Nissan Patrol 4x4 (Africa)

I have a 1998 4.5l GL Patrol with 360 000km on the clock. Recently I had it serviced by Nissan and when it came back to my utter surprise I found another radiator in my car! A "home-made" one, with short pieces of round bar welded to it to fit it, sprayed silver, with silver paint all over my engine. I phoned Nissan and demanded an explanation. The story I got was that the tank was cracked and it leaked. This of course was not true, as I regularly check for cracks and leaks and there was none before it went in for the service. I was told I did not pay for the replacement of the radiator as it was done for free. I insisted that nothing was wrong with my previous radiator, and I phoned Silverton Radiators, with the invoice no (which was supplied by Nissan) and asked them about the radiator. They gave me a total different story. Said there was high pressure somewhere in the system which made the radiator to burst and they had to fix the radiator. I went back to Nissan and demanded that my radiator be replaced with an original Nissan part, which they agreed to. 3 Weeks after the service (R12 000) my car started the morning with a lot of stutter and protest, as if it was very cold. I had some work to do in Sandton, and later the afternoon when I tried to start the car, the engine turned, but it did not start. It was loaded on a flatbed courtesy of Outsurance and delivered at my house. The next day Nissan agreed to send a flatbed, free of charge to take it their workshop. They informed me the fuel pump died. They replaced the fuel pump 3 years ago, the previous still in my possession as I want to fit it to my second tank only using the meter part. They also then suddenly got hold of radiator stock and replaced the radiator. As the woman I am married to works close to this Nissan dealer, she went to fetch the car yesterday. At her arrival at the dealer the car was standing, idling with an immense heat coming from the engine. She enquired about this excessive heat and was told "it normal, as the car was left idling for and hour and a half"! When she arrived home, the engine was piping hot, to the extend that the oil boiled out of the one (driver side) bonnet sock, but the temp indicator did not show the engine was that hot. It was sitting at 50%. The battery was so hot one could barely touch it with bare hands. I took the car for a short drive and noticed that it steered much more difficult than before. It was almost as if it had no power steering. Now I would really appreciate some assistance with a few questions:

1. Would would or could have caused the radiator to burst in the first place?
2. Is a genuine Nissan Radiator branded "Calsonic Kansei" with a big 4 next to it?
3. If not, is this a good make - in other words better than the original radiator?
4. Is it normal for a R 4000,00 Fuel pump to die every 3 years?
5. Can water in petrol be the reason for the fuel pump to die?
6. What could be the reason for the extremely hot engine, and why does it not show on the temp meter?
7. What could be the reason for the heavy steering all of a sudden?
8. Could Nissan have damaged my engine, which caused back pressure, which popped the radiator which is now the reason why its running this hot?

Help would be greatly appreciated.

Hannes, get Pathmaker to have a look at your car.

It sounds to me like the cooling system has not been bled properly. I think the chances are pretty good your engine has suffered permanent damage, and you will need a report from a qualified mech if you are to have any chance of fighting this.

First of all welcome here
Another centorion patrol
Let me give you some sound advice......if you want to keep your trol alive keep it as far away from the stealers as possible. ...
Graham is in valhalla he works on more patrols in a month than nissan sa see in a year ......this hole story sounds fishy....your radiator doesn't sound lekke let him have a look see ....

Maybe I'm not understanding this properly,

The water temp gauge is reading 50% or halfway, but the engine bay is getting incredibly hot? If this is so there is also a possibility that the motor is running perfect and the radiator is keeping the temps inside the motor at the correct operating temp. If they idled the car for an hour and a half yesterday in the heat that we had, that engine bay is going to cook !!! With no airflow other than hot air flow from the viscous fan, the battery and anything else in there is going to get friggin hot.

Did you ask then to change the radiator? Did they get in contact with you to discuss this? I cannot understand that they replaced the radiator for you FOR FREE !!!..... This makes no sense to me as Nissan I doubt would even consider this unless there is an underlying story on their part......

Which Dealer was this?

DITTO on CEDRIC's post ..
ALSO -- The temp guage is situated high up, thus, if the WATER LEVEL has dropped to below the temp guage, the heat guage will "report normal" as there is NOE water to measure -- and the engine will melt down [had that on the Prado .. only in th elast 30 seconds of that engines 'life' did the heat guage register into the red .. ]

I smell a rat -- serious .. But PLEASE share with us who the culprit dealer is .. dat ek kan sorg dat LOBO nooit by die *(*&^&%$$ uitkom nie..

I said it before

Sending yout Trol to the stealers is like sending your missus to Joberg Gen. Except you pay...

One the one hand you should demand the culrpits to fix and undo their mess, but on the other hand it may be better for you to just to stay away and get Pathmaker to fix it up for you.

Thank for the welcome, guys.

I only read about Pathmaker afterwards.

Jip, they replaced the radiator for free! So they said.

What do you call those round things that simulate the earth and sounds like something that produce tungsten light in the house? No more stealers for me.

Will let you guys know what Pathmaker found.

Txs a mil.

I know, I know, I think I guessed your riddle. Is it Global lighthouse?

Hi Hannes,
Clsonin Kansai is a genuine Japanese supplier to Nissan & Toyota, so a very good possibility that it is a genuine part.
The question to ask is : Why would a dealer "give away" a new radiator as it must cost at least R 3000.00 ( but being a Patrol part, probably double that). Dealers never do anything for free?
I would suggest you contact Nissan Customer care and possibly also the RMI. ( also do it in writing so there is an official record)

Sorry, should have been -Calsonic Kansei !!!