Fed up, need some advice

[army646]

Well as the title says I am fed up!

 

Went out yesterday scouting where the pigeons were at, with a view to going out today. Found the pigeons, sorted out my plan of attack, all was looking good.

On the way back from probably what was a good 120 mile round trip I saw the temp guage on my old 2.8 Mitsy Pajero suddenly rise then drop back very quickly. Continued on a few miles further and it it did it again. This time I pulled up straight away and got out. Checked the header tank and lo and behold the level has gone up and it has vented a little from the overflow. Oh dear been here before!

 

When I bought the truck the vendor had quite kindly epoxy stop leaked it as it had the good old crack between the valve seats on the cylinder head. Anyway £800 lighter brand new complete head, bolts, gasket and water pump fitted, sorted!!

 

Well that was about nearly four years ago and she has been a good old girl until now. Took the thermostat out this morning but unfortunately bubbling and fizzing was seen at the neck of the rad with the cap off. Oh dear, these things generally don't do just the gasket, it is usually the head.

I wouldn't mind but she only does 5000 miles a year max and does not get hammered.

 

So, I could well be in the market for a new shooting truck and the question I need to ask is this, has anyone had any experience with a Nissan Terrano 2.7TD?

 

Let me know your thoughts and experiences.

[bluesj]

I've never had a terrano but it seems every one that i know that has (only 3 i think) recon they are great for what they are.

Toyota surf would be another i would look at.

[fruity]

Yes I have its a cracking truck and for sale in other sales

[NIGHT SEARCHER]

The 2500 is bad for cracks in the cylinder heads.

The 2800 is not has bad. If it is the head you are very unlucky.

Were the head bolts re-torqued down after the new head was fitted. ( ie 1000 miles )

It could just be the head gasket. www.mitziheads.co.uk

A new Cylinder head with gasket set £365. And he will come and fit it for £??.

The 2700 TD Nissan Engine is excellent. I work on Black Cabs and some have over 400 thousand miles on them. With the 2.7 TD Nissan Engine and still going strong.

Terrano or Maverick 2.7 TD. They Rust badly. Front wings. Wheel Arches. Seat belt mounts.

Find a good one and keep it well Waxoyled. There`s a very big Car Auction in wales that were selling Ex Water board 02 03 04 Terrano`s for a grand to two grand.

There`s been a few on here that have had gearbox problems manual and auto.

Edited March 15, 2014 by NIGHT SEARCHER

[spanielchris]

Had my commercial Terrano 2 for 3 1/2 yrs! Had to have new brake shoes the other month. Other than that &servicing it hasn't cost me a penny! Can't fault it off road (got bf goodrich tyres on mine) great trucks!

[Aaz]

Well as the title says I am fed up!

 

Went out yesterday scouting where the pigeons were at, with a view to going out today. Found the pigeons, sorted out my plan of attack, all was looking good.

On the way back from probably what was a good 120 mile round trip I saw the temp guage on my old 2.8 Mitsy Pajero suddenly rise then drop back very quickly. Continued on a few miles further and it it did it again. This time I pulled up straight away and got out. Checked the header tank and lo and behold the level has gone up and it has vented a little from the overflow. Oh dear been here before!

 

When I bought the truck the vendor had quite kindly epoxy stop leaked it as it had the good old crack between the valve seats on the cylinder head. Anyway £800 lighter brand new complete head, bolts, gasket and water pump fitted, sorted!!

 

Well that was about nearly four years ago and she has been a good old girl until now. Took the thermostat out this morning but unfortunately bubbling and fizzing was seen at the neck of the rad with the cap off. Oh dear, these things generally don't do just the gasket, it is usually the head.

I wouldn't mind but she only does 5000 miles a year max and does not get hammered.

 

So, I could well be in the market for a new shooting truck and the question I need to ask is this, has anyone had any experience with a Nissan Terrano 2.7TD?

 

Let me know your thoughts and experiences.

You should have replaced rad as well, the heads normally don't just 'go' its problems with the cooling system and yrs of neglect

[army646]

Thanks everyone for your info/responses, I appreciate it.

 

In reply to the suggestion that the rad should have been changed, it was slightly later down the line because it sprang a leak due to a stone getting flicked up the backside and the fan bouncing it off the rear of the rad. I did not have the sump guard on at the time. I caught it very quickly and it did not overheat, smelt the hot coolant first through the vents. Oh and the water pump was done with the head as it was leaking from the impeller shaft seal. Probably why the head failed originally

 

As far as neglect is concerned, it gets everything it needs and is serviced regularly with good oil and bits and as I said before, she don't get hammered. It has to be right, as geen flag won't come and get you out of the middle of a field.

Fair point though regarding a 1000m post fit torque down, nobody really suggests/advocates that anymore. At one time that was the norm.

 

She has always been rock solid on running temp really since the head was done and I am really anal about running temperature because I know how intolerant they are to overheating. I maybe should have fitted an additional aftermarket temp sensor, as apparently the Mitsy temp sensor is totally in the wrong place and is not really telling you what is going on in so far as true engine head/ temp.

 

If she has shown any sign of temp rise (x1 rad leak, x2 the other day) I generally stop and turn off/get the cab heaters and fan on full. The only time I have run her for any distance was to get home the other night, probably about five miles very slowly, watching the temp all the way which stayed down after she had been stood and allowed to cool.

 

The heads on the 40m40 are a problem, bad design and tend to crack between the the valve seats and it looks like the aftermarket ones are worse than the originals.

 

If it is just the gasket, I will be a lucky boy!!!

[la bala]

Regarding the 1000m re torque of head, isnt it dependant on type of head gasket used.

[army646]

La Bala I think that you are right.

 

The process aparently with the heads on the Mitsy 4m40 engine is to torque in sequence up to 50Nm, leave for 20 minutes or so, slacken them off and then re torque to 100Nm. Leave for another 20 minutes or so then crank them up by another quarter turn. The correct sequence must be observed each time. Fairly standard stuff really.

 

Whether this was done I wouldn't know as my mate who is a Landy/4x4 specialist replaced the head. I have had years of faffing about in the rain and I am right for that.

[NIGHT SEARCHER]

M40 Complete Cylinder head with camshaft on Ebay will post only on £25 up to now.

Head in good condition the engines bottom end had gone knocking.

Ebay 131140921061

Edited March 20, 2014 by NIGHT SEARCHER

[Mentalmac]

the 4M41 aren't much better! (In the 3.2) I cooked my one and cracked it nasty, had already been skimmed before too. As soon as they cook they crack.

[The Mighty Prawn]

Finally ditched my pajero after four years together, it was starting to spend more time broken than fixed, I think sometimes it's better to walk away...

 

Now have an L200 and fingers crossed no probs but I do miss the armrest on long journeys!

[snarepeg]

Yes if mine goes again its gone, cylinder head, then new radiater running good at present but always the nag, think ill refurb the s111 for the summer, tax free on lpg and cold noisy and no power steering, on second thoughts maybe not.

[army646]

Well thought I would just post an update and let everyone know where I am at with this one.

 

I was present on Saturday morning when one of my mates mechanics lifted the head off my pajero. The head appeared to be fine. Gasket did not look too bad either. The head will be subjected to closer scrutiny on Monday.

 

What I will say is that I did notice that the head bolts appeared to be unevenly torqued. One in particular near the front of the head did not part with the same crack as the rest. It looks like the mechanic who fitted the head may well not have paid enough attention to what he was doing when torqueing it down.

 

So hopefully I may well get away with a fresh head gasket, sundry gaskets and bolts. Happy days!!!

 

The advice from all sources with the Mitsy 4m40 engine in so far as fitting the cylinder head, is to bite the bullet and use a genuine '3 notch' Mitsy head gasket, not an after market one.

 

Also to further dispell any fears with regard to head failures on these engines/vehicles. I spoke with an engine rebuilder who has been rebuilding these heads using bare Chinese pattern items for about 9 years. His comment was that although the early Chinese ones were rough looking they were really not that bad. The ones being produced now are fine and he has experienced very few failures. The only other options are genuine Mitsy or AMC (Spanish) produced ones at big bucks.

What he did say was that unless the head had been 'cooked to death' repeatedly over an extended period of time, he reckoned that I would be really unlucky if it was cracked.

 

So it looks like the heads are generally good for circa 80K miles but this can be dramatically reduced if they are subjected to prolonged abuse due to carp maintenance and overheating.

 

I will keep everyone posted as to how I get on.

 

 

[snarepeg]

Mine cracked between ports on number 3 pot, fitted one from London, next day delivery with bolts and gasket and its running nice and smooth, running on 50/50 at present but warmer weather will go about 80/20 been on this for 5years and apart from filters to start with no problem,

 

Hope you get it sorted without to much cost.

[Aaz]

Well thought I would just post an update and let everyone know where I am at with this one.

 

I was present on Saturday morning when one of my mates mechanics lifted the head off my pajero. The head appeared to be fine. Gasket did not look too bad either. The head will be subjected to closer scrutiny on Monday.

 

What I will say is that I did notice that the head bolts appeared to be unevenly torqued. One in particular near the front of the head did not part with the same crack as the rest. It looks like the mechanic who fitted the head may well not have paid enough attention to what he was doing when torqueing it down.

 

So hopefully I may well get away with a fresh head gasket, sundry gaskets and bolts. Happy days!!!

 

The advice from all sources with the Mitsy 4m40 engine in so far as fitting the cylinder head, is to bite the bullet and use a genuine '3 notch' Mitsy head gasket, not an after market one.

 

Also to further dispell any fears with regard to head failures on these engines/vehicles. I spoke with an engine rebuilder who has been rebuilding these heads using bare Chinese pattern items for about 9 years. His comment was that although the early Chinese ones were rough looking they were really not that bad. The ones being produced now are fine and he has experienced very few failures. The only other options are genuine Mitsy or AMC (Spanish) produced ones at big bucks.

What he did say was that unless the head had been 'cooked to death' repeatedly over an extended period of time, he reckoned that I would be really unlucky if it was cracked.

 

So it looks like the heads are generally good for circa 80K miles but this can be dramatically reduced if they are subjected to prolonged abuse due to carp maintenance and overheating.

 

I will keep everyone posted as to how I get on.

 

 

Defo fit a genuine mitsi head gasket. I'd also recommend on having the head pressure tested before refitting if you cant see any visible cracks.

 

Carry out a quick check of the rad while you have it in bits, easy to do, just fill it up with boiling water and check for cold spots, I found mine was 70% blocked. Which explained why the old girl was still getting hot on long steep inclines!!

 

I got a price for gen mitsi head, if memory serves correct it was in the region £1600.00 and about 6 weeks delivery!!!

[Mentalmac]

AMC heads are apparently OK, I just brought a whole engine second hand instead - was cheaper than new head and work involved.

[army646]

Another update for everyone and thanks for all the replies.

 

The head has gone for pressure testing and I am waiting for the result. Apparently they also have a bad habit of cracking out of sight, in the back of the swirl pots where the injectors come through.

 

I can get hold of a new bare AMC head from Serle's for sub £400+VAT.They recon/rebuild engines and heads . When you think about the work, time and cost involved in lifting the head, I am begining to think that it might be a false economy to buy another cheapo Chinese/Asian head if it is Knackered.

 

To look on the positive side, the floor/chassis is absolutely solid and other than the head issue I am currently enduring, the motor in it is low mileage and is bob on and the truck owes me nothing.

So I suppose if bite the bullet and spend the brass I will have at least another 5 years out of it for about £700 - £1000.

 

Hmmmm!!!

[snarepeg]

Well, spoke to soon.

My head as gone again as I am getting pressure into my overflow, that's just after I have fitted a new head and radiator.

Recon I haven't done 2000km on it.

It was I believe a Chinese one that came with the gasket and bolts.

It starts on touch of the button and pulls very well, but its got to go.

Have just tested it also.

I am not going to spend any more time or money on it,

Shame as I like it, runs all day (did) on 70/30cooking oil comfortable high up good visibility etc so now looking for a cheap small van for shooting purposes running feed to shoot etc.

 

Any thing recommended in this line.? John

[army646]

Well here is the latest.

 

The head went for pressure testing, was not cracked but needed straightening and skimming.

 

so the head is going back on with a genuine four notch Mitsy head and new stretch bolts.

 

I let you know how I get on.

[snarepeg]

After a couple of days pottering about with the truck, I don't think the head as gone? Think it could be a weepy head gasket, truck starts on button, pulls like it should returns the usual lousy mpg but most of it done in bottom gear etc.

 

6/7miles and it takes about half a cup of water in radiater so will take rocker cover off and re torch the head, fingers crossed as no more be ing spent on it.

[drnobsac]

maybe worth sticking a hosepipe up the heater radiator pipes and back flushing the heater rad,reversing the flow will pull more **** out of the rad,any doubt in the main rad and the heater rad change them or have them reconned.Definately a main dealer headgasket and another set of bolts.Sometimes thermostates have a small hole drilled in the body and must be fitted with the hole fitted to the most upper point(hope that makes sense?).A spot too much antifreeze doesnt harm,and helps the engine to run cooler,so many people think anti freeze is just for winter!!no...its a summer coolant and helps prevent internal corrosion.Good luck!

[Tam]

Does it have an EGR valve & is it blanked off - if yes & not, blank it off

[army646]

Well here is the final update on my original post.

 

Head is now back on with new bolts and a pukka Mitsy 4 notch gasket under it.

 

The bill from my mate who carried out the work was £350. This included collection by trailer, pressure testing and skimming. The gaskets, bolts and new stat I bought, so an additional £110 was spent on bits.

 

So £460 in total spent. I consider that I have got off light this time round. Needless to say I will be keeping it a bit longer to get some return on the outlay.