This may get a little long eventually, but at least you guys will have something new to read.

So I bought a 2000 XE 4x4 from an insurance auction a couple weeks ago from Seattle, and just brought it home last Tuesday.
Here's a little excerpt from my member intro thread, thought I'd bring it over here for a complete restoration/rebuild thread.
Hey everybody, I'm new to the board with my first X. I've been wanting an Xterra since they came out my sophomore year of high school. I've been keeping my eye on the insurance auctions lately, and I found what I was looking for! :D

It's a silver 2000, 158K, 5 speed, ARB bullguard bumper, 6000 lb Warn winch, rancho lift, rancho air shocks with in cab controls, hitch that's locked on (no key), and some yakima racks(also no key).

Got it for $2250. The catch is, it was in a flood two months ago. :eek:

Here's how she looked before I got started...


http://lh4.google.com/pvfjr1/R6OcnFnELqI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/29dvscIrR9U/s800/3728917_1_I%5B2%5D.jpeg

http://lh5.google.com/pvfjr1/R6OcnVnELrI/AAAAAAAAAeY/g_W1Yf1c6Po/s800/3728917_2_I%5B1%5D.jpeg

http://lh5.google.com/pvfjr1/R6OcnVnELsI/AAAAAAAAAeg/uijuz41ti0U/s800/3728917_4_I%5B1%5D.jpeg

It fell victim to the "Pineapple Express" in the Puget Sound area in early December. For any NW'erners, you'll remember all the flooding. So I drove up to Seattle, loaded it on the trailer, and hauled it home. There was water in EVERYTHING. Headlights, taillights, corner lights, console, door pockets, floorboards, ashtray, intake resonator, gas tank, oil pan, etc, all had standing water in them.

First things first, I had to drain the oil. About a gallon of clear water came out of the pan, followed by a gallon of typical used oil. Well that's good, I thought, they never got mixed. Threw a new filter on there and filled 'er back up. I actually turned the motor over by hand first, to make sure it wasn't hydrolocked. Then I took apart all the intake tubes, dumped out the air box, scraped some mold off the filter, cleaned some corrosion out of the throttle body, took out the intake resonator (which I didn't know was useless at the time) dumped it out and put it back together. I found out the headlight switch had been in the on position for the last couple months. The battery was bought from Les Schwabb in 08/06, so I took it down there for their free 2 year replacement. They insisted on charging it and testing it instead, and so far it's been good.

I grabbed the key, and got into the drivers seat. Suddenly realizing that even though the seat looked and felt dry, any amount of weight would squish out a fair amount of water, and I had immediate wet butt. Oh well. Turned the key, and wouldn't you know it, she fired right up.....for about 5 seconds. I considered it a victory anyway. So I pull the fuel line apart and turn the key on to see what it pumps, and it was almost pure water. Didn't even smell like gas. For those of you who don't know, water is heavier than the other fluids in your vehicle, and will always sit at the bottom of whatever container it's in. That is, unless they've been whipped up into a milkshake. Anyway, turns out there was about 6 gallons of gas in the tank, so I popped the fuel tank access open, removed the sending unit, and siphoned it out.

http://lh6.google.com/pvfjr1/R70OdHdoUaI/AAAAAAAAAj8/P7XNKhGmHgU/s800/DSC02527.JPG
(http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169303840673517986)
I got all the old gas out as well, along with a bit of rusty water. Checked things out with a flashlight, and buttoned it back up when I was satisfied. Then I pulled the return line off of the tank, and turned the key on several times to let the pump go, and clean out the pressure line, fuel rail, and return line. When pure gas came out of the return line again, I hooked it back up to the tank.

Cranked on it again, and she fired right back up again.

this thread is going to be 100% pure win
thanks for posting this up
it'lll be a great read as you progress, im sure glad its not hydrolocked

Can't wait to read more!! and see more pictures!!..Good Luck!!

i agree i cant wait till you post som more about your X....

Sounds like it's a good deal. We'll be watching to see how it goes.

Excellent post! Definitely a major plus on resurrecting an Xterra.

Keep us updated and that's a pretty damn good find to not have a hydrolocked engine. All your time and effort will be worth it when you drive it for the first time.

Sounds like fun! Wish I could help firsthand!

Sounds like fun! Wish I could help firsthand!
Moral support like this is all I need. :)

All your time and effort will be worth it when you drive it for the first time.
It was actually. Not to ruin the suspense, but I've driven it already, just haven't had time to write about it yet! Been spending too much time working on it I suppose.

cosigning for additipnal moral support

cosigning for additipnal moral support
Why thank you.

well im backing up the cosigning person... LOL i know your name i just choose not to say it... LOL

Ok, so back on track, where was I.....

Oh yeah, I got the fuel cleaned out, and she fired up again. I let it run for a couple minutes. Checked the oil, and what do you know, milkshake. So I drained it again, bought another filter, and gave it another oil change. Started it up again and let it run for a bit, all is well with the oil. I drained the tranny, and it had a pretty good milkshake in it too. I suppose this is from me letting it idle with the clutch out, which causes the input gear to turn, which causes the cluster gear to spin like mad, beating the water and oil together into a froth. Well I guess I didn't think that one through. As for the transfer case, it had never had any movement put to it, so the water drained out first, then the oil. Filled them both back up. Drained the water out of the diffs, left the oil in cause the parts store didn't have any. I live out in the boonies, so I'll have to make a trip to the big city for gear oil and LSD additive.

So we've been having some rather timely and unseasonably nice weather, so I set about drying this thing out. Vacuumed out the console which was full to the top. Sucked what I could out of the carpet, but I knew that insulating matte underneath would be too thick and spongy to ever dry out, especially since the carpet kinda seems vinyl coated or something on the back, it would never breathe enough. So I bit the bullet and started yanking the interior. Took out the front seats, and the rear cushions were already out. Then I removed the console, shifter trim, etc. Next came the rear carpet, then the front carpet. I found quite a bit of change in the process too. Hung the carpets on a railing, and set everything else back out in the sun.

Then came the lights. I took off the fog lights, tail lights, headlights, and corner lights. Everything had mud and algae inside. I bathed them all in the sink, in dish soap and hot water. Let them fill up, plugged the bulb hole with my palm, and gave them a violent shake, followed by several fill and rinse cycles. Then I set them out in the sun to dry with everything else. The headlights and corner lights, however, would never look good. The lenses were cracked, cloudy, aged, yellowed, etc. So I ordered some new ones, you'll see what those look like eventually.

The nasty old ones.....

http://lh5.google.com/pvfjr1/R70O83doUzI/AAAAAAAAAnM/tVWxK3HiAUA/s800/DSC02552.JPG

http://lh5.google.com/pvfjr1/R70O93doU0I/AAAAAAAAAnU/R62VJxoL3GU/s800/DSC02553.JPG

http://lh4.google.com/pvfjr1/R70O-ndoU1I/AAAAAAAAAnc/YhpYC26zLy4/s800/DSC02554.JPG

http://lh4.google.com/pvfjr1/R70O_ndoU2I/AAAAAAAAAnk/duOwrxEQRkc/s800/DSC02555.JPG

So now with that good battery in there, I could start figuring out some of the electrical issues. First were the lights. The hazards didn't work, I'd push the button and all I'd get is a bizzare buzzing sound. Found out it's the relay deciding to oscillate, because the fuse was blow. Pulled out the fuse, and found out it was downright nasty corroded. White powdery spades on it. Pulled the rest of them, same deal. I yanked each and every fuse, and scraped off the spades on both sides with the screwdriver, that took a few minutes. Got a new fuse for the hazards, and they were golden.

In the process I found another blown fuse, the rear wiper. So I replaced it, and turned the key to ON, it immediately blew again, without the wiper even being on. I thought that was strange, so I busted out the wiring diagrams and tracked down the little rear wiper control module. I unplugged it, and replaced the fuse, turned the key on, and nothing happened. Plugged the module back in, and POP! Bingo, we have the culprit. So I tore that thing apart and found a relay inside it that didn't look too good. So I poked and pryed at it with the pocket knife, scraped at the contacts best I could, banged it around a bit, and reassembled it. New fuse, power on, checks out. Flip the switch, and we have a rear wiper! Another cheap fix.
http://lh5.google.com/pvfjr1/R70Oa3doUYI/AAAAAAAAAjs/WrGVyoP4nYw/s800/DSC02525.JPG

Then I checked the fog lights, no dice. Went to the relay, found that it was getting the power and ground it needed, but wasn't operating. So I took the relay apart, which I don't think it's designed for. Gave it the same old treatment, and bam, we've got fog lights! This is too easy...

Then I set about the keyless entry. No response from the truck, so I figured that computer was dead. But what the heck, check the simple things first right? So I tore the remote apart and checked the battery, crap, it's good. Oh well, put it back together. Hit the button one more time for kicks, and what do you know, the truck locked itself. Mark another one down in the fix column.

So then I tried to use the window washers, front and rear both dead. Hit the diagrams again, found out that there's constant ignition power to the pumps, and that the switch controls the ground. Odd way of doing it, but w/e. Tracked down the wires, they got power. Scraped off the pins of the connectors with the pocket knife, plugged back in, and once again, we have functionality. Oh, BTW, this has been with me every step of the way. Every man should have a tube of the super lube (or woman, as it were). Hopefully that'll keep most of these issues from coming back.

http://lh4.google.com/pvfjr1/R70PJndoVAI/AAAAAAAAAo0/jlNPIQ371FA/s800/DSC02565.JPG

:talk2much:

Tell me about it... Speaking of which, my hands hurt, I'm done for the night. More to follow at another time.

This is awesome. I have truley enjoyed reading the progress. Great work!!!!

Whats next???????? Come on keep 'em coming!!!!!!

(this is almost as good as waiting for "Heroes" every week, haha. Yeah, I nerd out a bit. So sue me....;))

Dude thats a great find man...you got lucky the engine wasnt hydrolocked...the beauty of an Xterra!

It will be very cool to keep reading all that you are currently working on and your future plans for the X. Maybe one day I'll have big enough balls to take on a project like that...lol. My hats off to you, and can't wait to see and read more.

Dude, you are doing some excellent work! Keep it up! Sounds like you made out big time

I think that you are going to find that a lot of your work with some of the stuff might need to be redone in the future though as it seems that a lot of your fixes are temp fixes. I am referring specifically to your relay internal stuff.

As far as the interior, have you considered herculining the floor? I love Herc, and I have begun to get really ballsy with it.

I did think about going herc for a while, then I found out the floor isn't really bare metal. There's some sort of liner on it in places already. Prepping for herc would be too much work I think. Anyway, the carpet seems to be cleaning up ok. If I ever get a hold of a steam cleaner I think it will be a lot better, but it's fine for now.

Here's some random pics of dirty things, and the X all gutted to dry.

The unhappy SRS computer. Don't know if I'll ever go about fixing the air bags.
http://lh6.google.com/pvfjr1/R70OcHdoUZI/AAAAAAAAAj0/_GjSPlybyio/s800/DSC02526.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169303823493648786)

Rear seat cushion. The seat belt kept it nice and clean.
http://lh4.google.com/pvfjr1/R70O1ndoUtI/AAAAAAAAAmY/oCMSxgvfZBk/s800/DSC02546.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169304261580313298)


Carpet for back hatch.
http://lh5.google.com/pvfjr1/R70O23doUuI/AAAAAAAAAmg/U56qudBGruI/s800/DSC02547.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169304283055149794)


Nice new cable and hook that were sitting in the back.
http://lh4.google.com/pvfjr1/R70O4ndoUvI/AAAAAAAAAmo/zYo1pIkX-rE/s800/DSC02548.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169304313119920882)


ARB Bumper and winch. Got the turn signal and fog lights cleaned out and remounted. Starting to look like something.
http://lh5.google.com/pvfjr1/R70O53doUwI/AAAAAAAAAm0/DwfLH1Aa9p0/s800/DSC02549.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169304334594757378)

There's a nasty oil/dirt residue that has settled into all the nooks and crannies on the exterior of the vehicle. All the door jams, behind the tail lights, around the rear hatch, all over the top of both bumpers, inside the fuel filler door, etc. I think those flood waters might have been contaminated. Luckily, there's no sign of it on the inside whatsoever.

http://lh6.google.com/pvfjr1/R70O7HdoUxI/AAAAAAAAAm8/eHFyxiI43yk/s800/DSC02550.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169304356069593874)

Driver's side looking cleaner. You can tell what color the dash is too!

http://lh6.google.com/pvfjr1/R70PCHdoU4I/AAAAAAAAAn0/wS9xUlSipTY/s800/DSC02557.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169304476328678274)

Dirt inside the instrument cluster. I got all the lights working, but the speedo is dead. That sucks. Other gauges work fine though. I can use my RPM's as a guide for now.

http://lh5.google.com/pvfjr1/R70PC3doU5I/AAAAAAAAAn8/pchP6gTyTnM/s800/DSC02558.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169304489213580178)

http://lh4.google.com/pvfjr1/R70PDndoU6I/AAAAAAAAAoE/OjszNF73ILc/s800/DSC02559.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169304502098482082)



Visors got a little rusty from the inside out. Don't know what I'll do about that yet, or if I care. Time will tell.

http://lh6.google.com/pvfjr1/R70PHHdoU9I/AAAAAAAAAoc/IGZvlwxoclc/s800/DSC02562.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169304562228024274)



Random pic of all the wiring harnesses under the drivers seat. Took them all apart, cleaned out the connectors and gave them all a preventative treatment of silicone grease. Those waterproof connectors actually hold water inside them for a LONG time if they never get cleaned out.

http://lh6.google.com/pvfjr1/R70PJHdoU_I/AAAAAAAAAos/D6bDWQDXROc/s800/DSC02564.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169304596587762674)

Here's the big dehumidifier I borrowed from my mom. It's been a life saver, sucking about 1-2 cups of water out of the air in this X every night! I can't believe how much water this thing is pulling out of the truck. It's starting to smell pretty good in there too. Had the drivers seat in temporarily to go to the DMV and get the VIN inspection, title, registration taken care of. She's legit now.

http://lh6.google.com/pvfjr1/R70OTHdoUSI/AAAAAAAAAi8/agqkb6iaGcY/s800/DSC02519.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169303668874826018)



Here's a shot of the rancho air ride in cab controls. I haven't really messed around with it yet, but it appears to be dead. Will just be another electrical thing on my list to track down.

http://lh6.google.com/pvfjr1/R70OUHdoUTI/AAAAAAAAAjE/glAQg-jbv1I/s800/DSC02520.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169303686054695218)



Cargo area cleaned up. You can see some of that nasty oil residue on the bumper if you zoom in on it.

http://lh3.google.com/pvfjr1/R70OWXdoUVI/AAAAAAAAAjU/3HhpXB-Snxs/s800/DSC02522.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169303724709400914)

This thing has a nice aluminum drop hitch, but no key to remove the locking pin. So how long till I destroy my shin on this thing?

http://lh4.google.com/pvfjr1/R70OYndoUWI/AAAAAAAAAjc/gPv_lj0KCoc/s800/DSC02523.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169303763364106594)


Yakima rack extenders, again, no keys. Don't have any of the accessories and attachments for them either, so they're pretty useless at the moment.

http://lh4.google.com/pvfjr1/R70OZndoUXI/AAAAAAAAAjk/H4TcTytOCU8/s800/DSC02524.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169303780543975794)

OEM stereo, will probably be going bye-bye. Radio still works, but flooded paper speakers sound like crap. Player won't load CD's either, and no aux input. I feel like a neanderthal with this radio, compared to what I've got in the Pathy.

http://lh3.google.com/pvfjr1/R70OiXdoUfI/AAAAAAAAAkk/HnqeQj2q-iE/s800/DSC02532.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169303930867831282)

And what the heck is this? I don't know. But the insurance people handed it over with the keys. It seems that they thought it was important.

http://lh5.google.com/pvfjr1/R70OQ3doUPI/AAAAAAAAAik/Qr2JV4aAqpk/s800/DSC02516.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169303630220120306)

And what the heck is this? I don't know. But the insurance people handed it over with the keys. It seems that they thought it was important.

http://lh5.google.com/pvfjr1/R70OQ3doUPI/AAAAAAAAAik/Qr2JV4aAqpk/s800/DSC02516.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169303630220120306)

I have the samething when I bought my X too, Not sure what it is...But wow the X looks great!..Really enjoying the pictures!!

Debris still stuck to the headliner. Believe it or not, the headliner dried out nice and quick without removal, and has no stains. I'll be able to vacuum it off and call it good.

http://lh4.google.com/pvfjr1/R70OkndoUhI/AAAAAAAAAk0/Dqk_mPTq_u4/s800/DSC02534.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169303969522536978)



I can still push a little moisture out of the rear seats. I knead them out periodically to bring it to the surface and let it evaporate. I think it'd been working, along with the dehumidifier. It's getting harder to get anything out of them lately.

http://lh6.google.com/pvfjr1/R70OmHdoUiI/AAAAAAAAAlA/icJdGCU-L90/s800/DSC02535.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169303995292340770)



Here's that one tire that got destroyed. What a shame, they're discontinued now I'm told.

http://lh6.google.com/pvfjr1/R70OpHdoUkI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/rVOxsoW3jQU/s800/DSC02537.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169304046831948354)

http://lh5.google.com/pvfjr1/R70Or3doUmI/AAAAAAAAAlg/kMUUI68rR4U/s800/DSC02539.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169304094076588642)



Piles of stuff I've yanked out.

http://lh3.google.com/pvfjr1/R70OuXdoUoI/AAAAAAAAAlw/s-97HLO956o/s800/DSC02541.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169304137026261634)



Carpet nice and dried out.

http://lh6.google.com/pvfjr1/R70OwHdoUpI/AAAAAAAAAl4/OJBkbrC2Umg/s800/DSC02542.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169304167091032722)



Seat back upholstery flipped inside out.

http://lh6.google.com/pvfjr1/R70OzHdoUrI/AAAAAAAAAmI/SLf085RTlZg/s800/DSC02544.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169304218630640306)

Got my front seats all fixed up and put back together. Nice little write up on it here. http://www.clubxterra.org/forums/showthread.php?t=2962

http://lh6.google.com/pvfjr1/R8Tn3XdoVkI/AAAAAAAAAvQ/iUBgsk4g_4E/s800/DSC02599.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5171513210505287234)

woot i called it, this thread is WIN
awesome man, just awesome

woot i called it, this thread is WIN awesome man, just awesome Well thanks again. And now for today's updates.....

When I had my keyless entry remote apart last time, I noticed the unlock switch was a little flakey. Sure enough, a week later it has quit all together. So I pull it apart to find half the switch floating around inside the remote. I scraped its remains off with my pocket knife. Then I had a though, "I never use the panic button, I should swap it over to the unlock button." So I did. Works like a charm, now I don't have to fork out for a new remote. I think I've seen switches like this for sale somewhere before too, so if I wanted a panic button I suppose I could track them down and buy them. Or someone could send me a free broken remote I could scavenge from. :mocking:

http://lh3.google.com/pvfjr1/R8Tn6ndoVnI/AAAAAAAAAwQ/lL34qv0BPGc/s800/DSC02603.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5171513266339862130)

http://lh3.google.com/pvfjr1/R8Tn7ndoVoI/AAAAAAAAAwU/57L0jnYx_kA/s800/DSC02606.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5171513283519731330)

I think I've mentioned my dead speedometer before. It's really been bugging me, so I did a little troubleshooting. Now my ODO has been working great, so I know it's not the VSS causing the problem. So I read through my manual, and found out that there's a diagnostic mode that you can put the instrument cluster into. Set it to trip meter A or B, turn ignition off. Hold down the trip meter reset button, and turn the ignition back on. Keep holding untill you see all 0000 on the trip meter. Then push four more times until you see 888888. Now you're in diag mode, and each gauge should go to a predefined middle position, as shown here.

http://lh4.google.com/pvfjr1/R8jlM5AEIDI/AAAAAAAAAwo/d7KjDso8NlI/s800/DSC02609.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5172636181657296946)



Hmm, no response from the speedo. Went back to the manual, and it just says to replace the entire cluster. WHAT???? HECK NO!!!! Sounds expensive, and I'm cheap. So what have I got to lose? I tore it apart.

http://lh6.google.com/pvfjr1/R8jlLZAEIBI/AAAAAAAAAwY/govAvHxRCGw/s800/DSC02607.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5172636155887493138)

http://lh5.google.com/pvfjr1/R8jlMJAEICI/AAAAAAAAAwg/ePS9h1pKYN8/s800/DSC02608.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5172636168772395042)



Speedo mounts with four screws in the back, once you get the cluster stripped down a bit. They looked slightly corroded, so I pulled them all out, took a brass brush and isopropyl alcohol to all the contacts, and remounted it with a little silicone grease. And boom, workind speedo.

http://lh3.google.com/pvfjr1/R8jlNpAEIEI/AAAAAAAAAww/afOwZGbr2A4/s800/DSC02610.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5172636194542198850)

http://lh5.google.com/pvfjr1/R8jlOJAEIFI/AAAAAAAAAw4/QxIiPAq7nKA/s800/DSC02611.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5172636203132133458)



And here's a short vid showing the needles responding to the button pushing in diag mode. Thought it was kinda neat.
http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5172636473715073122





.

It's a little cleaner now too.

http://lh4.google.com/pvfjr1/R70PDndoU6I/AAAAAAAAAoE/OjszNF73ILc/s800/DSC02559.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169304502098482082)

http://lh4.google.com/pvfjr1/R8jlm5AEIQI/AAAAAAAAAyU/V6md6wciib0/s800/DSC02624.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5172636628333895938)

Now that is a handy piece of knowledge right there. I had no idea about diag. mode. Dude by the time you finish the resurrection, you'll have a thread on how to build an X from scratch!

Good job! :thumbsup-big:

Now none of my accessory switches have been lighting up, but the instrument cluster, radio, and heater controls all do, so I know the illumination curcuit isn't dead. So I figured it was bulbs, and I had one left over from when I did my pathfinder switches. So I yanked out the rear wiper switch, popped it apart, and sure enough, bad bulb. Guess I'll have to try and track down a few more of these things, still gotta do the hazards, rear def, cruise, etc.

http://lh4.google.com/pvfjr1/R8jle5AEIHI/AAAAAAAAAxM/Z3W8cg9ncpU/s800/DSC02614.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5172636490894942322)

http://lh6.google.com/pvfjr1/R8jlfZAEIII/AAAAAAAAAxU/lh_X2blhNx0/s800/DSC02615.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5172636499484876930)

http://lh5.google.com/pvfjr1/R8jlhJAEIKI/AAAAAAAAAxk/c1KJF06INAg/s800/DSC02617.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5172636529549648034)

http://lh3.google.com/pvfjr1/R8jlipAEILI/AAAAAAAAAxs/0FZoavW1n5I/s800/DSC02618.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5172636555319451826)

Good info to have for sure. Thanks for sharing. The X is starting to look good. Makes me wanna go out and find one to fix up. Keep it goin' man.

:wink-big:

So I figured it was time to resurrect the compressor for these air shocks and see how I like them. I found an inline fuse hidden somewhere in the wiring when I was tearing the dash apart. It was blown. So I put a new one in there, and it was fine, till I hit the "PUMP" button, it immediately blew again. So I pulled the compressor apart, expecting the motor to be shot, and here's what I found.
http://lh6.google.com/pvfjr1/R8jljZAEIMI/AAAAAAAAAx0/VvgoZQYFXPE/s800/DSC02619.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5172636568204353730)

http://lh5.google.com/pvfjr1/R8jlkJAEINI/AAAAAAAAAx8/v9709w27RXg/s800/DSC02620.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5172636581089255634)

http://lh5.google.com/pvfjr1/R8jllJAEIOI/AAAAAAAAAyE/Uo-aa4HwElM/s800/DSC02621.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5172636598269124834)



So I started scraping, scrubbing, etc. Soaked the seized bearing in the endcap below the brushes in WD40, worked it back and forth quite a bit, and eventually got it freed up and spinning nicely. I got every piece and part looking like new. Commutators got scrubbed with Isopropyl and a brass brush, scrubbed all the rusted parts with WD, got the laminated iron and the permanent magnets cleaned off, siliconed the brushes, leads, and springs, etc. Put it all back together, hooked it up, hit the juice, and we now have an in-cab adjustable air ride. The winch motor is gonna get it next....

http://lh6.google.com/pvfjr1/R8jlmZAEIPI/AAAAAAAAAyM/lWiOxgW87RE/s800/DSC02623.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5172636619743961330)

Now that is a handy piece of knowledge right there. I had no idea about diag. mode. Dude by the time you finish the resurrection, you'll have a thread on how to build an X from scratch!

Good job! :thumbsup-big:
Yeah, I thought about how much work it would be to cherry this thing out before I bid on it. The thought occured to me that, even if I had to do a full frame off restoration with each and every piece and part, it would probably be worth it. Turns out, I may get off the hook much easier than that.

And for those of you who haven't been to the sticker thread....

http://lh5.google.com/pvfjr1/R8jlpJAEITI/AAAAAAAAAys/aUvRf3wT8Os/s800/DSC02627.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5172636666988601650)

Oh, and one more thing I did today was pull off the ACC belt. The motor is nice and quiet. I think the compressor clutch bearing and the idler pulley bearing were the culprits of all the whine and grinding noise. I believe the compressor itself is fine, but it's the clutch that's bad. It actually ran quieter with the compressor engaged. Kinda backwards compared to a normal rig. Either way, it's quiet for now, and I don't really need AC this time of year. I'll worry about that later. It's just good to know that all that noise wasn't coming from something important, and now I don't have to be embarrassed to drive around town anymore. There's no anonymity in a town of 3000.

Thanks for the move James. :wink-big:

So now this is officially the first "Member's Rides" thread. For a quick update as to the status, I finally got my new headlights! Got them put in. Also got rid of the baffle and resonators. Haven't driven it yet to see if it sounds any different. And from what I can tell, I think I might already have the K&N filter in my truck. It's a reddish element, and somewhat oily, so who knows.

Now for the bad new, she's down with a bad balljoint, but that's a whole story on it's own. Hopefully I can get a new one soon.

Thanks for the move James. :wink-big:

So now this is officially the first "Member's Rides" thread. For a quick update as to the status, I finally got my new headlights! Got them put in. Also got rid of the baffle and resonators. Haven't driven it yet to see if it sounds any different. And from what I can tell, I think I might already have the K&N filter in my truck. It's a reddish element, and somewhat oily, so who knows.

Now for the bad new, she's down with a bad balljoint, but that's a whole story on it's own. Hopefully I can get a new one soon.

actually drake beat you to it.... sorry lol

I think Jason or Dustin did the move actually.

i didnt and i dont think dustin is on..... i tried to but it said someone just moved it... LOL james you shure it wasent you.. lol

actually drake beat you to it.... sorry lol
Not if you check the times.....

And what the heck is this? I don't know. But the insurance people handed it over with the keys. It seems that they thought it was important.

http://lh5.google.com/pvfjr1/R70OQ3doUPI/AAAAAAAAAik/Qr2JV4aAqpk/s800/DSC02516.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169303630220120306)

SAVE IT! If you ever lose your keys, you can take that to the dealership. It's the 'master code', if you will, for your lock cylinders. We can cut you a key with that number.

Well thank you, that's good to know. I guess that means I probably shouldn't post a pic of it on the net right? Hmm, maybe I'll take that one down...

Repped for the info! :)

Well thank you, that's good to know. I guess that means I probably shouldn't post a pic of it on the net right? Hmm, maybe I'll take that one down...

Repped for the info! :)

Yeah, I just made a few dozen keys with that code. Drop me a line if you ever lose one!

Oh man, guess I better not ever cross you! Photo's have been deleted, but I guess it's probably still in everyone's cache. :aufkopfhauen-big:

Just got my Happy Birthday notice this morning and thought I'd do a bit of reading. And man what a thread. This is something I don't want to do. Just to much work for me. Did enough of it on my 94 Jeep YJ. Super nice read though and anxious to see the final result.

Wow i'm speachless

wow... this thead just put a smile on my face!!!

Well I'm happy to report that she's been treating me well. I've put about 900 miles on, been driving to work with it. I've gone from 11 engine codes, to just 2 that matter. TPS closed switch (pretty much just for emissions), and one O2 sensor. I'll worry about that stuff soon enough. Air bag light is still flashing away, but I really don't care. Got the power mirrors straightened out, a new armature for the winch motor, and some other little things. Still need a stereo that'll play CD's though. Here's a shot of it at work, parked under the yarder.

http://lh5.google.com/pvfjr1/R_R4Ykj-33I/AAAAAAAAA1c/y1sp4Iwa5Eg/s800/DSC00014.JPG.jpg (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/RandomStuff/photo#5184901434537074546)

Man, you are really doing a great job! How long have you been working on vehicles!?

Well I started messing with them in '03. Just kinda light maintenance and whatnot, started modifying my stepside heavily over the years. Learned most things from just screwing with stuff, picked up some info along the way off the net too. Never had any formal training. Just got a job as a mechanic last week though. :) He knew I didn't have any real qualifications, but let me work there for a day anyway. Decided to keep me around when the day was over. :mocking:

Great thread! Nice work too!

Just curious what the interior is like.
Did the smell go away?

Yep, it smells better than any of my other vehicles now! Taking out everything and letting them air out in the sun for a couple weeks worked really well.

What a great write up and nice find as well

Do you think that the sun might have faded the interior?

Nope. The February sun in Oregon isn't really that powerful. It was more of a point of it NOT raining, which was helpful. That was a rarity for the season.

I love the worklog on this, so great to see a car resurrected, great work!

Your headin out soon! How long will ya be gone?
Were gunna miss meeting you this summer at the PNWC M.A.G. !!

WOW. This one one hell of an awesome read. Nice work dude!!!

Thanks for the props guys, I appreciate it.
Your headin out soon! How long will ya be gone?
Were gunna miss meeting you this summer at the PNWC M.A.G. !!
Yep, could be heading out early next week. Rumor has it we might be gone till october! Ugh, hope I don't get stuck in Nebraska again... :aufkopfhauen-big: Talk about a boring summer. Come to think of it, it's been six years since I was able to spend my favorite season in the state I love. One of these days...

I really enjoyed this thread as well.....great project!:lutscher-big:

I think you said in the first couple pages you need one of the components for the Airbag system? was it an actual airbag or just the computer for them? cause i see them on ebay alot. especially the airbag itself. but i've seen one or two computers and I dont think they wanted alot for just the computer.

I don't really know, to tell you the truth. I still haven't concentrated my efforts toward troubleshooting that yet. The Air Bag light on the dash just keeps blinking. If I pull the fuse for the air bag system, then the light stays on solid. Can't get it to go away. I don't really care about having functioning airbags though, never had them before, no reason to start now. Wouldn't mind figuring out how to make the light stop though. I'll probably play around with it sometime.

Black electrical tape always worked for me in the past. :mocking:

thats the only bulb in the whole cluster that is an LED right?? break it off :)

Or black tape works to :)

I think black tape would bug me just as much as the light unfortunately.

you would never see it, even black paint would work.. take apart the gauge cluster and take the little black piece that the light shines though out and put black tape on the back side or black paint or bust out the LED...

I'd still know it's there....:mocking:

I was kinda not wanting to do something permanent, just in case I go to sell it or something. I might just go about fixing it for real someday, who knows.

dude, this thread has been great! awesome job.

the airbag light however has been an issue of mine in my 04 X it was a seatbelt sensor in my passenger seat that had been causing the problem. Took it to the dealer and they shut the light off for me.

I don't really know, to tell you the truth. I still haven't concentrated my efforts toward troubleshooting that yet. The Air Bag light on the dash just keeps blinking. If I pull the fuse for the air bag system, then the light stays on solid. Can't get it to go away. I don't really care about having functioning airbags though, never had them before, no reason to start now. Wouldn't mind figuring out how to make the light stop though. I'll probably play around with it sometime.

You could also solder a short wire across the terminals for the light/LED. Write a note on a sticker and leave it stuck on the back of the cluster so that should the time come when you want to return it to standard you have the info.

Not a bad idea. I might try and diagnose it someday. If it turns out to be a seatbelt or something easy like that, that'd be easier than tearing the dash apart for the 4th time.

just want to say that it is so cool that you did this i mean you definatly got my vote!!!

Thanks man, I appreciate it. I haven't seen the poll yet though, and it's June already. Maybe I missed it.

Took the X out rock climbing again yesterday. Went way up the McKenzie to a place called Flagstone. Let the darkness chase us off the rocks, and snapped new pic of the X. I painted my grill with fusion a few days ago, I'll have to get another pic for you guys later.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/pvfjr1/SHVzC-iCtqI/AAAAAAAAA8o/DEn5p8e3M1I/s800/DSC02902.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5221205837988673186)

Neat pic.

Wow....I gotta say that I am very impressed with this worklog of this project of yours, I would've never been able to go to that greater lengths that you have done so I gotta say Congratulations on your progress and I'm looking forward to seeing more of your progress....and I'll be checking the junkyards around here for the ARB cuz I would love to have one on mine.

Oh yeah, do you work for a logging company? I noticed the X parked by those yarders and machines, and I saw the Ax Men show on History Channel not long ago so I recognized the machines there from the show and thought I'll ask.

Ah, I was working on the biggest landslide in Union Pacific Railroad's history, just outside of my town a ways. Lot's of logs to be hauled out of there.

Here's some random pics of dirty things, and the X all gutted to dry.

The unhappy SRS computer. Don't know if I'll ever go about fixing the air bags.
http://lh6.google.com/pvfjr1/R70OcHdoUZI/AAAAAAAAAj0/_GjSPlybyio/s800/DSC02526.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5169303823493648786)


Awsome read man! I know what is causing your air bag light to flash, if you haven't figured it out yet. See that silver box on the trany hump? That's the source of your prob. It's the SRS comp. It will need to be replaced. You cannot reset that unfortunately. In my thread "what to do when.." that is what I was afraid of that got wet. Great job and keep the pics flowin!

Thanks for taking time to write this all out. The pics and info are great!

Awsome read man! I know what is causing your air bag light to flash, if you haven't figured it out yet. See that silver box on the trany hump? That's the source of your prob. It's the SRS comp. It will need to be replaced. You cannot reset that unfortunately. In my thread "what to do when.." that is what I was afraid of that got wet. Great job and keep the pics flowin!

Thanks for the info, but I was already on to the computer issue. If you see where the caption says: "The unhappy SRS computer, don't know if I'll ever go about fixing it". I figured it was bad, but I just don't care enough about airbags to buy a new computer. However, if I unplug the computer, the light still flashes. I was just wanting to get rid of the flashing in a non destructive manner, simply for the sake of ridding myself of the annoyance. I really haven't put any effort into the matter though, too many other things to do.

what exactly is flashing? which light?

cant u just take out the bulb in the odo area?

either take out the bulb or see if you can jump one of the wires on the connector to the computer and see if it will stop

Yeah, it's the air bag light. And one of these days I may glance over the diagrams for the whole system and see if I can jumper or cut something to get it to stop. I'm looking for a solution that won't make me take too many things apart again, I've been through it all already.:aufkopfhauen-big:

im sure u can just take the bulb out, thats what i had did in my camry for a light that constantly stayed on

You're almost out of headlight fluid! You have about a half tank by the looks of your headlights! ;-) Have fun and good luck resurrecting the X!

Oops, those pics were from February! Doh!

Don't worry about it, this project is such a great read.

Yeah, that headlight fluid definitely needed changing too, was a little on the murky side.
So the other day I had to tear back into the driver's door to see why the window wouldn't roll down anymore. I had thought that the switch wasn't working, but a little work with the multimeter at the motor connector showed power and ground, reversing polarity with switch operation as it should. So I figured the issue was in the motor. I took out all the screws holding in the window track, and pulled it rearward till I could access the motor house. The little DC motor spins a worm gear, which in turn operates a typical cog gear, which turns a drum that has a bit of cable wound on it. That cable leaves the drum, travels in a big loop that attaches to the window track, then returns to the drum. As the drum turns forward or backward, the cable loop pulls the window up or down. Mechanically, it was all connected, looked good, and wasn't bound or severely corroded. So I removed the motor from the assembly and proceded to take it apart. I discovered that it STILL had some water in it. The motor commutator was slightly corroded, the grease on the worm and cog gears was a little gritty and gummed up. So as usual, I cleaned everything up, fresh grease, a little silicone dielectric for the connections, and reassembled. Works like a charm now. While I was at it I hosed down the cable and track assembly with lithium grease. Also sprayed some silicone spray into the felt window channels. That REALLY sped things up, and that window is rolling up and down real nice now. Should have done it a long time ago.

Sorry, no pics. Just went to work at it and never gave it a thought. I still gotta snap a pic of the new grill paint and post it, I'll get around to it eventually.

Cannot wait to see the pictures!

I have the airbag sensor module from my 03, let me know if you want it and I will try to find it when I get stateside(in Ireland at the moment). pm me...

http://lh6.ggpht.com/pvfjr1/SJfgmlU8D5I/AAAAAAAABT8/Pvlo-njywBc/s800/DSC02770.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5230896445673705362)
Here's a pic of the freshly painted grill. I'll snap a pic of it installed later. It REALLY cleaned up the look of the front end though, I'd recommend it to anyone with a first gen. Might do some more of the trim later on if I get some time.


Then I installed some more stereo stuff. A full set of kenwoods driven off a 800w amp for the door speakers. Got a 1500w amp running a 10" in the back in a sealed box too. The midrange amp wouldn't fit under the passenger seat. So I too a hammer to the underside to massage out a bit of that excessive protrusion. Then it cleared just fine.


http://lh5.ggpht.com/pvfjr1/SJfgndNYjFI/AAAAAAAABUE/eTs3IRZNKp0/s800/DSC02769.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5230896460674403410)

http://lh4.ggpht.com/pvfjr1/SJfgnrnyBCI/AAAAAAAABUM/CL95kwCCy54/s800/DSC02768.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5230896464543220770)

http://lh3.ggpht.com/pvfjr1/SJfgpcI-wDI/AAAAAAAABUc/SjnhGK_IUgA/s800/DSC02772.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5230896494747238450)

http://lh5.ggpht.com/pvfjr1/SJfgqVJk1ZI/AAAAAAAABUk/L7ur4jDCoWQ/s800/DSC02771.JPG (http://picasaweb.google.com/pvfjr1/Xterra/photo#5230896510050555282)

Oh yeah, another issue I delved into....

When I originally got the motor running, there was a bad bearing sound whenever the AC compressor was NOT running. When I turned on the AC and it kicked in, it quieted down fine. That told me it was the compressor clutch bearing. No one I could find would sell the clutch separate from the compressor, except for one place that wanted four hundred and some dollars. So I pulled the clutch off the compressor and dissected it. Found the bearing in there, and pulled a number off of it. I think I can find a replacement for it somewhere here in Eugene. I originally just took the AC belt off so I didn't have to listen to it, and have been driving around without it ever since. Unfortunately, somewhere during that time, the idler/tensioner/bracket/adjusting assembly fell off sometime while I was driving somewhere. Couldn't put the belt back on if I wanted to. :aufkopfhauen-big: I'll have to dig that up somewhere now. More on this subject later.

the grill looks great...

LOL if it doesn't fit, get a bigger hammer
I love the work on this project great job. grille looks mint.

How did you get those step bars plastic step protector off the step rails? I'm curious because I'm currently re-painting some stuff on my X and would like to know if it just pops off or what?

Did your ARB come with a Winch? If so, can you tell me what kind of winch it is? Thanks!

Thanks guys, I was pretty happy with the grill.

TN4x4Xterra - I never pulled the step pads off the bar, it came without them. I *think* it looks like there's a couple screw/clip holes that would hold it on though. And yeah, the ARB bumper already had a winch on it when I got the truck. It is a Warn M6000, and it's a little weak. I don't go anywhere without the snatchblock. I would recommend and 8000 pounder.

stevin i think there are 2 screws in each one

Awesome project and documentation. What brand paint did you use on the grill and did you do any prep work for it?

I used krylon fusion satin black, and sanded it down with 400 grit and degreased it first.

Just like to say - Awesome read! I would love to know roughly how much time and money you spent on the rehab? 2500 for the truck and ..... ohhh and some body pics.

This is the greatest and best thread on the whole of the internet and it should be on page 1. Awesome job, man!

Incredible read, good sir. Some outstanding work.

So what happens next?

all i can say is DAMN....good job!

It takes a lot of guts to buy a vehicle that you KNOW has serious electrical gremlins in it and bring it back to living.

wow so wats the status on this beast so far?!

did you ever fix your airbags?

mine still blink, ive tried EVERYTHING

mines a flood truck tooo

Just like to say - Awesome read! I would love to know roughly how much time and money you spent on the rehab? 2500 for the truck and ..... ohhh and some body pics.

All I've bought for it are headlights, and fluids. The rest was just elbow grease.

Holy crap man!!! Where the heck have you been hiding bro? Haven't seen you around in a while. Nice to see you back. How's the X doing?

This is the greatest and best thread on the whole of the internet and it should be on page 1. Awesome job, man!
Thanks, much appreciated!


Incredible read, good sir. Some outstanding work.

So what happens next?

Well I haven't been online much, but I drove this baby for over a year. Did some wheeling (carefully, as compared to my normal style with the stepside). Almost flopped it once too. I got a little impreza last summer though, when gas got real bad. Drove it about half the time. I got some new tires on the X, some 32" maxxis bighorns, and they're freaking sweet.

However, plans change. More on that later.


did you ever fix your airbags?

mine still blink, ive tried EVERYTHING

mines a flood truck tooo
Well, no. But, I haven't tried. I pulled the fuse for it, so now the light is steady, as opposed to blinking. Much less annoying that way, and apparently, tolerable enough. It doesn't really bother me.

wow so wats the status on this beast so far?!
Well, the status soon will be FOR SALE. :aufkopfhauen-big: I could use the money for college this fall, and I have replaced the X with another rig. It's extremely versatile and serves many purposes. I will also get rid of my trail rig, the old chevy stepside, and replace it with my pathfinder. The pathfinder got hit by a drunk driver while parked. So I have $700 into it and I think the insurance company is going to cut me about a $2000 check, which will afford me some unimog axles. :mocking: I want to make it a comfortable driver, so I can use it to cruise the woods instead of the X. I've got AWD subie's for economical low level wheeling and woods cruising, and will have the pathfinder all built up for advanced wheeling and deep snow adventures. I won't need the X anymore, and I'm not daily driving it as of a couple months ago. It's too nice to just sit around and get old. Someone else can enjoy it now.

Holy crap man!!! Where the heck have you been hiding bro? Haven't seen you around in a while. Nice to see you back. How's the X doing?

Been hiding in the dialup-only boonies. Just got satellite last night though. :D The X is great, though somewhat neglected. Occasionally driven at best, though I miss her so. I think I miss the stereo the most though. :mocking:

Selling it huh... well somebody will definitely enjoy all the work you put into bringing that thing back to life. You gotta do what you gotta do. We've seen quite a few of our regulars parting with their X's with the current times we're in. Glad to see you're keeping it Nissan though with the Pathy. Keep us updated on that build. A guy in my NOAS club is putting portals under a frontier. It looks to be friggin' sweet whenever he finally gets done with it.

Got a link? I'd love to see it, there's not a lot of good info out there on building up nissans (I mean REALLY building them up). I've found a guy on pirate that did it to a d21 crew cab down in Chile, but he doesn't have a lot of info on it and doesn't post much, and half in Spanish.

I just picked up one of those divorced T100L transfer cases from an old 720. I might be able to use it for a doubler, might not. $1000 for a gearset for a TX10 doesn't seem real appealing for me. Plus, 4:1 ain't enough. I'm considering a TX10 to D300 doubler, with a gearset for the D300. Still weighing all the options.

Here you go:

http://www.noas4x4club.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2956

He recently bought a house and got married (I believe) so his project has been on the back burner for a while. He did find the time to rebuild and SAS his girlfriend's xterra though. lol

Here you go:

http://www.noas4x4club.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2956

He recently bought a house and got married (I believe) so his project has been on the back burner for a while. He did find the time to rebuild and SAS his girlfriend's xterra though. lol

just his GF drake

no marriage yet... or well not that he mentioned

btw... a LOT is changing on that build... he wont spill what tho

he sold the supercharged motor and the atlas ( i think)

Just realized I never put the "Done" pictures up here....

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_yuhyBIyb96A/SpWZ6yXeDmI/AAAAAAAACXY/AXCrrpdfWPU/s800/DSC01039.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_yuhyBIyb96A/SpWaJ_2-YPI/AAAAAAAACXg/J6IPdT29mRQ/s800/DSC01043.JPG

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_yuhyBIyb96A/SpWagZJCCvI/AAAAAAAACXw/9q5xKZc5USU/s800/DSC01048.JPG

i was just reading through this yesterday, its awesome that you were able to resurrect it!