Engine Malfunction Light - newly purchased car

[mojo]

Hi, I just purchased a 2002 GUII Patrol 5sp two weeks ago. Drove 2000km from Sydney to Mackay, Nth Qld with no issues. Yesterday we just returned from our first road trip (1000km each way) & had the engine malfunction light come on (once on drive down, then once again 8 days later). Both times I stopped engine immediately, waited for 5 minutes, re-started & the warning light didn't come back on? Manual says could either be Water in Fuel or one of many sensors. I haven't yet checked & drain for potential water in fuel as light went out immediately both times. Both times it happened whilst using cruise control (aftermarket), revs increasing as slightly uphill. Perhaps related to cruise control or most likely water in fuel? Whilst in Brisbane I took it offroad at Mt Mee on medium/difficult tracks, performed great offroad, & no sign of any problems. Not sure if this is a problem or not? In about 2 months we are planning to use the Patrol as a tow vehicle for caravan & want to solve this issue beforehand. Any ideas or help would be appreciated? Cheers mojo.

[tecdiverdude]

hey mate, there's a few things it could be.
1. Most likely. its the MAF (Mass Airflow meter), this will give you intermittent engine lights, random limp mode esp when acc to start of the hill. There's a way you can check the MAF, I'll see what I can find.
2. loose plug on the instake pressure gauge. Mine rattled loose a few times, clean it and put it back on.
3. water in fuel filter or even full fuel filter

[tecdiverdude]

On the MAF, be aware, only use a genuine nissan one (they are expensive) but I fitted an aftermarket one and kept getting random limp modes and high EGTs.
changed it to a genuine one and problem solved.

[tecdiverdude]

as everyone else will recommend, these things are A MUST for a zd30ddti owner
1. Exhaust Gas temp guage. - lets you see how hard the engine is working, if it gets too high,back off the throttle. if its always high, look at a bigger exhaust, if its normally at one level and starts running higher, somethings going wrong (usually the MAF failing)
2. Boost Guage. - lets you see the boost of the engine, if you haven't fitted #4 Yet, it wil be crazy and sporodic.
3. EGR (exhaust Gas recycle) Block - a plate that stops the gas going back into the inlet and gumming everything up
4. A Dawes valve and needle valve. - This takes the control of the boost off the ECU and into your hands. myou adjust it all, get it set up and boost curve is smooth and predictable. 3bars racing sell them.
5. and oil catch can. - thiswill protect your MAF, when u shut the engine down, oil vapour tavels up the PCV pipe and enters the inlet pipe not far from the MAF, because the engine isnt running, air isnt flowing so it flows back towards the airfilter and deposits on the MAF, eventually killing it and if you're not watching , killing the engine.

[tecdiverdude]

Then you can fit an intercooler cooling fan also. not as necessary as the others, but helps.

[threedogs]

X 2 with the MAF you can get cleaner from supercheap and Jaycar, just give it a good squirt and make sure its dry before installing. if that doesn't solve it change the fuel filters
As with most replacement go with OE stuff, give Gary at Nizzbits a call, good prices quick delivery

[alexx]

Engine oil could be sticky the moment warning shows. Try to clean the strainer inside the oil pan. Much sludge could be clogging the strainer preventing engine oil to circulate and so less oil goes up, hence the engine warning. not all engine glow warning indicates water in the fuel filter. If you ignore the warning, you will soon start running your GU in 3rd gear and in high revs. Your engine will go wild along the way. It does not require major mods to solve the warning issue. Clean that strainer and you are done. This is what i did to my GU last May and its been 7k kms without the warning coming back. Thanks to the leaking Oil Pan, I found, incidentally, the solution to the engine warning. The oil pan is still leaking though. LOL.

Clean the MAF sensor too. Use the Contact Cleaner that leaves no residue. Read the thread relative to this so you would know how not to damage the sensor.