Thinking about getting back into the game

[Pathy415]

Hello All,

Haven't been on this forum for awhile since I sold my R50 a couple years ago and I'm thinking about getting back in. Been doing some searching on craigslist and found a few potential options. Some of them have quite high mileage but I realize that if well taken care of these things just keep on ticking.

Here's a list of a few I was possibly interested in:

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/cto/5091351786.html

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/cto/5105635789.html never driven a 3.5 but I know about power valve issues

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sfc/cto/5109868110.html higher miles and manual transmission

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/cto/5096782299.html

BTW surprised to see my 3.3L spark plug walthrough is still up!!!!!!!

[atraudes]

Nice finds Those first two look really nice, though I'm kind of partial to that generation. If I were to do it again I wouldn't settle for anything but a black interior. The way tan interiors show dirt drives me crazy and the one I have now is no exception!

[Pathy415]

Yeah they do but for some reason I'm thinking the last one on the list was well cared for due to the extensive description and fact it that it had recent timing belt, suspension work, and tires.

[atraudes]

True that. That dude definitely took care of it. Good color too!

[Pathy415]

Well, I went to go look at one and have a few questions.

Odd, the truck didn't have vin numbers on any of the door panels. Correct me if I'm wrong but I could have sworn I had them on my 1999.5 R50?

Never owned a 4WD but shifting it into 4L was fine and back to neutral, but I couldn't shift it into 4H or 2H. IS there something that needs to be engaged before I can shift?

Brought my scan gauge and the only code I found was a stored P0335 which is crank position sensor

MAintenance light was on, not check engine, so that didn't bug me.

Passenger side CV boot torn and grease was all over the place.

[zach7685]

We have had the 3.3 and the 3.5 I would go for a 3.5 if you can find one.

[rgk]

Is there a VIN on the dash?

CV boot and 4wd shift can be serious issues, but hey: this is a site where people fix things. Are you sure it's the CV and not the steering rack? Oil drips from the cooler onto the rack boot and kills it. Replacing the rack boot is easier than the CV boot. If it is indeed the CV joint, and it has been that way for a while, prepare to buy and install a new axleshaft.

Is it a manual or electric 4wd shift? Hard shifts with a manual might mean low transfer case or transmission fluid. Are you saying it is stuck in 4-LO? And the owner is driving it around like that? I wonder, then, does the 4wd even work?

I guess you might have meant you shifted it into 4-LO, but couldn't get out of it. Yeah, that can be tricky sometimes. Could the owner get out of it?

What is this maintenance light? My 3.5 does not have one. Is it the SES? The SES is a check engine light.

Bad crank sensor is easy to replace but will cause all sorts of strange trouble. Make sure it's a bad sensor, and not bad wiring. Nothing worse than chasing bad wiring.

If the 4wd works, and it's the steering rack boot, and the crank sensor is indeed bad, haggle. You might have yourself a deal.

[Pathy415]

Yeah the guy didn't want budge on the price and I didn't feel it was worth it. Didn't have many records and told me a his friend did the work for him.

The maintenance light was on the bottom right corner and said something like "maintenance required."

[rgk]

Which year and engine? What was the asking price?

[Pathy415]

2001 3.5 4WD $4000