Nissans

i 'll buying a 4.2TDi or 3.0TDi next month, i'm leaning towards the 4.2TDi as i've been told it is a better engine for towing. i'll be towing about 1600kg (boat). You say the 3.0TDi is a great towing vehicle, what weight are you towing??

JohnZA,

Apologies for the delay in replying - been away with the Patrol and caravan.

The van is a 16ft pop top which I have not weighed but I expect would be about 1250kg loaded. For your interest, fuel consumption over 4000 kms of towing ranged between 13.0 and 13.4 litres per 100km (21mpg in the old terms). Trip was Vic to Qld (Sunshine Coast) via the Newell Hwy and return via the coast, Sydney and the Hume Hwy. The Patrol has manual transmission.

Hope this helps.

Roger thanks ..... that's the sort of thing that bothers me though ... a known fault which worries you enough to have to stay in 4th gear. Travelling at the speed limit in 4th is not my idea of comfortable travelling. Thanks again for your info.

Hi Bob
The diff when towing in 4th is approx .7 ltr/100 more as against 5th. Also being in 4th the vehicle is able to tackle most inclines without needing to go down a cog, makes life just that much easier when on cruise control. (Aftermarket)
REgardsDodg

"Never tow in 5th gear"
Roger- You've been a bit mislead by the problem with most other makes -and a problem in the 5th gear for a SHORT period of time in GU's. A gearbox rebuild is cheaper than an engine anyway.

Don't know when yours was built- but if it is in the affected period it will fail eventually whether you use it towing or not. Your engine puts out a certain amount of torque which is there whether you are towing 3 tonnes on the flat or not towing and driving up a bit of a hill.
There was a machining problem for a short time in 5th gear splines, which did not exist in earlier gearboxes and does not exist in current ones.
I have been nearly always towing heavy trailers and 'vans right up to the legal limit in my GQ TD42 and ALWAYS use 5th gear. I also towed a 2.8 tonne trailer sailer many klms too- which probably weiged a lot more when fully provisioned! Gearbox is as good as the day it was built. The Nissan gearbox (TD42 and 3.0 litre diesel) is built like a brick ####house and is the best in the business. They are as close as you can get to indestructible!
-Have just driven from Melbourne to Brisbane (towing) via the Newell and Patrols towing (mostly 3.0 litre diesels) outnumbered anything else about 5 to 1! (my wife counted them to help with her boredom. Never saw one with a bonnet up or spoke to anyone who didn't love theirs)
My only decision when I buy a new one eventually is whether to go for another 4.2 or the latest 3.0 turbo diesel???
What problems have I had with my 4.2 in 13 years??
1. The clock loses its time regularly
2.That's all!!!!! there aint no more. It is the most reliable vehicle I have had- ever- and by a huge margain.

Thanks David N,
Thanks for the info, so far each time I have checked the gearbox plug there has been only the usual microscopic gunk, just enough to see on the finger. This is about the same as I have found on the other tow vehicles I have owned. I cetainly hope that my gu does as good as your vehicle. By the way this one has towed around the block crossing the Gib R. rd and the inland routes of OZ.
It,s bin to the Cape but not towing and also to the Taz remote areas.
So far in 90k my only trouble has been 2 bad lots of fuel, one here in my home town Dubbo and the other at Derby.
If someone could tell me how to insert a drain in the main tank without taking the dam thing out it would be much appreciated.
As you are aware the 4.2 GU loves running between 2200 & 2500 revs and this suits 4th when towing as I only poke along at 90 to 95 k's mostly 93 when unacompanied by other travellers.
RegardsDodg

Can't help smiling here!...... Nothing wrong with the Nissans provided you don't buy a 2.8 TD, provided you watch out for earlier model 3.0 TDs, provided you don't use fifth gear (etc), and provided you can trust the car company to come to the warranty party.... nothing to worry about indeed! Reminds me of running along the grass beside suburban footpaths trying to dodge the many piles of doggy do - you're fine as long as you don't step in any, but you probably will sometime if there's enough.... Now that I've upset all you one-eyed Nissanites, Toyotas also have problems....sometimes.Russell S
Prado RV6

Russel
having owned 2 Toyota's & 2 Nissan
all of which i have held onto for around 6 years i would have to say that the nissan stacks up mechanicly far better than the toyota
eg.
hilux 1981 replaced
4 motors
1 gear box
2 diffs
2 hubs
cv jionts
tail shafts front & rear
hand break to many times to recall
constant fuel problems
3 fuel pumps

hj 75 ute 1989
1 diff
fuel pimp over haulgh x 2
gear box
clutch
master cylinder
handbreak

nissan patrol 1989
fuel pump seal due to the lowwering of sulfer in deisel
clutch

In total i would have spent thousands on keeping my toyotas on the road
where as my nissan cost me a total of $750 above normal service cost in 6 years , so dont think toyota drivers can claim to be any better off than nissan drivers, just less likly to admitt that they have problems as well
regards Bruce

Yeah, yeah, I know. Just couldn't help myself, and I knew I'd get a bite from someone! I'd be happy to own either make, provided it was the right vehicle. There are a lot of other makes I wouldn't even consider - Holden, Mitsubishi, Land Rover etc - for various reasons.Russell S
Prado RV6

"There are a lot of other makes I wouldn't even consider - Holden, Mitsubishi, Land Rover etc - for various reasons."

Oh to live in a fool's paradise!

YMMV"Live today as if there may be no tomorrow"

Wombat

Russell,
you own a car that is a direct copy of the Pajero's design, but 'wouldn't even consider' the original? Bob

Does making a vehicle of the same size constitute a COPY? Prado is so much superior that it could in no way be called a copy. Just check on how many acres of Pajeros Mitsubishi have waiting to be sold and then check how long you need to wait to get a Prado and it will be clear to you. Mind you I do think Pajero is far better than Disco or Pathfinder. There's your bit of education regarding the car game for today Bob.

I suppose you think that Toyota copied Landrover in the early 60s too and once again Toyota is far superior.

The original Prado was pretty much a copy of the Pajero. The current model is completely different (bigger/bigger engine/not monocoque). I don't know how many Prados (even the name is a copy) or Pajeros are unsold. What I do know is that sales figures are a poor indicator of quality - driving around I see thousands of cars that I would consider to be dogs, and often much smaller numbers of superior machines. I'd be interested to know which 4WDs you have owned on which to base your claims to be so informed - just a Prado I'll bet :-) I won't bad mouth the Prado, as I have had never been in one. I have travelled extensivley in Jackeroo, Pajeros, Landcruisers, Landrovers, Lexus all of which have been reliable competent vehicles. Is the Prado 'so much superior' to all of those? Or is that because you happen to own one that makes it superior?Bob