Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Hi all.

We got our truck, if you could call it that, about 2 months ago. Inspired by the road from Bonnie Doon on Lake Eildon, we headed out to the yard and picked up this great little turbo diesel, straight from Japan with 160K kms on it.

Smooth running all along, till this weekend. On a trip to Murindindi this weekend near Melbourne (where we had our first snatch recovery out of a bog when the front diff dug in ... ) I noticed this morning that it was running a high temp at idle, with the needle slowly creeping up. Checked the dipstick the day before and decided it needs an oil change and was going to service it before a serious trip to Croiajingalong over Easter.

When we got going I noticed the temp needle dropping back to around halfway with the oil pressure around half way too. When we stopped at lights etc the two needles would dance around each other, pressure down, temp up.

Maybe the air filter is clogged? It was very dusty and rocky for the most part through the forest.

Oil too low? Not circulating enough?

Also, we've noticed a large amount of whitish grey smoke and sometimes black at start up or when grunting up hills in 2nd around 2600 revs. Have heard that this could be due to injectors, glow plugs, oil... a bit boggling...

The service list for this week:

oil flush and change, oil filter
diesel 'chemtune' offered at 4WD Connections here in Melbourne
check bushes and suspension (vibrations at low speed from passenger front side)
fuel filter

The car's currently running 30" I assume, tyres, would going to 31 without a lift alter things? Thinking of wider tyres too, but more aggressive than the Firestones on there at the moment.

Lengthy post, but there's some stuff on my mind!

Thanks for reading, and looking forward to learning something!

If you got stuck in mud, I would think you should be looking at your radiator. Get a high pressure hose and clean the cores of the radiator out from the inside the engine bay towards the front of the vehicle.

The symtoms you describe have nothing to do with oil or ai filters, and everything to do with a blocked radiator core (outside) not allowing air to reach the coolant inside the radiator.

The "dancing" of the guages is a result of the oil getting too hot because the engine is too hot, in turn caused by the poor cooling through the radiator. The hot oil cannot "hold" a high pressure (less viscous).

BTW: I think you are being taken for a bit of a ride, half the service stuff you describe is unnecessary.

-Oil change, oil filter - OK.
-Fuel filter - OK.
-"Chemtune" - why??? If the injector needs servicing then no amount of chemicals poured down it guts is going to fix it.
-Vibrations - not likely to be suspension/bushes at low speed, they tend to knock or rattle. Look more at wheel bearings.

Suggestion - take it somewhere else for a second/third opinion.

Thanks mate.

Will do more research on this chemtune business.

First time with a diesel. Wasn't even sure if the radiator takes water due to the amount of coolant swirling around in there!

I just use a garden hose on the radiator, plenty of water and run it over the radiator until it's clean. Saw a mate use a high pressure cleaner, maybe too high, but it damaged some of the fins in the radiator itself.

Maybe mud in rim or tyre bead causing tyre inbalance, with the aircond rad in the way you sometimes have to lift the radiator to clean it properly.
A lot of people drape a vinyl cover over the grille when going through mud to protect the rad, also if your stuck, try to avoid reversing as you just keep forcing mud in from behind.
J Top

Thanks for that!

I did try to rock it out of the hole a couple of times.

On the run out to the 'burbs tonight and back it seemed ok. Gave it a good hosing, so we'll see over the coming days. She's going in for her first service Thursday so thumbs up after for sure.

Still wondering about this Chemtune bizzo. Might post a separate question.

Cheers again.