2000 Nissan Patrol 3 litre turbo engine failure

Submitted: Monday, Jan 15, 2007 at 19:38

ThreadID: 41243 Views:17005 Replies:9 FollowUps:14

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zedd

Hi,
We have a 2000 Nissan Patrol 3 litre turbo which has done about 120,000 km. Recently we have found out that this model has an engine design fault which can cause the engine to blow up. We regularly have our car serviced, but apparently this doesn't overcome the problem. We personally know of 4 people whose car engines have failed. We recently heard that Nissan did a recall on this model. Is there anyone with more information about this problem? We bought the car when it was 12 months old - through an auctioneer. It was a government-owned car. We are hoping perhaps it was recalled. We have had only one minor problem with our car and have been really pleased with its performance.
Zedd

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Reply By: Carl & Kaz - Monday, Jan 15, 2007 at 19:49

Monday, Jan 15, 2007 at 19:49

A search in the archive will give you a treasure trove of information on this topic!

AnswerID: 215506

Follow Up By: zedd - Monday, Jan 15, 2007 at 20:55

Monday, Jan 15, 2007 at 20:55

Hi,
Thanks for the follow-up and advice. I have looked at the archives and wow, I think we have a big problem. Could someone please give me the contact details for the Main Office of Nissan (not Melbourne) just in case it does go? I don't like being cheated - especially when Nissan knew there was a problem. I think everyone with a 2000 -2001 model should be covered for a new motor. Who has a spare $6,000 - $13,000 depending on the damage done. Knowing our luck (which isn't good) our motor will fail? I thought diesals were reliable and that's why I bought one. At the price they are you don't expect them to blow up. Why didn't Nissan just recall them and replace them with a different motor.
Zedd

FollowupID: 475800

Follow Up By: zedd - Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 18:36

Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 18:36

Having read all the bad news about the engine fault is there anyone who has been through a rebuild, exchange, new motor etc for this problem? Did you have a later model engine put into your Nissan Patrol 3.0 litre Turbo or did you just replace with the same model and hope it was okay?
Zedd

FollowupID: 475996

Follow Up By: Leroy - Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 20:35

Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 20:35

Apparently, up until recently Nissan was replacing the engine with a later model short motor. Now they have a rebuild kit they put through your engine.

Leroy

FollowupID: 476020

Reply By: Member - Stephen M (NSW) - Monday, Jan 15, 2007 at 20:08

Monday, Jan 15, 2007 at 20:08

Hi there Zedd as Carl has said do a search and you will find things you will agree with and things you dont (hope you got a few weeks to sit down and read). All I can say is I would be taking note of the ones that have had troubled patrols which actually own the vehicles not a mate of a mates grandmothers, brothers sisters boyfriend if you get what I mean. My opinion is there are good and bad in all vehicles but the patrols in that year range did have some major problems. There was no recall that has solved the problem. There are probably more good ones around then bad. I hope you dont have any problems but if you go down the same path as your friends then you will no doubt know the costs involved. Forget about any form of warranty and especially been a government owned vehicle.Can check out a report done by a local mechanic in my area Penrith Just click on patrol and follow any links www.lonards-automotives.com.au Have a read for yourself. Regards Steve M

AnswerID: 215510

Reply By: Truckster (Vic) - Monday, Jan 15, 2007 at 21:07

Monday, Jan 15, 2007 at 21:07

You personally know 4 people who have had them die, yet still bought one?

Recall? Ummmmmmm no. never was never will be. Although dipsticks were chopped.

AnswerID: 215539

Follow Up By: Geoff (Newcastle, NSW) - Monday, Jan 15, 2007 at 21:14

Monday, Jan 15, 2007 at 21:14

"Although dipsticks were chopped"

Two legged or metallic?

Geoff,
Landcruiser HDJ78,
Grey hair is hereditary, you get it from children. Baldness is caused by watching the Wallabies.

Lifetime Member
My Profile My Blog Send Message

FollowupID: 475805

Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Monday, Jan 15, 2007 at 21:15

Monday, Jan 15, 2007 at 21:15

2 legs at Nissan, 1 in the engine bay.. what a way to increase the oil capacity... although there is now an upgraded part #

FollowupID: 475807

Follow Up By: Member - Stephen M (NSW) - Monday, Jan 15, 2007 at 21:16

Monday, Jan 15, 2007 at 21:16

You personally know 4 people who have had them die, yet still bought one? totally agree with you there truckster, but then again 2.8d hiluxs were known for going bang too and I still bought one so mmmm, maybe I'm just as bad but have to admit most of the lux's problems were from lack of oil changes and no 4 bearing shyting itself from lack of lubrication but at least there was an answer for it patrol 3Litre think there still trying to work it out, oh oh now Im gunna get nailed I'm waiting, wont say any more. Regards Steve M

FollowupID: 475808

Follow Up By: Member - Stephen M (NSW) - Monday, Jan 15, 2007 at 21:20

Monday, Jan 15, 2007 at 21:20

Speaking of dipsticks toyota did the exact same thing on the lexcens (commodores)(ecotec motor) as they would chew through the oil in the sump between 10 thou k service and would be seizing up so did a recall longer dipstick extra 1 litre of oil would see it last till the next 10k service, guess who had the job of pulling it out and whacking a new one in and an extra litre of oil ?? There all as bad as each other these car manufacturers and they call that a fix what a joke. Regards Steve M

FollowupID: 475811

Follow Up By: D-Jack - Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 00:50

Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 00:50

It doesn't say he bought the car after hearing of the 4 failures......nice assumption.

FollowupID: 475865

Follow Up By: zedd - Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 08:31

Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 08:31

Hi,
No I didn't buy the car after hearing of the 4 failures. We've had the car 4 years, but have only just started to hear about the engine problems. The ones we know of have blown around 120,000km+. All were regularly serviced - as is ours. I think I'm just sitting on a time bomb. Maybe we got a good engine. (I hope). Why hasn't anyone contacted Current Affairs or Today Tonight extra with this issue? There must be a lot of very angry 3 Litre Nissan Patrol owners out there whose cars have blown.
Zedd

FollowupID: 475883

Follow Up By: Member - MrBitchi (QLD) - Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 08:43

Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 08:43

Zedd, maybe it's time for a trade in ;-)

FollowupID: 475885

Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 10:51

Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 10:51

Only problem with trading them in, they have $0.00 trade in value due to the probs.
So rock and a hard place. Trade in n lose, or wait for it to blow up n spend $12k on rebuild (Or get the kit off ebay!), or swap engines with something else.

FollowupID: 475903

Reply By: Leroy - Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 09:10

Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 09:10

You may find that you have no problems for another couple of hundred thousand but it depends how frequently you service. Oil changes are the key and if you have been doing say 5k oil changes I'd say there is good probability that you will get many more years of reliable motoring. But if you say 10k then it's a bit of an unknown quantity In the early days of high sulfer levels in fuels they contaminated the oil before it was due to be changed. This is the theory that was raised some time back and has merrit in my book. This likely is why Nissan increased the sump capacity of the early 3.0 so the service intervals could be stretched to 10k more reliably. The later 3.0l may of had a few mods to overcome lubrication issues that the early one may of had....but were these early 3.0l issues related to the high sulfer fuels and oil change intervals?

Leroy

AnswerID: 215592

Reply By: PhilZD30Patrol - Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 09:10

Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 09:10

Hi Zed

Sorry to hear of your concerns about your ZD30.

Check out Lonards Automotive Repairs, their email address is lonards@bigpond.net.au and they have a web page that has good information.

Remember that there are many ZD30 engines still going strong having travelled many kilometres.

Nissan cooperated with the engine replacement / rebuild of a guy I know well after the warrantee expired. Nissan required about $1,000 to $1,500 for so called "consumables" e.g. belts, hoses and clamps.

I understand that it depends on the Nissan agent involved and the wiliness of the vehicle owner to patiently persist to apply polite pressure on Nissan and the Service Agent.

Re servicing. (my para-phrasing)
Your original owner’s manual probably specified CF or CF-4 15W 40 engine oil. Oil and filter to be changed at 15,000 kms. In extreme conditions the oil and filter changes should be reduced to 7,500 kms.

DO NOT USE SG ENGINE OIL

Nissan later issued a service update to their dealers that specified (my para-phrasing)

- CF or CF-4 10W 40 semi synthetic oil
- Oil and filter change every 10,000 kms.
- In extreme conditions oil and filter changes should be reduced to 5,000 kms.

DO NOT USE SG ENGINE OIL

Following discussions with mechanics my interpretation of extreme conditions is all NORMAL driving conditions. In other words there is no occasion when the oil change period should be increased to 10,000 kms, especially if you own the vehicle and intend to keep it for many years.

I have also been told to use the Nissan air filter element. Do not use the wash out in turps and re-oil type filters as they may interfere with the engine air flow sensor and air fuel mixture. I must add that there are many people who disagree with this theory

good luck and keep on enjoying 4wding in your mighty ZD30 Patrol.

Phil

AnswerID: 215593

Follow Up By: Leroy - Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 11:21

Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 11:21

I think you mean CG not SG.

Leroy

FollowupID: 475909

Follow Up By: Red-one - Wednesday, Jan 17, 2007 at 22:10

Wednesday, Jan 17, 2007 at 22:10

Phil,

I am very interested in your comments regarding the optimum oil types for use with this engine, especiallly your highlighted note to avoid SG (or CG as Leroy points out). In fact, you stress CF or CF-4 should be used, which I believe are semi-synthetic oils rather than full.

Could you possibly expand on this aspect a bit more please ?

Thanks, Red-one.

FollowupID: 476325

Follow Up By: PhilZD30Patrol - Thursday, Jan 18, 2007 at 15:00

Thursday, Jan 18, 2007 at 15:00

Hi Leroy and Red-one

Leroy is correct. My Nissan handbook says "Never use API CG - 4 oil" in reference to the ZD30 engine. The Gregorys Repair Manual makes a similar recommendation.

Below is a copy of a copy of a supposed Nissan Publication. I cannot give any assurance it is correct so I am not responsible it is it BS.

Bulletin No: MAO4-001
Re: Revised Engine Oil Specification
Applied Model: Y61 & D22
Applied range: ZD3O Engines

Please be advised that the specification for the 011 fill on the ZD30 has been revised. Engine Oils that meet the specification listed below are the only oils that are permitted for use in the ZD30 Engine. 011 Specification: ACEA 83 or JASO DH.1. Nissan strongly recommend that a viscosity rating of 10W40 be used. For specific viscosity relating to ambient temperature ranges please refer to the viscosity chart in the relevant workshop manual.

Note: API CG-4 0118 must never be used In the ZD30 engine.
To support the revision in oil specification, Nissan has developed a
semi-synthetic 10W-40 engine oil that meets all the operational demands of this engine. The revision of the new oil specification is retrospective and will apply to all ZD30 engines.

The oil will be available from Nissan Parts & Accessories in 51t and 200lt Quantities using the following part numbers.
51t- B3005-10W40PK
2001t- B3200..10W40PK

Authorised by:
R Bahn
Manager. Engineering Support
National Service & Engineering Department

NISSAN MOTOR GO.
Locked Bag 1450. Dandenong South, VIC, :3154 Phone. (03) 97974111 Fax. (03) 97974400

PLEASE NOTE
This bulletin does not mention engine oil and filter change frequency.
On page 8-5 of my owners manual engine oil and filter changes are specified for every 15,000kms. On page 8-7 under Severe Conditions it specifies engine oil and filter changes every 7,500 kms.

A mechanic told me that Nissan had issued advice reducing the 15,000 km or 7,500 kms engine oil and filter changes to 10,000 kms or 5,000 kms for severe conditions.

He definitely didn't like the Nissan ZD30 engine or any Nissan for that matter. He defined severe conditions as all normal Australian motoring. He ( cynically? ) suggested something like the idea that in the case of the ZD30 engine, 10,000 kms may be ok if;

- the vehicle was driven constantly for 10,000 kms unloaded;
- never stopped;
- on flat bitumen road;
- engine never exceeded 2,200 RPM or idled more than 30 seconds each hour, and;
- outside air temperature constantly between 15 and 20 degrees C.

Anything different must be considered severe for the ZD30.

Trust this answers your question
Cheers
Phil

FollowupID: 476486

Reply By: Member - Stephen M (NSW) - Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 10:48

Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 10:48

Sorry Zed, jumped the gun (as usual). Thought you bought after hearing of the other four problems. Sorry apologize for that. Hope you dont have any issue's with the vehicle and you get a good run out of it. regards steve M

AnswerID: 215611

Reply By: Member - Shane D (QLD) - Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 21:17

Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 21:17

I would not lay in bed wondering if your 3.0 is a dud.
With out trying to add more worry's, SOME also had gearbox probs!
M parents own a 2000 3.0 patrol, towing 2.2 ton caravan from south coast NSW up thru the centre, across the top,thru N Wa,back to NSW only to return to Kalgoorlie, giving them good service apart from an inter cooler pipe splitting and the 5th gear failing (210000k)
some of you are reading this thinking that a gearbox failure is not good service from a vehicle,However My father generally doesn't stuff around and by his own admission significantly contributed to the g/box failing by not giving it proper attention and simply driving too hard (yes he is one of the 5th gear when towing brigade)
What i'm saying in an around about sort of way is that if you search for faults in ANY 4WD, Cruisers (they too had gearbox dramas,IFS breaking apart) you wouldn't buy anything for fear it may fail
Yep there seems to be a few 3.0 that have gone bang (with out warning) but I bet you will find a heap of owners that will say that their 3.0 is the best vehicle they've owned (Dad for one).

AnswerID: 215752

Reply By: Member - AJB (VIC) - Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 21:38

Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 21:38

Zedd,
Don't worry about what may or may not happen. Having said that it happened to me! Mine let go at 195,000 and I got it rebuilt. It cost me a bit but it wasn't the end of the world. There are a lot of theorys as to what causes the problems and all of us who have gone through this have probably got their own theorys as you don't get much from Nissan or their dealers. I actually wasn't that annoyed about going through a rebuild exercise as I have been down that road with another brand before. I was more annoyed with Nissans treatment and arrogance towards their customers!
I have quite a dossier on failed Nissans, and a conclusion to what I think causes it. The research and questions asked became an obsession for a while but it was an interesting ride. A few members and visitors on this site, Roachie, Trevor and Anwill get my mind moving and my conclusion hit me like a "Light of Boltning" at about 4-00am one morning. Then I put the whole thing to bed and got on with life!
Good luck and enjoy it and cross the engine self destruction bridge if you come to it.

AnswerID: 215758

Reply By: Outbacktourer - Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 21:50

Tuesday, Jan 16, 2007 at 21:50

Zed, in addition to good servicing I would also get a boost gauge fitted and look out for any strange behavior. The MAF sensor in earlier models has been known to give trouble resulting in fueling and boost irregularities since the ECU controls a variable vane turbo and electronic fuel pump. This is one suspected cause of problems since overboosting and overfuelling will kill pistons. This engine was one of the very first of the newer high tech diesels sold in Australia and undoubtedly poor initial knowledge for diagnosis and repair has not helped.

There are various theories around about causes of early failures and the fuel quality one has legs because Nissan changed the recommeded oil capacity and service intervals to alleviate it. The other that I subscribe to is that there was a batch or two of faulty pistons. Nissan in Europe recalled all engines, Nissan here took the gamble and replaced them when they blew. I suspect that with 120Km and several years on board you are in the clear with this issue and more likely to fall victim to a faulty MAF sensor if you are not aware of it. Nissan should be able to tell you if your engine# matches the chassis.

If the worst happens there are rebuild kits around and there was a complete 30K Series III engine on eBay recently that failed to raise the opening bid of $2,000, go figure.

The 3.0Di represents around 80% of Patrol sales so there are a lot around with many happy owners. This also means it is no surprise that they can at times outnumber 4.8's and 4.2's on the lot. FWIW, my mates in the trade tell me that 3.0Di's turn over quickly and at times can be hard to get.

OT

AnswerID: 215763