Nissan Patrol Problems

Check the fuel supply side of things; it sounds like it’s not getting enough fuel on either side. Check the fuel pump, they are known to wear out on cars running dual-fuel systems.

Sounds like your clutch is slipping, possibly from being asked to start off in a higher gear for the past five years.

It could be a stray current, or it could be that the concentration of glycol in the coolant is too low. There should be 30 percent glycol; if it’s too low the radiator can corrode. More likely it’s a stray current, probably caused by a bad earth on an accessory that’s been fitted to the vehicle, or it could be a bad earth the engine and the body.

Yes, it is a well-known issue with the 3.0-litre turbo diesel, one that we have publicized in Carsguide a number of times. Nissan has in the past offered assistance to owners who have suffered this engine meltdown. I would suggest you present your case to Nissan and request they come to the party as they have done with other owners, and if that doesn't work consult your state government consumer affairs people.

Under the Australian Consumer Law introduced in January 2011, a consumer can request a refund or a replacement for persistent problems if the car doesn’t do the job it’s supposed to do.

It’s quite common for Patrol owners to turbocharge the 4.2-litre diesel, it gives the best bang for your buck of all the available performance enhancers available. You could fit a better exhaust, a chip, or a cold air intake, but they would only give you a modest improvement, whereas the turbo will give you a decent increase in performance.

I will assume you have a 4.2-litre non-turbo diesel, which can be a little gutless. But they are a tough old engine and will cope pretty well with a turbocharger. There are aftermarket bolt-on kits available, generally at a cost of about $3000 or so, and will usually boost the power by about 20 per cent. Before you do it ensure your engine is in relatively good shape, there’s no point in fitting a turbo to an engine that’s on its last legs.

The Patrol six is known to crack heads and blow head gaskets when running on gas because of the higher temperature when on LPG, but it’s rare for it to happen on petrol. Still, I would be running a leak test to determine if there is a problem with the head or head gasket.

We haven’t heard of any problems with the new liquid-injection technology, but it is relatively new and yet to be fully proven like the alternative vapour-injection system. There is plenty of debate over the benefits of liquid-injection, the proponents of the technology claim substantial increases in power and economy, while opponents, those who favour the well-proven vapour-injection technology say the benefits are minimal and not worth the risk that comes with being a pioneer and adopting the new technology. As an aside we have heard that Ford has delayed introduction of its Euro 4 E-gas engine, which was to use liquid-injection, for at least six months. While the reasons for the delay are not clear, it has been suggested it could be because of refueling problems at high ambient temperatures. That’s speculation at this stage, but whatever the problem it’s serious enough to have Ford going ahead without an E-gas option for the next few months.

It's most likely that the fuel pump is worn out and needs replacing. It often happens when you run the petrol level down too low.

The concern is that ethanol attracts water and fuel system parts corrode as a consequence, so carmakers tend to be very conservative when making recommendations like are being asked to with E10. E5 fuel contains five percent ethanol, a very small amount, whereas E10 has 10 percent, still a small amount. I would run it on E10 if that were all that was available, and I really doubt you would have any problem with it.