Nice vid
XterraGT's 2001 Build/Log
- Thread starter XterraGT
- Start date
Nice vid
XterraGT
Bought an X
- Location
- Red Lion, PA
Haven't updated this in awhile so here we go!
So I noticed my antifreeze level in the overflow kept dropping. Can not locate any leaks around of the components touched during timing belt weekend. I also noticed I would get small amount of vapor out of the exhaust. This along with my "greenish" oil had me very nervous, thinking head gasket. Now it's noted antifreeze in your oil won't cause it to be green. Also some dealers can put dye in the oil looking for leaks. Either way if I'm losing antifreeze into a cylinder I can deal with new intake manifold gaskets, maaaaybe even head gaskets but not thrilled about having to have them decked... What would kill me would be antifreeze in the oil because it would cause premature bearing failures. Sent my oil to Blackstone Labs after only 150 miles since the change on timing belt weekend. The results are good:
Awesome nothing in the oil so anything here on out I can deal with. Better news is the past 2 times I checked the overflow this weekend, especially this morning after a good long run on Saturday and I don't see the level dropping anymore. So maybe because I didn't heat cycle and top off the coolant 3 or 4x per the manual it was doing it over several trips. Time will tell. Other than that I plan to use Blackstone when I do oil changes now. I don't think I'm interested in extended oil changes because 3.5 Qts just isn't very much oil...
Moving on I installed my Pioneer headunit and that made the Infinity's sound great! Didn't purchase an Xterra kit just mounted the Camry DIN pocket into the Nissan radio brackets. Also the Sirius is built in so no more Sirius unit behind the X-Case Shifter. Previously owned Headunit, previously owned speakers, previously owned Nissan headunit adapter from Dad's 05 X equals a done audio setup no cost out of pocket. There is a 3/16" gap under the DIN pocket but from my seat its not bad at all, for free I can live with it.
Also replaced my CB mic after complaints at the April Fools Run. Found a brand new off brand mic floating around at the shop. Moved a wire inside the mic from the hookswitch sense to the actual switch and moved all 4 wires at the connection so it was pinned and wired identical to the cheapo cobra mic I had. Its installed, but I haven't met up with anyone else running a CB yet to see if its works or not.
Onto the good stuff. Money is super tight. Between P&P recovery points, P&P sliders, and a used skid plate set purchase, I am stretching thin. Still need to pay the 2nd half of my rock sliders and Ford Nationals is quickly approaching... Hopefully I can survive this pinch and enjoy ECXC.
Jumped in on the P&P recovery point GB. Within days I had some fresh steel on the doorstep:
Beefy:
I ordered these bare steel, along with my sliders. Undecided on just black or bed liner. Whichever I go with I'll be doing the RP's, sliders, skids, and eventually bumpers all the same. Speaking of skids I got an entire set used through OffRoadX for about $500, or half the cost of buying new and no shipping! Got these yesterday:
A 4x4parts front skid, Skid Row Engine/Tranny and XCase skids, and a custom gas tank skid. Definitely have seen the rocks, but those cuts could be out of my truck so I'm pretty excited. No mounting hardware so I'll get some stuff. I'll be refurbing these before install. Start by washing/degreasing. Then stripping the rust and repainting/bed lining. Pictures following are all 4 truck side then all 4 rock side.
Bottom side:
So that's where everything is at for now. Recovery points won't be installed until the body lift is complete. Anyone who has followed the thread would have noticed no more hazy pictures. My good phone died or rather the usb charging port stopped working. So all pictures and video are now through a 16MP Samsung Galaxy S5 (except I have it turned down some so not quite 16MP, but it's there). Just one more expense during automotive crunch time...Oh well at least I can take good pics again!
So I noticed my antifreeze level in the overflow kept dropping. Can not locate any leaks around of the components touched during timing belt weekend. I also noticed I would get small amount of vapor out of the exhaust. This along with my "greenish" oil had me very nervous, thinking head gasket. Now it's noted antifreeze in your oil won't cause it to be green. Also some dealers can put dye in the oil looking for leaks. Either way if I'm losing antifreeze into a cylinder I can deal with new intake manifold gaskets, maaaaybe even head gaskets but not thrilled about having to have them decked... What would kill me would be antifreeze in the oil because it would cause premature bearing failures. Sent my oil to Blackstone Labs after only 150 miles since the change on timing belt weekend. The results are good:
Awesome nothing in the oil so anything here on out I can deal with. Better news is the past 2 times I checked the overflow this weekend, especially this morning after a good long run on Saturday and I don't see the level dropping anymore. So maybe because I didn't heat cycle and top off the coolant 3 or 4x per the manual it was doing it over several trips. Time will tell. Other than that I plan to use Blackstone when I do oil changes now. I don't think I'm interested in extended oil changes because 3.5 Qts just isn't very much oil...
Moving on I installed my Pioneer headunit and that made the Infinity's sound great! Didn't purchase an Xterra kit just mounted the Camry DIN pocket into the Nissan radio brackets. Also the Sirius is built in so no more Sirius unit behind the X-Case Shifter. Previously owned Headunit, previously owned speakers, previously owned Nissan headunit adapter from Dad's 05 X equals a done audio setup no cost out of pocket. There is a 3/16" gap under the DIN pocket but from my seat its not bad at all, for free I can live with it.
Also replaced my CB mic after complaints at the April Fools Run. Found a brand new off brand mic floating around at the shop. Moved a wire inside the mic from the hookswitch sense to the actual switch and moved all 4 wires at the connection so it was pinned and wired identical to the cheapo cobra mic I had. Its installed, but I haven't met up with anyone else running a CB yet to see if its works or not.
Onto the good stuff. Money is super tight. Between P&P recovery points, P&P sliders, and a used skid plate set purchase, I am stretching thin. Still need to pay the 2nd half of my rock sliders and Ford Nationals is quickly approaching... Hopefully I can survive this pinch and enjoy ECXC.
Jumped in on the P&P recovery point GB. Within days I had some fresh steel on the doorstep:
Beefy:
I ordered these bare steel, along with my sliders. Undecided on just black or bed liner. Whichever I go with I'll be doing the RP's, sliders, skids, and eventually bumpers all the same. Speaking of skids I got an entire set used through OffRoadX for about $500, or half the cost of buying new and no shipping! Got these yesterday:
A 4x4parts front skid, Skid Row Engine/Tranny and XCase skids, and a custom gas tank skid. Definitely have seen the rocks, but those cuts could be out of my truck so I'm pretty excited. No mounting hardware so I'll get some stuff. I'll be refurbing these before install. Start by washing/degreasing. Then stripping the rust and repainting/bed lining. Pictures following are all 4 truck side then all 4 rock side.
Bottom side:
So that's where everything is at for now. Recovery points won't be installed until the body lift is complete. Anyone who has followed the thread would have noticed no more hazy pictures. My good phone died or rather the usb charging port stopped working. So all pictures and video are now through a 16MP Samsung Galaxy S5 (except I have it turned down some so not quite 16MP, but it's there). Just one more expense during automotive crunch time...Oh well at least I can take good pics again!
XterraGT
Bought an X
- Location
- Red Lion, PA
Memorial Day weekend update:
Went ahead and picked up some spray can bed liner and started playing with the new bolt ons. Setup a paint jig and began by hitting my P&P Recovery Points with some brake cleaner to strip the steel stock oil residue.
Next took a rough pad to some light surface oxidation in some places from sitting in my garage uncoated and removed all the burrs around the bolt holes. Also hit all the edges with a slight bevel.
No paint expert but here is what I'm rollin with! Also noted the "Prep All" smelled identical to my brake cleaner, haha nice! And the rum and coke is most definitely required.
Coat #1:
Coat #3:
I stopped after 3 coats and will see how it holds up. I noticed a bubble on one of them and began to peel it until I realized I was gonna have to strip the hole part and start over so I stopped when an edge seemed a little more taught than the rest and just redid the 3 coats again. So I have 1 perfect RP and 1 so-so but from what will be the "outside" will look just fine.
That was Saturday. Sunday was a rest and recovery day because after the RP's on Saturday Real Madrid took their 10th Champions League title, and much rum was consumed!
On Monday I tackled the AC front skid plate. Washed and scrubbed with simple green then began the stripping process with 120V drill and wire wheel. I would've preferred my sander pictured above but my 8 gallon compressor isn't game for a piece this big.
Notice a difference?:
How bout now?:
That was truck side, now to the rock side:
And complete, not perfectly stripped but done enough to reseal from further oxidation with paint. A sand blaster setup would do wonders here:
This was prepped the same as the RP's. First coat:
I went with 2 light coats and 2 heavier coats. It looks fantastic but I can still see bits of shiny metal here and there. I'm thinking about just buying the roll on can of bed armor and coating this and then the other 3 skids and the rock sliders with that. At the end of the day the very 1st trail of ECXC is gonna wreck the paint which is not for looks but rust protection. I want it done well enough that up keep is simply light prep with a wheel and recoat. Preferably without ever needing to drop them, obviously the front will drop often for oil changes and what not but you get the idea.
On another note P&P have my sliders ready to ship! Now if only I can find the money to finish paying them for their awesome craftsmanship... Ford Nats are less than 2 weeks away, once that trip is done I can again focus all assets on the Xterra and ECXC prep!
Went ahead and picked up some spray can bed liner and started playing with the new bolt ons. Setup a paint jig and began by hitting my P&P Recovery Points with some brake cleaner to strip the steel stock oil residue.
Next took a rough pad to some light surface oxidation in some places from sitting in my garage uncoated and removed all the burrs around the bolt holes. Also hit all the edges with a slight bevel.
No paint expert but here is what I'm rollin with! Also noted the "Prep All" smelled identical to my brake cleaner, haha nice! And the rum and coke is most definitely required.
Coat #1:
Coat #3:
I stopped after 3 coats and will see how it holds up. I noticed a bubble on one of them and began to peel it until I realized I was gonna have to strip the hole part and start over so I stopped when an edge seemed a little more taught than the rest and just redid the 3 coats again. So I have 1 perfect RP and 1 so-so but from what will be the "outside" will look just fine.
That was Saturday. Sunday was a rest and recovery day because after the RP's on Saturday Real Madrid took their 10th Champions League title, and much rum was consumed!
On Monday I tackled the AC front skid plate. Washed and scrubbed with simple green then began the stripping process with 120V drill and wire wheel. I would've preferred my sander pictured above but my 8 gallon compressor isn't game for a piece this big.
Notice a difference?:
How bout now?:
That was truck side, now to the rock side:
And complete, not perfectly stripped but done enough to reseal from further oxidation with paint. A sand blaster setup would do wonders here:
This was prepped the same as the RP's. First coat:
I went with 2 light coats and 2 heavier coats. It looks fantastic but I can still see bits of shiny metal here and there. I'm thinking about just buying the roll on can of bed armor and coating this and then the other 3 skids and the rock sliders with that. At the end of the day the very 1st trail of ECXC is gonna wreck the paint which is not for looks but rust protection. I want it done well enough that up keep is simply light prep with a wheel and recoat. Preferably without ever needing to drop them, obviously the front will drop often for oil changes and what not but you get the idea.
On another note P&P have my sliders ready to ship! Now if only I can find the money to finish paying them for their awesome craftsmanship... Ford Nats are less than 2 weeks away, once that trip is done I can again focus all assets on the Xterra and ECXC prep!
- Location
- Dillsburg PA
Nice dude! I Havent looked at your build thread in a little bit and now there are a bunch of parts ready to go on.