Recently my faithful 1996 GQ TB42efi Nissan Patrol finally, after 290,000km, mostly pulling the equally aging 2.4T 21'6" Jayco Westport, let me down.
When accelerating it would suddenly loose power then regain it, repeating the on / off sequence until I got off the accelerator. It was a scary feeling with power completely off then full on with resultant excess strain on the transmission. ie full off/full on/full off/full on etc.
I was able to limp home by just running at a very low almost idle speed.
After waiting a couple of weeks to get an Auto Elec to visit, he diagnosed the problem as probably the ECU (Engine Control Unit .. an old technology unit on a printed circuit board with lots of surface mounted components). A couple of capacitors were leaking.
Another wait of about 4 weeks for a specialist to look at it & at a cost of about $1600 the repaired unit was installed.
VOLAR! What an improvement. The old girl hasn't run as well for at least a decade.
For a long time at idle there was a slight miss that I suspected was a clogged injector or perhaps a plug but never got round to fixing. Now it purrs like a kitten .. at all revs.
To make things even better, it even seems to drive even smoother than it has for a long time. I suspect that the ECU has been getting progressively worse over many years reflecting through to how it handles.
Funny thing, in recent months I have often driven at walking pace through a section of heavy traffic at a road works on our access road & I could never seem to get it in the right gear, constantly going from 1st to 2nd & back again. Now I think that in fact the faulty ECU was causing the engine to surge creating my problem.
I have been using it as a daily driver for the last couple of weeks & it is almost a pleasure to drive. Smooth as ...
I'll take it on a delayed Vanning trip down the NSW coast after XMAS & the School holidays to check it out.
So all that research about replacement vehicles may have been for naught as the Patrol looks like having a couple more years left in it before we both hang up the keys.
Now ain't that a good news tug story.
PS .... Just had a run to the dump and found yet another improvement.
For years, about 20, the AM radio has been almost unusable because of heavy engine generated static, and the FM wasn't much better. Despite all sorts of effort like substitute aerial, suppression capacitors & chokes as well as careful examination & testing of earths I couldn't find the cause. It looks like the interference was coming from the progressively faulty ECU, which BTW is situated under the dash right near the radio. It is now almost as clear as a bell. I am an ABC Local AM Radio tragic so this is a great boon for me.
-- Edited by Cupie on Thursday 10th of October 2024 10:55:42 AM
-- Edited by Cupie on Thursday 10th of October 2024 01:33:59 PM
My Nissan is 10 years old and the thought crosses our mind occasionally whether to update or häng in there and wait for a disappointment to happen.
Yep .
We often look at replacing the GQ but she has been so reliable over the years and almost like a member of the family associated with so many great memories. It was a great disappointment when this happened but how wonderful it is now that she's fixed.
Yours is still only young in Patrol terms and almost certainly has a long life ahead.
With the freeing up of a lot of capital as a result of a Downsizing exercise, I could no longer use the excuse of cost of a replacement so the 'breakdown' was forcing us in that direction.
All the advice that I get is to hang on to the Patrol ...... except for one friend who made the transition from a great 4.2TD Patrol to a 5 cylinder Ford Ranger ... but that's another story.
pps SWMBO is now heavily into mags/sites on overseas cruising et al. now that a replacement is seemingly off the table
Excellent Cupie!
I had 3 Patrols - all bought at least second hand. The first was a 1981 MQ ( no I didn't want a metallic paint job, nor a diesel nor a 24v system but that car bought with 80,000 kms on it had all three! It had a 3.3L engine. We kept that car for 16 years & it had over 450,000 kms on it. Had head (cracked) troubles with it twice & did a clutch. Rust in the roof was an issue - that's when I discovered that fish oil wasn't the best prevention!
#2 was a 1992 GQ with the 4.2L engine. It had 90,000 kms on it when we bought it in 2000, nearly 500,000 kms when it left us 12 years later. I added gas injection to it, giving me more power, better fuel economy. We had the clutch replaced once.
#3 was a 2004 GU with the 4.2L TDi engine, bought in 2012. I found I was the 4th owner in 8 years. It had 271,000 kms on the clock, 500,000 when it left us in 2019. Again I added gas injection. It was a good unit & served us well. Unfortunately gas supplies in Qld dried up & the gas company based in Adelaide closed down so getting the odd spares was going to become difficult.
Nissan Patrols are good vehicles, especially those with the 4.2L engines - all they need is regular services - mostly I did them except for the gas & repacking the wheel bearings.
__________________
Warren
----------------
If you don't get it done today, there's always tomorrow!
Hi all; That problem of faulty caps in your ECU is a common problem with a lot of electronic systems these days. Television power supplys is one and even going to the old days of crt's, this type of thing was a big problem. Nice to be able to find a teck that knows his oats and fixed the problem at hand or maby he just sent the ecu away to a specialest company that have the correct jigs to be able to have your ecu repaired. So many faults are repaired at board replacement and not taken further. Never mind the cost, and the end user will have to pay. Problem is with some moduals is the modual is no longer avalable.
Yep a real good news story. We have a 14yr old Pajero Platinum, without a doubt it is a great car. It has not had any 'major' problems during that time and has never let us down when travelling all over this great country. Two advantages an older vehicle has, imho, is that I know that it is not spying on me and it doesn't need an additive to the fuel!!!
Interesting aside; I note that Mitsubishi is not one of those modern makes that spy.
(Ok I know that it pollutes to a certain degree)
__________________
Those who wish to reap the blessings of freedom must, as men, endure the fatigue of defending it.
Ah Phil...the Spanish translation of "Pajero" is not kind to you. GMH tried to sell Chevy Nova's in Mexico and could not explain the lack of sales until someone worked out that "Nova" means no go in Spanish, a quick rebadge and all sorted.
Hi all; That problem of faulty caps in your ECU is a common problem with a lot of electronic systems these days. Television power supplys is one and even going to the old days of crt's, this type of thing was a big problem. Nice to be able to find a teck that knows his oats and fixed the problem at hand or maby he just sent the ecu away to a specialest company that have the correct jigs to be able to have your ecu repaired. So many faults are repaired at board replacement and not taken further. Never mind the cost, and the end user will have to pay. Problem is with some moduals is the modual is no longer avalable.
Yes Stephen, what you suggested was right.
The reason that I waited for a week or so, was to get the trusted Auto Elec who as you mentioned, sent the unit off to a specialist workshop who did the repair.
The cost was about the same as the price of a (similar) replacement from Patrolapart but I had a good look at the 'repaired' one & it was the original. I'm happy with the price and delighted with the outcome.
A bit of history on the vehicle .... purchased it in 1998 $30000 with 45,000 on the clock. Two owners. One purchased it new on HP & defaulted when he left the country. Next owner got it out of the repo yard and used it for a daily driver from the gold coast to Brisbane. Too much fuel & his pit bull was not suited to sitting in the rear as a chewed seat belt attests.
I have serviced it regularly myself with an occasional trip to a mechanic to look for things that I have missed. Two weeping passenger side rear oil seals finally fixed with replacement of the axel etc. Two clutch thrust bearings replaced. Tacko hasn't worked for years but I just don't get round to replacing the head unit.
Ah Phil...the Spanish translation of "Pajero" is not kind to you. GMH tried to sell Chevy Nova's in Mexico and could not explain the lack of sales until someone worked out that "Nova" means no go in Spanish, a quick rebadge and all sorted.
Ah Pete, whats in a name???? Yep I have been aware of the Spanish interpretation for some time. All I can say is that there is a lot of them out there and they don't all drive pajeros!!!!!
Have a good day.
__________________
Those who wish to reap the blessings of freedom must, as men, endure the fatigue of defending it.
