I know it's been a long time, but wanted to give an update and ask a question. I ended up getting my engine rebuilt - found a local engine shop here that had goods reviews to do it (cost a very pretty penny though). I took it to them in May of last year (2016), and didn't get it back until October...so I was going to wait until this spring to install it. Well we had some warm weather this past weekend, so I decided to try to install it on Sunday...which ended up doing! It was dark out by the time I got it in, and I have no electricity in the garage (I'm doing this in a one car garage at my apartment), so today when I went out to the garage I noticed that the engine is really angled towards the back (so the front of the engine sits higher then the rear)...is this normal? I mean I was able to get the transmission bolted up to the engine, got the engine mounts installed, and got the drive plate bolted up to the torque converter, so I am assuming that all is OK. I have to install a bunch more parts, but I don't think that would make the front part of the engine go down any. I checked underneath to make sure there was nothing caught underneath that might be pushing it up. Thanks!
-Dave
P.S. I took a few pics to try to show what I'm talking about, but I'm not sure how to insert them into my post.
2002 pathfinder engine removal
Re: 2002 pathfinder engine removal
Dave, good to see you're still around and didn't give up on the vehicle. And congrats on getting it done in a day after such a long hiatus from the engine bay.
On the slanty engine, I believe thats just how it sits. The engine does have a slight rear dip, plus the hood slopes down rather dramatically.
The lack of intake manifold peobably exaggerates the gap, so let's see how it looks afterwards.
Here's an old picture. See how close to the brake lines and vent plug the rear is. I'll try to take another from the side, but IIRC, the front of the engine is high enough I once left a tool on the little engine cover and it left an imprint on the hood insulator.
On the slanty engine, I believe thats just how it sits. The engine does have a slight rear dip, plus the hood slopes down rather dramatically.
The lack of intake manifold peobably exaggerates the gap, so let's see how it looks afterwards.
Here's an old picture. See how close to the brake lines and vent plug the rear is. I'll try to take another from the side, but IIRC, the front of the engine is high enough I once left a tool on the little engine cover and it left an imprint on the hood insulator.
Re: 2002 pathfinder engine removal
Side view. Pardon the quality, It really looked good when I looked at it in the dark.
Re: 2002 pathfinder engine removal
Hi Ed! Thanks so much...yeah I was bound and determined to get that dang thing in, lol. That second pic you posted confirms how mine looks, so thank you very much for posting that!!! I was just dreading that I might have done something wrong...but since all the transmission and engine bolts went in with no problems, I couldn't think of what I might have done wrong. I actually had to install the engine twice that day...the first time I got it, I was feeling all proud and everything, then was going to the back part of the garage to get another tool when I just stopped dead in my tracks - I saw the drive/flex plate sitting on top of a box...I completely forgot to install that back onto the engine before putting it in!! Talk about a blow to the stomach...I almost felt like crying, lol. But I guess the good thing is I discovered it before getting farther along. I'm not sure when I'll be working on it again as we are back to winter weather, but I sure am anxious to get going on it! I've been looking at possibly buying the Doug Thorley Long Tube headers (item# THY-465-L-C)...I've read they are for the 3.3L V6 engine, but it looks like they might be able to fit my engine if I eliminate the cats that are attached to the manifold (part numbers B08A0-5W500 and B08A1-5W500)...so you would just have the headers going straight to the cats that are a little farther down (which are part numbers 20010-5W500 and 20020-5W500). I just have to see what kind of return policy there is because if I see that it looks like they won't fit, I don't want to be stuck. I'll be sure to post on this if I do get them to work just so others will know.
One last thing...how did you get your pictures to show up within your post?
-Dave
One last thing...how did you get your pictures to show up within your post?
-Dave
Re: 2002 pathfinder engine removal
sigman70 wrote:... I saw the drive/flex plate sitting on top of a box...I completely forgot to install that back onto the engine before putting it in!!...
One last thing...how did you get your pictures to show up within your post?
-Dave
it happens to the best of us.For pictures, I upload mine to IMGUR. When you go to the share links of a particular image, it gives an option for BBCode, which is for forums. I copy that, paste it here and bring a little joy to the masses.
Btw, did you install the engine and trans coupled or separately then fight those top bolts again?
Re: 2002 pathfinder engine removal
Hey thanks for that info on the pictures!! I never did remove the trans, so it was just the engine that I had to put back in. I was able to get the top bolts into the holes by hand (reaching over that water pipe) and got them as far in as I could with a wrench, but I'm going to need to get them the rest of the way in by going from below...and if I can't get them that way, I'm going to just take it over to the Nissan shop just up the road and ask them to tighten them for me after getting the thing running. 
Re: 2002 pathfinder engine removal
Anytime Sir, I'm always glad to help where I can.
Just out of curiosity, now that tightening always seems easier that loosening, do you think an offset wrench would do the job?
Just out of curiosity, now that tightening always seems easier that loosening, do you think an offset wrench would do the job?
Re: 2002 pathfinder engine removal
EdBwoy wrote:Anytime Sir, I'm always glad to help where I can.
Just out of curiosity, now that tightening always seems easier that loosening, do you think an offset wrench would do the job?
Yeah that's actually what I've been using
...but that darn water pipe doesn't allow me enough room to get the bolts all the way in, so I'll give it a shot from underneath once the temps get a little warmer.