Nissan Patrol Problems

The Australian outback is the perfect place to explore with a four-wheel drive which explains why new car sales figures for four-wheel drives have been on a sharp incline for some time. So popular has the idea of going bush become it has spawned a whole new breed of cars capable of leaving the black top while retaining some of the attributes of a normal family sedan.Most of these newcomers are sneeringly referred to by four-wheel drive enthusiasts as soft-roaders for their limited offroad capability, but they offer acceptable round town road manners while at the same time quite reasonable offroad ability for the occasional offroader.Along with the Toyota LandCruiser Nissan’s Patrol doesn’t fall into that latter category. It’s a serious heavy-duty offroader. Round town it’s big and bulky, but it really comes into its own in the heavy going offroad or outback.Nissan launched the GQ, also known as the Y60, Patrol in 1988. It was aimed fairly and squarely at Toyota’s LandCruiser, which was the top selling four-wheel drive at the time.The GQ was a traditional four-wheel drive, designed for heavy -duty use in the bush or beyond where it would typically be used by mining companies, loggers, or other operators who needed a rugged vehicle to work in some of the most inhospitable country in the world.It came in short wheelbase Hardtop form or long wheelbase Wagon and Cab Chassis.Its foundation, and the source of its great strength, was its separate chassis. Unlike modern soft-roaders, which are of unitary construction, the Patrol’s body was perched on top of the chassis.As a result getting up into the cabin was quite a climb, unlike today’s compact offroaders with their one-piece body and chassis.There was a choice of three engines initially, a 100 kW 3.0-litre petrol inline six, a 125 kW 4.2-litre petrol inline six and an 85 kW 4.2-litre diesel inline six. They were all overhead valve and carburettor fed.An update in 1992 brought a fuel-injected 4.2-litre petrol engine, which made 129 kW, and an 85 kW 2.8-litre turbo diesel.The standard transmission was a five-speed manual, and there was an option of a four-speed auto, and the rear diff was a limited-slip unit.Power was then delivered to the drive wheels through a two-speed transfer box. High range two-wheel drive was available for highway touring, with the choice of high and low range four-wheel drive once you left the blacktop behind.Coil springs were employed front and rear, brakes were disc at both ends, and the steering was power assisted.Models included the DX and ST Hardtops, and the DX7, ST, TI and ST3.0.The entry level DX had tilt-adjust steering, two-speaker cassette sound, cloth trim and vinyl mats. The ST also had standard air-conditioning, power windows, power mirrors, central locking, four-speaker sound and carpet. Perched at the top of the model line-up was the TI, which boasted a leather sports steering wheel, woodgrain highlights, leather seats and seven-speaker sound.There were a number of upgrades before the GU (Y61) replaced the GQ in 1997. Among them, a driver’s airbag became standard on the TI in 1996.The trade gives the GQ Patrol the thumbs up. There is little that regularly goes wrong with them say mechanics who have experience of them.The petrol engines are prone to cylinder head cracking when running on LPG, but it’s usually because the coolant has been low or lost.Gearboxes, drive lines and diffs give little problem, although leaks from the rear axle oil seals are common. Properly serviced, however, the leaks can be eliminated.Early Patrols were known to suffer from front-end shimmy, at 70 to 80 km/h, but most were fixed under warranty. The fix was to remove the shims from the top and bottom of the steering knuckles, eliminating the free play.There’s little rust reported if the body has been looked after, most of the rust reported is a result of modifications for the fitment of extra antennas or other non-factory equipment which has necessitated additional holes to be drilled in the panel work.Generally the body and body hardware stands up well, although window regulators are known to wear out.While there are few problems reported look carefully for signs of serious offroad use, which usually shows up as external body damage, and damage to the underbody, chassis and driveline components.Although they’re tough, think very carefully about committing to a Patrol that has obviously had a hard life off road.For more than a decade John Thompson and his 1989 LWB GQ Patrol was as much a part of the Shell Australian Touring Car Championship as Peter Brock, Dick Johnson and the cars they raced. Thompson drove his long wheelbase 4.2-litre petrol powered Patrol from one side of the country to the other towing a trailer laden down with more than two tonnes of Shell track signage, flags and banners to every round of the championship. The Nissan has just ticked over 500,000 km, and its owner says he’s delighted with it. It had bad wheel shimmy before the front end was realigned, twice it’s cracked cylinder heads, second gear synchro went at 450,000 km, and it has failed one clutch.Brian Dupas bought the first of two GQ Patrols, a 1988 SWB petrol ST with 150,000 Km on the odo and running on LPG, in 1998. In the 140,000 km he’s since added he’s had to replace the cylinder head and the clutch, but isn’t complaining. So impressed was he that he bought a 1991 LWB GQ Ti diesel with 165,000 km on the clock. It has now done 330,000 km after travelling to all parts of the country and hasn’t once let him down.Mark Kuran says his first GQ Patrol, a 1990 model bought in 1995, was a lemon, but the 1996 fuel-injected TI he bought new in 1998 has been fantastic. It was bought as a people mover rather than an offroader, and has now done 130,000 trouble free kilometres.Ken RusselI bought his 1987 4.2-litre diesel DX GQ Patrol in 1992 when it had 110,000 km on the clock. It is now showing over 300,000, having been regularly used offroad. Mechanically it has been trouble free; Ken’s only complaints being rattling windows and door shake. In summary he says it’s been very impressive, and he would not hesitate to buy another one.• tough and reliable off-roader• big and bulky for regular round town use• signs of heavy offroad use• big climb to get aboard• can have head problemsTough and reliable heavy-duty offroader for the serious offroad enthusiast, but a little big and beefy for anyone contemplating buying a four-wheel drive for city duty.

There are four-wheel drives and there are four-wheel drives. There are those that spend their time doing the rounds in town, while looking like they could go bush if need be, and there are those that are made to do their time deep in the mulga, but get bogged down in the ’burbs.Two vehicles fit into the latter category, no argument, Toyota’s LandCruiser and Nissan’s Patrol. They’re the two heavyweights that slug it out for the bush bragging rights.The LandCruiser had a head start. It was here first, won an enviable reputation on the Snowy Mountains project in the 1950s, built on it on mining and construction sites in the most remote parts of the country in the years since, but the Patrol has plenty of fans as well.Both are serious four-wheel drive wagons, capable of plunging deep in the bush or towing a heavy load. They’re heavy-duty workhorses, at their best on the job.The GU Patrol replaced the popular GQ in 1997. Coming after the GQ, a rough and tough four-wheel drive wagon that had a big following, the GU had some big tyre tracks to follow.The Patrol follows common practice in this class of off-roader with a wagon body perched atop a separate chassis, which is considered the best way of tackling the toughest of conditions a vehicle of this type might encounter.That not only makes it tough, it also makes heavy. The heaviest model the in the range, the 4.2-litre turbo diesel, weighs in at a fraction over 2.4 tonnes, which has an affect on performance, fuel consumption, handling and braking.A separate chassis also has the affect of raising the cabin quite high off the ground, which makes it a bit of a climb to get in to. It also cuts down on the interior space, and the Patrol is surprisingly tight inside given its overall size.Nissan offered a choice of one petrol and three diesel engines. The petrol engine was a 4.5-litre single overhead camshaft fuel-injected six-cylinder unit that had a chain driven camshaft and put out 145 kW.Performance with the petrol engine was good considering the massive hulk it was trying to move, and the fuel consumption was acceptable for the same reasons.The diesel choices were a 2.8-litre single overhead camshaft turbo diesel six-cylinder engine producing 95 kW, a 4.2-litre overhead valve delivering 91 kW, and a 4.2-litre overhead valve turbo diesel pumping out 114 kW.The 2.8-litre turbo diesel was replaced by a 116 kW 3.0-litre in 2000 in the GU II update, and with that came plenty of trouble.Performance of the diesels wasn’t as punchy, but the low down grunt they delivered was welcome along with the fuel consumption savings.There was also a choice of a five-speed manual gearbox or a four-speed auto trans.Drive was through all wheels, with a choice of two-wheel drive for the highway and dual-range four-wheel drive for off-road use. Front hubs were manual locking on the entry level DX model, but the others had auto hubs so you could switch from two-wheel drive to four-wheel drive high range on the move.Buyers could choose between three models. The DX five-seater kicked off the action with steel wheels, power steering, vinyl trim and floor mats, basic sound, limited-slip diff, manual hubs.The popular seven-seater ST also had side steps, wheel arch flares, more civilised cloth trim, carpets, central locking, power windows and mirrors, cruise, console, better sound, CD player and map lamps.Atop the range was the Ti, the burger with the lot, which added alloy wheels, auto air-con, remote central locking, ABS, superior sound, leather trim, power driver’s seat, and two-tone paint.While the Patrol is generally a rough and rugged vehicle with few faults, there is a cloud hanging over the 3.0-litre turbo diesel. The problem generally manifests itself in the form of melted pistons, but the most likely explanation is that it’s caused by a piston oiling/cooling problem.Not all engines are affected, those most likely to succumb to the problem seem to be those doing a lot of highway cruising.Nissan have increased the oil fill, and played with alignment of the nozzles that spray oil on the pistons for cooling and lubrication purposes, but there seems to be no consistent fix for the problem.It’s important to keep an eye on the oil level in all engines, but particularly so in the 3.0-litre turbo diesel.Apart from the 3.0-litre turbo diesel engines woes the Patrol is generally a tough and rugged vehicle that gives good service over the long term.That said the manual gearbox can have problems with fifth gear spline and hub.It’s important to check for a service record, particularly if the vehicle has spent time off road.It’s also important to check under the vehicle for damage sustained off road, like bashed suspension and chassis components, brackets, exhaust etc.On the exterior look for scratches and scrapes from trackside bushes during of road excursions.Consider carefully before buying a Patrol that’s clearly been off road as there are plenty that haven’t spent much time off the black top and they are a better choice.It’s good to have mass on your side in a crash so the Patrol will provide protection if you hit a smaller vehicle when it will inflict considerable damage on the other car.The separate chassis construction, however, doesn’t perform as well in a crash situation as does a mono-construction body, which crumples in a more controlled way and absorbs the crash energy better.In a crash where the Patrol hits a larger, more solid object then occupants are likely to suffer greater injuries than if they were in a regular passenger car.It’s also worth remembering that because of its mass the Patrol takes longer to react, to the steering or brakes, in an emergency situation.All models except the DX had a driver’s airbag from the beginning, the DX joined the club in 2000 with the GU II update. The Ti had dual airbags.Ed Niemiec owns a 2000 GU II Patrol with the new 3.0-litre turbo diesel, and says it’s the best car he’s ever owned. He uses it in his work as a quantity surveyor with a need for high ground clearance and room to carry gear. It has now done 125,000 km, and apart from normal servicing, he has replaced the tyres and front disc pads. The fuel consumption has always been between 11 and 12 L/100 km. It has never missed a beat, he says, and sits on the highway like a dream. His only complaint is that he had to modify the suspension to handle the loads he has to carry.Nissan replaced the pistons and rings in Rex Rickard’s Patrol at 28,500 km, after which it suffered intermittent power loss and poor fuel consumption. Nissan has since replaced the air flow sensor, the injector pump, injectors, and the computer, and now say they can do no more. A lack of response to his phone calls has added to his frustration with his dealer and with Nissan.Colin Lockyer has a 2000 3.0-litre diesel Patrol, which he says is great, but he knows of five others that have melted piston number five at around 100,000 km and is concerned his, which has done 98,000 km, might suffer the same fate.• Avoid the GU II 3.0-litre turbo diesel engine• Reliable apart from 3.0-litre turbo diesel engine• Serious offroader at its best in the bush• Bulk makes it less responsive in an emergency situation• Poor fuel consumption• Small cabin for its overall sizeTough truck best suited to serious offroad use or heavy towing, but really unsuitable for every day use around town. Don’t touch the 3.0-litre turbo diesel GU II.