Nissan Navara Engine Problems

We’ve had reports of clutch trouble with the D40, but we’ve also had reports of clutch failures on most one-tonne utes on the market. We haven’t heard of problems with timing chains or drive shafts. I wouldn’t get out of it on the basis of what you have experienced so far.

OPINIONS vary on how often you should run it on petrol, but once a week is a good average. You can use regular unleaded or E10.

Sounds very dodgy. The oil shouldn't be black so soon after being changed. The excuse that it's the configuration of the engine sounds lame. I recently did a 2200 km run in my 80-year-old Dodge after changing the oil and it still wasn't dirty.

It can happen if someone overtightens the sump plug. The thread can be damaged and distorted, but the usual way of fixing it is to use an oversize plug as has been used on your car. The thread can sometimes be retapped to repair it as well. Replacing the sump seems overkill. If it's not leaking and the oversize plug can be unscrewed and retightened without any problem then I would leave it.

GOING gas is an attractive option and the numbers now favour LPG over diesel. Repco recently opted to go that path with Mitsubishi Tritons and reckon the petrol engine running on LPG is cheaper than going with the diesel alternative.

There are systems available for the Navara and there are vehicle running well on LPG, but some specialists have reported problems getting the gas injection timing correct with the Nissan’s variable valve timing system. One uses a liquid injection system, which has the same injection timing as the Nissan’s petrol system along with the same combustion temperature, and that appears to work well. If you’re going to do it make sure you choose an experienced and competent installer, and perhaps consider the liquid injection option.

THE guys at the Australian LPG Warehouse have a kit for your car, but they advise you take out a warranty policy because problems have been reported from the field with that engine. It seems the catalytic converter can fail and bits of the catalyst can be sucked into the engine through the EGR system. There are cases where the bores in the engine have been scored. They say they haven't had the problem with their kits, but they do advise caution.

IT DEPENDS what you regard as incredibly thirsty. Four-wheel-drives tend to be thirsty. They're heavy and have to drag all that extra four-wheel-drive gear around, and the Rodeo's petrol V6 is a 3.5-litre unit. If fuel consumption is a key consideration for you, try a diesel. Fuel consumption will be much lower, and you won't lose too much performance.