Nissan Patrol 4x4 (Africa)

Howzit chaps! i'm back with some news on my sick 'trollie. As you all know, I had a major problem on my last trip, which resulted in a new diesel pump control unit as well as two new gears. Well, after all of this, I developed a nasty water leak (to top it all). I have had my Patrol at Rob Green (just down the road from me, as driving anywhere far was not an option, and most of the guys I contacted do not do work on engines), anyhow, to cut a long story short, the leak is directly related to the work done in Polokwane, where the necessary seal/gasket was not replaced. Also, only 2 gears were replaced where there are 5 others that come into direct contact with the damaged ones. When this was explained to me, the question arose as to how much more did I want to do, or rather how much more looking did I want to do! We decided to remove the head and do the valve seats. I then decided to bite the bullet and send the block off to the engineers to check out all the cylinders and pistons as well.

Well, they found a scratch in one of the cylinders which could not be honed out, so I need to re-bore all 4 cylinders. This, they say could have been caused by a broken glow plug, or injector tip. All the pistons and rings will be replaced and I have opted to do a ceramic coating on them as well - Tinus recommended this for heat dissipation. All associated bearings, seals and gaskets will be replaced. The clutch is still original, and almost dead according to Graham so it makes sense to replace it while the engine is out. Another problem they picked up is my oil pump - (probably would have been my next major break down!!) With all the silicone, broken gear teeth and iron filings being transported in the oil, the gears on the oil pump are badly damaged as well as the cover plate that the gears rotate in, which has been badly scratched as the pump turned and all the foreign bits got caught in between.

So, all in all it has been a really good exercise which I hope will put an end to all my bad luck with the truck. They informed me that the engine had been opened up already, and the pistons had been replaced with non OEM parts - this makes me wonder what the hell happened to this engine in the past as it appears as if the entire engine was worked on at some stage even before reaching only 120 000 km's.

Oom Mac - you have also mentioned in the past about ceramic piston heads, and a wider free-flow exhaust. Well the ceramic coating will be done, and they will be remanufacturing a new (wider) stainless down pipe from the exhaust manifold onto which I can fit a wider free-flow exhaust to as soon as I am ready.

I will need to run my (new) motor in when she is done, I also have the option of zero-ing the odometer as the engine will, for all intents and purposes be brand new.

I have just given the go ahead today, hopefully the parts won't be too much of a problem - i'm battling having to drive around in my mom's tiny Hyundai I10 !! (I'm lying - it's quite a lekker little thing to zoot around to the shops and squeeze into parking bays with.... it's just soooo low!!)

Hey Tony,

Flip man, thats a tough break, but better the devil you know than the devil you dont, at least now you know absolutely everything will be 100% again, and after you get it back and drive about for a few thousand kilometres you will have that confidence back again, ..... which is pretty important when overlanding and exploring the back roads.

Glad you never gave up dude.

Hope it goes smoothly (the rebuild and the engine)... and good luck with it all!

Hey Tony -- bluxzmmm -- yu been ghôn a long time mos. At least yu 've been healin' the 'Trol --
It's nw time to give the Whitey a real name mos .. [NewBorn?? ] or some such

Here's to hoping [trusting] that Rob & the team do the Trol proud .. and make it run for long long time an many thousands of trouble free 4x4-ing
Keep on PATROLING - never go a-Cruisin'

Thank you gents, i'm holding thumbs that it will all go smoothly, and Oompie I could never go "a cruisin" even if my beloved 'trollie did give up on me - just not the same!
Cheers.

I hope all goes well Tony!

Tony, I am not a boffin on the ZD30 motor, but have a little experience on the 4.2TD, so I'm hoping what I'm suggesting isn't a rubbish idea.

Yes get a 2.5" exhaust fitted, but I would NOT fit ANY silencer to that at all. you want the gasses to flow out as quick as possible. I'm not sure if a 3" exhaust will be too big, but the ZD guys will be able to give better advice here.
Ceramic coating of the pistons is a good idea..... BUT don't let this make you believe that you can run higher exhaust temps..... you will still be looking for sheet, blanket and pillow ( see I didn't swear ). The coating is there so that if the temps do run a little higher when working the motor, you will not do damage to the pistons.

I have a lot more respect for the 3.0 ZD motor than I had a few months back..... These are VERY powerful and capable motors if looked after. Yes different technology compared to the old school "blou draad" TD 42. Yes the 4.2 straight six kicks donkey in the low rev range on steep inclines, but the ZD30 carrying an almost 3 ton body can definitely hold its head high.

exhozt for ZD 30 motor ??? verify what i tell you with Wimpie Olivier as jy my nie glo nie..
76mm downpipes -- CERAMICcoatthemanifold asebliefpleezzzz
then give it 64cm before you tak it 2 into 1, and from ther 63 mm [ek ken nie duime inches nie] to the back -- with NO boixes ... none whatsoever
IF you want it it little more quiet small resonance box at the tail end - after the axle
Then you find the EGT comes down AND much more power [try NOT to over indulge] .. As jy mooi ry -- kan jy 10 kpl kry en beter

Hi Tony,

Please you have found somebody reliable and who seems to know what is going on. Sad news on the costs but on the positive you can be sure you are going to have a well built engine.

On the exhaust size, go for 3 inches, and no silencers. The turbo takes away allot of the noise and now the Troll will sound like a real truck. The turbo spooling will be an addictive sound.

Ceramic coating would be great. Not sure if the can also do combustion chambers as well.


Oupa Mac , for a man with a soutie name, and at your age, you should know inches and feet.

Tony,

Found a video for you.

Agreed on the noise side, but, even a 4.2 with 6 cylinders, a straight through exhaust with NO boxes is no more noisy than a any other car on the road, due to the turbo ( exhaust side) chopping the sound waves up and that in itself becomes the silencer. The ZD motor will perform beautifully with that exhaust.

76mm = 3 inch