Outer Limits 4x4 Board

I've read 1 or 2 or 4,000,000 posts about the zd30 and I certainly know Bogged's opinion

I'm going to buy a 3.0L diesel in coming days (hoping to get a good deal prior to Christmas). Whilst I have found one of the last TD42's, i just can't stretch the finances that far, and I dont have the luxury of time to find a 2nd hand one.

The dealer is confident that the motor issues are resolved - he's giving me a written 6 year, 175,000 Km warranty. Whilst I probably wont keep it long enough for this warranty to expire, I don't want to end up stranded somewhere.

Can someone actually confirm that the problem was identified and fixed in the more recent versions.... Please no heresay - I'd like facts for and against.

Thanks.

they have fixed the main problem in the later models.

however i get the feeling they havn't/can't fix the accioated problems. its hard to say because very few people will actually say what the sevice history, type of driving, type of oil etc is used on them. which makes me suspect servicing or lack of it, is a major factor.

at the moment i'm trailing having the EGR blocked on my ZD30 navarra. it has made quite a decent improvment and the amount of soot in the intake for a 50,000km vechile is huge. this makes me wonder if its a fuel issue as well. poor fuel + EGR = big increase in soot and high EGT's.

the EGR controller seams to be over eager to open and slow to shut which is why we have had problems with take off eg bogging down and blowing huge clouds of smoke on take off.

also don't overfill it with oil. i think a prevoius servicing guy overfilled it with oil which is why its blown a bit of oil out.

From what I have read and learned the early ones were a combination of factors stemming from lack of oil capacity, through to flow issues and return to sump. Regular servicing and using ONLY the recommended oil is a must.

Other issues were change fuel filter every second service, clean and service AFM (if applicable) get a PYRO and Boost guage and monitor engine performance and temps and you should be right!

(I.E. Ensure the motor gets good clean air, good clean fuel and doesn't run too much fuel causing huge exhaust temps.) Then you should be fine...

Other major problems noted are the dual mass clutch, and possily weaker 5th gear... other than that, good rig...

6 year / 175,000km warranty??? Go for it. They are a nice engine usually... I had a 3.0lt GU2 but sold it at 85,000km with no probs, now have 4.2TD and love it!
But like I said, with a warranty like that then I wouldn't be too concerned.
Mark

mnpalmer wrote:But like I said, with a warranty like that then I wouldn't be too concerned.
Mark

depends if nissan DO honour it or not really.. Why it was not a total recall from the start, has me at a loss...

Barnsey wrote:While we're at it..............can we bust / confirm some 2.8 myths with hard cold facts too?

like what?

what that they are an underpowered piece of shit and the only reason you would buy one is if you couldnt afford a 4.2.

some icelandic GQs with the 2.8 are running twin turbo arrangments and getting huge power and lasting. Reason i swaped out the 2.8 on my old gq was it didnt like towing at all but with a trailer in tow it went quite well for a little motor.

Barnsey wrote:While we're at it..............can we bust / confirm some 2.8 myths with hard cold facts too?

on my mates 2.8 turbo, his compeser wheel on his turbo sh!t it self and it destroyed 2 pistons. had it fixed under nissan warranty, there where 2 other 2.8 td being fixed at the same time with turbo related problems.

what that they are an underpowered piece of shit and the only reason you would buy one is if you couldnt afford a 4.2.

there not that bad!

I run the ZD30 in a 2003 Terrano with 67.000km right now. Never had a problem with it, even with me driving it on the Autobahn in Germany around 140-150 km/h most of the time. No oil burning or smoke. The Terranos did get the revised version of the ZD30's though. Here in Germany Nissan changed ALL engines of the first series ZD30's Patrol even when the vehicles where already out of warranty or engines still running strong against the revised versions. Only a few here I heard of problems, mainly faulty injectors burning a piston.
The RD28's are blowing heads every 200'km on nearly every Patrol I know of, including my old one.

I now have 240ks on my 3 litre turbo and have not had one problem. It is serviced every 10ks and I use Magnatec oil. I do a lot of highway miles all over Qld and NSW and most time around 120 kph. Sometimes towes a trailer on these trips and does not miss a beat. And it is an auto. My son and his mates have turbo 80 series cruisers and they cannot keep up with it.