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 Post subject: Nissan/Datsun Longevity
PostPosted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 2:17 pm 
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Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2010 12:25 pm
Posts: 54
Location: Easton, CT
Does anyone have any longevity stories to share about their Nissan/Datsun. I'm talking about any Nissan product. Since this is a Z car club, we tend to baby our Z's and put few miles on them. But we all own work horses that have taken us to the ends of the earth and back without complaint.

Mine is a 2001 Nissan Quest purchased new when my children were not even teenagers. It has 228,000 on the odometer and is still going strong. I've taken it cross country at least 10 times and would not hesitate to take it on a long road trip today. Although, lately it has been relegated to trips to The Home Depot. The only issue it had was a bad O2 sensor that required me to remove the fuel rail and get down to the manifold before I could get at it. I still had to bend a cooling line that was in the way. It wasn't an elegant repair, but it worked and the van is still running (and passing state emissions).

Paco Acosta

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'78 280Z


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PostPosted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 4:40 pm 
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Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:53 pm
Posts: 14779
Location: CT
The engine blocks on these cars have such hi-nickel content, they tend to last forever. The aluminum heads wear out and need refurbishing, but the blocks have been opened at 200,000+ miles and still show factory cross-hatching in the cylinders. Timing chains get skeptical as you approach 150,000 miles, and the occasional oil pump quits near 200,000 miles. But the rebuild costs so little, there's really no reason to throw the car away because of engine wear.

My own Z had 122,000+ miles on it before its first rebuild, and didn't really need it. The 20 year old [E-31] head valve guide seals have now started leaking a little oil, so I'm having that rebuilt. But essentially the bodies just rust away long before the engines quit. I'm trying to recall ANYbody who ever had an L-series engine just 'wear out'.......

.....still trying.......

.....maybe Paul?......or Tom Wasney?.......they've each had 20 or more Zs.

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1970 240Z


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PostPosted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 6:07 pm 
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Joined: Mon May 19, 2008 8:17 pm
Posts: 2148
Location: Colchester, Ct
Several years ago I repeatedly saw a 280zx parked in the parking with 428,000 miles on the odometer. Body was in rough shape but still running strong enough to be a daily driver.

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Phil
1981 280zxt - Now in the care my son!
2014 370Z Sports Touring Roadster


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PostPosted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 7:54 pm 
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Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2014 9:21 am
Posts: 973
Location: Somers CT
My original 1974 260 had 172,000 on it in 1980 when I totaled it . . . . still running strong on the original clutch I might add . . . . had brand new front fenders though . . . from being a daily driver the original one's flopped in the wind pretty well . . . . :thumbs_up: :mrgreen:

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W.Karl Walton
Somers CT



75' - 280Z - HLS30203249 - #304 Gold Metallic (stockish)
96' - 300zx TT - JN1CZ24d3TX960293 - Black on Black (enhanced)


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PostPosted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 9:51 pm 
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Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:53 pm
Posts: 14779
Location: CT
Rings, bearings, timing chains and head re-work are about all these things need to last forever. I've had a gearbox freeZe up on me once (irreparable), and all the ancillary items attached to the engine wear out (radiator, hoses, belts, power brake boosters and hydraulic systems, throw-out bearings and alternators, starter motors, and so on).....but the engines just seem to last forever, somehow. Most people seem to rebuild them for more power, not for damage control.

And all the items listed above seemed to wear out at the same time, at about the 10th year of ownership. That's when I was using my Z as a daily driver/sole transportation, everything from three coast-to-coast trips to long-range vacations to daily trips to work and home, year-round. Ten years of constant daily service. It seems the body of the car was created to last for about 10 years. The engines might be eternal.

I'm sure there are documented longevity claims for the L-series engines. I know Irv Gordon's all-original 1966 P1800 Volvo recently ran over his 3 millionth mile, so Datsun/Nissan are sure to have similar stories.

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1970 240Z


Last edited by Frank T on Mon Jul 21, 2014 10:05 pm, edited 3 times in total.

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PostPosted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 9:55 pm 
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Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2014 9:21 am
Posts: 973
Location: Somers CT
Funny you mention the P1800 Volvo . . . . I was torn between a P1800 sport wagon, a Bricklin or a 260Z when I became a believer. :wink:

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W.Karl Walton
Somers CT



75' - 280Z - HLS30203249 - #304 Gold Metallic (stockish)
96' - 300zx TT - JN1CZ24d3TX960293 - Black on Black (enhanced)


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PostPosted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 10:08 pm 
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Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:53 pm
Posts: 14779
Location: CT
Everyone was tempted by the 1800ES. But a certain used one I knew of in 1975 was sold for $8,000. That was a lot of jingle in 1975.
I stayed with my '24-ounce' Datsun.

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1970 240Z


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PostPosted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 11:29 pm 
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Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2014 9:21 am
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Location: Somers CT
Yea well . . . . . . I did end up with a 260Z after all . . . . and I can say honestly I have never wondered if it would have been different. 8)

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W.Karl Walton
Somers CT



75' - 280Z - HLS30203249 - #304 Gold Metallic (stockish)
96' - 300zx TT - JN1CZ24d3TX960293 - Black on Black (enhanced)


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PostPosted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 5:54 am 
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Joined: Thu Nov 01, 2007 2:48 pm
Posts: 1644
Location: Groton, CT
My other vehicle is a 2005 Pathfinder with 141,000. Still going strong, looks new. Slight rust starting under the rear door fender gasket which I will try to stop.

Early Pathfinders had faulty radiators/tranny cooling passage. So I have had the radiator and transmission replaced under warranty around 55k miles. Seems to go through front u-joints every 50-60k miles. Also had the roof repainted under warranty after paint flaked off in the rain channels.

The only things I had to do not covered under warranty was the brake actuator when the brakes locked up and would not release. Luckily just driving on a slow back road. Recently one of four catalytic converters needed replacing. I had the dealer perform the 100k mile service. I do my own oil changes, brakes/rotors, and rear shocks.

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Keith Hultmark
2009 370Z Touring - Sold (5 years owned)
1993 300ZX - Sold (5 years owned)
1976 Porsche 912E. #163 of 2200 - SOLD (3 years owned)
2018 BMW 330i GT xdrive daily driver
2004 BMW Z4 3.0i ….it is a Z


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PostPosted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 9:29 am 
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Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:53 pm
Posts: 14779
Location: CT
["......the brake actuator when the brakes locked up and would not release"] :shock: Holy Crow! Is that a common thing for Pathfinders? Is there a recall for them? I've never heard of that happening to anyone else. What if it happened at speed? Should I start leaving 1/4 mile interval btwn me and any Pathfinder ahead?

["..... one of four catalytic converters needed replacing"]. Does that mean there are FOUR cats on every Pathfinder, or that you've changed the original cat three times?

My impression of the Pathfinders is that they are very solid and reliable, second-cousins to a light tank. You're scarin' me here.... :cry:

Frank T

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1970 240Z


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PostPosted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 8:31 pm 
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Location: Groton, CT
[quote="Frank T"]["......the brake actuator when the brakes locked up and would not release"] :shock: Holy Crow! Is that a common thing for Pathfinders? Is there a recall for them? I've never heard of that happening to anyone else. What if it happened at speed? Should I start leaving 1/4 mile interval btwn me and any Pathfinder ahead?

I was driving along at about 20mph and applied the brakes around a 90 degree bend. I let up on the brakes but they continued to slow me to dead stop. There was no recall or warranty left. Dealer said they never saw that before.

["..... one of four catalytic converters needed replacing"]. Does that mean there are FOUR cats on every Pathfinder, or that you've changed the original cat three times?

There are four cats on the 2005 Pathfinder. There is chatter on the web of these having issues 100k miles . I had one replaced after a check engine light

I still like the Pathfinder even with the issues I had.

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Keith Hultmark
2009 370Z Touring - Sold (5 years owned)
1993 300ZX - Sold (5 years owned)
1976 Porsche 912E. #163 of 2200 - SOLD (3 years owned)
2018 BMW 330i GT xdrive daily driver
2004 BMW Z4 3.0i ….it is a Z


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