OT: I give up, please don't nuthin go right - updated x4

[J Miller]

..... I don't think I could handle the shock.

For the first time in a long while my wife has a two day weekend this weekend. We've been planning on taking a one day trip to visit a friend in IN. But everything that can go wrong is. Murphy is on our BUTTS like a rash.

My wife's truck needs work ... but when does it not?

One of our youngest kitties is in the vet for a possible internal obstruction. They've had him since yesterday. We gotta call back tomorrow. No idea what that's gonna cost. Update last post

Last March I had the dealer change the oil and service the Pathfinder. Had them check the breaks as well. About a month ago about the time of the last big week long rain storm the rear breaks on the Pathfinder started making that moaning noise like the breaks do on 18 wheelers when they slow down. Pulled the drum off the right side today and it's flooded with axle oil. Blown seal. pelosi!!!! Now I've done axle seals before, but this Nissan has a different set up. The backing plate holds the drive axle in the axle tube. And it has an end play spec that has to be set. I do not have the equipment to do it.
Gotta take it to the shop ..... mucho dinero I don't have.

So what's next???? Hmmmm, please don't nothing go right, please don't. I've gotten so used to the feces hitting the rotary oscillator, I'd die from shock if something actually went right.

Seems like a bunch of us are having trouble lately. Maybe if we all gang up on Murphy we can make him die of a heart attack.

Joe

[rimrock]

Gotta have the bad so you know what's good.

rimrock

[AJMD429]

You could do like half the people in this country have done - just spend all your money on fancy cell-phones and junk, quit your job, and go on welfare so the government provides for you.

Hang in there. Cherish the things you DO have - family, friends, health - and be glad that once in awhile you have a bit of material comfort. It's better than most of our ancestors had, even though it is frustrating to see the moochers and looters have lives of relative luxury with nary a calloused body part.

[J Miller]

You could do like half the people in this country have done - just spend all your money on fancy cell-phones and junk, quit your job, and go on welfare so the government provides for you.

Hang in there. Cherish the things you DO have - family, friends, health - and be glad that once in awhile you have a bit of material comfort. It's better than most of our ancestors had, even though it is frustrating to see the moochers and looters have lives of relative luxury with nary a calloused body part.

AJMD,

At this point I'd gladly take a time trip back to the 1800s. They didn't have the stuff we have now, but had a freedom we don't have now. When push came to shove they could just pack up what was needed, load the wagon and go somewhere else. No govt to get in the way. The only expenses was food and grain for the livestock.

Ahhh, for the good old days.

Joe

[20cows]

Joe, I understand.

I've been working to get ahead of my daughter's Nissan before she takes it to college. I just about got the front end rebuilt after three months of head scraching and "custom" tool making. Now for tires and a realignmnet.

At the same time the mastercylinder is leaking on my car and the battery gave out on the ranch truck. If I can find time to afford to have truck out of service for a spell, I've got a rebuilt engine sitting in the garage ready to go in it. But it's the only truck in the family operation currently able to pull the stock trailer.

Oh, yeah, the wife's van needs the transmisson serviced. When I can find the time.

We never get ahead, it seems.

Even so, life is good.

Hang in there.

[RJS]

Hey Joe,
I had the same problem on a older Mazda pickup ,it turned out to be the vent on the axle was plugged . Freed up the vent ,replaced brake shoes ,and I was on the road again . Worth a look I guess.
Ron

[RIHMFIRE]

Hang in there jmiller
you guys should have bought a ford.....

yeah yeah...no Fix Or Repair Daily jokes

but you cant beat an Fseries truck IMHO
going on 200,000 on my 97 F150.... just minor repairs and maintenance
and 118,000 on my F350 deisel....one fuel injector went bad this year....
and regular maintenance.....which is not cheap...like $99 air filters

and dont get me started on vet bills....holy c(@p

[.45colt]

Well Joe I can feel Your pain. I have an 05 Jeep that I have baby'ed for all of it's 58,000 mi. I have several warrenty issues outstanding and they don't seem to want to talk about it..............................................
I have worked in customer service for nearly fourty years and I want to go to the dealer and scream bloody murder. .this is the freaking world We live in today.

[J Miller]

Hey Joe,
I had the same problem on a older Mazda pickup ,it turned out to be the vent on the axle was plugged . Freed up the vent ,replaced brake shoes ,and I was on the road again . Worth a look I guess.
Ron

Ron,
This one has vent tubes running from the axles, trany, and tx case to somewhere where they join up. It is worth a look see and I'll do it tomorrow.

Well Joe I can feel Your pain. I have an 05 Jeep that I have baby'ed for all of it's 58,000 mi. I have several warrenty issues outstanding and they don't seem to want to talk about it..............................................
I have worked in customer service for nearly fourty years and I want to go to the dealer and scream bloody murder. .this is the freaking world We live in today.

.45 Colt,
Sorry about your Jeep. I don't drive as much as I used to, but although I don't abuse my vehicles I don't baby them either.
Dealers can sometimes be a real pain to work with.

Hang in there jmiller
you guys should have bought a ford.....

yeah yeah...no Fix Or Repair Daily jokes

but you cant beat an Fseries truck IMHO
going on 200,000 on my 97 F150.... just minor repairs and maintenance
and 118,000 on my F350 deisel....one fuel injector went bad this year....
and regular maintenance.....which is not cheap...like $99 air filters

and dont get me started on vet bills....holy c(@p

RIHMFIRE,
I've had Fords, Chevys, Toyotas, Jeeps, and Nissans. We've got the best use from the Nissans. Jokes don't bother me either.
As long as they do the work intended I don't care what emblem is on the hood.

Joe

[J Miller]

Joe, I understand.

I've been working to get ahead of my daughter's Nissan before she takes it to college. I just about got the front end rebuilt after three months of head scraching and "custom" tool making. Now for tires and a realignmnet.

At the same time the mastercylinder is leaking on my car and the battery gave out on the ranch truck. If I can find time to afford to have truck out of service for a spell, I've got a rebuilt engine sitting in the garage ready to go in it. But it's the only truck in the family operation currently able to pull the stock trailer.

Oh, yeah, the wife's van needs the transmisson serviced. When I can find the time.

We never get ahead, it seems.

Even so, life is good.

Hang in there.

20cows,
Sounds like you need a whole squad of mechanics right now.
I know about never getting ahead. Never have. I'm almost giddy when I get caught up cos it happens so very seldom.

Joe

[adirondakjack]

Joe, I'd take the vents for the rear axle off, just cut the darned things, insure mud wasps or some such ain't plugged em, then make em into an inverted "U", and hang em from the frame. To (congress) with the epa vent baloney. Might not be yer problem, but could be.....

[J Miller]

Joe, I'd take the vents for the rear axle off, just cut the darned things, insure mud wasps or some such ain't plugged em, then make em into an inverted "U", and hang em from the frame. To (congress) with the epa vent baloney. Might not be yer problem, but could be.....

I'll check 'em and make sure they are clear and open. But I want them there the way they are. They keep water and dirt out of the axle.

Joe

[Tumbleweeds II]

Maybe if we all gang up on Murphy we can make him die of a heart attack.

Joe

Murphy doesn't get heart attacks. I think he might be a carrier, though.

[J Miller]

Well I figure I might as well update this thread.

Little kitty is still at the vets. He's stopped eating, and has had no bowel movements at all. Rather than wait for him to do something I doubt he can do, we told them to do an X-ray and see what if anything they find inside.
Now we wait some more.

Got prices on the Pathfinder's oil leak.
If I have the dealer do the work I'm looking at close to $325.00.
If I try it I don't know. There are special tools required that I do not have. "IF" those tools were available I'd spend as much for them as I would just having the dealer do the work.
So now I have to come up with some money.

What a pain in the patootie.

Joe

[olyinaz]

I feel your pain! My 2007 Jeep Liberty dropped a window a year back (just off warranty) and it was $600 to "fix" (more like replace everything) at the dealer because Chrysler had replaced all of the defective parts with new ones so replacement was the only remedy. Isn't that what RECALLS are supposed to be for? About three months ago, yep, you guessed it - window #2 lets go. Took it to an independent mechanic and it only ran me $400 (!) to fix. Two weeks ago the air conditioner compressor completely eats itself and requires replacing 80% of the system. On a three year old vehicle with 36,000 miles? Un-freakin believable!!

So...just to make sure I wasn't rolling around too happy during this my water heater exploded and ruined about ten square yards of dry wall in my garage. While the guy is here fixing and replacing he says, "Oh, by the way, you've got plastic pipes in your house that need complete replacement - I'll give you an estimate on the work but we should be able to git 'er done for under TEN GRAND and you'll only have to move out for about a week."

Whew! Thank goodness the company stole my pension and offered me a 50% pay cut to remain gainfully employed! So we got that going for us!

Seriously, at some point it all gets so ridiculous that you just "pull down your pants and slide on the ice" as Sydney used to say on M*A*S*H. The other option is teeth damage from all the gritting and marital damage from all the grousing. Not good!

I thank God every night and ask Him to keep my head screwed on straight because even with the almost comical load Murphy has piled on us I know that we're still blessed.

Best,
Oly

[Hankster]

From a guy who used to sell the parts..... Nissan's are great.. until they need work! Parts are Higher, they are harder to work on... a real PITA for the do-it-yourselfer!!!
Toyota's (up until recent times anyway) were easier to do yourself, and parts more reasonable.... GM/Ford etc... a crapshoot, some easier, some dog nuts hard...(bad engineering, no thought as to how the heck is the mechanic gonna fix this??) Chrysler... a science unto itself!! So it goes.. most parts on the Us vehicales are reasonable, except the diesels.... the parts sellers seem to think they are made of GOLD or something! Starters etc... out of sight!

[J Miller]

From a guy who used to sell the parts..... Nissan's are great.. until they need work! Parts are Higher, they are harder to work on... a real PITA for the do-it-yourselfer!!!
Toyota's (up until recent times anyway) were easier to do yourself, and parts more reasonable.... GM/Ford etc... a crapshoot, some easier, some dog nuts hard...(bad engineering, no thought as to how the heck is the mechanic gonna fix this??) Chrysler... a science unto itself!! So it goes.. most parts on the Us vehicales are reasonable, except the diesels.... the parts sellers seem to think they are made of GOLD or something! Starters etc... out of sight!

Yep, what you said is soooo true. I've also found that with the exception of bearings and seals most after market parts are no where near as good as factory OEM Nissan parts. They just don't last as long.


................................................

Kittie is home now. X-rays showed a gas pocket in his bowels but not what's causing it. We've got a laxative and some anti-bios to give him. So we're hoping for the best.
He would not eat at the vets. The minute I got home home he stuck his nose in the food plate and chowed down. He was just being contrary.

Joe

[J Miller]

Got some good news ... sorta. Parts guy at the dealer asked me if I was positive it wasn't the wheel cylinder leaking and not the axle seal. Well, I thought I was sure until I checked the break fluid last night and found it almost empty. So that pretty much indicates a blown wheel cylinder.
Oh GOODIE, that's easier to fix!!!!

There is three or four auto parts chains in Springfield. So far not one of them has a matched set of rear wheel cylinders that are NOT MADE IN CHINA, in stock.

>O'Reilly's has a pair, one aluminum one cast iron. No clue where they were made. Nope
>Auto Zone has a pair, both aluminum, made in China. Nope
>Napa is closed.
>Advance Auto is out of stock.
>The dealer is closed and their prices will be double or more the after market guys. At least theirs will be OEM parts.

I'm frustrated right now.

Murphy ...... I BLOODY WELL HATE YOU!!!!!

So, happy Independence Day to those on the forum.
Take care,

Joe

[TedH]

Well at least that's an easier and cheaper fix. There's a good chance Napa will have some good Bendix wheel cylinders.

[J Miller]

Well at least that's an easier and cheaper fix. There's a good chance Napa will have some good Bendix wheel cylinders.

Well, I'm gonna give 'em a ringy dingy Monday . Hopefully the Bendix parts are not outsourced to China like the Wagners that Auto Zone had.

Joe

[Hankster]

Best of luck, just before I left O'reilly.. Wagner had gone over... rotors etc, are almost all Chinese now, Brake pads are a texmex mix.. some yes, some no. In General, it's darn near IMPOSSIBLE to find much "American Made" stuff anymore! Filters are the same way, AC Delco, and Motorcraft are still made here last I saw... Fram are junk, sorry. O'Reilly house brand filters USED to be Purolators, and were good,but they cheaped out, and not the "Microgard" filters are ""Frams".... so I buy AC Delco! Good buy for the buck really....Motorcrafts are ok too.... Mopars not too far out there... K&N air filters are good... K&N oil?? Too pricey for something you THROW AWAY!! Go factory OEM! Cheaper, and good quality! Also, the "cheaper" Oreilly ignition parts... fuggedaboutit! Buy Borg-Warner.. better, last longer, and lifetime warranty!

[J Miller]

Best of luck, just before I left O'reilly.. Wagner had gone over... rotors etc, are almost all Chinese now, Brake pads are a texmex mix.. some yes, some no. In General, it's darn near IMPOSSIBLE to find much "American Made" stuff anymore! Filters are the same way, AC Delco, and Motorcraft are still made here last I saw... Fram are junk, sorry. O'Reilly house brand filters USED to be Purolators, and were good,but they cheaped out, and not the "Microgard" filters are ""Frams".... so I buy AC Delco! Good buy for the buck really....Motorcrafts are ok too.... Mopars not too far out there... K&N air filters are good... K&N oil?? Too pricey for something you THROW AWAY!! Go factory OEM! Cheaper, and good quality! Also, the "cheaper" Oreilly ignition parts... fuggedaboutit! Buy Borg-Warner.. better, last longer, and lifetime warranty!

Hankster,
Thanks for the updates. I've pretty much stuck with OEM parts on my Nissans. Just for the reasons you mentioned. As for the oil filters I buy Nissan too. The after market oil filters used to be divided into two categories.
A: OEM spec, size and quality from Wix,
B: non OEM, cheaper, smaller filters from everybody else.
Now everybody sells the exact same skinny small filter with their decal on it. Even Mobile 1s version is the same one.
I won't buy them. They don't fit right and I seriously doubt their filtering ability. I'll bet every single one of that size is made by one company and sold by everybody else. Junk.

I'm tired of the chinese junk. I want my American parts back.

Joe

[slimster]

Joe, Sorry if this response is somehow obsolete, but about 30 years ago, (when I used to pull wrenches for a living), we routinely rebuilt wheel cylinders, and had great success. It's really not difficult, consisting of a pair of pistons, rubber cup seals and spring assembly per wheel cyl.,and are sold in kits. They make small hones for honing out the cyl. bore, but it's usually just as easy to use emery cloth or fine wet/dry sandpaper wrapped around a finger (if not too fat) or dowell. Get a can of brake cleaner and make sure parts are squeaky clean, then reassemble, using fresh brake fluid to lube the bore, seals and pistons. Make sure to bleed the system. Hope this info is useful, Happy Independence Day!

[J Miller]

Joe, Sorry if this response is somehow obsolete, but about 30 years ago, (when I used to pull wrenches for a living), we routinely rebuilt wheel cylinders, and had great success. It's really not difficult, consisting of a pair of pistons, rubber cup seals and spring assembly per wheel cyl.,and are sold in kits. They make small hones for honing out the cyl. bore, but it's usually just as easy to use emery cloth or fine wet/dry sandpaper wrapped around a finger (if not too fat) or dowell. Get a can of brake cleaner and make sure parts are squeaky clean, then reassemble, using fresh brake fluid to lube the bore, seals and pistons. Make sure to bleed the system. Hope this info is useful, Happy Independence Day!

Slimster, if the wheel cylinders that are on it were cast iron I would have pulled them down and checked them out. But they are aluminum. I've read a lot about aluminum break parts and the one thing that was consistent is that if you rebuild them they don't last because you can't hone them like you do iron.
Once the burnished interior of the cylinder has been worn it's just not worth the trouble.
Hense, my search for new ones.

Joe

[firefuzz]

Kittie is home now. X-rays showed a gas pocket in his bowels but not what's causing it. We've got a laxative and some anti-bios to give him. So we're hoping for the best.
He would not eat at the vets. The minute I got home home he stuck his nose in the food plate and chowed down. He was just being contrary.

Joe

Glad to here Kittie is doing better. Time is on your side on the rest.

Rob

[20cows]

So...just to make sure I wasn't rolling around too happy during this my water heater exploded and ruined about ten square yards of dry wall in my garage. While the guy is here fixing and replacing he says, "Oh, by the way, you've got plastic pipes in your house that need complete replacement - I'll give you an estimate on the work but we should be able to git 'er done for under TEN GRAND and you'll only have to move out for about a week."

Most if not all the recent construction in this part of the world uses plastic (PVC) pipes. There is nothing wrong with it unless you're in the business to sell copper.

[Thunder50]

There was a type of plastic pipe years ago, was black IIRC, that had a recall on it due to bursting. Big lawsuit, company paid to fix problem. Otherwise, as said, I think most homes nowadays have probably Schedule 40 pvc pipe nowadays. Would get a second opinion on the pipe replacement thing.

Don't know where Wal-mart gets its filters made, but over on a certain motorcycle forum I belong to, guys have discussed filters and like Purolater, the factory Honda and Wal-marts filters. IIRC, the Purolater goes down to 5 microns. I have cut apart most of the M/C filters my bike uses and the Wal-mart filter is made almost as good as the factory Honda.

Fram was junk, as was the Mobil, and another brand that I don't remember.

I generally use Toyota filters and NAPA gold on everything else.

I thought it was "Found On Road Dead" or "F*&^%$n Old Rebuilt Dodge". Only owned one, my limit.

[J Miller]

Nissan dealer would have had to order the wheel cylinders and suggested I call a place here in Spfld I hadn't called yet. I called them and they have 2 (two) Raybestos, cast iron, MADE IN U.S.A. wheel cylinders in stock. Whooo Hoooo!!!!
I told him put my name on them I'll be there in a bit.

Probably New Old Stock, but I don't care.

So we'll see in a bit.

Joe

[Streetstar]

Joe,


its a Nissan (scratching my head) Where were the original master cylinders made? Probably not in America-- if your lucky, Japan, but who knows where the factory out-sources , ---- (but i am glad you found some that you feel comfortable with-- you need to have confidence in your brakes, especially with a well seasoned vehicle)


Glad to hear Kitty is doing ok, post up a pic when he gets to feeling 100%

[Retro]

It's a pain in the butt to drive a beetle or a Land Rover but when they break, you can fix 'em with normal spanners and parts are relatively available. OK, you don't get power nothing and accelleration is measured in days, but that's the trade off.

I'm getting lazy, I'm driving a TDi Golf 4, and as far as I know it does have an engine under the bonnet somewhere. But I don't care, the boss pays for it, and if something goes wrong, it's the company's problem.

But my cars are: a Puma, which is a beetle with a boobjob, and two Land-Rovers, only one of which runs. Heavy on fuel, slow, and as I said a pain in the butt. But the LR's been standing for three months and fired right up yesterday. So...

Aftermarket brake cylinders are cr*p. OK, so are OEM, often. Take the buggered one out and have it resleeved in stainless. Then it'll last until the bleeding nipple threads give out (assuming it's ally).

[J Miller]

Joe,


its a Nissan (scratching my head) Where were the original master cylinders made? Probably not in America-- if your lucky, Japan, but who knows where the factory out-sources , ---- (but i am glad you found some that you feel comfortable with-- you need to have confidence in your brakes, especially with a well seasoned vehicle)


Glad to hear Kitty is doing ok, post up a pic when he gets to feeling 100%

Streetstar,

The OEM master cylinder and the break cylinders are Japanese made. I've never had a lick of trouble with them other than when they get old and run up high mileage.
I've talked to the parts manager at the local Nissan dealer and he tells me Nissan parts are Japanese for the most part and to his knowledge none of their parts are Chinese. Not even the plastic tanked aluminum radiators.

This Pathfinder has just turned over 100,000 miles and unless I'm wrong the rear wheel cylinders may be the originals. If they have been replaced they were done with OEM parts.

The Raybestos cast iron USA made wheel cylinders are in and bled down. I've yet to test drive it but I do need to gas it so I'll do that a bit later. I pretty much overheated myself outside in the sun working on it.
Rotated the tires and checked the front calipers while I was at it.

Leo, the sick little kitty is eating better and barfing less. I think the Laxatone we've been giving him is finally causing his bowels to empty and push out the blockage. My wife has the duty of watching him every time he heads for the box. P U.
I'll do a pic when he's better.

It's a pain in the butt to drive a beetle or a Land Rover but when they break, you can fix 'em with normal spanners and parts are relatively available. OK, you don't get power nothing and accelleration is measured in days, but that's the trade off.

I'm getting lazy, I'm driving a TDi Golf 4, and as far as I know it does have an engine under the bonnet somewhere. But I don't care, the boss pays for it, and if something goes wrong, it's the company's problem.

But my cars are: a Puma, which is a beetle with a boobjob, and two Land-Rovers, only one of which runs. Heavy on fuel, slow, and as I said a pain in the butt. But the LR's been standing for three months and fired right up yesterday. So...

Aftermarket brake cylinders are cr*p. OK, so are OEM, often. Take the buggered one out and have it resleeved in stainless. Then it'll last until the bleeding nipple threads give out (assuming it's ally).

Retro,
I used to own VW Beetles. Those were some fun cars. And you are right. Normal wrenches and tools and you're good to go.
I miss mine. I had a 66 bug with the first year crank open sun roof. Really a neat little puddle jumper.
I've never ridden in or driven a Land Rover. Always been interested but never had the chance.
I think my favorite multi purpose 4x4 is the old Toyota FJ-40 Land Cruiser. Those things were like you said; slow and hard on gas but they'd go anywhere. I had mine up the sides of hills and mountains I couldn't walk up. Then when I got to the top I asked myself: "What were you thinking? How the hell are you going to get down?"
The good old days .... may they rest in peace.

I priced having my OEM aluminum wheel cylinders rebuilt. It would have cost more to do that than to buy the new ones. But I've kept them just in case things like this get hard to find in the future.

Joe

[KirkD]

Blown seal. pelosi!!!!

Now there's a new swear word!

[J Miller]

Blown seal. pelosi!!!!

Now there's a new swear word!

Yeah I kinda like it. It fits too.

Joe

[Streetstar]

[]

Streetstar,

The OEM master cylinder and the break cylinders are Japanese made. I've never had a lick of trouble with them other than when they get old and run up high mileage.
I've talked to the parts manager at the local Nissan dealer and he tells me Nissan parts are Japanese for the most part and to his knowledge none of their parts are Chinese.
I'll do a pic when he's better.

Joe

Thats cool --- i drive a Ford (who knows where their stuff is from-- ) but i have a couple of Japanese motocross motorcycles --- I'd bet my life on their quality (and do, when it comes to the brakes and fuel delivery systems ) -- my wife's Honda car is an amazingly consistent little car -- a little boring maybe, but i'll take boring over phone calls from the side of the highway anyday.

100k doesnt sound like too many miles, but i guess its the type of use they receive too. (city stops and starts vs. straight hwy driving, etc.)


I know some members of the board here have strong feelings about kitty cats, but i am all for 'em (as my avatar might suggest) --- so i hope everything "comes out alright" with Leo and i also feel sorry for your wife

[J Miller]

Ha ha ha ha, LOL and all that. Well, I got my wheel cylinders installed and bled down yesterday. Got so overheated I couldn't test drive it till today.

Last weekend while we were worrying about the wheel cylinders my wife calls me from work and tell me the lights on her truck were flickering .... again. Been doing this off and on for almost a year. But she's getting ready to go out of town to a craft show this week end and want's it to run as right as it can.
I told her to take it to the battery / electrical shop and have them check it. I don't have the tools and meters to check an electrical system. Those were some of the things stolen several years ago.
So this morning she did. Regulator is bad in the alternator. OK, no big deal. We look up the date of the last installation and found out were we bought the alternator. It's an O'Reilly life time warranty job. So mid day I asked my wife if she thought we could R&R that alternator before her boss calls her after 4:00PM. She thought we could. So she called O'Reilly and found out they had one in stock and just after 2:00 we tore into the truck. Got it out and headed to the parts house.

Then I got to test drive my Pathfinder and the new wheel cylinders. WOW! totally different break feel. Those old cylinders must have been going bad for quite a while. Nice firm break pedal and they even stopped good. Wheeeeeeee!!!!

Got back home and got the alternator in and hooked up. The truck was running for a test as her boss called just about 4:00.

Soooo, two things have gone right, three if you count the recovering sick kitty.

I'm gonna go down to the basement now and hide for while. I'm not sure I can handle this......


Joe

[20cows]

Yea!

[Alan Wood]

I understand how you feel Joe. Things round here are pretty rough right now. Dad emailed a photo of a spot on his arm to his physician. They told him to come in last week. After closer inspection they scheduled an apointment with a dermatologist... Saying that they were concerned it may be melenoma! He is to see the dermatologist tommorow for further investigation. Mom on the other hand is scheduled for gamma knife surgery Thursday to destroy a nerve that is making her life miserable. And Me well things at work are at such a point that I don't dare take a day off. If things don't work out over the next 11 days 2/3rds the staff loose there jobs. Something about 3 million dollars in liquidated damages with our largest customer. Looks like well get the job done but things are cutting it close. Mostly there fault but wont make any difference in the end.

[Streetstar]

Its late late now Joe --- so i assume you and Leo made it through the rest of the day --- i like your idea of heading into the basement and dimming the lights.

Fire up a VCR (or DVD or whatever) --- a marathon consisting of Chisum, Hondo, The Cowboys, and the Green Berets , would take at least 6,5-7 hours. throw in Cahill, US Marshall, wyatt Earp, and the "Smokey and the Bandit" series and you have officially killed a day --- dont forget to get up every hour or so to do a few jumping jacks to keep the blood flowing right

[J Miller]

Its late late now Joe --- so i assume you and Leo made it through the rest of the day --- i like your idea of heading into the basement and dimming the lights.

Fire up a VCR (or DVD or whatever) --- a marathon consisting of Chisum, Hondo, The Cowboys, and the Green Berets , would take at least 6,5-7 hours. throw in Cahill, US Marshall, wyatt Earp, and the "Smokey and the Bandit" series and you have officially killed a day --- dont forget to get up every hour or so to do a few jumping jacks to keep the blood flowing right

Streetstar,

Great minds think alike .... That's just about what I've been doing the last week. Once old Sol goes down I come inside and crank up the machine. I've got most of what you mentioned and more.
Sad to say though that Leo is sliding backwards. He may end up back at the vet. I just don't like the way he looks.
If I did jumping jacks my back would go out on me at the least.
It's been years since I did any of those. Can you imagine a fat old guy doing jumping jacks in a house with wooden floors? If my back didn't go out I'd end up going through the floor down to the basement.

What I want is an exercycle.

Joe

[kimwcook]

Glad to hear some things are going your way, Joe.

[J Miller]

Well, here's the newest episode in the J Miller fiasco.......

Leo, the little sick kitty is back at the vets. Seemed like he was going to get better then he back slid and quit eating. Vet is going to sedate him and run one of them optical thingys down his throat to see what might be wrong there. If there is nothing there then they are going to have to do exploratory surgery. Poor kitty.

My Pathfinders new rear wheel cylinders fixed one problem, but may have caused another. While we were bleeding them down I noticed that every time my wife would pump up the breaks the engine would stumble and try to die. It sounded like a major vacuum leak stumble. That did not sound good at all.

The Pathfinder ran great before we did the wheel cylinders, but now it's sluggish, the transmission won't shift properly and the gas mileage has dropped. Symptoms of a vacuum leak.

I've called the local Break & Clutch Exchange folks and talked to them and they pretty much confirmed my suspicion, something's happened in the break power booster and it's leaking. They gave me a couple tests to do so I'll go do them.

If it is the booster and I can't see how it could be anything else, it will cost a minimum of $175.00 for a reman unit. .

I must be Murphy's favorite whipping boy cos he's really beating the stuffing out of me.

My wife is in FT Wayne, IN this weekend at the Three Rivers Festival. I'm home alone with the kitties. I "was" planning on going to the range but now that the Pathfinder is ailing .... I don't want to chance damaging the engine by driving it.
Thanks Murphy, I hate you!

Joe

[Hankster]

Nissans.....

[J Miller]

Nissans.....

Yeah, I suppose I could have said Toyotas, or Fords, or Chevys, or Dodges. But I got Nissans.

Power booster ain't the problem, but what ever is it's my fault this time. You know some times you really should RTFM before you break out the tools. Sigh

Joe

[awp101]

Power booster ain't the problem, but what ever is it's my fault this time. You know some times you really should RTFM before you break out the tools. Sigh

Joe

Oh if only I had a dime for every time I've done that! I'd have, well...how many dimes did Slim Pickens tell them to go back and get in Blazing Saddles....

Any chance a vacuum line got nicked or unseated slightly?

Another thought: Plug or plug wire issue maybe? I know I've thought it was one when it was the other before.

[J Miller]

awp 101,

I checked everything I could see, and sprayed carb cleaner on everything too. Didn't find anything and carb cleaner didn't find any leaks.
Plug wires are on the other side of the engine so they weren't involved.

The books says: (paraphrasing here)"If equipped with anti-lock breaks disconnect negative battery cable and relieve all the vacuum from the booster." Nother words do it with the engine off.

We did it the old fashioned way using the engine to make things easier. Once I read that I wondered if maybe the computer got all in a huff and set some sort of code that was confusing the issue. So I unhooked the neg bat cable and let it sit for a long while hoping it would reset itself.
When I started it afterwords it "seemed" to idle more like it's old self. So I'm hoping for the best.

I got to go get Leo from the vets at noon so I'll find out then.

Joe

[KWK]

I'm sorry to hear about your Nissan woes. My first Nissan was the most reliable sedan I've owned, and the second one I'm driving has been flawless in its first two years. Of course, my first car, an '84 Dodge Omni was quite reliable, which I hear wasn't typical. I'm sure Murphy will notice my address some day...

[J Miller]

KWK,

I think Murphy takes turns with all of us.
I've had good luck with all four Nissans we've had. Both those we've got now are 15 years old and over a 100K miles. So I do expect things to go wrong.

Joe

[madman4570]

Best car I have ever owned was a new stripped 87 Nissan Sentra 2door 5 speed.
40+ mpg(highway)and put 300,000 on it.
Timing Belt/Water pump/Brakes/ignition wires/plugs thats it.
At about 210,000 the 5th gear would keep popping out on the highway so eventually just ran 4th on highway(reving pretty good)couldnt kill it just gas mileage dropped a little.
What killed it was a rear main seal leak was neglected and took out the rear end.(engine was fine)what a car!
Paid $6100 brand spankin new in the fall of 1986!
Besides our Ford Escape(great little SUV) got a Nissan Maxima/Altima/and a new Sentra (they are good rides!)

[awp101]

You know some times you really should RTFM before you break out the tools. Sigh

Joe

OK Joe, I'm going to give you one where you can laugh at me and instruction reading.

Sunday I put up wood trim around the bathroom mirror. I figured since I was there, I might as well put down the new tub sealant I picked up. It's in tape form and really neat.

Well I read the instructions on cutting to length, removing any silicone based sealant and cleaning the area to be sealed with goo gone, denatured alcohol and then wiping down with water and letting it dry. I cut to length, removed the old silicon then scraped the residue off the tub with my blade scraper and putty knife. I didn't have any denatured alcohol, I was already beat and didn't feel like walking to the garage for the goo gone so I decided it was "clean enough".

I looked at it last night and saw it's pulling away from the tub meaning I'm going to have to re-do it. I guess those instruction writers know what they about after all...

[J Miller]

You know some times you really should RTFM before you break out the tools. Sigh

Joe

OK Joe, I'm going to give you one where you can laugh at me and instruction reading.

Sunday I put up wood trim around the bathroom mirror. I figured since I was there, I might as well put down the new tub sealant I picked up. It's in tape form and really neat.

Well I read the instructions on cutting to length, removing any silicone based sealant and cleaning the area to be sealed with goo gone, denatured alcohol and then wiping down with water and letting it dry. I cut to length, removed the old silicon then scraped the residue off the tub with my blade scraper and putty knife. I didn't have any denatured alcohol, I was already beat and didn't feel like walking to the garage for the goo gone so I decided it was "clean enough".

I looked at it last night and saw it's pulling away from the tub meaning I'm going to have to re-do it. I guess those instruction writers know what they about after all...

awp101,

I've used that tape caulk too. It really does make a pain in the behind job a cake walk. But as you said, only if you RTFM and do what it says.

As for my Pathfinder, I've driven it twice since the break bleeding fiasco, and then pulling the bat cable off to let it reset itself, and (knock on wood) it seems to be coming back to normal. Still sounds a bit flat, but the performance and shifting is pretty much normal.
My wife suggested I pull the cable off and let it sit over night, I just might do that if it doesn't totally return to normal.

Joe