Air Flow Sensor

Laura

You posted this last week and received lots of ideas.

Have you followed up on any of them?

It is a matter of trial and error
(the big error was buying that model in the first place knowing all the info from this forum on that model Nissan, but you have to live with that)


Cheers

Hi Laura,

I'm not trying to be flippant here but when you purchased the vehicle and I know it wasn't too long ago, did you ever speak with the previous owner?

It sounds very much like the owner sold his vehicle because, in most likelihood, the same problems where occurring.

If it were me and the yard has offered a full refund I'd be taking it lickitesplit and looking for another vehicle.

If you have been back to the dealership and several mechanics and no one can still tell you what the problem is then it is unlikely you will get any satisfaction from seeing 100 mechanics.

In your heart of hearts I think you already know that.

Go and get your money back and you will be a whole lot happier getting something else.

Good luck with your decision.

Kiwi,,,As I have stated on this forum before I am a retired diesel mechanic with many years experience repairing 4x4 vehicles. Having said that I do admit I am not up to speed on the computer managed engines of today. To my mind you have an intermittent electrical problem of either a sensor, or in the computer. It could be as simple as a bad electrical connection or loose wire that is causing the problem. The symptoms you have stated indicate the engine is going into limp mode and by turning off the engine and restarting you are rebooting or resetting the computer. As a mechanic I know intermittent problems like this can be a real problem to find and the mechanic needs to have the proper diagnostic gear to do the job. Whatever the fault it is fixable but problems like this take time and time is money. Sorry I can`t be of more help and I know how frustrating this is for you, but I would make sure the mechanic has the proper equipment to do the job. Regards ,,,Nav.

If the diagnostic system doesn't come up with a code, it can be a couple of things that I know of.

Number one is the earth issue that these vehioles have.

Get all the earth connections removed, cleaned and replaced. There is a Nissan Hotline fix out for this so your dealer should know about it.

In particular get the two or three connections on the left side of the valve gear cover at the front done. Make sure you disconnect the battery before you play with these as considerable sparking will occur if you don't.

The other thing is the MAF, or air flow meter.

They don't always throw a code when they are shot.

It will cost about $250 for a new one.

I have emailed you my phone number feel free to call .
I have answered most of your questions in previous treads and what I did,but feel free to call

Laura, I don't have an answer for you, to me this sounds like an electronic problem of some description, doesn't sound like a filter problem. The idea to talk to the previous owner is a good one, a good place to start.
I had a Patrol 3Ltr TD for five years of trouble free motoring, the engine light came on twice once when the battery was flat and once when I did a jump start down a hill, two completely separate and unrelated times. On both occasions the light went out and didn't come on again after a restart.
If you have any DiTronic chips or anything like that attached to the engine management system I would disconnect them and drive the vehicle as standard to see if that make any difference, if not then heaven knows where to start.
One of my great fears buying a newer vehicle is the electronic gadgetry that goes into making the thing function. I suspect that even if you got the fault fixed you would always have that fear in of your mind that the same thing might happen again when you are in the middle of know where, where a mechanic would be a luxury never mind a Nissan mechanic.
For peace of mind and confidence in the vehicle if the dealer is offering the money back then I would seriously consider this option, maybe purchase another vehicle off the same dealer that way he still ends up with your money and a sort of good feeling.
If he's got a good Land Rover on the lot you can purchase this with the confidence it will give you long and reliable service, might have a few oil leaks but it will be reliable. The patrol 4.2 is another excellent vehicle if you want to stay with Nissan, very reliable.
Hope some of this helps, my opinions others may vary.

over boosting

Kiwi, The only way I solved my cronic overheating problems was to ditch the car, nobody could pin point it. In the end the 5th Mechanic said he was sure it was a cracked head, but still not a 100%. After 2 years of stress it had to go, spent 100's of dollars on tests ect, but still no fix.

Now My parents had similar problems with there Patrol and it was hoses put back on the wrong way after the snorkle was installed, Nissan could not find it, but a good deisel mechanic nailed it in 10 mins.

As others have said if you can get the cash back.....Mate go for it and get a 4.2 or 4.8 and gas it.

All the best, last thing you need with the bub on the way

Cheers Stefan

For what it is worth,
I own and drive a 2001 GU 3.0ltr. It has travelled 255,000 km and never been in better nick. Usually covers about 450 km per week as my daily drive, plus tows a camper trailer over a lot inland Australia

A little while ago, it had the exact symptoms that you describe. Engine management light on, no power, limp along.
Stop for a while. Go OK for a few minutes then go through the procedure again. After limping back from Sydney to Albury, took it to the local dealer.

Two days later (plus about $250, I think) all well again

The head of the fuel filter had a tiny air leak and as soon as the injection pump lost the suction, the trouble started. Stop for a while and allow the air to find its way out again, all well till sucked enough air in again start the problem for the pump again.

They replaced the filter head and not had a moments trouble since.

By the way, have blocked off the EGR tube and now change oil every 10,000k. Has done over 100,000k in this configuration and engine oil takes about 6,000k to begin to discolour.

This is only my experience and not offered as the answer to your problem, but may help in the search a resolution.

Regards
Mike

This is all Data, no happened to me stuff.... but... if you have a uni filter air filter, get rid of it, the oil from it stuffs the air sensor up.
I HAVE HERD that the piston cracks because it gets too hot, because the turbo overboosts, because the variable vane part of the turbo stops working properly, because the actuator shaft gets stuck, because it corrodes over time, because the water cooling the turbine centre leaks into that area, because of a seal or crack in that area....
If this is happening to your motor, the overboost will throw it into limp home until you restart.
Bottom line, b4 it breaks, swap it for anything else of simiilar value, some time soon, instead of the light, you will get asmoke screen and then you broke it.
Andrew

Hi Laura,
I'll add my 2 bobs worth....... Personally i think it will turn out to be the air flow sensor. My workmate has had the exact same problem about 3 months ago: engine light on car went into limp mode although his didn't go out when he turned off the car. Only fix for him was to have the air flow sensor replaced for an approx cost as previously mentioned. In the manual it states for a ZD30, when the engine light comes on it either means: water in diesel or potential engine control problem....

Now for me personally i have had problems with the EGR & air flow sensor fault in the past, but i rectified mine by blanking off the EGR, & now if my airflow sensor fails it's not gonna do me any harm. I was fortunate enough to know a mechanic who worked at nissan & he told me that the 2 most common faults were either of the two listed above. Apparently if the air flow sensor fails whilst the EGR is in open mode, it causes all exhaust gases to dump into 2nd & 4 cylinders thus causing melted pistons, as does the same senario if the EGR soots up & sticks open.

I do still have the odd problem with my airflow sensor. I noticed it when i added a snorkel. I was using a K & N Filter already, but when driving around, the car would go into limp mode/powerdown (mainly on the highway), but as soon as i let foot off accelerator & back on it comes good straight away. Apparently because the k & n lets alot more air through, the sensor tries to adjust, but gets to it's outer limit & basically can't adjust enough. To fix it i tried a finer filter, which is better but it still does do it, just no where near as frequent. And you know what,, as soon as i put the standard filter back in i don't have the problem at all. It sort of bleep s me a little but as i would rather use the k & n, but i hate having to drop off the pedal & back on again every few min when driving long distance..
Just goes to show how much better the other filters breathe compared to the standard one..
Overall i love my rig & i hope i made the right choice to modify mine as i don't what i would do if mine failed..

Good luck with how you fair with your prob & i hope at worst it's just the airflow sensor.

I have emailed my numbers to you if you would like some more info

Dan

KIWI and GRENADE
G'Day
I had exactly the same symptoms with my 2007 diesel Hilux.
I removed the D CHIP and the problems went away.
The wires in the loom were shorting out causing the computer to get mixed messages.
My problems started on the Simpson desert and finished at well 33 on the CSR.
The only reason i found the problem was that it looked like having to get the vehicle carted back to Melbourne at great expense.I removed the D CHIP and re connected the original loom to make sure that the vehicle was under warranty..No problems then or since .
Any one want a cheap Dhip?
JEFF.O

Ask round on patrol4x4.com/forum , theres plenty of 3.0l owners on there with heaps of knowlege.
Sounds like overboosting or maf sensor.

Kiwi

For the moment stay cool.

I had that happen to me last year on the Cape. I stopped two days at Musgrave and checked the engine out and found the fuel system was sucking air through a hose between the fuel filter and the injector pump. Fix was, new worm drive clamps instead of those silly squeeze clamps, problem gone. It senses air in the fuel system and protects the engine by shutting things down to limp mode. That simple. Check it out.
Cheers Colin.

You probably blocked the air flow when you filled those holes where the water was getting in.

Get the oxy out and start cutting.

96

**what are the symptoms of the pistons packing it in???

Big cloud of white smoke coming out of the exhaust :-(

Some of you will remember my Q about towing caravan direct from Normanton to Camooweal. Finally I heeded the forum advice and went down through Cloncurry and Mt Isa. Reached Camooweal without a hitch (however did notice a slight rise in temp gauge going up hill out of Cloncurry. Reached top of hill and kept going allowing temp to drop back down to normal). With hindsight that may have been a hint of things to come.

14km out of Camooweal (just across NT border - 100km/hr under load - sound familiar?) the dreaded white smoke. That was on a Sunday (NRL Grand Final). Caravan coming the other way also saw it, pulled up and said "Man your in BIG trouble". We managed to contact RACQ (who wanted me to ring NT associates "duh!!") on his wife's phone - both our Telstra phones DID NOT WORK!! Towed back into Camooweal by RACQ, then to Mt Isa where Nissan dealer wanted to charge me $15,000 for a new engine. RACQ did recovery to Townsville (after much standing our ground) BUT THEY WOULD NOT RECOVER THE CARAVAN. Cost us $200 to tow caravan from Camooweal to Mt Isa. (Gold/Ultracare member - didn't YOU know RACQ do NOT recover caravans or trailers!!) I then flew to Townsville and picked up my "old" (2003) Nissan Patrol (ZD30 - never had a problem with it for last 45K - now done 150K) back to the Isa same day and took next two days recovering caravan back home. RACQ took Patrol to Nissan dealer in Townsville who has now had it for the last week, without a word as to what is going to happen. He just submitted paperwork to Nissan to see what they are going to do. Still waiting :-(

The vehicle was previously owned by a local cane farmer, serviced by himself every 10K (he's a mechanic), and only reason he sold it was to get a Navara (also with a ZD30 engine). He's as shocked as I am. I did less that 2K before it blew up :-(

I'm not bagging Nissan, this engine or the vehicle. As I said, I already own one and it has been fantastic (towing the very same caravan to Adelaide and back a couple of times).

I've spent the last two weeks trolling the Internet and now have nearly 200 pages of documentation from patrol4x4.com.au and this site. I was waiting to find out Nissan Australia's response before posting but just wanted to reassure Laura that Nissan MAY come to the party with a reconditioned engine (you pay for labour). Contact your local Nissan dealer for a new engine.

In the meantime the "pearls" that I have learned is to fit an Exhaust Gas Temperature (EGT) gauge and a "boost" gauge. You will at least have some sort of warning system that something is / may be going wrong.

I will post further details once I know MY outcome.

I haven't read through all the replies so this may have already been suggested... but I had the same issue with mine when I had it...It was just a dirty fuel filter...have you replaced the fuel filter?

Hows it going Laura,

I have had the same problems , and when I booked in to get it fixed at a diesel service place the guy said they had heaps of problems with these and to change the fuel filter first.

Mine was surging when you accellerated and was also putting the light on / limp mode . The fault codes in the computer said fuel pump needed attention , if you get a look at a manual the codes are easy to extract yourself.

The Gregorys manual says to change the fuel filter every 40k, I have been doing these every 10k with no problems , Original filters are $90 so you can save heaps at Repco.

Hope you sort your problems out,

Glenn

I had similar symptons/problems and it turned out to be a faulty air flow sensor. Despite it not coming up as a problem when doing checks, when it was replaced from one in an adjoining 4wd, it fixed the problem. That was after dealers and mechanics trying to find the problem and the dealer saying the air flow sensor was fine. Once it was then replaced i have been going strong since. It was just lucky there was another 4wd same as mine next to it at the dealer so they gave it a go at my mechanics request despite the dealer saying it wont be the problem due to no error code for it. Hopefully its something that simple. It can be frustrating sitting around the mechanics while they try find the problem - after all they are supposed to be the experts, not work by process of elimination hey. hope it sorts out ok - cheers..