Motivation behind ZD30 Survey

Hi scottcamp it would help if you put in the post number of the survey you are doing.
But as far as the Nisan four cylinder diesel problems. they are very well covered just google it and there will plenty of info.

Unsubstantiated ??????????????
what would you call substantiated ?

Scottcamp, you will find many turkeys on this forum who take great delight in kicking Nissan owners, as well as Nissan owners who take great delight in kicking 3.0 patrol owners.

Many of these people wouldn't have a clue about the real cause of these angine failures and are simply rumour spreaders.

There is a big myth that the "oil jets that squirt oil up around the engine block got broken off during assembly" and is some of the funniest rubbish I've heard. How this causes holes in piston 3 or 4 has me buggered.

Of course these same people are our bestest buddy when it comes time to defend the cause against the anti 4WD hysteria that is flying around.

Anyway, I have responded to your survey. Good luck with it and well done for making an effort.

Cheers,

Muzz

Don't know anything about your survey, but we have a 1/2002 model, has got to 100,000 OK. We are heading off across the Nullabor again (it's 3rd trip) and on to Tasmania pulling a heavy caravan - that should really tax the motor. I too have heard "2nd hand" reports of the later models blowing up, but not 1st hand. My husband asks how many of the ones that have blown (any model) have been used for towing or not - does this increase the risk?

so where is the survey?

Unsubstantiated, well my mate would probably disagree when his ZD30 went pear shaped and dropped number 1 cylinder late last year 10 km out of Yalata, SA after noticing a lot of white smoke coming out of his engine bay when trying to drive over a sand dune. The $2500 odd to fix it would have been a real reality check. Mind you Nissan agreed to cover 75% of the rebuild cost despite being out of warranty, I wonder why?

I have also read other posts about these egines developing a similar problem. If it were a one off then you would be correct in your post, but I think you are a little bias for no reason.

I don't think it has anything to do with ill informed opinion, the GUII 3.0 TD is susceptible to dropping cyliners, fact. It is the engine not the whole vehicle that was faulty. I guess you get that when you don't retro fit the engine with the larger sump as part of a recall but prefer to risk manage when the engines blow up! Much better than admitting you stuffed up the engineering design of the ZD30, isn't it.

Nissan have improved the new engine. I currently have a 95 series Prado TD, after several trips in my mates old and now new Patrol in the NT, I think they are quite a good vehicle, but would not go near the GUII 3.0 TD. When my current lease expires I may get a Patrol.

Chill out..............it is only a vehicle at the end of the day

As one owner who did have a 2000 model engine failure,and it replaced by Nissan,
I can tell you the problem does exist and also that you have no hope of getting a honest answer from Nissan.
I went to the Tribunal here in Victoria in order to force Nissan to explain the reason for the failure.
They just kept on saying it was because of a low sump level that was fixed by a recall.
Even the Tribunal was frustrated with the lack of real response from Nissan.
The only thing I got out of Nissan was that the replacement motors were manufactured the same year as when replaced ( in my case 2003).
The warranty on the replacement motors is only 12 months which is disgusting,my turbo failed at 13 months and they tried to charge me for the replacement,fortunately I had written to Nissan asking for assurance that the new motor would last and they wrote back saying they would stand by the engine.
Referring to this they changed there tune and charged me labour only.
I must say at this point Nissan did look after me well through this trauma,but so they should when a know fault existed and they continued to sell the product.
I believe now with the vehicles reaching the 5 year old period they will wind back the replacement program,so hope your 2000 model blows soon as $16,000 will be required if you have to pay.
My advice as previously posted is to write to Nissan and voice your concerns if you still have an original engine.
Finally where is this survey to be located as I watch with interest.
Regards

Scottcamp. Whilst your survey will attract a lot of attention, in the end it is only going to tell you 4 basic bits of information.
1/ The year/month of build
2/ The km. at which the event occurred
3/ The fact that it was an engine destruction requiring complete replacement.
4/ That an unknown number of these engines failed.

The actual cause of the problem will remain unknown.

The furphies commenced when Nissan recalls vehicles to have the dipstick "shortened" ie a larger quantity of oil. What exactly can this possibly achieve? To my best understanding a dipstick has two marks, upper and lower. To operate anywhere between is safe (or should be) The oil is picked up from the bottom of the sump, so if on an incline the oil pickup becomes exposed oil pressure will be lost and seizure of the crankshaft bearings will rapidly occurr. This has obviously not been the problem. If Nissan reckons more oil will stay cooler thus protecting the engine, well theres a furphy for starters. If the oil is too hot then a better oil cooling arrangement is required.

The next item of comment seemed to be the oil jets directed at the piston underside. These are obviously to assist in piston cooling as well as lubrication, in fact the practice is common amongst all diesel engines. To contemplate they can be damaged by the rotation of the crankshaft, fall off, become blocked, well theres another furphy.
These engines arn't seizing, the pistons are still going up and down so lubrication must be adequate. And if lubrication is inadequate, piston rings and lands will break, but at the edge of the piston, not the central meltdowns that have occurred.

My prediction is that if any conclusion is ever reached, it will be that over fuelling coupled with over boosting from the turbo will be the real culprit.
The proper function of a turbo system is not for dramatic power increase but torque. As the turbo comes on boost it sends a signal to the injection pump for more fuel which increases boost which signals more fuel and so on. This may be at a constant rpm (say 2500) pulling loaded up hill. The limitation here is either that the maximum injection of fuel output is reached or the turbo boost is limited by a bypass valve or electronic control, both reacting to each other.
When boost and fuel are not controlled, EGT's become so high that piston meltdown, valves and turbo destruction is inevitable even with the best lubrication and cooling possible.

These particular engines are fully electronically controlled, and in the event where the system goes haywire the driver may not be aware of anything amiss until the bang occurrs. There does not seem to have been any reports of these vehicles going into a "limp home" mode, which may have been a safety factor if installed in the electronics. I suspect that the air mass sensor often mentioned will be found to control the EGR valve system and have no part to play in the problem.

What I believe will never be heard is a full and frank explanation from Nissan as to the cause of this happening in the first instance, together with the total number of units so far affected, what actual changes to the engine and controls were made and what the prognosis is for the future.
kesh

Scottcamp, just abit of feedback on the survey, maybe oil type/grade/viscosity may have been relevant too???

Scott, Mate.

I bet you think you are doing all this for all the right reasons.

All I know is that you are not doing current Nissan 3L turtbo diesel owners any favours at all in the second hand market.

You are just trawling over old ground.

If you need a security blanket before you cross the Sahara Desert with your family,
Either join the RAC the AA or trade it in on a Toyota with a 1hz motor, or get a 4.2L Nissan.

I am very interested in the outcome as we own a 2004 3.0 TD Auto pulling a van,
From my experience with Industrial & Marine Diesels pistons fail when subjected to corrosion & excessive heat or a metalurgical defect in the piston casting itself.
There should be less corrosion with the new Sulphur Lowered Diesel Fuels. (not cocktails) Heat from lack of adequate clean lubrication or overloading engine (high revs) or excessive turbo boost doesn't help either. Regular servicing of engine (including Eng oil & filter every 5000Km) is essential & keeping that air filter in good nick also.
Ours goes like a rocket & pulls the 22ft van OK.
I am a former Rotating Equipment Engineer & monitor everything.
good Luck