air flow sensor

[jacka]

I have a 3.0td with only 13000kms on it. Just happened to be in Robe on the tracks when the sensor went cactus and my power also. Is it a common prob with the zd30? Do I need to carry a spare with me?

[roly]

yes its common

yes they are a pos

yes carry a spare

yes sell it and buy a 4.2tdi

[viperguy]

u have just gained membership to the 3.ol patrol airflow sensor breaking down club.. congratulations...full membership details and cost will be explained to u on ur costly trip back to a nissan dealer to have the sensor replaced..

seriously this has happened to nearly every 3.0l gu patrol that left nissan..common fault. reoccuring fault...mates have replaced theres up to seven times..then replaced the vehicle with a 4.2d gu..this is the best fix

[adam.s]

Is it a hot wire AFM ?

[roly]

ok to be serious


if you are running a unifilter or oiled filter you are screwed as the oil coats the wire and no more sensing

but...


nissan had a bad batch of factory filters that were over oiled and did the same thing and so are replacing these without a fight.

best tip is to buy the Yellow non oiled factory filters

Roly

[adam.s]

That is true, the oil from the filter will coat the AFM but it should still work.

You can actually clean an AFM if its a hot wire one which is probably what it is, cause that's what is in most of the nissan engines.

You just gotta be really fucking careful when you do it cause the wire is pretty fragile.

Cotton stick with some metho and very very lightly clean the wire, worked for me in my old car - economy shot thru the roof

[jacka]

I am using a Kand N filter. My dealer knows nothing of the yellow non oiled filters. Do you have a part number by chance?

[roly]

I am using a Kand N filter. My dealer knows nothing of the yellow non oiled filters. Do you have a part number by chance?

the K and N filter will be what has killed the AF meter

dont let nissan know you had it installed...


the Yellow Air Filter is 16546VB600

[XR6T]

Ok, been thread mining here a bit, but I have a 2000 GU 3ltr diesel in the driveway that I have borrowed from a dealer for the weekend. Its the car I want to buy, but it feels a bit down on power. I have spoken to the previous owner who said he found out after he sold it about the Air Flow Meter being dodgy in them, and suspected it may be in this car (Other than that, he recommended it as an overserviced good vehicle, other than the reputation of the 3.0 ltr motor). The car is the right price, and everything else seems in top condition.

How can I check to see if the sensor is stuffed, bearing in mind I'm a mechanical spastic? Is it an easy check or something a mechanic can do simply and quickly?

And

How much does it cost to have them replaced?


I need to take the car back to the dealer tomorrow morning and I would like to be armed with this info before then. It's not a Nissan dealer, so can't just do the diagnostic on it (if that works). Any help before tomorrow morning would be great!

PS - The previous owner has also offered me a chip to put in it. I know nothing of brand or type (I'm new ot the 4x4 world). Do the 3.0ltr benefit from these aftermarket chips and what sort of price range are they?

[Dee]

AFM:

You will definetly know if its stuffed. If it's bad enough, the engine check light will be illuminated on the dash. You won't be able to get over 80-90k's and its revving and power will be all weird and outa whack.
It should also log an error code. But you need to go to nissan to recover these i think.

roughly $250 to replace from memory (i think). That was not from a nissan dealer though.
Mine is a 2000 3.0 ST, full service history, replaced once. (got bogged badly in mud, with a k & n filter)

CHIP:

Dtronic is $1500 to buy. Plug in piggy back item (add on chip, not replacing anything)
Yes they benefit from the chip, all it does is re-map fuel timing.
Maybe find out the brand from him then do some research.

[rvh96]

try cleaning it with efi terminal cleaner CRC make it in a spray can its designed for jobs like this

[bogged]

Ok, been thread mining here a bit, but I have a 2000 GU 3ltr diesel in the driveway that

and

The car is the right price

price in the Sub $18k range? Nissan are now selling 3.0 donks in crates over the counter for $5500 (i think it was)

Has it had the engine replaced? if not look elsewhere.

[XR6T]

The AFS was stuffed, but no lights onthe dash on? Replaced and it feels like a new car. Is it possible that it was partly stuffed?

Also, I bought the car. No, not sub $18K price. I wanted a car with reasonable kms, so paid low $20s. Have been looking for a more than two months and have seen nothing at all below $18K in a GU with reasonable kilometres.[/i]

[Dee]

The AFS was stuffed, but no lights onthe dash on? Replaced and it feels like a new car. Is it possible that it was partly stuffed?

Also, I bought the car. No, not sub $18K price. I wanted a car with reasonable kms, so paid low $20s. Have been looking for a more than two months and have seen nothing at all below $18K in a GU with reasonable kilometres.[/i]

you mind me asking what sort of k's is it's done?

I also have a 3.0, 2000 model, and I paid similar price range about a year ago. Just interested in a comparison...
Been looking online, dosn't seem to be much under $25k that are under 150,000kms...

$5500 plus labour?
Oh well, if mine ever does go, will give me a reason to do a V8 conversion...

[bogged]

$5500 plus labour?

complete swaps on blown donks have been round $12k....

[XR6T]

you mind me asking what sort of k's is it's done?

Nah, not at all.

Its done 115,000kms.

[XR6T]

Sorry to mine this thread again but the air flow sensor I had replaced has died again after 3 weeks. The car did have an aftermarket oiled airfilter, which the Nissan dealer said will be responsible for rooting the AFS. I am not sure about this explanation. The sensor died after about 20 minutes on a corrigated gravel road.

Can anyone offer an explantion (other than "its the ZD30 - sell it and buy a TD42") as to why it would die in such a short time? I know they are a problem on these motors, but 3 weeks is BS.

Thanks a bundle in advance,

XR6T

PS- Who do I PM to change my username?

[tweak'e]

if the oil is the problem why not just get a map sensor filter. they are fitted to some of the early fuel injected cars.

[manno74]

Yes it is the oil... I'm not sure about the "map sensor filter" bit though?

Why it F*@Ks out? The sensor is simply a wire that heats up to a prescribed temp. This takes a set amount of electrickery... if lots of air flows over, makes it cooler, takes more volts to keep temp constant. If less airflow, takes less volts... When you put oil on the fine wire (little like fine wire in light bulb) the oil cooks and burns... hot and cold spots on wire = less constant reading across wire and eventually less constant reading back to the confuzer that makes the engine perform.

Again, the wire is fine, so maybe the corrugations did contribute, but definately the oil.

I too am a founding member of the AFS club... in fact my 3.0l is now a 2.25l! I have dropped a cylinder. With the truck being out of warranty, and me doing most of the servicings since, no joy from Nissan (not that I have chased it too much yet...). 6.5l Chev is on it's way for me. Love the truck, even loved the engine when it went right, but I have no confidence in it out bush, so want the mechanical reliability from the Chev - sounds good too!!!

I don't know too much about cleaning it, sounds reasonable, but fraught with danger. If you do need to replace it, make sure they only charge you for the element, not the complete sensor - difference of $200 odd? and $900 odd.

My tips though are:
Keep the servicings up to date and keep records!
Change your fuel filter too! Injectors are a killer.
Watch the EGR valve too!

Sounds like I'm trying to scare you, but these are all just points that I have found so far... there's actually more, but these are the big ones!
Enjoy. They're a great truck, just a pitty that the ZD30 was designed for europe not australia.