Is this 96 Pathfinder worth saving?

[DaysofThundr46]

First post here (been lurking for sometime)

I picked up a 1996 Nissan Pathfinder LE from its original owner. It has 177k on it. Body is in good shape, just a little rust, no rot, Interior is very nice. New tires, alternator and many new parts. I picked it up for $1500 knowing it has some steering issues.

Turns out, the issues are a bit deeper. It requires an entire new steering rack. Its completely shot. You can move the front end tires left to right with your hands and see the bar just move freely. It also needs the front CV axles done. I was quoted $1900 to do JUST the steering rack. IMO this is a "I don't want to do the job" quote.

The other issue is, it is or was leaking oil. I have no idea where, but the steering rack is soaked in oil, as are many components around it, so right now, I have no idea where its coming from. Could be the oil cooler, oil pan, rear main seal, intake gaskets etc... so I'd need to clean it up, then maybe do a dye job to find where its coming from.

With that said, in your opinion, is it worth saving? Or do I just sell it and try and get my $1500 back? I don't have images of the issues (just saw them for myself) but I do have some quick photos of the car when I saw it in the parking garage.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/10542402@ ... 0322755836

[VStar650CL]

If you're not able to DIY what it needs, resell it. It's only $2500 blue book when it's healthy, and the repair labor will eat you up if you need someone else to do it. For a DIY, you can get a pair of CV's and a new China-cheap rack online for under $500 total. The rub is, the rack alone is a 4 hour job, and add a few more for the halfshafts, then an alignment. So you're into, say, $900 labor for a shop to do it, and that's assuming they don't find anything else broken while they're in there. Not worth it unless you love the car and want to make a project out of it.

[DaysofThundr46]

If you're not able to DIY what it needs, resell it. It's only $2500 blue book when it's healthy, and the repair labor will eat you up if you need someone else to do it. For a DIY, you can get a pair of CV's and a new China-cheap rack online for under $500 total. The rub is, the rack alone is a 4 hour job, and add a few more for the halfshafts, then an alignment. So you're into, say, $900 labor for a shop to do it, and that's assuming they don't find anything else broken while they're in there. Not worth it unless you love the car and want to make a project out of it.

I found a rebuilt rack for $300-600 depending on where you get it. 4 hours labor isn't too bad, but the shop I brought it to seemed to give me the "we don't want to do it" price. But you're right, this could be a situation where you replace 1 thing, and it leads to 3 more.

The downside to trying to resell it is, it obviously has its issues, so I can only see someone who is a mechanic or mechanically inclined to by it.

[mdmellott]

You can move the front end tires left to right with your hands and see the bar just move freely.

This is the easiest thing to fix. There are other issues but the rack should be held firmly in place by two mounting brackets and a pair of insulator bushings. Replacing these bushings will make a huge improvement to your steering issues. Nothing needs to be removed but 4 bolts holding the brackets in place. The rack moves because the bushings are shot. Nissan part numbers 54444-0W000 and 54445-0W000 is what you need from the Nissan dealer. If you simply can't do this yourself, the service time to have it done should only be an hour or less.

[VStar650CL]

Good thought, Md. For the OP, if that's the actual problem, it's also easy to see. When rocking the wheels, either the rod ends will move and the body of the rack will stay still (bad rack) or the whole rack will move (bad bushings). If it's the latter, Md is right, it's an easy fix.

[mdmellott]

either the rod ends will move and the body of the rack will stay still (bad rack) or the whole rack will move (bad bushings).

Thanks for making that point. I assumed, by "see the bar just move freely", he was referring to the rack. If it is the tie rods freely moving, there is whole lot more involved.

[DaysofThundr46]

I may need to jack this up and see it for myself again. When it was on the lift, he grabbed onto the left tire and pushed and pulled. When he did that, I saw the rubber boots on the rack moving about, which looked like the entire bar was moving. Theres a lot of old oil all over the rack, which made it harder to see. So if its just the bushings, sounds like a job I can do myself!

FYI: The place I brought it to wanted to charge me $950 for a new rack. I wonder if they quoted me that price from a Nissan parts dealer?

[VStar650CL]

No chance. The OE racks are discontinued, the only place you might still get one is Amayama in Japan.

[DaysofThundr46]

No chance. The OE racks are discontinued, the only place you might still get one is Amayama in Japan.

Interesting. I wonder where they dreamt up a $950 quote.

[DaysofThundr46]

Update: I was able to pull some of the service records for this car, and it had a new rack put in in 2018. I highly doubt the issue is the rack. Also in 3/2020: Wheel studs, Stabilizer bars, Inner/Outer Tie Rods, Swaybar Link Kit was done as well. 

I'd be the farm at this point the issue is the bushings are bad. I am not finding any leaks underneath the car so far. 

[mdmellott]

There is a market for very cheap replacement car parts that do not last beyond the limited 3mo to 3yr warranty they may have. Those parts are often purchased for a cheap fix before getting rid of the car. Many aftermarket tie rods fall into this, "let the buyer beware", category. The same can be said about aftermarket rack and pinion replacements. The mount bushings would have likely been, or should have been, replaced when the rack and pinion was replaced. Typically, aftermarket racks come with the inner tie rods and boots preassembled, and often the outer tie rod ends as well. The March 2020 tie rod replacements could have been replacements for those installed in 2018. Get a second opinion from another mechanic on what steering components are shot.

[VStar650CL]

There is a market for very cheap replacement car parts that do not last beyond the limited 3mo to 3yr warranty they may have. Those parts are often purchased for a cheap fix before getting rid of the car. Many aftermarket tie rods fall into this, "let the buyer beware", category. The same can be said about aftermarket rack and pinion replacements. The mount bushings would have likely been, or should have been, replaced when the rack and pinion was replaced. Typically, aftermarket racks come with the inner tie rods and boots preassembled, and often the outer tie rod ends as well. The March 2020 tie rod replacements could have been replacements for those installed in 2018. Get a second opinion from another mechanic on what steering components are shot.

Big +1. That includes the racks themselves. You can find very China-cheap ones on eBay for $140. I don't think I'd trust those to last very long.