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Radiator Transmission Issue Strikes at 170k - Is my X finally dead?

1K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  iamn8 
#1 ·
Specs: 2006 Xterra, 170k miles, original owner.

Took the Xterra on a business trip. Just after gassing up to leave town the heater stopped working and the engine temp spiked before dropping down again. After the spike the temp settled down and about an hour into the trip the heater started to work. After the trip I didn't forget the problem and took it to the mechanic after checking the radiator and finding the "milkshake". He replaced the radiator with an aftermarket unit, flushed the radiator and transmission a couple time, then I rode around for about 2 weeks without issue before taking it back and flushing both again.

On the way home from the second flush at the mechanic I noticed the transmission slipped briefly. The next day the slipping got worse, and seems to occur in 3rd and 4th gears. I attached a code reader but found that it wasn't throwing any codes when slipping. Called the mechanic and he said to bring it back.

Owning this truck has never been easy. I had to replace the rear differential at 110k and have been fighting the P0420/P0430 codes for years. But it looks in good shape, has the power I need to haul things, and well, I'm attached to it. But I'm not attached to it enough for a new tranny.

Is there life left in this X? What are your opinions? And if it's time for it to head to 4WD Paradise, what it's a good replacement?
 
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#2 ·
only one way to fix milkshake that has be driven more than a few miles and then it can be a tossup. Flush machine first you have to get all the water out and that is very hard. Pull the trans unit and have a party replace the frictions and seals not going to be done in a day. Used transmissions for that year are like gold wrecking yards know the milkshake problem. Still life in it if you are willing to do some work money vs time thing
 
#3 ·
I'm in the same scenario right now. I'm the original owner of a well maintained 2005 119k off road X, which is sitting in my driveway with the front of the motor torn apart replacing the failed radiator and dying timing chain. Tranny is still shuttering after the 1st flush, hopefully a second flush may save it. Honestly, I've just plain lost confidence in the vehicle. The first major blow came when I was in the middle of nowhere in the cascade mountains when a wheel rotation sensor failed. Quite conveniently, this causes the suv(I refuse to use the term "truck") to disengage the 4wd, locking differential, and ABS brakes. I can understand the abs, but not the rest. This left me with a long walk in pouring down October rain until i miraculously ran into a jeep with a winch. Several smaller things since, and now a catastrophic tranny failure. I don't want to label this as a rant, I just believe it's important to share the my experiences so that it may be helpful to others in making vehicle choices. I really have no choice but to treat my X as a glorified grocery getter that can get me out of a pinch in case I accidentally back into a flower bed. It's bought and paid for, so I'll fix it and keep getting groceries until the wheels fall off, and get a toy on the side like a k5 blazer with a 4bt. If I were in your shoes, which I am, I would fix it up to know that I didn't just treat the X like it was disposable and use it to the extent of your confidence level.
 
#4 ·
Goodseed
When I think of the money I've put into this truck, I just shake my head. Rear differential at 110k. New driver's side window lift assembly at 140k. New windshield at 150k. Bearings and other suspension components in the back, and the problem before this last one was another bill for new components for the front - and the problem before that required a new alternator. Replaced the cats at 140k which lasted just long enough to pass inspection before throwing the P0420/0430 codes. Got passed this last inspection by seafoaming it the night before. Keeping the thing in alignment has been a pain, so I've gone through tires almost twice as fast as I should have, a problem worsened by my own idiotic move of replacing the stock steel wheels with 18" alloys. Now not only have I burned through tires, I've burned through more expensive tires.

Even small things have bitten me. The cupholder broke on the center console for the backseats, and I was told I had to replace the entire center console for $600. Acoustics in the truck were bad so I replaced the OEM stereo with a high-end Panasonic, then added high-end speakers. Music still sounds like it's mono and not in stereo. The whole effort was a waste of $$$.

At this point I'm looking at $800 in new tires, plus installation of new headers to replace the cracked exhaust manifolds discovered when I seafoamed the truck and discovered the source of the P0420/0430 codes.

This truck has been a money pit, but I just walked past the thing tonight and you know what? I still like it. All the other SUVs look like suppositories now; only the Xterra looks like something that isn't afraid to get dirty. After all the $$$, all the time spent waiting in repair shops, I still like this truck and I don't want to say good bye just yet.
 
#5 ·
Brand new Xterra owner here. Literally, haven't even picked it up yet, BUT, I've got a lot of general mechanical experience.

I agree with HFD1 Tuner that it's the friction clutches that are probably done in by the mixture. If you've got the stomach for such a job, you can buy master rebuild kits for under $200. Just gotta stay organized and have a good attention to detail, the work isn't terribly difficult. I can tell you that there's some great tutorials for Honda transmissions on Youtube to get an idea what you're in for.

As a new owner, I'm wondering if it's in my best interest to just put a new radiator in my used truck. Service records don't indicate it was ever changed. I see them for under $100 online. Kinda seems like cheap insurance.
 
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