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statick
11-22-2004, 06:00 PM
hey all, i'm considering buying a 1998 nissan pathfinder, and i wanna kno a bit more about the AWD system they use. I know that there is a gear that changes it from RWD to AWD, but i heard from a couple of ppl that u have to do change it to the AWD gear while the car is in motion. i wanna know how this exactly works. if anyone knows anything about this please post,any info/help is greatly appreciated. thanks.

-statick

forkdork
11-22-2004, 06:30 PM
I know on the 95's and prior, you could change into 4wd from a stop or while moving (hence the shift on the fly or whatever they call it). There are speed limits that you can shift from 2wd to 4wd, like you can shift to 4wheel High at any speed under 60, while you can only shift to 4 wheel low at under 40. I would imagine that this is the same on the 98's.

statick
11-22-2004, 07:05 PM
so if i want to have awd from when i am stopped, can i switch it to AWD before the vehicle starts moving and still have proper awd? wuts 4wheel high and 4wheel low?

CelicaST-162
11-22-2004, 07:46 PM
Yes, you can switch it in 4WD while stopped and moving...you will have proper 4WD in either scenario. 4H is basically normal 4WD for city and Highway driving. 4L, steep hils, sticky situations etc....

statick
11-22-2004, 08:14 PM
how do i switch from 4L and 4H ??? the gear thing? can i switch to either of those while stopped?

CelicaST-162
11-22-2004, 08:23 PM
From 4H-4L is best if you are stopped...i am not sure with the 98 Pathfinders if they have the t case shifter or shift on to fly....but in my pathfinder as well as the others with the t case shifter youll hear a nasty grinding noise:D

statick
11-22-2004, 08:49 PM
please explain the difference between shifting on the fly and the t-case.wut year is ur pathfinder ?

CelicaST-162
11-22-2004, 09:11 PM
Shift Onto Fly is operated via a button, switch....T-Case stands for Transfer Case...T case shifter is the lever to operate 4WD in of course...a t case shift 4WD

digitalshogun
11-23-2004, 03:36 AM
Worked up north in Ft. Nelson BC this summer and was given a F150 to get up to the camp and, not being used to domestic trucks, threw it into 4wd on the move when we hit a really shitty mud trail. Right after doing it the truck lurched a bit and I stopped and pulled out the manual. Sure enough ... "when switching to 4wd, come to a complete stop." Ridiculous. The truck survived but it was never quite the same lol. Just thank heaven for Japanese engineering on the Nissan and Toy's.

As for 4Lo ... bah ... you almost never need it. Hell most trails you dont need 4 at all. ;)

aZnBlooD
11-23-2004, 03:47 AM
i drive a 2001 infiniti qx4 (basically a pathfinder) and you can change from 2wd to 4wd (high and low) while moving...although its best if you are at a complete stop when doing so...high is just for normal daily use (pretty much all the time), and low is for those rare times when you have to go off road or something (mud/deep snow/hills/etc.) hope this helps a little

statick
11-23-2004, 07:04 AM
thanks a lot for all the help so far guys, keep it coming if u got more info:D

Madmax
11-25-2004, 06:26 PM
The 98 Path comes with auto hubs which means they are always sorta engage. To go from 2H to 4H you have to be driving 40KM/H or less. (4L you have to stop the truck.)

Once you're engage on 4H and you don't reverse with the truck you can slam it back from 4H to 2H with no problem, you can also go the other way around even if you're driving pass 40KM/H, unless you have reverse at any point with the truck. This is how you disengage the hubs. When you go from 4H to 2H.

Hope that helps.

MAx

theken
11-25-2004, 06:34 PM
4l gives more torque to the wheels to get out of mud pits, or up hills, 4 h is standard 4 wheel drive

statick
11-25-2004, 07:18 PM
this is a noobish question, but when ur in AWD does it use mroe gas? it should, shouldnt it?

CelicaST-162
11-25-2004, 07:37 PM
Originally posted by statick
this is a noobish question, but when ur in AWD does it use mroe gas? it should, shouldnt it?

yes

SpoonEK9@STRD
11-25-2004, 08:33 PM
I got a 2000 4wd pathfindis..

shift on fly, 4wd 4h can be engauged at speeds under 80km/h.
4l must be put in at stop and recommened on a hill, because it has crazy problems shifting between Nand-4l and viseversa.

digitalshogun
11-25-2004, 09:55 PM
I'm not certain, but I think that 4-Lo actually lowers the gear ratio to accomplish the greater amount of tourqe in the "low end". Changing that ratio while you are driving would be REALLY bad.

zain123
12-10-2004, 09:55 PM
i got a 98 pathfinder
i wondered the same thing at first
but u can actually do it both ways
moving / not moving
4L on the other hand has to be put in while u r at neutral or something?? thats what the dealership person told me
but i think thats :bullshit:
never tried that yet

the only thing is when u have to take it out of 4W(h) u have to press brake sometimes or accelerate more to get out

AW chugsss gas tho :(
but still fun in winter :clap:

digitalshogun
12-11-2004, 05:40 AM
Basically if you have to wonder if you need to be in neutral to engage 4lo, then you most likely don't need it anyway. 4Lo is when you are crawling, getting out of DEEP mud ... etc. You seriously almost never need it. If you look in your owners manual, it will probably also mention that you should not travel very far or very fast in 4lo. Been my experience anyway.

digitalshogun
12-11-2004, 05:43 AM
Oh yeah and AWD is okay in winter ... rwd is REALLY fun in winter though.

Rav4Guy
12-11-2004, 06:46 AM
Remember guys...


AWD = can't turn off. (constant management)
4WD = you can turn off. (too late sometimes)


Pathfinder = 4WD

statick
12-11-2004, 09:09 AM
anybody kno how much kms to a tank this thing can get? wut octane gas is reccomended? about how much it costs to fill gas?

forkdork
12-11-2004, 02:49 PM
Around 400 km/tank driving slow, 87 octane, costs like 55 dollars/tank

Edit: This is for a 95 pathy, should be similar for 98 though

sml
12-13-2004, 06:58 PM
I have a 01 pathfinder and it does 450km/tank for the 80L tank. Cost around $60 and it uses 92 octane. All 01+ with the 3.5L V6 uses premium, I think previous versions are 3.0L which uses regular 87 octane.

statick
12-13-2004, 07:04 PM
98 models are 3.3litre (VG33e i beleive), anybody kno wut gas this beast takes? mileage?

sml
12-17-2004, 12:07 PM
all non-3.5L are 87 octane

zain123
12-22-2004, 02:11 AM
my 98 LE pathy
50-55 bux worth of gas ( the cleanest one?? )
gets me 400 + kms on a tank
dependin on the weather lol
if its really cold i let it runnin for a while

statick
12-23-2004, 09:01 AM
awsome, thanx for all the help guys.:closed:

hussein
12-27-2004, 11:30 PM
loooooool
its "auto" not awd....

CelicaST-162
12-27-2004, 11:42 PM
Originally posted by hussein
loooooool
its "auto" not awd....

looooool its not "auto", not awd......4WD!!! Where did you get auto from????????

statick
12-28-2004, 05:45 AM
:dunno: mines 5 speed standard

and its sure been a pleasure having it in this weather:thumbsup:

hussein
12-30-2004, 10:14 AM
because my switch has:

2WD -> AUTO -> 4LO -> 4HI

and the closed thing that this guy is talking about is auto I think?:confused:

statick
12-30-2004, 10:21 AM
u have the newer model thats why.

digitalshogun
12-30-2004, 01:58 PM
Switches are bunk ...

statick
12-31-2004, 08:06 AM
:werd: gear shifter things are awsome...never had to use my 4LO tho yet.

digitalshogun
12-31-2004, 01:44 PM
You almost never will either ... unless you are doing some serious mudding, hill climbin, or rock crawlin. And yes, a shift lever is kick ass.