[gr8wall]

Thought you guys may want to see some pics of my MO.

http://www.nissanmurano.org/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=8347&thumb=1

Also here are some of my thoughts on some of the installs.

Front Bumper Tube: Pain in the ass to get a torque wrench in to properly torque w/o removing bumper. I did it by jamming it in, thank god I didn't break anything.

Draw tite hitch: also a pain to torque, exhaust had to be lowered from middle also to allow clearance for big torque wrench.

go rhino hitch step with drawtite j-pin lock: holes were too close together on the step for j-pin to work had to plug up a hole so the jpin would work properly (rattle wise).

Tinted tails: I like the look, but people have commented on the safety factor. For those people who want it done choose a light tint instead of a med tint, which is what I got.

PIAA bulbs (194,7440,7443): wanted to overcome the loss of light caused by the tinted tails, But these extreme bulbs which are 6 watts more than OEM from PIAA are [email protected] Stick with the stock ones they are brighter. waste of money.

NISMO radiator cap: cost me $36 but it works, the car engine runs cooler. You can save $ by buying a 300zx cap for ~$12.

Pianted door guards: Pretty easy. But from pictures taken from front angles it looks crooked, they are in fact straight. If I had to do these again, I would take measurements from the bottom of the windows and match slant from the windows, so the front would be lower and it would slant higher to the back of the MO.

I think thats it. sorry for long post.

 

[HwnMurano]

gr8wall,

That's some awesome mods that you made there! and very cool looking as well. It must feel real good to know that no Bozo is going to be able to dent your front or rear bumpers; it's more likely that they'll cause severe damage to their own vehicle from the looks of your pics!

I'm looking into buying side mouldings as well. Where did you buy them from? IMHO, your installation looks just fine! I feel that that the side mouldings should be aligned with the lower horizontal indentation on the doors and also the door handles, which is seems to be exactly what you did.

 

[Eric L.]

The Nismo radiator cap might have a higher pressure to make your vehicle run cooler, but that might not translate to better performance. Newer cars run hotter than before (I think the Murano's thermostat is in the 190-200 range vs older cars have 170-180 degree thermostats.) The higher temperature is for increased efficiency of combustion, so I have been told. I know for a fact that Nissan has engineered a fantastic cooling system for their VQ engines - I've driven my 97 Maxima in 120 temps all day long with the AC on full and the needle never wavered from the "dot"

On the Murano, and I think Nissan did this for psychological effect, the needle never goes beyond half way (note the dot near the needle base).

 

[gr8wall]

Thanx guys for the replies.

I bought almost all this stuff out of need and a little late I might add.
I have a nice door scratch on the side, some scratches on the rear bumper and someone dented my plate, so I said enough of this bull and got some armour for my MO. I live in NYC so parallel parking is a must and pull in spaces are tight. There are so many idiots out here who just don't give a crap about their rides or other people's property.

As for the radiator cap, I been reading on the web where it helps the most is on a hot day running up a hill, it will do a better job keeping the engine from over heating. I don't know the science behind this so if someone would like to share his knowledge on coolant system with increased pressure, I would appreciate that.

 

[Eric L.]

Info on radiator cap:

To prevent overheating and coolant loss, cooling systems are pressurized raising the coolant's boiling point about 3-degrees F for each additional psi above atmospheric pressure. The cooling system is pressurized as the engine warms up and the coolant expands. The radiator cap's pressure relief valve allows pressure to build up to a specified level, then lets excess pressure to escape. In an "open" systems found in older vehicles, excess pressure escapes to the atmosphere through an overflow tube. As the system cools, air enters through the overflow tube and coolant is lost. Therefore, "closed" or reservoir cooling systems are used in later model vehicles. Here, as the coolant expands it goes through the over- flow tube into a reservoir. The radiator cap now serves as a vacuum relief and siphon valve allowing coolant to be siphoned back into the radiator as the engine cools and the coolant contracts.


Radiator caps also serve as pressure relief valve to prevent excessive pressure in the cooling system after the engine is turned off. Unchecked high pressure could cause damage to the radiator, heater core, hoses or water pump seal. The pressure cap also prevents radiator hoses and tanks from collapsing due to the partial vacuum which would be created if air was unable to enter.

 

[pcs15394]

gr8wall

Your installs look really good. I wish I could press a button when I park and have an armored igloo come down over the Murano. You're right, most people could care less about your property. I've taken to parking in the back 40 wherever I go and when I come out I still usually have someone parked right next to me.

 

[gr8wall]

hwnmurano,

didn't forget about you, I got the side mouldings from dawn enterprises. You need to provide a business name and they will give you the wholesale price. I believe they will not sell retail. There are other posts on the subject in this forum, just do a search.