3 litre Nissan Questions

You could get started by doing a search on previous posts. Heaps of info available there for the taking.

How fast can you run, not a good long term unit.

Regards

Col

1. Buy the 4.2iTD
2. Buy the 4.2iTD
3. Buy the 4.2iTD
4. Buy the 4.2iTD
5. Buy the 4.2iTD
6. Buy the 4.2iTD

Hope this helps.....

Jim7,

Mate , the 3lt Patrol is a great touring truck with good get up and go with very respectable fuel economy. To be perfectly honest you are going to need the info from people that have or still do own a 3lt. The reason is on many forums such as this many can and will give there 2 bob (which they have all the right to do) on something they have never owned let alone driven........Yes, the early model did have some serious issues though most of those have been rectified, well Nissan claims to have sorted these issues, time will only tell.

1. I personally like the Auto though I had a manual.
2. Not sure has I had a manual.
3. Yes, you can fit 16in rims without issue. Though you will get slight rubbing on full articulation with 33's.
4. Has previously stated, the issues are believed to be sorted though again time will tell.
5. Hard to answer has I have never had an 80 or 100, only Hi-Lux's. Though I'm a big fan of the 80 series.....
6. I recently went to the 4.2 for towing has I tow rather heavy loads, 3lt is fine though the 4.2 is better for big loads......

Hope this helps????

Thanks,
Teabag

Just buy a jeep crd ya know you want to ;)

Mate,
I don't often reply to posts, though having been through what you are about to do I think I should offer my opinion.

Don't buy a 3 ltr!!

I had a 3 ltr which started playing up at 120k. The diagnoses was injectors or fuel pump.

As the fuel pump replacement was app $8k. I sold the thing, too much history with others reporting engine failures etc.

Bought a turbo 4.2 ltr and can you feel the difference, this car is solid!!

The fuel economy in 4wd sand / bush tracks far surpassed the 3ltr.

The 3 ltr was faster on the road though in the bush the gearing is to high.

Take both for a drive and make your own decision.

Cheers

Series II and early Series III should be avoided.

The engine is the main issue, gearbox is the other, they tend to strip the fifth gear splines.

Flywheels can have problems, something that can be changed when they go.

the ZD30 is a great unit around the town and day to day mine was a great and solid truck. I had a few issues with mine.

I have driven the TD42T and I found it slow, unresponsive and heavy on fuel. admittedly only drove it on road, offroad i dare say it would have surpassed the ZD30.

But, how many KM's do you do iffroad, i reckon i did 85,000 on road and 15,000 offroad in my Patrol, and I was giong 4wding A LOT, nearly every weekend... hence i moved to a TD Prado which drove better on road and lacked little offroad.

Steve

Nobody has picked up yet on your preference for auto - this is only available in the 3L and not the 4.2L.

The auto also only has a towing capacity of 2.5T compared to 3.3T for the manual.

Can't see how a Jeep can help you but then it takes all types.

Bob Cheers

Jim, it is a great vehicle to drive, and if you don't tow you shouldn't have a problem with the 2004 model. Ours is auto, and isn't really up to pulling way above it's stated limit, although it does the job. We recently toured Tasmania and got home safely. The high tech motor may not last as long as a Cruiser. Depends what you plan to use it for. If you won't be towing a heavy load in remote areas, it is quite a saving compared to a Cruiser.

So on Patrol thinks he is on a winner, and I certainly hope that he is.

However when seeking advice, the replier has a responsibility to not lead the other person down the garden path.

Whilst you may be having a good run, there are many who have not.

A contact that I have at Nissen, indicates that they have paid/part paid for over 200 motors to be replaced or rebuilt.

In the small town I live in, we have had two engine failures on vehicles owned by people I know. One Nissan came to the party with, and the other he was left to his own devices. Both vehicles had done under 100,000 kms.

I suspect that on the next model Patrol we shall see another type of engine fitted.

I also have first hand experience, of the situation where Nissan on occasions have not wanted to honour their warranty, this had nothing to do with Patrols, but on an X Trail. I recieved a letter from Val Davis from Nissan, stating they were in error and the car was fixed.

I would suggest that you do a study of all the forums, before plonking down your money, particularly if you are towing, as you could be stuck far from home.

The only good thing I can see about all this, is the used prices of the Patrol, in independant yards reflect the concern of some with the problem.

Regards

Col

Hi

I own a 2001 ZD30 automatic Patrol. Covered 134,000 kms. Mostly city suburban driving, but very approximately 2.5% real off road low range, 5% constructed country dirt roads 10% highway.

12.1 kms/ ltr over last 10,000 kms fuel economy. Fuel economy varies considerably on conditions, speed and load.
No towing
Problems are water leaks under rear passenger doors during very deep water long crossing, front axle inner oil seal, and drive shaft pinion seal and replaced brake pads.

The Patrol is NOT a town car. It is a big and heavy vehicle. It is difficult to park in car park spaces built for little 4cl buzz boxes from Korea.

It is quiet and comfortable and un-stoppable in the country and the bush.

3Lt TDI Patrol questions ....

1. Which is the best Auto or Manual, I am considering the Auto ....
I love the automatic. Would not go back to a manual. Great for 4wding.

2. Does the Auto have a lock up torque converter...
Yes

3. If I was to get a 2005 model the wheels are 17" can they be replaced with 16"....
Don’t know. Check your local Motor Registry. Ignore the so called experts at the pub as it is the law and the insurance companies who have the final say on what modifications are approved.

4. There are a lot of stories going around about the 3lt being unreliable how much truth is in that and has Nissan now fixed the problem/s ....
Many Cruiser owners have 2nd cousins once removed maiden aunt’s next door neighbor who has had a terrible experience with ZD30 Patrol. The problems with the ZD30 are directly connected with the amount of beer consumed.
The rest of us normal people find our ZD30 Patrols are ok reliability wise. Seems to depend a lot on regular service by the book. Unfortunatly it seems that not all Nissan Dealers service agents provide decent service. Check around.

5. How tuff is the 3lt engine compared to the 80 or 100 ....
Don’t know. I have never failed to arrive around the same time as the Cruisers in my 4wd club with the same amount of ease or difficulty.

6. Who would buy a 4.2 Lt instead of the 3 lt ..

Not an option if you want an automatic.

Hope this helps.
Unfortunately the amount of BS about the ZD30 never ceases to amaze!

Ask ZD30 owners for the facts.

Good luck

Jim,
A few club mates have 3L Patrols, one of which is a late model auto. He is very happy with it. The 3L Patrols have had issues in the past, and as that particular engine is reasonably "new" ... may still have issues. I have driven them and they are a really nice car to drive.

Personally, I would stick with a 4.2. Simply because off road driving is often a "low-revs" thing.... when you're revs are under the turbo spool up, you have a four cylinder 3L engine pushing 2.5t of car around. So then the tendency is to up the revs and get the turbo working which usually results in spinning wheels etc. If you aren't driving off road and simply want to tow your van around, the 3L certainly has the power to do it. But it is still a 3L 4 cyl towing a van and, to my mind, longevity would likely be an issue. With a 4.2, you have an engine that is well suited to the size and weight of the body, albeit old technology. If your preference is definitely for an auto, perhaps look at a Toyota 100 series, I believe they have a 4.2 diesel auto, not sure if it's turbo'ed though. An aftermarket turbo is around $5k fitted on average.

"5. How tuff is the 3lt engine compared to the 80 or 100 .... "
If the only choice I had was for the 3L or the 80 or 100? I'd go the 100..... WITH a turbo! But ONLY because of the turbo spool up thing that I mentioned above.....

This is just my opinion........

Cheers

Brian

Hi All,

This forum makes buying a 4WD just so easy.

Buy any vehicle Toyota, Land Rover Jeep. and you will do hundreds of thousands of kilometres of care-free motoring with nothing ever going wrong with these makes. You probably won't even have to replace a battery for the first twenty years.

The only vehicles that give ANY problems are 3 litre Nissans and Jackaroos.

Cheers

When I was in the market for a new 4.2 litre I went to the local Nissan dealer who tried to talk me out of the 4.2 and really pushed the 3 litre saying the 4.2 was old technology. A little bemused, I then drove to the next town and saw the local Nissan dealer who did the same. I was totally confused as I "felt" that the 4.2 litre did not have the support of the dealers.

I posted a question on this forum and got conflicting advice.

There being too many stories suggesting the chance of problems with the 3 litre to ignore I steered clear of Nissan altogether. As I did not want to spend the dollars on a Landcruiser I bought another Rodeo. ( As I wanted something with greater off road capabilies this was a bit of a compromise although I am happy with the RA Rodeo).

I would be interested if others felt the same when they went to Nissan.

Hi Jim
I sold my 2004 4.2 Lt 2 years ago because I was not prepare,to remodel it as I have done with my 1986 3.3 Litre Turbo SD33T MQ,& I wanted a drop down rear door,no on board computer as it is some think else to fix & the MQ 3.3 was the only good one I could find .
Over the last 2 years I have been to a lot of places ,including Simpson Desert French Line,the Cape ,trips out west,& a lot of Beach Travel on hard & soft sand .I have travelled 48,416 Klm in the last 2 years Diesel average for the 2 Years 13.16 Litres per 100 Klm. The truck has travel 333,286 Klms.Also it hits the scale @3.1 Tonne. Some times I wish I had more power ,but it will travel all day @ 110 Klm.Only major repair new Turbo.
Note this is not my every day vehicle.

TDI Patrol questions ....
1. Which is the best Auto or Manual, I am considering the Auto ....
I prefer Auto, it's like a SS prop, once you been there you don't go back.

2. Does the Auto have a lock up torque converter...
Yes, comes in after 80KPH if O/D is locked out and at 100 with O/D on.

3. If I was to get a 2005 model the wheels are 17" can they be replaced with 16"....
Believe so but never tried it.

4. There are a lot of stories going around about the 3lt being unreliable how much truth is in that and has Nissan now fixed the problem/s ....
There were issues with 2000/2001 with batches of faulty pistons, also several other running changes to ECU/Sensors etc up to around mid 2002. A Turbo boost gauge is a must and have any unusual behavior seen to. This is a very high tech diesel (one of the first) and it is possible many issues are a result of poor diagnosis/repair.

5. How tuff is the 3lt engine compared to the 80 or 100 ....
Underneath it can be traced back many years and is rock solid in the chassis and drivetrain departments.

6. Who would buy a 4.2 Lt instead of the 3 lt ..
Someone who wanted to tow more than 2T which after which the 3L struggles, even with DTronic. And if you can live with a manual.

OT
2002 3.0Di Auto 87K of mainly towing and outback touring.

Jim7
My 3.0l '01 Patrol now has 200,000ks and the engine shows no signs of trouble. No strange noises and beleive me I know what strange noises a diesel can make.
Religiously change oil and filter every 5,000 or when I think of it, whichever comes first. Other service items = what other service items?
Live on rough gravel roads.
Stripped the splines on 5th gear, but Nissan repaired it. Travelling sealed roads at the time.
Oil gets a litle discoloured after about 5,00ks. Has been all through the High Country, through the Corner Country to Innaminka and and toured through the Flinders just a while ago, including skytrek where it wasn't hard to keep running up the back of some kind of flash Cruiser. The rest of the time is daily transport.
Does not get much short running, which is very detrimental to a diesel and never travels anywhere that is too short to thoroughly warm it to operating temp.
Always use the new spec Nissan oil.
Tows a 750 + Kanga camper quite well as long as you keep the revs up (over 2300)
Don't know first hand about the wheels but know it has been done.
The Gearbox problem has been fixed.
The piston problem is supposed to have been fixed.
The drivetrain/suspension would do justice to a Kenworth.
Love the manual, but as we live in the bush, don't have much use for an auto.
Yes the auto does lock up.
So far, unbreakable applies as much to it as to HiLux.

Treat with respect and you will be rewarded (probably applies to any make/model).

Only my impressions.

Regards
Mike

G'day Jim ,
I own A 2002 Patrol ZD30 in manual transmission and have given it an absolute punishing. I fitted 15 inch x 8inch alloys without any problems (35 inch tyres are cheap as to buy in 15 inch) After 90000klm of popping the clutch and feathering it I finally wore it out and got a complete Safari Daiken/Exedy flywheel conversion kit and shouldn't have another problem with the clutch. She has performed admirably for me since new and all I have done in return Is Service her properly and put the correct oil in her (which most people stuff up) ...... Love my patrol 3 litre.