - Put the rebuilt starter in, waiting on exhaust parts (springs)
08/24/13 - Got the exhaust parts, bo hooked me up with parts pickup duty, everything in, it works!
08/25/13 - Took the new starter back to advance
08/26/13 - Clutch started its "seasonal" actup!
08/28/13 - Bought the clutch concentric cylinder form Autozone, questioned it's "newness"...I think i'ma exhange it tomorrow
08/29/13 - Got a set of 3-ton jackstands from harbor freight; swapped the clutch cylinder for one at a different store; looks to be a different brand but looks BRAND NEW, like some of it has to be assembled!
08/31/13 - Ordered brake pads from Advance (30% discount)
09/02/13 - picked up the brake pads from Advance
09/08/13 - could NOT get those Advance brake pads installed...had to get a set from Autozone...upon comparison, the retaining spring on the inner pad looked to be a possible cause, but anyhoo, the Autozone pads fit no problem! Mileage: 276222
09/19/13 - thought the LR tire was losing air bad (felt like it, looked like it), so i got nervous and checked the spare...straight empty! aired it up to 60 PSI, it SEEMS to be holding air ok...aired up the rear tires to 35 (L was at 20, R was at 30)
09/20/13 - bought oil and filter
09/22/13 - changed the oil (276748), installed the spare tire carrier, installed the rearview mirror; aired up front tires, RF was @ 26, LF was @ 30
10/15/13 - truck clutch probs!...was whining at lunch, would stop when i lightly pressed the pedal...pedal went completely out on 285 right after spaghetti junction...had to straight-shift it a few times...then the pedal came back, made it home...
10/16/13 - truck wouldn't keep a firm pedal, when i tried to "bleed" it to get to work...it's (the release cylinder) finally shot this time!
03/08/14 - removed the console and shift lever
03/15/14 - put the front end on jackstands
03/23/14 - bought another set of jackstands; put rear on jackstands; removed propeller shaft
03/30/14 - disconnected the back-up light switch connector, the vehicle speed sensor connector, and the clips securing the transmission harness to the transmission
03/31/14 - remove the muffler-to-catalytic converter nuts
04/01/14 - removed the catalytic converter; (the converter mount-to-frame nuts were too small for 13mm, too big for 12mm, and a 1/2" seemed to almost round them off?)
04/02/14 - removed the downpipe; lost one of the nuts! It literally disappeared!
05/03/14 - removed the transmission-to-engine braces
05/04/14 - disconnected the clutch hydraulic line from the transmission
10/25/14 - removed the flywheel; ordered a rear main seal installer tool off ebay
12/11/15 - i think this is the day bo got the flywheel turned
01/24/16 - got the pick set and needle nose from HF; removed the seal (left it on for "rust prevention")
01/30/16 - installed the crankshaft rear oil seal
01/31/16 - installed the pilot bushing
02/06/16 - removed the old release cylinder, installed the new release cylinder!
02/07/16 - installed the flywheel, clutch and pressure plate; 55 degrees and about 3:30 when i stopped...neck is hurting, overall sore and tired (and weak?); just not up t o attempting the trans; not gonna be this warm again for awhile, but supposed to be upper 40s and dry this coming 3-day (president's day) weekend
02/28/16 - got the transmission under there, lifted up, and semi-aligned (two bolts in)...splines not engaging, gonna see if the driveshaft turning the input shaft will help
02/29/16 - got the splines/tranny mated! (put two more bolts in...trying to use the driveshaft to turn the tranny was a failure...um, of course, 'cause you are also trying to turn the engine!)...so i used an 18mm wrench to every so slightly turn the crankshaft, and bammo! alignment!
03/05/16 - finished installing (and torquing) the engine-to-transmission bolts (35 ft-lb); installed the shift tower and insulator
03/06/16 - "loosely" installed the crossmember (the weight of the tranny is on it), put 2 bolts on the 4-bolt side, and one bolt on the other side, and the nut on the transmission mount; started routing some of the wiring
03/09/16 - installed the remaining crossmember bolts and torqued them all (somewhere higher than 45?); torqued the transmission mount nut to prolly about the same; plugged in that harness thingy on the crossmember; tightened the fuel rail to the tranny (referred to the pics several times)
03/11/16 - installed the clutch inspection plate and the starter
03/12/16 - installed the crossmember braces and put new wire loom on those wires by the oil pan
03/15/16 - just ordered the hot rod sleeve from summit
03/16/16 - the sleeve arrived!
03/18/16 - mama dropped off the O2 socket
03/19/16 - got the O2 sensor off, didn't take much torque, either (put some PB blaster on it before I left for Paul's funeral)
03/20/16 - installed the hot rod sleeve; loosely installed the downpipe (had the nut i needed the whole time!!!)
03/21/16 - test fit the 15mm deep well, it cleared (prolly would work, but it's not a metric fastener)
03/22/16 - ordered the catalytic converter (which is in stock) and the catalytic converter gaskets (being shipped) (total $164)
03/23/16 - picked up the converter after work; and the rear gasket came
03/24/16 - the front gasket came today
03/26/16 - put the exhaust hanger on the new cat; test-fit the HO2 sensor; test fit the cat, flanges don't meet right now; got the anti-seize from bo
03/28/16 - trimmed the excess piece off the new catalytic converter
03/29/16 - installed the HO2 sensor; loosely installed the cat to the crossmember and to the front pipe
03/30/16 - cleaned the remaining gasket material off the muffler pipe flange; loosely attached the cat to the muffler pipe
04/01/16 - tightened up the front pipe, but i may hafta redo it; lookin' at the pics, the flanges may not be aligned properly
04/02/16 - checked the exhaust, not aligned good, pipes aren't fitting together good; removed it...; installed the remaining wire harness clips and electrical connectors; installed the driveshaft; went to harbor freight and got a tail pipe expander
04/03/16 - removed the driveshaft to put grease on the yoke and reintalled it; tried the expander using a crescent ridge, no-good; then a breaker bar, not much better; finally the impact wrench and BAM! installed the exhaust (hopefully it's aligned properly!), and connected the HO2 sensor to the harness
04/06/16 - removed the tranny fill plug to check the level, definitely low (not up to the fill plug opening); ordered a quart of tranny oil, some permatex #14 with ptfe, and one of those ORANGE transfer pumps from summit, total $41.50
04/07/16 - the parts from summit came; got a bottle of "manual clutch fluid" from autozone; installed the hydraulic line into the tranny (took some doing, and some book reading); b helped me bleed the clutch! took about 3 cycles, for good measure, but the pedal felt firm, i am thinking now (4/8), that i forgot to check for leaks, i'll do that later; the bleed fitting is 7/16"
04/08/16 - added the synchromesh, still low; put battery on charge
04/09/16 - CRANKED IT TODAY!!! ok, backup, went to summit, got another quart of synchromesh fluid; came back, transfer pump still had moisture in it, so while it was drying, got oil and filter from autozone and 4 gallons of 93 octane from shell; put in the oil and filter; (battery was charging all this time); put in the other quart, STILL not up to the fill level, so it mighta been completely empty; added the fuel and 1/2 a can of seafoam; installed battery; engine turned over a few times and bam! started quicker than the pathfinder! let it run for about 5 minutes, shifted thru the gears, at first it seemed like the clutch wasn't spinning the rear tire, but it was one-wheel drive; the LR wheel would start then stop, but the RR wheel spun the whole time, shut it down after awhile
04/16/16 - PASSED EMISSIONS!!! but has a MAJOR exhaust leak and rubbage, need to address that (oh, for the emissions, it wasn't "ready" in 2 categories: heated catalytic converter and oxygen sensor); fixed the exhaust later (hopefully!); the downpipe was too close to the frame/suspension pivot and the clamp wasn't tight on it, so the other piece was just sliding in and out (jaja)
04/19/16 - got the tag, $102.81 total
05/02/16 - aired up the tires; tightened the exhaust more, but it's still leaking (tested it with the incense!)
05/03/16 - drove it to work; i stalled it out on the offramp to memorial and it didn't wanna crank, but finally did! cleaned out the passenger side; ordered the battery, converter gasket and band clamp
05/05/16 - the catalytic converter gasket came today
05/06/16 - ordered the walker exhaust clamp from summit
05/07/16 - the clamp came today; started sputtering, jerking, loss of power on way to DSW at turner hill and that side road...pulled into stonecrest and let it sit for about 30 minutes...got back on the road, was fine...check engine light came on around klondike and covington
05/08/16 - ordered a scan tool (that night?)
05/10/16 - scan tool came; pulled the code...P0122 tps sensor low voltage
05/11/16 - ordered the bluetooth OBD?
05/13/16 - plugged in that vacuum line (thanks to the guy's youtube video)
05/14/16 - b ordered the vgate scan tool; tried it later that night, just to see the TPS % sweep and freeze frame data...nothing conclusive yet
05/14/16 - acted up again on trip from landfill to honey creek; broke down bad, like literally; bo had to come get me to get gas, tried that, worked for as long as getting to columbia high school; pulled into that first neighborhood after, went to wally world and got a tow STRAP (w/o hooks, dumbest design ever), got it home (strap broke on leeland...why'd he go down leeland???)
07/16/16 - dropped the tank
07/17/16 - tested the circuit (how well?); LOOKS like voltage to the pump, briefly (during prime?); hooked the battery to the pump (did i do it right?) and nada; just ordered a replacement pump off ebay ($40)
07/19/16 - moved the tank to the back porch; removed the pump assembly
07/20/16 - ordered and picked up a fuel filter from the advance on flat shoals in conyers (ordered originally at the covington hwy one, but got there and they didn't have one); the pump came, too
07/31/16 - 277350; "adjusted" parking brake (with the wheels on the ground (threatening thunderstrorms) i just turned it in a few turns until it grabbed better than it did before)
08/01/16 - first long drive (to work) after fuel pump (fuel gauge still at half..about 20 miles in...uh...); just "won" a tilt steering column off ebay ($115+ 17.21 = $132.21 shipped); then just ordered the column pin tool ($13.28)
08/04/16 - SES came on on way to work; pulled the code when i got home P0440, Evaporative Emission System
08/11/16 - the gas cap came
08/19/16 - went to put the exhaust mega clamp on, i ordered the wrong size!! (3")...need a 2-1/4"
08/20/16 - bo took it to the dealer to get the EVAP system smoke tested; bo smoke tested it, it's leaking at the hose right by the test port! he also checked the A/C, says the high side charge port valve is leaking
09/04/16 - approx 278131, aired up the LR to 33, it was probably about 25; the RR was at 45!! that's right, 45...i let SOME out, and then didn't recheck it; used the truck to get the blue 92 4-wheeler from honey creek
09/05/16 - 40" between wheel arches
09/16/16 - dropped it off at honey creek for bo to charge the a/c
09/17/16 - bo took it to athens to get the a/c recharged
09/18/16 - rode with mama and uncle buck to honey creek to get the truck; bo said the LF tire is showing wires
09/20/16 - woke up to find i got got for some of my stuff (jack, wagan powerdome, craftsman tools)
10/29/16 - SOLD!!! for $1300 this morning; guy came from AL; had to frantically find the title while they went to get something to eat, but sold!!!