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Go Packers!!!! heheheeheheh!!!!
Even though it's recommended to use prem, lots of people don't. The 250hp comes from high compression and prem is less likely to pre-detonate (ping).
seliger,
I happen to think the LSD is a great thing. Without it you actually only have one driven wheel on each axle.
For both of you,
Buy your Pathfinder in Canada. You are both in great locations for this. Look over the dozens of posts above about this. Figure a $4000 savings! Over 60 of us have done it. There have been lots of posts here (and in the QX4 fourm) lately, and a quick summary post at #2610. As a bonus you get AWD and LSD as standard in Canada!!
Toronto and Vancouver are the best. As usual, I'm willing to share info with anyone. Just write.
-Jon
The Pathfinder/Maxima engine has knock sensors. Therefore, you can run regular fuel in this engine without hearing the dreaded engine knock or ping. However, the C&D article failed to address the long term problems associated with running regular fuel in a vehicle that calls for premium. The article below addresses this question and presents the issue in a totally different light. In summary, the article below concludes that the potential long term damage isn't worth saving a few pennies on regular gas when the engine requires premium. I obtained this article from www.cars.com. It is a great site that often contains important information on cars. Check out the site and the article below.
Demystifying Octane Ratings
A gasoline's octane rating quantifies its resistance to knocking and pinging. These two sounds are caused by abnormal combustion, which robs power and can damage an engine. Knocking and pinging are basically the same thing; knocking is louder and represents a more serious condition. When they occur, it is during acceleration, though higher engine speeds tend to drown them out. Knocking sounds like someone repeatedly rapping the engine with a hammer, and the quieter pinging resembles marbles being shaken inside a tin can.
Many conditions in the engine itself can cause or promote combustion anomalies, but when all other factors are equal, gasoline with a higher octane rating is more resistant to knocking and pinging than a lower-octane fuel. So why doesn't everyone just use high-octane gasoline? Because it is more expensive, and there is no advantage whatsoever in using premium gasoline in a car that doesn't specifically require it. At one time, only premium gasoline included additives that prevent fuel-injector clogging; now, all grades are basically the same in this regard.
If your car requires high-octane gasoline and you habitually use regular gas because the engine exhibits no sign of knock, you're outsmarting yourself. Most modern, computer-controlled engines include a knock sensor that detects knock and retards the ignition timing, causing the spark plugs to fire slightly later in the cycle. This typically prevents abnormal combustion and knock, which allows vehicles specified for premium fuel to run on lower-grade gasoline if it is all that's available. While this removes the immediate hazard, it's a bad idea to make a habit of running a vehicle on gasoline of lower-than-recommended octane. Retarding the spark causes a richer fuel/air mixture, which decreases fuel economy, increases emissions, causes the engine to run hotter, and reduces the longevity of both the engine itself and the catalytic converter. The money you save by pumping low-grade fuel into a car that demands higher octane is lost anyway, in decreased fuel economy and possibly gradual damage.
Your vehicle's owner's manual usually recommends an octane rating in terms of an Antiknock Index (AKI), which also is posted on gasoline pumps. The AKI is the average of two ratings determined in a laboratory: the Research Octane Number (RON), which corresponds with low-speed, mild-knocking conditions, and the Motor Octane Number (MON), which covers high-speed, high-temperature knocking conditions and part-throttle operation.
In general, three grades of gasoline are available in the United States: regular (AKI = 87), midgrade (AKI = 89) and premium (AKI = 91 to 94). The posted gasoline AKIs are lower in the Rocky Mountain states because less octane is needed at higher altitudes. Motorists whose cars require 91 octane fuel may find themselves at filling stations that offer only 89 and 93 octane, but nothing in between. In these cases, the options are to pay more for the 93 octane or to fill the tank halfway with 93 and the rest with 89. The resulting gasoline mixture, just like the average of their two AKI numbers, will equal 91 octane.
Can you think of any way to lease a canadian Pathfinder. This will be our first SUV and we are not sure that we will continue to want to drive one after our last teens go off to college in about 3 years.
Thanks!
I'm buying next week a Trailblazer LT OR a Pathfinder Se and would like your comments on the TB and the Pathfinder (2002)... I guess some of you have look to both before buying... I've read a lot on the TB and the Pathfinder BUT does a lot of people are having problems with their TB since it's a new model? What about the Pathfinder reliability? I've tried both, very similar for a lot of things... The Pathfinder is a model that is unchanged for 2 years and will soon be changed and the TB is new... ANY comments are welcomed good or bad here or by e-mail at coolsly@moncourrier.com.
Thank's to everybody,
Sylvain Deschamps
-Jon
LSD? If only one wheel drives on an non-LSD-how does the diff know which wheel to drive?? Need update on differentials.
dont get the Pathfinder without it. I did and kick myself.
I caused my pain by not wanting the sunroof option because I installed a DVD player and ceiling mounted lcd inside before they were the cool thing to do. Because I didnt want the sunroof cause it would have pushed the screen too far back, I couldnt get the LSD. Dont ya love the way the package options. I DID get stuck last winter in a friends driveway, and in 4 Hi or Lo, the right front and left rear jus spun, the other two were dead in the water. My friend pulled me out with his Xterra, I wanted to just leave the damn Pathy there....
When you accelerate in the rain or slick roads, without it one rear wheel spins, with it you get both.
Dont get it without LSD.
I know that you won't be able to lease a Path in Canada as a US resident. Even though you may not want to have a SUV after three years, (personal opinion now...) why must you lease? By buying in Canada you'll be starting off with a $4000 advantage. Just get a regular loan (or pay cash for that matter if you can) and sell whenever you want. Advantage is that the payments may about the same, and you have the flexibility to say when to get rid of it. With a lease you'll HAVE to do something in exactly 36 months. Run the numbers through a payment calculator - you might just be really surprised.
Another bonus - your SE from Canada will come with All-mode 4x4 and LSD for free. They are both standard up there.
-Jon
My problem (failure of speedometer, odometer, gas gauge, temp gauge, and compass) would happen intermittently but fairly regularly (at least daily or every other day). While conversing with Nissan, I learned that there were other instances. Nissan told me of a couple that was stranded on the interstate during a test drive with a sales rep. They also told me that there was a vehicle out of service for the same problem with the part on backorder at the same time as my difficulty in Wichita, KS.
Eventually, my vehicle was declared a lemon in the state of WI as a result of being out of service for more than 30 days or with 4 failed repair attempts in the first year. I now own a "newer" 01 LE Pathfinder.
I would alert you from my experience by reminding you that it is unlawful (in most states, I assume) to operate your Pathy without a functioning speedometer.
I would suggest you start learning about your state's lemon laws (a good starting place is at cartalk.com).
I would also encourage you to report your difficulty to the NHTSB at www.nhtsa.dot.gov See also Consumer Complaint Summary on the Pathfinder ODI ID 738225 on their site.
www.tunerworks.com
They are situated here in Calgary, but they deal with most of the big US distributors. Speak with Mark Lacey. Let him know you are looking for a similar Anterra setup as Phil's 2001 Pathfinder (he'll know what you're talking about). Good luck and let me know how it turns out!
Phil.
Skips2-great summary! I have done tests in both our '96 Jetta GLS (2.0 litre 5-spd, drinks mid-grade), and our '01 Pathy SE (3.5 litre 5-spd, drinks premium). I ran the fuel requested by the manufacturer for 5 tanks and recorded the mpg. (30 for the Jetta and 18.5 for the Pathy). I then switched one grade lower for each auto for 5 tanks and again recorded the mpg. The Jetta fell to 28 mpg, and the Pathy fell to 16.25 mpg. With the Jetta, the car averaged about 30 miles less, per tank,(one gallon of gas), while the Pathy averaged 40.5 less per tank. (two gallons of gas)
In the Jetta, the cheaper fuel, but fewer miles per tank about broke even in terms of cost. Because of the lower mileage, the Pathy was actually a bit MORE expensive to drive using the cheaper gas..... funny but true.
Factoring in the reduction of performance, especially in the Colorado Mtns., plus the ADDITIONAL COST of using cheaper gas, the Pathy drinks Premium to this day, and the Jetta dines on Mid-Grade.
Pathy vs. TB:
I have owned American/GM products and will do so never again. Build quality, fit and finish, and long term problems are indelibly etched into my psyche. The Pathy will turn 36k today and there has only been one minor thing to complain about, the external temp gauge reads 5-10 degrees high in the summer. Oooohhhhh big problems!!! ;-)
Our SE has the LSD and I love it! It has performed great during 4x4 trips to Utah.
http://photos.yahoo.com/bgritz
One note is that it took a bit of getting used to during the winter/snow season. It grips great, but since both rear tires tend to slip together rather than just one, if you goose it, both tires will break traction and the back-end will want to wander to the side. My old Cherokee would just slip one tire. Since only one tire was spinning, the other rear would help keep the back-end straight because it was just rolling along.
Another note is that LSD is not a locker! For the LSD to work best, both tires should have close to some amount of resistance. If one tire is on a solid surface, and the other on ice, or in the air, the one in the air, or on the ice will spin-silimar to and open diff. You can negate this a bit by using the handbrake to provide some braking to the spinning tire, but it is not a super effective method.
Dano
The remotes work on 315 MHz, for those considering a better antenna.
The delay in the receiver (the remote sends immediatly) is there to make "spoofing" more difficult. This is where the potential thief has a device that cycles through the codes until the targetted vehicle responds. With delay, they will be there all night, so they move on to easier prey.
The ignition security (chip in the key) can handle up to six keys (every key has a different code). That module is attached to the key cylinder in the steering column. Don't loose your key! They are very expensive. If you do loose one, you probably want to get the device in the steering column reprogrammed to delete that key - take all other keys to the dealer. They use the diagnostics unit to erase the keys numbers from the module (all must be erased - can't do just one). Then they can re-enter the old key(s) you still have and the new one you took out a loan to buy. ;-)
Come again? So a non-LSD PF in 2-wheel-drive mode would essentially be driven only by 1 wheel? Wouldn't the thing start going in circles? I always thought in a non-LSD vehicle, the 2 drive wheels gets equal amount of power.
Also, in Canada, you have to buy the auto transmission package for the SE to get the all-mode 4WD.
Thirdly, I've noticed an ad recently for a Chilkoot Edition for Canada which as essentially an XE with about $2000 of SE features thrown in at essentially the same price of an XE AND it also INCLUDES PDI and freight. Sounds like a pretty darn good deal. Plus, the ad said if you buy the automatic you also get the all-mode 4WD which would make it great deal. I kinda wonder if there is a misprint in the ad. Anyone else read the ad?
Looking forward to trying LSD, as snow and ice have arrived in British Columbia. I have also purchased 4 Bridgestone Winter Duelers, so I am ready!
i'm thinking of purchasing the winter duelers as well, but don't know what is a good size for use in the winter. What size tire did you get? did you get new rims as well?
thanks!
Sylvain
I bought the same size as my original tires, being P245-70-R16. I also got 'take off rims', which are the same as a Toyota Tundra truck. These rims are listed to fit the Pathy, but I have to advise that they have an additional 1 inch or so offset, with the result that about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch of the tire was protruding beyond the fender of the truck. The result was that snow and muck was being thrown against the side of the truck. I have an XE model, which does not have fender flares. If you have fender flares, you may be okay with the Toyota rims, provided you do not object to the offset.
I have returned the rims, as the dealer could not get the balance correct. I have been advised that 15" rims from earlier Nissan products fit, but you need to install a taller tire to keep the speedometer accurate. I have not determined if the 15" rims would clear brake calipers etc.
Woody
Have you ever found fender flares for the XE model? (model year 2000+)
Wouldn't mind a set.
Good luck,
Dano
I priced Nissan fender flares which are used on the SE model, and they would be in excess of $700 Cdn for the set of 4, exclusive of installation and taxes. At that point, I abandoned the quest for Nissan fender flares.
I am going to try to find some rims,with the correct offset, or else use my aluminum rims year round, with a good coat of wax to reduce the effects of corrosive elements.
Snow here today in interior British Columbia, wishing I still had the Winter Dueler's on - much superior to the stock Bridgestones.
Has anyone else experienced this? You can see it when someone passes you -- you see them in the rearview mirror, then they pull out, then they disappear from both mirrors, then they reappear in the sideview and peripheral vision as they overtake. But it's worse on the passenger side, as the only way to see them is to turn and look through the "privacy glass" on the rear windows, which is about useless when it's dark or cloudy. It's very disconcerting to know (or not know) someone is there and to only be able to see them (or not) by craning your neck around, taking your eyes off what's ahead for much too long. Changing lanes to the right is an exercise in faith.
Is there some trick to correct mirror adjustment on Pathys? Is this an issue common to SUVs? This has not been an issue on sedans and pickups I have owned. I have tried numerous different settings but all it seems to do is move the blindspot around.
Any thoughts or recommendations?
Two other things that could help - one is a blind spot mirror which uses double stick tape to attach to the existing mirror. It is a convex disc, and pretty much can see anything around you. Down side is that it eats up flat mirror space. Up side, once you get used to it, you won't be so dependent on the flat mirror, and it virtually eliminates the blind spot. I had never used blind spot mirrors until I started driving big trucks in my spare time, now I won't be without them, and use them more than regular mirrors. They cost around $3us, and come in different sizes. The other product which I have seen in catalogs is referred to as a european blind spot mirror. ("if we call it european the foolish americans will be amazed by it") It is a small convex mirror on a pivoting arm with a suction cup. You attach it inside the car to the windshield near the a pillar, and it gives you the same help as the one above, but without using mirror space to do it. Never tried it, but tempted to. They were priced around $10us.
You don't happen to have the part number for the 2001 pathfinder fender flares do you? I know it's expensive, but they certainly look great. If anyone else knows the part numbers, I would be very thankful. (2001 - Sierra Silver).
Thanks all,
Colin - vancouver, b.c.
I live in condoville and can't take care of my beloved 99.5 as I'd like to. And I'd like to take care of a few issues before the warranty is up. Passport Nissan in Alexandria is not acceptable!
Cheers!
Sit in the driver's seat and put your head against the driver's window. Adjust the driver's sideview mirror so you can just see a little bit of the side of the car.
Now move your head to the middle of the car and adjust the passenger side view mirror so that you can just see a little of the passenger side of the car.
Now when you are in your normal driver's position your mirrors should be set and you won't see the sides of your car. You may have to adjust the mirrors up or down to suit your tastes.
I have not used this method on an SUV (I'm still looking). I do use it on my cars. Try it out.
I only enquired about price, and was quoted a price, without part numbers. Victoria Infiniti Nissan (Victoria, BC) are offering 15% off the 'regular' price of genuine Nissan accessories, so you may want to get a price from them. They have a website.
You may want to enquire if the fenders for the XE are the same as the SE, as it may not be a simple fit.
I was wondering about the convex mirror add-ons and will try them if the trick above doesn't address it. Thank you everyone for your thoughtful and considerate responses. We love the Pathy and other than the mirrors consider it the safest vehicle we've ever owned. Our recent Thanksgiving trip over the mountain passes in Washington was a breeze.