zd30 grenade
Submitted: Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 10:34
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4wdr
well i pulled my motor down,found a hole in number3 piston and a crack in number 4.Head also had cracks.Rebuilt it put it back in and off we went,did 15 kliks when the fire went out-damn!!!Towed it
home again and further investigation revealed a sump full of water and when its winding over its pumping oil out of the dipstick.I am at the end of my tether over all this.Anyone got any ideas????
Reply By: Member - Graham H (QLD) - Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 10:47
Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 10:47
Buy A Toyota (
Well you did ask)
Head still warped ( in the car I mean)
Rings gone pressurising sump.
AnswerID:
343684
Follow Up By: 4wdr - Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 14:51
Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 14:51
Yes graham i replaced the head,its got brand new rings pistons n bearings.I am thinking of putting a 4.2 in the boat anchors place
FollowupID:
611518
Reply By: burnsy - Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 11:12
Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 11:12
Know how you must feel. Don't know much about you motor but I have on odd occasions had head gaskets (especially non genuine) that are slightly different with their water jacket holes which can let water into the sump. I assume you had the head repaired/replaced & checked before putting it on. Does the ZD30 have wet sleeves? What I have done in the past is to drop the sump, let the drips stop, fill the motor with water & see if you can find where it is entering the sump. IE from the oil drain galleries from the top of the motor/around the pistons ect.
from what you say I would think that it won't be hard to find.
Someone who knows these motors can probably tell you more.
Regards Mike.
AnswerID:
343693
Reply By: Member - Malcolm (Townsville) - Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 11:24
Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 11:24
AAAaaaaarrrrggghhhh!!!!
Mate I really feel for you. Just going through rebuilding
mine at present. Pistons 1 & 4 cracked; 2 burnt a hole; 3 OK. Seems obvious this is a problem with piston MATERIAL. Maybe Nissan had a bad batch. NNNoooooo !! Not Nissan.
Did you replace the O ring and gasket at the front of the head?
Come to think of it, I remembered the O ring but have some gaskets left over. Have to
check mine now. :-(
Malcolm
AnswerID:
343696
Follow Up By: Member - Malcolm (Townsville) - Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 23:30
Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 23:30
Buggeeeeerr !!
Guess what I forgot?
Spent the day removing the head and putting that 'U' shaped gasket between the head and the timing gear housing. You can
check if it installed by looking at the off-side (that's the driver side) of the engine behind the timing gear housing. You should see a metal gasket hooked over a locating pin. I've now got a piccy of it if anybody is interested.
Still kicking myself around
the block.
One good thing, somebody will learn from my mistakes.
At least it gave me an opportunity to take some photos of the new pistons which I had forgotten to do on the initial build.
Malcolm
FollowupID:
611642
Reply By: Member - joc45 (WA) - Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 11:25
Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 11:25
Hi 4wdr,
As a current owner of a 4.2TD GU, I am glad I never bought one of these grenades. Sadly, the whole issue rests with Nissan, who seem to be shy of really taking responsibility. For this reason, I'd be very wary of buying another Nissan.
Let's face it, most models, whatever brand, have some teething or design problems in their life, but the real
test is whether the manufacturer has the balls to own the problem and fix it, and Nissan, (along with a couple of other manufacturers I won't name, lest I be accused of flaming) in my opinion have let their customers down badly.
People will say that the percentage of engine failures is quite low, but for the poor unfortunates who have to bear the brunt of these failures, it leaves a very bad taste in the mouth and a larger hole in their pocket.
Sorry I can't help further
Gerry
AnswerID:
343697
Follow Up By: Member - Malcolm (Townsville) - Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 11:34
Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 11:34
Gerry
Read my comments above ...
IMHO 4wdr rebuilt engine has nothing to do with Nissan.
I'm a ZD30 owner (in fact I have TWO - 2003 and 2005) and am very happy with it as a vehicle. I have never had one problem with the 2003 and its done 150K. Unfortunately I bought a time bomb from a mechanic and had only done 1800kms when bang. Umh ??
I'll rebuild
mine and keep it.
Malcolm
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Nick (TAS) - Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 11:55
Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 11:55
Yeah, but why did he have to rebuild it in the first place.......
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Follow Up By: Member - Malcolm (Townsville) - Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 12:16
Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 12:16
Hi Nick
only 4wdr can really answer that.
as I said in my posts, I think
mine is due to bad piston material.
Malcolm
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Follow Up By: Member - AJB (VIC) - Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 12:19
Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 12:19
A rebuilt engine with low kilometres in a "Lendendary Patrol" has everything to do with Nissan. As mentioned above, if the failures are few then Nissan should fix them. Fact is they are not few and they will keep coming and hopefully there will be more publicity, if a major media organisation has the balls to take them on and that will be the end of Nissan.
"You may say I'm a dreamer but I'm not the only one!"
(Don't think he intended his lines to be used in this context but it seemed to fit)
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Follow Up By: Member - Malcolm (Townsville) - Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 12:35
Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 12:35
AJB
I'm not disputing the debate with a new ZD30 engine.
What we are (or at least I am) talking about here is the fact that 4wdr is rebuilding his ZD30 engine himself - now THAT has failed.
I can't see how that has anything to do with Nissan.
Malcolm
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Reply By: Member - Kiwi Kia - Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 12:35
Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 12:35
I mentioned this problem to an New Zealand engine reconditioner the other day and he assures me that they do not have this problem - "never heard of it" ! It's a small country and the reconditioning fraternity is even smaller so I am sure that if it was a problem news would get around rather quickly. Wonder what the difference between those vehicles in NZ and Australia is ?
.
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Follow Up By: ross - Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 20:55
Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 20:55
Maybe the dealers do the right thing in NZ and this stops the bad word spreading
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Follow Up By: Olsen's 4WD Tours and Training - Monday, Jan 12, 2009 at 19:54
Monday, Jan 12, 2009 at 19:54
Lower temperatures and no long highway driving.
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Reply By: 4wdr - Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 14:44
Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 14:44
The reason i rebuilt is that it died whilst driving along the highway.I guess im lucky in away cause i got to 270,000 before it died.Im thinking about putting a 4.2 in there,are there any dramas with doing this???
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member -Carl R (QLD) - Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 16:27
Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 16:27
I have just had my engine replaced/ repaired by Nissan in November 2008 ,there was a hole in number 3 and number 4 wasn't flash.I had the updated pistons fitted and a new block. the official explanation was that the oil galleys in the old block are smaller and on long trips the oil is pumped up to the head but does not run back quick enough.Thus the pick up for the oil squirters for the pistons are staved for oil and over heat and presto hole and cracks.the new block has larger holes to let the oil back down and the piston tops are thicker,also the oil capacity has increased to 8.7lts.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: psproule - Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 21:18
Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 21:18
Rubbish. The squirter's are fed by the engine oil pump. If it was starved of oil it would spin bearings before melting pistonsl. One
forum tracked ZD30 failures reported in it's pages over 6 months. The figure was 260 odd, with motors from 2000 through to a CRD all failing.
There is a very good document on these over at the patrol4x4.com forums. Tells you what mods to perform to avoid a meltdown. Primary cause is believed to be a dirty or faulty MAF reporting the wrong airflow figure.
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Follow Up By: Member -Carl R (QLD) - Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 21:50
Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 21:50
I do not believe that the MAF has anything to do with piston meltdown
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Follow Up By: autosparky - Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 22:22
Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 22:22
the maf sensor is also the turbo boost sensor. incorrect readings cause over boost
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Follow Up By: Member - Malcolm (Townsville) - Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 23:23
Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 23:23
Carl
What is the reference to the "official explanation"? Is it in writing ? Can I please get a copy of it ?
Malcolm
P.S. I also agree with autosparky comments.
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Reply By: taswegian - Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 18:03
Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 18:03
Have had same problem with a volvo diesel, filling sump with coolant after a reco. Turned out BLOCK/HEAD studs needed resealing, coolant finding a track to sump.Suggest removing sump in situ if possible, fill cooling system and if neccessary leave onite.
Best of luck.
TASSIE...
AnswerID:
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Reply By: ross - Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 20:48
Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 20:48
Some owners were thinking about getting one of the TV stations to do a report on the ZD30 grenading.
Probably wont happen ,so I suggest making a short video with owners stating their problems and playing it on youtube.
As long its truthfull the lawyers cant touch you;)
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Member - Greg T (ACT) - Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 21:38
Sunday, Jan 11, 2009 at 21:38
4wdr,
I have heard of a bloke doing a 4.2 transplant. i think he is on patrol.com. it can be done, and there are minimal engineering issues to deal with (in the ACT its like that anyway) as the modle you have came out with a 4.2, thus not needing engineering.
let me know how you go, because if my zd30 goes, thats what is going in
mine.
AnswerID:
343786
Reply By: Olsen's 4WD Tours and Training - Monday, Jan 12, 2009 at 19:52
Monday, Jan 12, 2009 at 19:52
It really is time for a class action on this one.
In my view there are a couple of contributing factors, but mostly come back to too much heat and cycling between high combustion temperatures and lower temperatures. A failed MAF can contribute in some circumstances, but basically I believe you are looking at an engine management system and some ancillaries that allow combustion temperatures to get too high, and if towing or doing lots of highway work, the engine management system allows cycling up and down in temperature that eventually results in failure.
Nissan claim to have fixed it and maybe they have but I've measure 575 deg C after the turbo on a brand new Nissan patrol with 5000k on the clock and that worries me.
Everyone who has failed engines should get together, find a good lawer and try for a class action. That is my personal view.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Malcolm (Townsville) - Monday, Jan 12, 2009 at 20:55
Monday, Jan 12, 2009 at 20:55
David
I'm afraid my experience with lawyers in the past has not been good. Even when I know I am in the right, and they also do, they say if you go to court it could cost you $20K+. You have to make a "Commercial Decision". I have a couple of times - each costing me around $10K to make the problem go away.
My wife keeps saying that I could not handle the stress - just walk away from it. I think she is right.
Our local Federal MP wrote a letter to the CEO of Nissan Australia on behalf of all the ZD30 owners in this blown-up boat after I contacted him last year. The response after two months is absolutely zilch, nothing. Such arrogance by Nissan CEO IMHO.
Would like to meet up with you when you are available. PM me.
Malcolm
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Follow Up By: Olsen's 4WD Tours and Training - Monday, Jan 12, 2009 at 21:05
Monday, Jan 12, 2009 at 21:05
Malcolm
That's why I sugget a class action - cost sharing, evidence sharing, better chance of success.
Will PM
David
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Follow Up By: Member - Malcolm (Townsville) - Monday, Jan 12, 2009 at 21:38
Monday, Jan 12, 2009 at 21:38
Thanks David
will keep a look out.
malcolm
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Follow Up By: Olsen's 4WD Tours and Training - Monday, Jan 12, 2009 at 21:58
Monday, Jan 12, 2009 at 21:58
Malcolm
Although I am logged in, it seems I cannot message you I will have to ask David of EO why.
email me
check my website at www.djolsen.com for contact details
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Follow Up By: Member - Malcolm (Townsville) - Monday, Jan 12, 2009 at 22:18
Monday, Jan 12, 2009 at 22:18
email sent with my contact details
Malcolm
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Follow Up By: 4wdr - Saturday, Jan 24, 2009 at 20:49
Saturday, Jan 24, 2009 at 20:49
Yes Yes Yes lets do something,when problem first surfaced NISSAN didnt want to help as my patrol is an 03 and its done 270,000.Now i have a big white elephant sitting in my driveway that dont go and looks like it wont ever go again,hari kari is stsrting to look good..
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