Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Hi all.
I am looking at buying a GU wagon as a family car. Towing a small camper and a bit of holiday offroading.
I am spening around $20 000 and can only find 2.8 or 3 litre diesel or petrol engine's. I just sold my 4.2 intercooled GQ and cant afford a 4.2 in GU.
I dont want a 2.8 as they are gutless. The 3 litre feels better to drive although I have heard nothing but bad news. From them going bang, to expensive clutches and injector pumps.
Does anyone have any happy long lasting 3 litres or are they all time bombs waiting to go off????????????????????????????????

Yeah, I know of plenty of happy 3.0L owners. They just aren't motivated to post up in places like this.

Personally I think the 3.0L is better for towing than the 4.2, but think the 4.5/4.8 is even better again.

I would go the petrol if I needed to tow. Cheaper to run than the diesels (on gas) and more power.

- David.

I'm only towing a small off road camper with the family crap in it. Probly only 1oookg at worst by the time I fill the fridge.

My grandad has one.

tows a caravan or his boat with it.

does alot of kms to go shooting very regularly

Hes never had a problem with it and doesnt have a bad thing to say about it

Despite the bad rap there are lots of them out there lasting a long time. The problem is that you have absolutely no way of knowing whether you're buying one of those, or one of the other kind.

I have heard rumours that series two and three are pretty safe.

DanwinGQ wrote:I have heard rumours that series two and three are pretty safe.

Ive heard rumors from a ex nissan employee, might have been on here actually cant actually remember of a series 5 going.

DanwinGQ wrote:I have heard rumours that series two and three are pretty safe.

Whatever series is still mostly under 100,000km at any given time is the one that's pretty safe and has had the problem fixed.

DanwinGQ wrote:I have heard rumours that series two and three are pretty safe.

They are all pretty safe, just the computer on the turbo isn't very smart and will melt pistons with a heap of boost when you start down the modification route. From the series II on they upped the internal cooling with larger oil galleries to try and control the heat. the ZD30 is a good little engine just a little highly strung from the factory so you need to be careful if you start to modify it for more power.

My father has a Series II and tows a 2.5t 21' jayco around the country. Vehicle is completely stock and is up to about its 5th year doing the 6-month grey nomad thing all over the country. He has no problems and out towed me in my 4.2 GU towing about 1.5t of camper.

- David.

buy a 3ltr then just take the necessary precautions, egt & boost gauge so you can keep an eye on things

Dirty wrote:

DanwinGQ wrote:I have heard rumours that series two and three are pretty safe.

They are all pretty safe, just the computer on the turbo isn't very smart and will melt pistons with a heap of boost when you start down the modification route.

- David.

thats not actually it.. more boost in a diesel makes it run cooler.. the problem lies in the boost compensator and computer... it over fuels after a mass over boost creating heat.. can happen on any engine at random..

and how is a 3ltr going to tow better then a 4.2 yeah the 3 may have more power but its the torque that pulls.. and lol at a 4.5 or 4.8 being better.. my dads 5.7 ss cant accelerate as hard as my na 4.2d with the boat on the back..

my dads 5.7 ss cant accelerate as hard as my na 4.2d with the boat on the back..

Bullshit. I was going to let it slide and say nothing but you can't post utter shit like that. 270Kw versus 80Kw. If the 5.7 is in the right gear (and not 6th at 70km/hr) it will haul ass.


_

I thought it was dodgy EGR valves that kill the 3 litre?

raptorthumper wrote:

my dads 5.7 ss cant accelerate as hard as my na 4.2d with the boat on the back..

Bullshit. I was going to let it slide and say nothing but you can't post utter shit like that. 270Kw versus 80Kw. If the 5.7 is in the right gear (and not 6th at 70km/hr) it will haul ass.


_

You need torque to pull loads NOT kw.

raptorthumper wrote:

my dads 5.7 ss cant accelerate as hard as my na 4.2d with the boat on the back..

Bullshit. I was going to let it slide and say nothing but you can't post utter shit like that. 270Kw versus 80Kw. If the 5.7 is in the right gear (and not 6th at 70km/hr) it will haul ass.


_

Was thinking the same. Even my slow arse GU 4.5 tows as good/better than a mates GQ 4.2 NA and his old mans GQ 4.2 NA.

I've even been overtaken by a VX SS up the Adelaide freeway(big long steep hill), I was empty and not towing, he had a medium sized caravan on the back.

Was the 5.7 SS in reverse?

Do you really believe in what you are saying.


TD42 Maximum torque 272 Nm @ 2000 RPM

LS1 Maximum torque: 446 Nm @ 4400 RPM



I dont want to argue about this as it is off topic, but i will say plenty of members here have done LS1, LS2 and L98 conversions for the power and torque upgrades the V8 provides. To say a TD42 towing can out accelerate an LS1 is just total crap.

Back on topic.

Sounds like a lot of guys are doing a lot of pulling here.

I bought my ZD30 GU new in May 2001 (Feb 2001 build), it has 180 000k's on it and its a good car!

I have done a LOAD of research, most on this and Patrol4x4 forum and have started to enact the recommendations of the documents AND gained an understanding of WHY they blow and the conditions to avoid same.

If you can get one cheap because of other people's irrational fears, then go for it!!

Hey bigbluemav,
It sounds like your happy with your truck. I am unsure what to believe and what not to believe here.
As for performance I know a 3 litre wont get anywhere near my 4.2. It had a fair amount of money thrown at it over the years and went pretty hard for an old tractor.
Do you know anything about prevention when it comes to the 3litre crappin itself. I heard something about an aftermarket catch can and boost controler kit??
Any thoughts??

DanwinGQ wrote:I have heard rumours that series two and three are pretty safe.

Yea, Ask Bingham and Toyonissan

I take it they had problems?????????????????

Yep.

http://www.outerlimits4x4.com/ftopic170973.php

ah. I did read some of that actualy.

DanwinGQ wrote:ah. I did read some of that actualy.

or this bloke
http://www.patrol4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=40120

But ... but they fixed ti in the 2002 model... honest...

DanwinGQ wrote:As for performance I know a 3 litre wont get anywhere near my 4.2. It had a fair amount of money thrown at it over the years and went pretty hard for an old tractor.

I wouldn't be so sure. The 3.0 teamed up with an auto will do a better job than the 4.2 when towing. Actually it will do better in everything except the sand and when in low range (you need 85% reductions with the 3.0) At best the 4.2 will try and keep up with the 3.0 when in the hills until it gets hot and you have to lift off to bring the temps down, at which stage the 3.0 keeps going and disappears over the hill.

The 3.0 will also do it on about 70-80% of the fuel that the 4.2 will consume.

The 3.0 is a good motor, but the 4.5/4.8 is better and much cheaper to run when on gas.

I don't get the love affair some people have with the 4.2. It is an old boat anchor of a motor that is extremely dated in design and produces crap power for its displacement and fuel consumption. To love it in the bush is one thing, but on the highway and around town is almost at stupid as saying it will out pull a LS1.

- David.

(as i get told how reliable the 4.2 is )

chimpboy wrote:

DanwinGQ wrote:I have heard rumours that series two and three are pretty safe.

Whatever series is still mostly under 100,000km at any given time is the one that's pretty safe and has had the problem fixed.

I would get the 4.2, they out accelerate the LS6!

bogged wrote:

DanwinGQ wrote:I have heard rumours that series two and three are pretty safe.

Yea, Ask Bingham and Toyonissan

its all stories brother..the 3L is what nasa is looking at to power the next space venture.... actually by chance i might know of one for sale after christmas.... shall do you a deal

Ps Please dont read the victims of the 3L thread... that is all.

bigbluemav wrote:I bought my ZD30 GU new in May 2001 (Feb 2001 build), it has 180 000k's on it and its a good car!

I have done a LOAD of research, most on this and Patrol4x4 forum and have started to enact the recommendations of the documents AND gained an understanding of WHY they blow and the conditions to avoid same.

If you can get one cheap because of other people's irrational fears, then go for it!!

I'm a fan of getting great cars cheap because of other people's fears, hence I have a P38 Range Rover that I love. So I'm with ya there

But a question... based on what you've learned about the ZD30, is a used one more of a risk depending on its history? What I mean is, the "big bang" problem that they have is due to certain conditions that you believe can be avoided... but do you need to know whether the previous owner also avoided them? Are they conditions that build up over time or are they conditions that happen once and blow the motor straight away?

options,

Buy your gq back or borrow extra cash get a 3L thats just on the brink or running out of warranty and factor in another $1200 or whatever it is for extended warranty......... then one day say geez i owe bingham beer he was right

or call phippsey in kingaroy as hey selling his 02 i think gu wagon td42turbo. 280km's i think with all thr racks lights rubber locker winch blah blah blah. just got rwc and lazy bastad not advertised yet. Think he putting $27000 0no on it. Do somw wheeling and dealing.
0413456616