1993 Pathfinder Heating

Jul 02, 2003 9 Replies
N

Hi all,



I have a 93 Pathfinder 5 speed that has always ran at 1/4 the heat guage and very stable at that point. Lately I have seen the heat guage go up to and sometimes a little above the 1/2 mark with and without the AC on. It also seems that when you go down a hill the gauge will go down a little and then rise again (it is no longer stable).



I have had my Pathfinder for about 4.5 years and have never seen my heat guage approach the 1/2 mark unless in the city with the AC on caught in traffic.



My question is how hard is it to change the thermostat. Is a thermostat something that should be done at a Nissan dealer or can I bring it to any garage with a reliable mechanic?



I read somewhere that the timing belt and water pump has to be removed to change the thermostat is this true (that would make the job expensive)?


I think the thermostat is a good place to start I checked the radiator and it seems very solid. I think my clutch fan is operating because it seems to engage when I start the vehicle in the morning.



Can anyone recomend any test that I should try before I go looking to get the thermostat replaced?


Thanks a million


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M

I think you should seek a qualified mechanic.

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N

before condemning the thermostat you may want to look at the state of the coolant in the engine.

when was the last time it was changed?

the next thing I would look at is the radiator, is the surface area of the radiator clogged up with dirt and debris from the road ???

are the belts in good shape , are they slipping?

remember, keep it simple

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S

Belts are in good shape they were all changed when I got my timing belt change a year ago. It does not sound like they are slipping. The radiator might be a little dirty.

Thanks

"NissTech" wrote in news:CMJMa.238480$ snipped-for-privacy@twister.tampabay.rr.com:

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M

By the way, my P F gauge is always in the middle when the motor is warmed up.

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M

I don't blame you one bit for being proactive. I only have 40,000 miles on my

99.5 and I flushed and filled at 34,000. It was 33 C here today and very humid. Even with the A/C on maximum, my temp gauge still remained slightly less than half. Same as in the dead of winter when temperature was -23 C here.
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M

Also, how long is your warm up time? If the thermostat is stuck, it's going to be noticeably longer.

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S

"Mind Melt" wrote in news:be26mp$g3b$ snipped-for-privacy@pita.alt.net:

Warm up time seems to be normal for this time of year. I will start by a radiator flush today.

Thanks

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S

"Mind Melt" wrote in news:be46te$u7d$ snipped-for-privacy@pita.alt.net:

Well I did the rad flush it seem to have brought my heat gauge down a little (not much). I took an 80 minute drive on the highway in 28 degree Celcius temperature with the Air conditioner on most of the way and the heat gauge did not go over the mid way point. I drove between 105 and 135 km/h. I do not think I have to worry any longer.

Thanks everyone

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