How Learning Saxophone in 1990 Led Me To Rescue A Dead Xterra From A Bouncer’s Driveway

I’ve played music since my mother read somewhere (in 1990) that kids who learn to play music score higher on SAT tests. That next fall, when the school year was starting up, she said that each of her children had to play an instrument. I picked the saxophone, since that curved woodwind horn was having a moment in the mid-to-late 80s and early 90s before being pretty much wiped off the face of modern, radio music by Grunge/Alternative Rock in ‘92 with the rise of bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam. 

After sax became less cool with the sea change occurring in popular music, I switched to drums and started a basement band with my brother. And yes, this piece is about cars. Cars, dreams, and the subtle guiding hand of fate. Welcome back to another SWG Adventure, my Autopian friends!

Lightning In A Bottle

That band lasted through my high school years and continued until college. Dreams of getting a record deal, touring, and seeing the West Coast were unrealistic until they weren’t, when, through a random stroke of luck, my brothers and I landed a reality show pilot and were flown to L.A. to film that pilot episode (Part 2 is here). 

That moment in life seemed to be everything that I had always dreamed of. My teenage dreams of being a professional, touring musician (albeit through a very boilerplate reality show) looked like they were about to come true.

That then turned into a full-fledged “Intro Episode” (here are Part 2 & Part 3 in case you were interested in seeing 4 dudes purposely fight with each other via “scripted reality”); we were flying pretty high before we were unceremoniously cancelled. The label wanted to sign a “brother band” and opted for the Jonas Brothers to get the record deal that should’ve gone to the Gossin Brothers. 

Door-slam, meet face. Ouch.

My brothers were offered an opening spot for Taylor Swift on her “Fearless Tour” (the largest tour in the world at the time), which I detailed in my Great Tennessee Jeep Adventure Piece from last summer. I went back to playing music for fun in local bars and decided to pursue my other passion: Backyard Shitbox Rescue. 

That life path change-up brought me here with you, to The Great Land Of Autopia. My wrenching and Rescue exploits caught the eye of one David Tracy, Esquire, and the rest is (written) history on this site. I’ve penned quite a few fun rescue adventures at this point, and I’ve loved every moment, learning experience, friendship, and interaction that this community has afforded me. 

(Note: Well, almost every interaction. One guy wanted to physically fight me over my appreciation of and for the Dodge Nitro. That type of thing has no place within the Great Walls of Autopia and could get you banished from The Realm. Good riddance, Nitro-hater!)

Musical Dreams From The Past And Cars Collide

Years later, my local band was booked at a local bar when one of the bouncers approached me during soundcheck. A slim, long-bearded dude that was a few inches shorter than me and about 10 years my junior, I was immediately impressed that he was paid to manhandle large, drunk, and sometimes violent men. 

I mean, I’m 6 feet tall and 170 pounds, but you couldn’t pay me enough to take on an angry group of 4 guys that showed up on Harleys and that may have been drinking brown liquor and tequila all afternoon with knives in their motorcycle-leather vest pockets. I guess the beard helped him with the intimidation factor. Having balls of steel or a lack of fear helps as well, I suppose.

He told me that he read The Autopian constantly and that he was familiar with my Backyard Shitbox Rescue (Gossin Motors). He said that he had recently gotten a DUI and lost his license and that he was moving to a more walkable, larger city living situation in Charlotte. His non-running 2007 Xterra was forlorn in his driveway, and he had to be out of his rental house by the end of the following week. “$600 and it’s yours if you want it. I’d love for you to fix it up and to see it on the site!” 

First of all, this was the first (and one of the only) times in life that I’ve been recognized outside of Autopia for my writing here at The Autopian, and man, it felt wicked good! Not for vanity or other such self-focused reasons, but because apparently the stories that I found so much fun living and sharing about fixing and rescuing such crappy, shitty, broken cars is apparently is also something that others think is interesting! I will walk with my people. Community, y’all.

So, of course, I immediately agreed to buy the Xterra, sight-unseen. I tuned up my guitar, adjusted the mouthpiece on my sax (we were covering “Who Can It Be Now?” by Men At Work that night), and started the three-hour musical set; I could barely focus on the lyrics and the chord progressions as visions of body-on-frame Xterras kept dancing through my thoughts the whole show. This was going to be awesome!

Recon Run

I met the bouncer the following Monday to have the title signed over, and at this point, I still hadn’t even seen the truck yet! I didn’t really care for the sale price of $600; I figured that I could sell it for parts/scrap for nearly that much without much hassle. A couple of days later, I was able to break free from the weekly slog at my corporate office job and get up to see what I was working with for the first time before work in the early morning. The excitement was palpable.

Watch the above video to get a feel for the moment. Upon opening the door and entering the truck for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised at how clean, upscale, and just nice the interior was, especially after stepping out of my ‘03 Stratus seconds prior. No dig at the Dodge Boys (or technically the Mitsubishi Boys in this case, since the Stratus/Sebring/Avenger coupes are on a Galant platform), but the Xterra has superior materials and fitment. Though it’s also 5 years newer than the Gen 2 Stratus/Sebring Coupes debuted in 2000 as ‘01 models, and the 2nd Gen Xterra showed up much later, in 2005. Much changed in the world of auto/interior design in those five fleeting, quickly passing years (I think I was inebriated for most of them).

Whoa There!

What did concern me was a crankshaft sensor sitting in an opened box in the center console. This is never a good sign. Under the hood, there was also a pigtail to the camshaft sensor that had its wiring pulled back and exposed for testing. Hmmm. 

You always want to overestimate your sellers’ or buyers’ skill level and intelligence. That way, you’re better set up for whatever may come your way that they have left for you (and also possibly left out of the sale and condition details). This opened part box and messed-with camshaft sensor pigtail told me that the seller:

1. Tried to fix the no-start condition by replacing the crankshaft sensor unsuccessfully
2. Knows what a crankshaft/camshaft sensor is and the basics of how engines work
3. Is enough of a self-starter to try to fix this truck on his own
4. Failed with his diagnostics and mental approach to the repair, got frustrated, and sold it to me for $600

I also now know that both the crankshaft sensor and the camshaft sensor are not the problem here, which is both good news and not-so-great news. Crank/Cam sensors are cheap and, most of the time, pretty easy to replace. The massive list of other possibilities that would cause a no-start condition is full of culprits that are harder to tackle. 

The mystery deepened. 

My mind loves a puzzle, especially an automotive one. Since you’re reading this, I’m confident that yours does too. We’ve got this, though; let’s venture on!

“No Code” -Pearl Jam

Breaking out the cheapest possible scan tool that you can buy at Walmart, I checked for codes and found that the seller had just recently cleared them (the System Monitors were in a “Not Ready!” state, which occurs after a code-clear). This tells me that the seller was also potentially a bit shady, and possibly hoping for ease in the facilitation of the sale of the truck by having a “No Codes!” claim be made on his end. On the other hand, maybe there was no malfeasance, and he just cleared the codes and moved on with his long-bearded life.

Although he was perhaps betting that the next buyer would not be knowledgeable about an OBDII “code clear”. 

Basically, he was either just up to no harm or, on the other hand, was hoping to sell it to a non-Autopian, since most of us are baptized in The Great OBDII Liturgy at a young, impressionable age. It could go either way.

If it was out of transgression, he underestimated my (admittedly novice) knowledge level; a rookie mistake. Sadly, this also meant that I had zero insight into what codes were present before the codes were cleared. 

The mystery is now harder to solve.

Let’s Wrrrench! No-Start Condition Diagnostics

I could hear the fuel pump coming on when the key was turned to the “On!” position, so I knew that there wasn’t an issue with fuel delivery to the rail, nor with Security or such. The starter engaged and the engine spun, so there were no mechanical issues with the rotating assembly or the starter (or at least as much as can be derived without ignition). This was getting both easier and more difficult simultaneously: for each common culprit that was taken off the table, there were less possible causes remaining.

Knowing now that this no-start condition was not fuel pump-related, nor was it the crank or camshaft sensors, and that I was now the second semi-knowledgeable automotive mind to try and crack this issue, it was becoming clear to me that this wasn’t a simple, everyday, common issue. 

The next test is for spark, since engines need three basic things to run: fuel, spark, and compression. A compression issue seemed the least likely (since that would be the result of a mechanical failure), so a spark test was attempted (remove coil pack and plug and place upon a metal, grounded surface) and failed. Eureka!

The failed spark test confirmed the general issue, yet it opened up another sub-realm of possibilities for the cause. Was it a bad ground? A short in the wiring harness? There were many, many possible “Known Unknowns” along with a few possible “Unknown Unknowns” (as the famous pacifist and hyper-relatable, peace-loving, hippie flower child and man-of-the-people Donald Rumsfeld coined back in 2003). This was moving away from my Backyard Shitbox Rescue skill set and into the realm of something that would need a professional garage with an expensive scan tool and a wiring diagram. 

Balls.

You Have To Know When To Fold ‘Em -K. Rogers

Diagnostic Fees are generally looked upon quite negatively as an added charge to a repair bill and just one of a litany of charges usually listed. In my opinion, they are the most valuable. Knowing exactly what the issue is before wasting time on parts and labor is the most important part of setting up any repair. It doesn’t matter if you have a golden wrench; if you’re misdiagnosing and fixing items that aren’t broken/in need of repair, you’re losing, mate.

I called the local shop that I’ve been using for the past 9 years to see if they could give me a solid diagnosis, and they agreed. They aren’t cheap, but they do the job right the first time, and that’s an incredible peace of mind for a guy like me who lives in a semi-state of automotive malfunction.

I called a cheap, local $75 tow and followed the car to the shop after work that evening:

The next morning, I received a call from the shop owner, who is a friend of mine, telling me that he downloaded all the associated wiring diagrams for the spark for that truck and found it to have a bad PCM. His electrical diagnostic time wasn’t cheap, but I was confident that he was accurate. A fair price to pay for peace of mind and actionable knowledge.

Let’s Wrench!: PCM Retrieval

That following Saturday morning, I headed to one of my favorite places on earth: The local Pick & Pull. A $2 Entry Fee and about 12 minutes later, I was standing in the engine bay of a Gen 2 Xterra on a very, very cold morning, doing this:

Under an hour and about $38 later, I have a replacement PCM! Was it any good? Unknown! But what was known was that it had the donor truck’s VIN and digital info inside of it and needed to be flashed to my truck’s info. Also, Nissan wanted $1,100 for the replacement PCM.

“Nope!” –me

Next Steps:

1. Join Facebook Group for Xterras
2. Ask who amongst them flashes PCMs
3. Get answer
4. Send my PCMs to that dude for flashing

Note: Big props to all the helpful, kind, knowledgeable people out there (like the above forum folk) who keep this hobby alive. They are the antithesis of all the shady assholes out there that pull the culture and hobby in a less righteous direction. Thank you, Good People.

One trip to the USPS with both my trucks’ PCM and the junkyard unit, one 10-day wait, and I had a flashed and tested PCM in my hands! I quickly plugged it in and was met by the sweetest first-start symphony that a Nissan VQ can conjure. This dude was wicked pumped!

Getting (It) Started Is Just The Start

As every Autopian knows, once you get a project started, the “To-Do List” immediately grows exponentially. I drove the truck home from the shop (for the first time; it felt great) and parked it in my driveway, feeling super proud about bringing it back to life. It rewarded me with some nasty-ass driveway oil stains the next morning. Crap.

It turned out that the valve covers were petrified and “Valdez-ing,” badly:

I got most of the above valve cover gasket job done on the first night of approach, but called it a night after exhaustion set it and finished up the following evening:

The valve covers were successfully replaced, and the oil ceased to flow out of the engine and onto my driveway: I’ll call that a solid win. 

Let’s Wrench! Fuel Sending Unit

The next (and last) item that I noticed was broken after bringing this hoss back to life was the non-functioning fuel gauge. It actually populated a code (Note: this scan photo was before I repaired the cam Sensor pigtail):

This one was a bit of a bear since you have to drop the tank to replace the sending unit. The sending unit is cheap and widely available, but the rest is not fun:

Semi-Pro tip: The less gas in the tank when you drop it means less of a chance you’ll blow yourself up and less weight when you have to bench press it back into the truck!

Once the tank was back in the truck, she was officially at a “Gossin Motors Backyard Shitbox Rescue”-level of refurbished and was ready to go! It was a great feeling, and I went back into my Evil Wrenching Lair and celebrated with a Stanley Tucci Negroni. Sláinte!

The truck looked great except for one thing: The mismatched and worn tires. 

“No Room” -The Samples

Parking spaces are gold over here at The Evil Wrenching Lair (which resides under that volcano in Wilmington, NC), so she was promptly put up for sale. I washed, vacuumed, and cleaned the truck up to a level that was impressive to my shitbox-trained eye and posted it for sale on Marketplace.

48 hours later, it was sold to a smart young lady and her father! That was fast. They were in the market looking for something that was:

1. Definitely not from an American brand (they had been burned before by The Domestics)
2. A 4×4 for beach-wheelin’ on the North End (Carolina Beach allows vehicles on the sand)
3. Something cute (her words and sentiment)
4. Something clean and in good mechanical shape

They did make a remark that they very, very much disliked the mismatched, worn tires on the truck though, as we parted ways and they drove off into the horizon.

When One Path Stops, Engage 4-Low And Keep Truckin’

I think that to a certain degree, there are things in life that occur due to fate. I wouldn’t have been at the same bar as the bouncer who was selling the Xterra if I weren’t performing music there. I wouldn’t have gotten the gig if the (scripted) reality pilot had worked out, nor if my wonderful mother (shout-out to my mom!) hadn’t made me learn to play music in the first place in 1990.

Jason’s Changli was shipped into the Port of Wilmington years ago, which prompted me to email David & Jason cold with an offer to help load it, since that’s literally in my neighborhood. My pivot towards rescuing old cars and away from music was part of the initial reason those two dudes welcomed me here to write this and other stories the past couple of years.

I’m not going to say some boiler-plate, tired line about the universe working in mysterious ways or such here, because not all stories have happy endings, and I like to tread in reality. Just always be mindful that there are other doors to pass through and a wide realm of future possibilities before you, even after a door slams shut in your face. 

It might not be immediately evident, nor what you initially envisioned, but in my case, I truly found happiness in this path. I’m not so sure that I would’ve found the same happiness in the fake-drama reality television world of 2005 if things had gone differently and that pathway had opened up.

I really enjoyed my time with that Xterra and learned quite a bit about the truck along the way. It’s one of the few body-on-frame 4x4s that you can find very cheaply and easily on Facebook Marketplace in every town with good looks and cheap, plentiful parts availability. It checks many boxes for this guy and is quite a handsome truck to boot. I find myself looking for it in traffic around The Cape Fear, as its charm found a way into my heart (few cars do). Hopefully it wasn’t felled by the affliction that takes many an Xterra away from us drivers: The Strawberry Milkshake Of Death.

May each of us have the wisdom to choose the best path that lies before us. 

Should that initial choice be incorrect, know there are others that will open up. Perhaps the key to opening them up is something from years ago, from your past. 

Those future paths may not be immediately evident and clearly laid out to you wherever you may be in your travels on this day, but they are still there, waiting for you and for your tomorrows.

88 mph into the future.

More SWG below.

All photos and top graphic images: Stephen Walter Gossin

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