Outer Limits 4x4 Board

I need to hear from GU 2.8 OWNERS only please, no opinions or stories, owner facts is all I'm after;
I would like to here comments good or bad on the experience's you've had with them, on-road (highway k's etc) performance, off-road, maintance issue's and commen problems please, if there are any owners of 98/99 models are there any issue's once high klm mark is reached or out of warrnety drama's? as I am purchasing one which will be the newest vehicle I've owned, So I would like to have an idea of what I'm in for,thanks in advance

But he has already read all the 'crap' stories most probably ...
He just wants someone to say they are a good motor.

they are a good motor! ive had mine for over 12 months now and ive had no probs and know of 2 others that have had no probs! yes they are are pig on take off but hold 110klms all day with bugger all feul usage! ive takin mine off road and given it a good workout with missis,kids and good boot full and kept up with 2 cruisers and a prado no probs!
a few months ago i went down to dingo dell camping area with a trailer, motorbikes and heaps of camping gear and got back up no probs so yeh i wreckon there good! people dont like em because you cant wack 35s on em and go rock hoppin without spending some dollars on performance chips and shite like that, but with a 3inch exhaust and power module they go very very good!
so yeh you will not be as disapointed as alot of people say you will!

Thanks for some genuine experience, I did have a read through the GU bible but most of the threads turn into a "Get a 4.2" argument, I also had a read on as much info as I could find on another Patrol forum. I just wanted to here from 2.8 owners that have put some k's on their motor, highway, beach and bush, If fuel comsumption jumped when towing that sort of info, things people, owners might not bring up on a forum as it's a dilay/regular thing for that vehicle. As I haven't owned one and am looking at one, I would like to have a good idea of what I'm getting into.
So thanks Familybus.

I was talking to a bloke at work that has one with 215k's and he said he had a starting issue, were it would kick over for awhile then start and blow smoke, he changed the glowplugs and it starts easier, however he said the glowplug light go's out but the relay doesn't click for another second or two, and if you don't wait for the relay to click over it turns over a few times before it actually fires. Has anybody else had any problems similar?

We have not had a problem with ours and we got it new in 2001.

Yes we did a head but that can happen in any model.

We have been all over Aus with it and crossed the Nullarbor at least 15 times that I remember. We have carted a fully laden tandem axel tradies trailer on a couple of those trips.

Yes its a little 2.8 but people tend to expect a lot out of them.

Most people who knock them have never driven one and go off hearsay.

Fuel economy is great.

I just drive like I used to drive a Detroit powered truck............keep the revs up and no problems.

Cheers

Thanks Pootrol1, it's owners like you and familybus I wanted to hear from,
did you find the cause of the head failure?
And it ( the engine) doesn't mind being driven with rev's in the boost range, even on long highway strech's?
I would be using it as a daily driver, for camping (light beach and bush) interstate travel and when the need arrives to tow my swb cab/chassis MQ.

Ive only had mine a month so far, and im happy with it.
I previously owned 2 hilux's before hand in my 13+ years of driving so far (a 2.2ltr diesel and a 2.8ltr diesel) and its good now to have a bit of comfort, space and a bit more power!

They are a little sluggish till the turbo comes in, but when it does, its much nicer to drive.

Mine has the motsons enhancer chip in it which was in it when I bought the car, and is meant to improve the power more which helps.
I didnt drive too many other standard 2.8s before I bought this though, but I did notice the difference in those that I did drive.

Mine is a 98 ST with 185ks on the clock so far and seems to be going fine. Blowing a little bit of smoke but apparantly these motors do.
Although im getting the injecters and pump etc checked out when I have some spare cash.

I took it offroad for the first time the weekend up the High Country and although we didnt do anything real hard, it dealt with the tracks with ease.
I drove from Melbourne to Orbost (about 350kms) last thursday night and it was happily sitting on 120k most of the way.

Im happy with it anyway. Im not going to be doing real serious stuff in it anyway for a while till I can fatten my wallet up a bit to allowed for broken bits anyway which always seem to happen when you tackle the bigger stuff. Im also planning to do the simpson desert again this year in it, so I want to keep it in good nick for that.

Take a couple for a drive anyway and see what you think, and if its not for you, well choose something else. I was a bit nervous when I started looking at them because of all the flack people give them, but they really arnt a bad car, and with the power chip in it like mine, its pretty good I think

Good luck with it though!

They are not like the 3.0 litre they are a lot more reliable,talking to a guy at nissan and he says he hears of very little engine failure with the 2.8 but with the 3.0 litre there is always at least one in the shop with a blown engine.

I really can't thank you all enough! Luxy and dirtyGQ thanks for your words.
I am looking at it and test driving today, my previous was a SD33, then I turbo'd that, so if the 2.8turbo intercooled electric GU motor is an improvement on that, and will handle what I want without damaging the motor I will be happy, once again thank you all

They tend to like a bit bigger exhaust as well 2.5-3in for a bit more power, but im sure you will love it anyway for the comfort and handling... I did when I went from the lux!!

make sure you get a vehicle inspection before buying ..it is worth the $$$$$$ especially a compression test .

Feel like travelling??

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll ... :IT&ih=014

i have seen them around in yards starting at $14,000.

dirtyGQ wrote:i have seen them around in yards starting at $14,000.

And.......?

well i'm not a gy 2.8 owner but i'm not bagging them either.
i test drove a couple before buying my 100 series petrol. it was only the horsepower that put me off them. like the other blokes said on here they seem to be reliable. I haven't heard anything bad about them. i would buy one over a 3.0 any day just because of the bad reputation of the 3.0.
Better off having less power and reliability than a powerfull timebomb. especially in a 4wd/camping/touring rig.

Heres mine! full front end, roof rack and draws,fridge and all camping gear to boot, still have fun and never been stuck yet!

familybus wrote:and never been stuck yet!

and now u have just jinxed it... lol

udm wrote:

familybus wrote:and never been stuck yet!

and now u have just jinxed it... lol

nah! i only use to get stuck till i put in a winch, since then never stuck!



except once when my missis was driving out of a 12ft wide driveway not long ago with 2 copper logs stickin out of the ground eacvh side painted whit and she got it stuck on one of them! then tried to tell me when she got stuck she stopped the engine and called me!


the post she was stuck on had black tye marks all over it and i could smell clutch when i got there!

myold man had a 98 2.8 GU, it had 140ks on it, never missed a beat, ran well, drove well, we changed the diff ratios to 4.88 and ran is with 35s all day, would cruise well, off road we hade a set of rockhoppers, which trned it into a great truck,

if you likewhat your buyin go for it, but i have been told by a diesel mech that if the injector pump startes leakin your up for a large rebuild bill,

wut in the end, with all the towin we do, we ended up strippin out the 2.8 and fitting a 4.2 turbo, pretty straight forward swap too if you ask me, and it was cheaper than buyin a 4.2 off the floor second hand,

familybus wrote: ive takin mine off road and given it a good workout with missis,kids and good boot full and kept up with 2 cruisers and a playdoh no probs!

my jabber could keep up with a playdoh


but yeh from what ive heard and seen the 2.8 isnt that bad, id rather one than a zd30 handgrenade. they use fark all fuel and are at least a 6 not a 4 banger.
only thing ive heard about them is something with the last models and electric fuel pump or something... the older ones were better?

familybus wrote:

udm wrote:

familybus wrote:and never been stuck yet!

and now u have just jinxed it... lol

nah! i only use to get stuck till i put in a winch, since then never stuck!



except once when my missis was driving out of a 12ft wide driveway not long ago with 2 copper logs stickin out of the ground eacvh side painted whit and she got it stuck on one of them! then tried to tell me when she got stuck she stopped the engine and called me!


the post she was stuck on had black tye marks all over it and i could smell clutch when i got there!

By the look of your winch.... It looks like you don't look after your winch

G'day All,
Well I went and had alook today, all seemed okay, test drove fine The only things wrong are small dent in rear pass. sill, broken arial and drivers controll of passenger windows doesn't work, you can controll them from the windows seat though. I liked the overall drive, obviosly everything was a step up from what I have been driving, I was really expecting it to be dead below 2000rpm as I have been told, but was pretty suprised, I would decribe it as a typical diesel below 2000rpm to quite responsive and perky from then on, I went to 3400 but seemed to want to keep going, I have never driven a 4.2 so I don't know what I'm missing. It passed all my test's for it so I will be picking it up tomorrow! I am pretty happy about it, and am looking forward to first real trip!

Just want to also take time to say Thank You to all that replied for your advice and experience, I didn't know or have alot of info and if it wasn't for Outer's and all of you I wouldn't have known jack all! so THANKS!

Mad Cruiser wrote:By the look of your winch.... It looks like you don't look after your winch

damn your eyesite it shite hot! i cant see no winch, all i can see is a fairlead that got surface rust and greased up so it doesnt seaze!
oh and as for the winch i had it out a completly rbuilt it myself less than 6 months ago and wind out the cable every month and give it a squirt every month!

Not a problem mattstar & congrats on the new purchase!
Enjoy your new toy and look after it, and it will look after you for many years to come!

I've had mine for over 5 years & it's now done over 130000ks, with no major problems. I change the oil & filter every 5000ks & take it to a mechanic every 12-18 months for once over. They can start to run hot when pushed hard when they have done around the 100000k mark, but the radiator just needs to be stripped & flushed.
Its taken me everywhere I wanted to go & tows my 4.2m ally boat without any problems. Sticking a bigger exhaust on & a chip in will make a big difference.
The problem with hard hot starting you mentioned it common & easily fixed. Check out www.patrol4x4.com/forum for more info.

I picked up the GU and am Stoked!
I have put in just over 500k's since friday arvo, and there was about 4-5 hours of off road in there aswell. I haven't driven a 4.2 so don't know what I'm missing, and to be honest don't care... the 2.8 is doing everything I want, good fuel economy and is comfy for the right price, for me. Plus it has a good history, unlike the 3ltr.
Thanks heaps to all 2.8 owners that voiced their opinons, I am glad you did.
I now feel spoilt in the world of 4x4