I’d agree that 13.3 litres per 100km is a bit of the high side, but to put it into perspective, you need to forget about the factory claim of 8.0 litres per 100km. That figure is determined by a laboratory test, not real-world driving and rare indeed is the vehicle that can match its test figure with its real-world number.

I would expect a number closer to 11 litres per 100km for this vehicle, but there are a lot of variables at work here. For instance, does the vehicle have a roof rack? Have you fitted a bull-bar? Does the vehicle roll on standard sized wheels and tyres, or are they taller, aftermarket tyres which increase rolling diameter and throw the standard gearing out?

The latter – in particular – can affect fuel consumption in a huge way, as can how you drive the car. High speeds or urban driving will also rapidly increase fuel consumption. If you’re still concerned, have the vehicle tuned to see if that makes a difference.

The Mitsubishi 4N15 engine in your Pajero Sport has a timing chain rather than a toothed rubber belt. As such, the chain should be good for the life of the vehicle rather than requiring periodic replacement as a timing belt does. However, this does not make the valve-train maintenance-free, as this engine requires valve clearance adjustments every 60,000km.

Cracked cylinder heads and blown head gaskets are not completely unknown on this engine, but exactly how big a problem it is is the real question. There’s one theory that the cylinder heads crack when mechanics over-tighten the fuel-injector hardware or try to remove stuck injectors with too much force.

The good news is that replacement cylinder heads are readily available and can be had in bare form or in fully built-up form including all valves and springs.