Nissan Patrol 4x4 (Africa)

Hi All,

My Patrol recently developed an identity crisis........started leaking oil onto my garage floor, it suddenly seems to think that it is a Land Rover!!!

Anyway, some investigation revealed that the rear crankcase oil seal is leaking, and needs to be replaced. Since my 4.2 has a turbo fitted, I figure that it is a good idea to eliminate high oil temps as a possible reason for premature failure of the oil seal, so I want to fit an oil cooler.

Can anyone who has been through this process before point me in the right direction in terms of what I need? As far as I am aware the conversion will entail the fitting of a sandwich adapter at one of the oil filters, and then using some hydraulic couplings and piping to connect to the new oil cooler.

My main questions:

1. Are sandwich adapters universal, and if not how do I figure out / specify what I need?
2. Bearing in mind that space is somewhat limited (by winch and front mounted inter-cooler), what size oil cooler do I need?
3. Which oil filter is the best one to use to fit the sandwich adapter to?
4. Are there any Cape Town suppliers for the above, or will I need something ex JHB?

Any advice appreciated.

Many thanks,

Ross

Hey Ross
The sandwich type are a good idea,the best for your car.If Pieter pick up this thread,he will tell you about suppliers with fotos.
Rdgs

Ross

Have a look here http://www.patrol4x4.co.za/viewtopic.ph ... 3&start=40 This was my write-up about my oil cooler conversion andsome answers I posted to Peter Connan. Pictures are on page 5 I think.

Question 1. My oil cooler is mounted at the rear of my front bumper below the winch at the bottom - on top of a bash "plate" I had fitted as well to force airflow through the cooler and not to let it pass underneath the cooler or car. It is well protected and there is 3 holes cut in the bumper where the oil cooler sits.

Question 2. It is connected to the engine at the oil filter with a sandwich adapter - it is a special adapter that you buy that fits onto your engine block where your oil filter sits and then the oil filter screws back onto the sandwich adapter.

Question 3. I am measuring the oil pressure and oil temperature at the sandwich adapter. It comes standard with 2 threaded holes on the sides that are blanked off - it is made for the VDO type temp and pressure senders. I had to buy an additional VDO pressure gauge as the Madman can only do one pressure reading and I am already measuring boost. In hind sight I would have preffered to have this the other way around. The oil temperature is incorporated with the Madman monitor. (I will post pics later).

Question 4. Cost ????? Do I ask you how many times a week you have sex just kidding!!!! The oil cooler (25 row) was R1700 with postage and packaging because I ordered it from JHB, the sandwich adapter was R450-00, the VDO pressure gauge, VDO pressure sender unit and the oil temperature unit was R1100 and the piping (roughly estimated at 4 metres) was R1500 - but they did the fitment as well because that way I could hold them responsible for any leaks - which did happen at the first start up. And then it took another 3,5 litres of oil (I use Delo 400 which is quite expensive). All in all it was just under R5000.

Question 5. I used the braided steel hoses - again more expensive but much more durable than rubber hoses.

Regards

Ross wrote: My main questions:

1. Are sandwich adapters universal, and if not how do I figure out / specify what I need?
2. Bearing in mind that space is somewhat limited (by winch and front mounted inter-cooler), what size oil cooler do I need?
3. Which oil filter is the best one to use to fit the sandwich adapter to?
4. Are there any Cape Town suppliers for the above, or will I need something ex JHB?

Ross

I have a brand new genuine original Nissan rear main crankseal for your spesific motor I had bought from Nissan in Dubai - it was the wrong size for my engine as mine is factory turbo'ed which meant it has bigger crank. That I only found out after I bought it. It is the exact same size as the one fitted to Frans's old 4.2 motor - which was also a n/a 4.2 I paid R1000-00 for it including cost to get it here. Just for in case you have not got one yet - its available.

To answer your questions:

Question 1. Yes they are - I bought mine from the place there next to Kosie Swanepoel. (R550-00) They did not have stock on oil coolers and after a week not coming to light I ordered one from Universal coolers in JHB - R1500-00.

Question 2. Go check on Universal coolers website - they give you the dimensions of the different oil coolers. I used a 25-row oil cooler - it is not very big (check photos) and I will not recommend going much smaller either - you might be defeating the purpose of it.

Question 3. You still use the normal oil filter that fits onto your engine - I still use the gud filter (I think it is Z292)

Question 4. You can get everything from the guys next to Kosie Swanepoel's place - otherwise you can also get everything from Universal coolers in Jhb i they don't have stock.

The pipes (I used braided hoses) you can have made up at Omar's piping in Stikland.

Give me a shout if you need more help /info - I can go dig out my invoices and give you more exact figures names and telephone numbers. Hope this helps you.

Regards

Hi Pieter,

Many thanks for getting back to me! I found your previous thread just after I posted my query, and found it very useful! Thanks!

Pity I didn`t know about your spare oil seal earlier, as I just bought one new from Nissan a few days ago.

In the mean time I have ordered a sandwich adapter and oil cooler from Mr Turbo in JHB. The oil cooler is sized 200 x300 x50 and cost R800, and the sandwich adapter R 395, so I think thats not too bad....just hope the quality is okay. It should arrive here in the next day or two, then I will get a hydraulics shop in Paardeneiland to make up the hoses and fittings. Since I only have an analogue EGT gauge, I think I will invest in two vdo gauges so that I can monitor oil temp and pressure that way.

Thanks again for the inputs.

Cheers,

Ross

What is interesting is that my son's 2000 Kia Sportage has an oil cooler between the block and the filter and the cooler is connected to the water system.

Ross if I may stick my oar in again...
I would definately prefer to use a Madman or similar, particularly for oil pressure. The reason I say this is that a drop in oil pressure needs immediate action in order to save your engine from very expensive damage, and a Madman can be set to give an audible alarm. If one of the pipes to the oil cooler bursts or chafes through, you will have only a couple of seconds to save your engine. In this situation a gauge is useless unless you happen to be watching it all the time.

A sudden and total drop in oil pressure often results in a broken con-rod poking through the side of the block less than five seconds later.

Ross wrote:Hi Pieter,

Pity I didn`t know about your spare oil seal earlier, as I just bought one new from Nissan a few days ago.

Ross

Ross

If I may ask - what did Nissan charge for the seal - if I remember correctly they quoted me around +- R1500-00 - but there was nothing available in the country. That's why I went the Dubai route.

That's not a bad price for the oil cooler and adapter compared to what I paid - size also sounds verysimilar to mine. Sure hope the quality is up to standard. Did they say how many rows there is in the cooler??

Keep us posted - would like to see your outcome as well.

Hi Pieter,

I don`t have the invoice in front of me, but yes it was about R1500 for the seal. Lucky there was stock at the factory, so I just had to wait three days. If it was ex-japan I was told it would be 3 weeks

While everything is apart I`m also fitting new engine and gearbox mounts, and a new uprated clutch.

I think the cooler is 19 row if I remember correctly, which is slightly less than yours. They had a 30 row option, but the size then becomes difficult to find space for fitting....and I think the size of the 19 row one should provide adequate cooling. Time will tell!

My winch is out of the vehicle at the moment until I get time to fix it, so I will probably go for a temporary fitment and then look at doing something similar to your arrangement once the winch is back in. With the front mounted IC and with winch in place there aren`t too many options of where to place the oil cooler!

I`ll keep you posted on how it all turns out!

Cheers,

Ross

Ross

Have you seen the posting for the Patrol 60th B-day - we (Capies) are getting together 24 Sept @ Atlantis dunes - please come if you can and add your name to the list.