Patrol 3.0l diesel questions

[Francois Theron]

This might have been asked before so please bear with me.

I enjoy my GU 4.5 for many reasons, but the fuel consumption is high. Which is fine for the times I use it.

But for more "general " use, the better fuel consumption of the 3.0l will be preferable. Quite often I only need the space and comfort of the Patrol and not necessarily the off road ability.

Now the question, what is the 3.0l like in general use? On road driveability, fuel consumption and reliability. I am obviously talking about the CRD engine.

And BTW, the 4.5 is going nowhere, the 3.0l will be added

[graham1]

I just recently got myself a CRD.
In terms of drivability, theres no getting away from it, it does feel pap in town, and I find Im stirring the gears quite a bit. However, that said, Im starting to realize that maybe its only feeling pap to me, as, most of the time when I leave the traffic lights I am ahead of the car next to me, so, the initial feeling that I had that Im holding traffic up isnt true. So, as I say, maybe its just feeling more pap to me than it actually is. It could be that I used to have a rather powerful td42t, and the differences in feel is huge there!
One day when theres money again I'll get the exhaust done though, apparently theres a marked improvement with that.

Open road its a dream though, mine has an aftermarket cruise control fitted, I put it in 5th, set to 110 and just cruise.

Fuel consumption has been good so far, im getting 9km/l. However I want to take the roof rack off, so that might help things a bit.

In terms of reliability, well, Im holding thumbs its good!

[Peter Connan]

I have never owned one, and have only driven a bakkie that had already been touched by Michael.

However, a few years ago I came back from the River Trip in convoy with Josh in his CRD and Tinus in his 4.8.

My 4.5 GQ just could not keep up.

[mvcoller]

Mine is ALWAYS loaded and fitted with a RTT and a small roof rack in front of the RTT. I mostly use it for my safari business and when the wife and I go on camping breaks.

My turbo's bearings/bushes went and the shaft was running noisily in the housing. After a turbo overhaul, it felt really dead, so i fitted a 76mil pipe from the turbo to the tail piece and fitted a front mount, larger intercooler. That still did not bring back the performance.

So the only way to get it tuned to run as it should was te fit a chip. There is just no other way. I had that done and also had a Madman fitted. That restored the original power and although it could be tweaked for higher output, that is not what I wanted to achieve. It is now back to what it was and the best I got from it was 10.8lt per hundred, fully loaded with RTT and roof rack on a safari in Northern Namibia.

When on our private camping trips, towing my Bushwakka Shorti and 4 people up, I run about 12 to 14 lt per 100km. On safari in sand etc it runs around 12 to 13 lt per 100 and the worst I ever got is in and around the city on the one occasions my wife used it to work when her Tazz was in for service or repairs. Then the consumption was 18lt per 100. Its lifetime average is 14.3lt per 100km according to my records kept on www.feully.com (https://www.fuelly.com/car/nissan/patro ... ler/445418)

I normally try to drive at 100 to 110kph, but without cruise control, when I look again, I am doing 125 or more, even when towing. I find best fuel consumption is attained at 110kph. At that speed she also nearly never needs a down-gear up hills. Down to 100kph the hill-climbing ability is acceptable. Any slower that 100, it is often 4th and at worst 3rd.

The biggest issue I have is the enormous gap between 3rd and 4th, specially in town or in game reserves. You'll cruise slowly in third and eventually change into 4th only to find that the revs had dropped so far, that you have to gear back to 3rd. Only if you push it beyond 3200/3300 in 3rd, is it OK to change to 4th. At 3300, you drop about 800/900rpm going into 4th... not good. it is not a nice vehicle to drive in traffic, it is big, cumbersome and not exactly a pocket rocket when you want that extra squirt of power on demand!

[Dungbeetle]

I just recently got myself a CRD.
In terms of drivability, theres no getting away from it, it does feel pap in town, and I find Im stirring the gears quite a bit. However, that said, Im starting to realize that maybe its only feeling pap to me, as, most of the time when I leave the traffic lights I am ahead of the car next to me, so, the initial feeling that I had that Im holding traffic up isnt true. So, as I say, maybe its just feeling more pap to me than it actually is. It could be that I used to have a rather powerful td42t, and the differences in feel is huge there!
One day when theres money again I'll get the exhaust done though, apparently theres a marked improvement with that.

Open road its a dream though, mine has an aftermarket cruise control fitted, I put it in 5th, set to 110 and just cruise.

Fuel consumption has been good so far, im getting 9km/l. However I want to take the roof rack off, so that might help things a bit.

In terms of reliability, well, Im holding thumbs its good!

Opposite here which confirms your "It could be that I used to have a rather powerful td42t,"

I have 2 Patrols - a 2000 4.2D non turbo with 850 000km - I think I am used to it by now

My 2014 CRD has 121 000 km on - in comparison to the old girl this one feels like a pocket rocket...

+ the comments from mvcoller is spot on (except the driving in traffic part - I love driving mine in traffic : others make way very quickly....)

[graham1]

Opposite here which confirms your "It could be that I used to have a rather powerful td42t,"

I have 2 Patrols - a 2000 4.2D non turbo with 850 000km - I think I am used to it by now

My 2014 CRD has 121 000 km on - in comparison to the old girl this one feels like a pocket rocket...

+ the comments from mvcoller is spot on (except the driving in traffic part - I love driving mine in traffic : others make way very quickly....)

Funny enough, when my 4.2 was still a non turbo, I really didn’t mind it in town. It had that low down torque which was actually perfect. I find the 3.0 really lacks that and, as Malcolm says, makes it difficult to take a gap etc in traffic.

I have nightmares of that 4.2 non turbo climbing the hills from Harties to jhb though. Man. That was rough. Something the 3.0l does very well. Even overtaking others up the hill.
Can’t wait for the exhaust now that I’m thinking of it.

[Reenen]

Mine is ALWAYS loaded and fitted with a RTT and a small roof rack in front of the RTT. I mostly use it for my safari business and when the wife and I go on camping breaks.

My turbo's bearings/bushes went and the shaft was running noisily in the housing. After a turbo overhaul, it felt really dead, so i fitted a 76mil pipe from the turbo to the tail piece and fitted a front mount, larger intercooler. That still did not bring back the performance.

So the only way to get it tuned to run as it should was te fit a chip. There is just no other way. I had that done and also had a Madman fitted. That restored the original power and although it could be tweaked for higher output, that is not what I wanted to achieve. It is now back to what it was and the best I got from it was 10.8lt per hundred, fully loaded with RTT and roof rack on a safari in Northern Namibia.

When on our private camping trips, towing my Bushwakka Shorti and 4 people up, I run about 12 to 14 lt per 100km. On safari in sand etc it runs around 12 to 13 lt per 100 and the worst I ever got is in and around the city on the one occasions my wife used it to work when her Tazz was in for service or repairs. Then the consumption was 18lt per 100. Its lifetime average is 14.3lt per 100km according to my records kept on www.feully.com (https://www.fuelly.com/car/nissan/patro ... ler/445418)

I normally try to drive at 100 to 110kph, but without cruise control, when I look again, I am doing 125 or more, even when towing. I find best fuel consumption is attained at 110kph. At that speed she also nearly never needs a down-gear up hills. Down to 100kph the hill-climbing ability is acceptable. Any slower that 100, it is often 4th and at worst 3rd.

The biggest issue I have is the enormous gap between 3rd and 4th, specially in town or in game reserves. You'll cruise slowly in third and eventually change into 4th only to find that the revs had dropped so far, that you have to gear back to 3rd. Only if you push it beyond 3200/3300 in 3rd, is it OK to change to 4th. At 3300, you drop about 800/900rpm going into 4th... not good. it is not a nice vehicle to drive in traffic, it is big, cumbersome and not exactly a pocket rocket when you want that extra squirt of power on demand!

Hoekom was die krag weg na die turbo vervanging? Het jy n kleiner of sub standaard turbo opgesit?
Krag moet mos nie verdwyn as jy dit met regte spec turbo vervang??

[Michael]

Reenen ek dink die groot probleem is wanneer die ouens die turbo oor bou stel hulle nie altyd die vnt gedeelte van die turbo reg op nie. Daar is twee verstellings, een op die actuator shaft en een so klein verstel skroef wat die vnt gedeelte stel. As jy dit nie spot on het nie gaan jy sukkel.
Die ouens wat slimmer as ek is se jy moenie aan die actuator stel nie, anders gaan jy net bollie aan jaag

[mvcoller]

Exactly as Michael says.

My mechanic that sent the turbo away for the overhaul suspected that it what happened. He said to get the vane variation right again, is nigh on impossible.

The only two options were a new turbo or a chip with a Madman.

[Reenen]

Dit is simpel. So turbo boost nou nooit weer reg nie?

Nou n vraag: met die chip, probeer die chip met ekstra diesel reg maak waar die turbo nie reg boost nie? Dit klink net nie reg nie. Of verstaan ek dit mis?