Looking for advice...

G

GedKealmen

Test Drive
Location
Ensenada, MX
Hello everyone, I just bought a used 2004 Xterra SE S/C with a ton of miles (about 200K) really cheap. A friend who owns a car lot checked it out and said it is in great shape, but I haven't personally seen or driven it yet.

This weekend I'm flying out to where it is and I'm gonna check it out myself. Any advice on what I should check for, where I should be looking, poking it, prodding it?

I plan to use it out in the sticks regularly... so I need the suspension and 4WD to be in good shape.

Any helpful advice will be repaid with fine homebrewed beer if you ever visit me in Ensenada, MX!
 
granitex

granitex

Skid Plates
Founding Member
Location
Columbus OH
first and formost, check and or replace the timing belt!!!, Other than that a quick tune up, and change all of the fluids, and I did say all. Both diffs, transfer case, coolant oil, Power steering, brakes,blinker fluid, all of it.
 
Muadeeb

Muadeeb

Nissan al Gaib
Admin
Location
Dallas
Timing belt is due at 200k miles (well, 210), so that is the biggest worry right there. I pretty much assume that oil was changed, but everything else was ignored. Beyond that, these trucks are pretty tough, so you will have fun.

Congrats on the truck!
 
Prime

Prime

Shut up Baby, I know it!
Admin
Location
Denver Adjacent
granitex said:
first and formost, check and or replace the timing belt!!!, Other than that a quick tune up, and change all of the fluids, and I did say all. Both diffs, transfer case, coolant oil, Power steering, brakes,blinker fluid, all of it.
Click to expand...

This, this, and more this.

At over 200k unless you have a FULL service history and every fluid has been done already, I'd be flushing and filling every single bit of liquid in the truck.

And the timing belt. The timing belt should be done every 100k. So unless it has already been done and it can be proven, I'd do it.
 
M

mac11

Bought an X
Location
Nashville
id also replace the supercharger snout adapter and oil Its about $40 for a coupler + oil package from ebay. The oil should be changed every 80-100,000 miles and my OE spring loaded adapter started getting loose and letting the rotors touch and make a little noise about then too.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Eaton-GM-Fo...r_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item20e0a3df26

At 200k I could make an argument for replacing the bearings in the snout too, while its off. Mine were smooth and quiet at ~110k. It's a bigger job but I think at 200 I would change them.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Eaton-M62-S...Parts_Accessories&hash=item27dfa2ec4a&vxp=mtr
 
G

GedKealmen

Test Drive
Location
Ensenada, MX
Thanks Mac11... I'll be sure to have that looked at. I'm just getting to know the truck so I'm not sure I'm confident enough to do it myself, but I'll be sure to have that looked at!

Xtorrey, it does guzzle quite a bit of gasoline, but I'm still feeling the new toy joy so I'm not too concerned about it. LOL
 
Gigashadow

Gigashadow

Test Drive
Location
Arkansas
Among the other things in this thread, keep an eye out for signs of an oil leak either at the valve cover gasket (relatively easy fix) or lower (not relatively easy) like the rear main seal. Run the truck with the defrost going and keep your nose open for the smell of burning oil and eyeball it for smoke.

Also, "Show me the carfax."
 
M

mac11

Bought an X
Location
Nashville
As many stories as I've heard of it on these trucks id also look really hard for cracks in the leaf springs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
XTorrey

XTorrey

First Fill-Up (of many)
Location
Grand Junction, CO
Ditto what Mac said. Mine apparently broke at the same time. Whether it was age, enduring Michigan winters, weak materials (or that one time she was airborne...) I can't say, but both had to be replaced.

Sent from the wastelands of Tatooine
 
D

drbandkgb

Titan Swapped / SAS'd
Founding Member
Some have said the oil at the bottom is the pan instead of the rear main.. Either way it one of my not worry about issues at the moment ;)
 
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