Patrol engine blown up - Advice please

How long should a Patrol last and how long they do last is a major issue between Nissan and Consumers.

Thats a difficult question Min, the best advise would be to have a reputable Diesel mechanic do some tests on the engine, compression etc and then take it from there. How many KM's are on the new engine?

If I owned thePatrol I would get the opinion of the Mechanic on the strength of the new motor.
I would probably keep it, as I know I got 240,000kms out of the last motor so I have approx 180000km to pay off the loss. Trade it in once you are in a better financial position to upgrade.

I have been in the same position with a Mitsubishi Triton Lemon and feel for them. However 240000kms out of a modern car is very good.

Tamery

Min,
Nine years old and 246,000ks, You've done a lot better than a lot of others. Try herehttp://www.patrol4x4.com/forum/ for info on how to reduce the risk on it happening to the new motor.
Cheers Dave

hi min
i woud have thought that you have done very well considering the hand grenade history of the said vehicle model

provided they are confident they should be able to expect a reasonable distance out of the s/hand engine seen it is a later build date and only 62000km on it
246000km is a pretty good run anyway no matter what the vehicle is

i'd be replacing the clutch components while i was at it other-wise that will go next and require it to be dismantled at a latter date
just my thoughts on the situation

cheers and good luck in the future

Min, I too feel for the situation your daughter and SIL find themselves in.

Given that their circumstances have changed and they don't use the vehicle for it's originally intended purpose (if I read that part of your post correctly), then maybe they'd be better off selling it once it's fixed.

If they tried to sell it now with blown donk, they'd be lucky to get $11K for it. If they spend $6K on a motor and maybe $2K on labour, they should be able to sell it for around $20K, so really it's line ball.

I hear you ask; why would anybody want to buy it with a blown motor?

Well, a good number of people are running around in a Patrol powered by a different motor altogether. In my case (and that of many others), the chosen motor is a good old-fashioned Chev 6.5 litre V8 diesel. There is also at least one fellow on this forum (do a search on "Project TONI") who has replaced his Nissan 3L motor with a 4.2TD motor from a Toyota Landcruiser.

However, both of these options cost around $20K or more, so it is not something I'd recommend unless the couple are likely to be going to keep the vehicle for several years AND only if they were going to use it as a 4x4 (and not just a glorified shopping trolley...hahaha).

If they have no intention of 4x4ing or long distance travel, they'd be better off selling it and getting something better suited to their needs.

There is one school of thought (on the Patrol4x4 forum) that says that these motors are less likely to blow up if they are run hard and long....in other words, short trips around the suburbs will coke them up and they'll be more likely to fail. I don't know how much credence this theory has, but I do know that diesels, in general, are considered to be a "distance" motor. It is for this reason that I also own a small Subaru, for driving around town etc. The Chev only gets fired-up when we're off on a trip somewhere (usually).

Roachie

If they keep it at least get an EGT gauge fitted. They also suffer overboost problems so a boost gauge is also a handy fitment. If the prospect of keeping an eye on boost and egt as part of owning a ZD30, then IMHO get rid of it.

If you replace it with something late model say $35000 it will depreciate roughly $3500 in year one plus the stamp duty and opportunity cost of having to outlay extra funds to purchase a 35k vehicle so even that option will cost over $5000 in year one so in three years the recond expense and continue owning it is a cheaper option, yes newish vehic;es lose plenty of money too mainly by stealth as you dont see the money evaporating until you sell.

After spending all that money to get it fixed why sell it? If you are getting the next generation engine then there should be no dramas.

Mate had a GU2 and the grenade went off. Got part of the repair paid for by Nissan. He had it done at a dealership who used it as a trade-in on a new GU3 which he has had since late 2005. Had no problems since.

another option:

http://www.marks4wd.com/projects/6_5_GQ_project.htm

Remove the early GU nissan engine problems out of the equation and they have one tough vehicle there!
Solid axles all round and the best rear LSD in the market. Good investment (if they plan on keeping the car) either way (Nissan engine or Chev).

I have had two of these GU's with a 3litre on board...
1st one was a manual and the second was an auto.....

Under load they drank fuel, engine management lights came on from time to time, oil pressure switches failed, gaskets leaked in the engine bay, no down low torque in the manual, 24litres per 100kms with the auto across the simpson desert.....

Thats what i can think of in the last 2 mins...

False economy are these cars....

Save the $5000 at the time of purchase over the 4.2litre,,,, in hindsight $10000 is how much the 4.2 is better....

Pokie little interiors, no legroom, dashboard right in your face.....
All pull to the left when fitting mud tyres......

But apart from that they are great cars..

Thank you for all your thoughts and for taking the trouble to write them down.

The car is back on the road as of yesterday. All they have to do now is consider all the advice and decide whether to keep it.

Thanks again,
Min