Nissan Patrol 4x4 (Africa)

Did the oil change last week. No internet and could not find anything on oil spec in the manual (maybe I should have looked harder) anyway after getting the run around on the filters and juggling a 2.5 year old who loves touching things... when it came to oil I just pointed... at Caltrol 25W50 because it said for older type turbo diesels.

I did notice it is very thick when I put it.

The engine sounded very rough for the first few minutes after start-up and smoked a bit and was down on power. Now she is fine, and I did a 300km run pulling hard the whole way and the engine sounded fine (maybe better than before). Oil pressure used to be on the low side... how under load oil pressure is half way up the gauge and it used to at a 1/4 (cannot remember the units now).

Given it is coming in to summer... but it gets used more for long trips... and that oil is not even in the troll td42t oil recommendations. Should I do an early oil change and change to 15W40 as I used before (I think) it will be 2000km before I can do this anyway or just push on to the 5000km mark that will be coming into winter.

I used to think mostly 15W40 is used on the 4.2 diesels.
But some seem to favour 20W40. The oil you used is thicker when cold which may explain the rougher sound at start?

See this:
http://www.patrol4x4.com/forum/engine-d ... sel-65843/

I never heard of oil being changed too frequently, so don't see the problem of changing after only 2000km. Except the cost of course.
But while you are at it, why not do an engine flush as well?
I am considering this for my next oil change. This is because I find the oil turning from gold to dark quite quickly.

Will it damage the engine? Should I do an oil change again before 5000km? Is the highish oil pressure bad news?

Its the schlep factor rather than the cost. I don't have all my tools and workshop stuff in Namibia with me. I am also away during the week and only home on week-ends. That makes getting someone to service it for me a major issue. For the auto-electricians I basically had to have it towed there and take a day off work to pick it up.

Actually now it runs fine on start-up. It was just after the service that it sounded a bit strange for a while.

The way I see it the 25W should be fine as long at it is not freezing.

Biggles - unless you let the engine work exhaustively very hard [moer hard oor-eis] keep that oil in till next DUE oil change.
Then start on Caltex Dulo 400 [not gold .. ] It keeps your engine optimum and never sludge your sump.
Are you using two strok in your diesel ... or do you still doubt ?

Looking at the workshop manual, you should be OK at temperatures above 0C.

As far as flushing goes, I believe it has gone out of favour somewhat. From what I understand it is better to replace your oil with some "cheap" engine oil, run it for a very short period (couple of times around the block), then drain it and put in the good stuff.

Peter Connan wrote:Looking at the workshop manual, you should be OK at temperatures above 0C.

As far as flushing goes, I believe it has gone out of favour somewhat. From what I understand it is better to replace your oil with some "cheap" engine oil, run it for a very short period (couple of times around the block), then drain it and put in the good stuff.

Maybe I will treat this as a flush. Thick oil picks stuff up better.

No towing in the near future and unless to take 129km/h cruising speed as had work we should be OK.

You should be fine with that oil.... especially if the weather get more to the hotter side of things. The high/er oil pressure I'm assuming is only in the first few Km when the engine is cold and the oil isn't up to running temp. No damage will happen to the motor and the oil pressure will hit its max and the pressure regulator ( at the rear of the block on the passenger side will allow any excess pressure bypass back into the sump.

So.... don't stress, in 5000Km give a service to your trusty steed!!

Yes dont stress to much about it, your engine will be fine till 5,000km if you want to wait. Use Caltex Delo 400 next time you service...... its the right oil for tje 4.2D

So I decided to change the oil after 3000km. Delo 400 in. I suspect the morning slow crank is due to the thick oil. I crank and you can hear it picking up speed until it gets up enough compression....

Immediate difference. Still a bit slow to fire but not as bad. And more power... if that makes sense!!

So did the oil change and started the punch list of things that need doing when it goes into the shop:
Turbo internal waste gate repair
Install Brad Harrison Plug for caravan
Increase wire thickness to rear Hella Plugs
Replaces patched oil cooler line... that is when I realised they will probably have to drain the oil to do that job.

Just for interest sake. The dealers use shell helix 15W40