Nissan Patrol 4x4 (Africa)

Hi guys
I would like to request some assistance from the resident experts on the forum, I have a 2002 hardbody 3.0td zd30 td and here's what happened, I was driving on the N14 yesterday cruising at 120 as normal, all is going well until about 25 km's later. The engine lost power and I looked into my rear view mirror only to notice I was concealing the highway in white smoke like something out of a James Bond movie

I immediately pulled over and the motor was idling very rough like I lost a cylinder. Needless to say I got a tow home and this morning proceeded to check for possible causes, my first check was the turbo and I felt for any play on the turbine wheel but all seems well.

I then checked for any coolant in the oil, nothing, oil is free of any coolant. I also checked the coolant level and I can't seem to find what is causing the rough idle. From reading on the Aussie forums it sounds like the famous grenade symptoms, hole in piston 3. My next check will be a compression test and then I will take it from there

Can or has any member on the forum experienced similar symptoms or have some advice for me on what I could be in for

Thanks in advance

Hi Quintin

Alex here.
I am very sorry to hear this, and I'm afraid the symptoms are pretty much exactly what I experienced when my ZD30 grenaded.
White smoke, yes definitely. Shaking enjin, because only three pistons work.

What to do about it is where the debate is.
All that can be said about it, I think has been said on this forum.
Your choice whether to rebuild or replace, and if replace, with what....
What you are prepared to spend, and whether you intend to drive the car or sell it afterwards...
I chose to drive my car after fixing it, and therefore decided to replace with something I can trust, and gave me the performance that I wanted.
But I am not going to try and convince you of anything. What you end up doing is still your personal choice

Best of luck

Hi Alex

Thanks for the reply, I have actually bought a navara last week and I was planning on selling this one, she has given me so much pleasure and I don't think I will get it over my heart to sell to a scapyard so I might fix her up and send her off to a good home

I will shop around to see if I can rebuild, I just hope there isn't too much damage, hopefully I can just replace pistons injectors and glow plugs if necessary

If you have any leads on a reliable company that can assist with the rebuild I will really appreciate it, I will have to start shopping around tomorrow to see if I can find spares, I don't really want to pull the motor but the space inside the compartment is very limited

Anyways thanks again

Cheers

SAC Diesel Centurion can be recommended (i.e. Steve's Auto Clinic)

Just a warning: Once you hav fixed her up, you might grow attached to her and reconsider selling....

Hi Quintin,

Jammer om van jou skade te hoor. Hoop jy kom gou weer reg om daai Harbody op die pad te kty.

Sterkte ou maat

Koop n kompleet motor by jap auto trading in jet park hulle het laas hardbody motors gehad ......sorry om te hoor van jou teespoed

Contact me on oh eight four o 84 87 five five and we can talk.. Cost wize the jap import for the hard body is best option.
As Tinus suggested.
If you decide to overhaul its own engine, go for the "more power" option... Alternatives are the 2,7 Terrano engine (Not the 2,7 Hardbody one) or the 2,5 as in Navara or even the QD32
If it were me??? I would put the jap import but let Wessel replace the pistons rings before install

Hi quintin,

Suggest you call Gerard, the workshop manager at SAC in centurion. He used to have a a very strong diesel hardbody and knows them very well.


Good luck.

Dankie manne

Ek waardeer al die advies so ver, ek het vandag weer gedink oor die probleme wat ek nou het, toe onthou ek ek het diesel ingegooi voordat ek gery het. Sowat 20 km later het die bakkie gebreek, ek het met n diesel mechanic friend gepraat vandag en vir hom n video gestuur van hoe die bakkie idle en hy is oortuig ek sit met een of meer foutiwe injectors, of injector pomp, toe ek hom vertel ek het n kort rukkie voor dit diesel ingegooi toe se hy vir my dit klink of ek dodgy diesel gekry het

Hy sal oor die naweek deur kom om na die engine te kom kyk, ek hou maar duim as dit net n foutiewe injector kan wees, maar ons sal maar sien

Ons gaan begin met n compression toets en van daar af werk

Sal julle op hoogte hou

Groete daar