Just starting this thread so it doesn't impact on a recent post.
In that post there was some comment on the mid range vehicles to go the distance when worked.
Here is a view from my perspective.
I haven't been a fan of all the electronic gadgets but you can't get away from them in any of the new vehicles. As Ned said "such is life."
What I would like to say is what have people found. I know this is going to open up a can of worms but this is how we learn what works and what doesn't. Please read on.
For non members I have a 1989 troopcarrier fitted with a 6.5l chev diesel. It has served me
well and will pull everything backward from idle except an F truck. NOTE. Idle. Had 3 tonne + on the back yesterday and just idled of in 2nd gear on a more than slight
hill. Damn she is only rated to 2.5 tonne towing I must report myself. This means I have no axe to grind or one eye to satisfy.
Now for the nitty gritty.
You all know about the 3l Nissan Patrol engine failures but that started 10 years ago to one engine that the manufacturer didn't back on warranty.
Well things have moved on from then and I haven't heard of any other major problems with the new small diesel engines. Please read on.
Yes!! There are injector failures but these span the whole range of diesels, big, small and costly.
What I have noticed is the problems the smaller engines have with torque low down low in the rev range. I know it is put down to dual mass flywheels but to get these things going is a pain on anything but flat ground. Note! With a load and yes I drive them and find them a pain, not to mention the strain on the transmission.
Those who have the V8 cruiser utes please don't get to smug (I don't want to start world war 3) but they are not the same quality we once enjoyed. How do I know we have 30 of them so I may just drive the odd one and I may just have driven the odd old 1HZ ute for the last 20 something years.
What I do believe is we will see no more manual boxes in the not to distant future. One of the reasons is the clutches and when the engine is on song the strain when someone is giving it a boot full and changing gear. Meet a mate that I haven't seen for 15 years and he said his boss had just bought him a new freightliner to pull a float. He said it was an auto/manual and that he hated for one week. Then he thought it was the ants pants.
Please this is not to stir people up but for those who have a point of view or experience with the newer breeds to give feed back especially with how their engines and running gear are lasting. Could the reports come from those that use theirs for heavy towing or of road work.
I shell now put my flack jacket on.
RA.