3.0lt nissan patrol

Hi Carl

If you do a search on here you will find many posts relating to same.

On your version , 1st was to change dipstick such that you had to add
an extra litre of oil to reach low oil mark.

Also they advise a particular Nissan oil.

There were a number of other improvements made but these are not mods do-able to old engines.

I'd get it checked out by Nissan dealer.

Robin Miller

Hi Carlj

Take plenty of water incase the Motor Blow's up out there i would hate to read of a Death (Apart from the Heart Attack's the Nissan 3liter Diesel have alrady caused mainly due to people not doing enough research before buying them).

Not sure who would be responable for a motor failure in the Simpson Cost to Recover Vehicle ect ? May be best to talk to a Lawyer before you go ?

Prevention Is Better Than Cure.

Regard's John

Look mate it's obviously an issue but you have the vehicle so you may as well use it. I would look at getting the highest RACV extra care (or what ever in your state) so you are covered for breakdown if you do have a 'fatal' problem and have to be towed. You'd want to make sure that there would be no additional towing costs. Once you have this.....go and enjoy the trip.

Leroy

Carl,
I'd share your concern. Your vehicle is the early series, its done the kilometres where pistons can get holed.
July is a busy time out there, but a satphone will help you should the worst occur.

Worst case scenario: Recovery costs are of the order of $2-3k to get you back to Birdsville or Oodnadatta. Then the vehicle would need to be trailered back to the city. If you can wear these costs and are willing to take a risk, then chances are that you'll be OK.

AFAIK, there is nothing that can prevent blown pistons on your 2000 model motor.

My son in law purchased a 2000 model 3.0lt auto Patrol in Dec '06. It had 122,000 on the clock the day he picked it up.

They tried to sell him an aftermarket warranty that only covered you for $2000 for any one claim. The cost of the warranty was $1500 for an extra 50,000km or 2 years. We discussed it and decided $2000 wouldn't go far if a piston or turbo let go and he'd be better putting his money in the bank.

My daughter asked the dealer why they couldn't get the extended Nissan warranty as it was only 2000km outside the original warranty mileage. (I was getting my extended warranty on my 2004 model at the same time) The Nissan dealer told us that because the vehicle was 6 years old (Dec 2006), Nissan wouldn't extend the warranty. My daughter asked them to ask Nissan Australia and after insisting several times for them to request this of Nissan they finally agreed to ask.......low and behold, Wednesday that week they were sold an extended Nissan warranty for an extra 50,000km or 3 years for $1295.

They then hitched up their new secondhand van and headed off down South.

Two months later the vehicles injector pump gave way and was replaced by Nissan at a cost of $6065 (parts) plus labour....total charge to them was $100 excess. Since then they have also had the aircond clutch and bearing assembly and the tensioning pully assembly replaced for a $100 claim fee.

The only problem they have had with the warranty is convincing the Nissan dealers that it does indeed have a genuine Nissan extended warranty and it's not until they look the vehicle up on their computers that they actually believe it.

I've never heard of anyone else getting an extended Nissan warranty on any vehicle that was even marginally outside the first warranty period. But then again, people don't generally insist the dealer should make the request of Nissan.

Hi Carl,
The hole in the piston problem seems to happen because of overboosting due to the failure of one of the sensors. I do not own a 3lt but have picked this info up on the forum . If you do a trip make sure you travel with another vehicle.
Goodluck Pete