Water missing...'04 3.0lt

[Cowboy]

Hmm,
Ok, Entertain me please before 2012 begins.:newyear:

Was doing my usual checks today as was going to hook up the van on Saturday for a trip away and noticed the 'ol girl is using water, and so checked under the oil cap and guess what was there??
A bloody cow has left some milk there... :(
I gather that this means have a blown head gasket??? The motor has done 235000 since 2004, and hasn't missed a beat considering she is pulling 2100kg of van behind it.

So, if this is the case, what is the approx cost to fix and what else should I look for.
The motor is showing no signs of distress and runs like a dream, so have I just caught it??

Thanks for the comiserations (in advance).:redface:

[Yendor]

Mate it doesn't sound good.

You will need to get it tested but yes it does sound like a blown head gasket.

Sorry not sure on the cost, but going by other threads I have read there is a good chance the head is cracked as well (sorry).

They seem to crack from the glow plugs and mainly on cylinders 3 & 4.

I would work on the worst case scenario when getting quotes or working out your budget of having to replace the head as well.

You will also need to get the radiator cleaned and tested.

Hopefully I am wrong and it turns out to be a cheap easy fix.

Regards Rodney

[G-ForceCrew]

Hi Man, Sorry you haven't saved it. get it all fixed. bugger Kel

[Cowboy]

Well, I hope everyone elses new year is gonna start better than mine.
Just got a verdict on where the water is going today.
Mech , took out the Glow plugs, turn her ova and it streamed out of No.2, so head is gone.
Will see tommoz whether the engine can take a new head or spend 13k on a new motor. (Thanks for nothing Nissan)
Will update later

[growler2058]

Bumma mate, absolute bumma

[Cowboy]

Bumma mate, absolute bumma

Yeah,sure is.
Mech says this one is not the norm, so hopefully no pits on the piston heads and the like, but I am expecting the worst.

[Cowboy]

Ok, Have decided for the moment, to put the motor back together, get the unit home and park it.
To replace the head with a genuine one 4k fitted.
New motor from Nissan 13k
Crate motor at the moment 7k
Possible conversion to 4.2 ??????

The crate is probably the right way to go if we decide to keep the vehicle as there are no other issues with it and is in great condition.
Oh, I hate decisions

Cheers

Rick

[boots]

similar thing happened with me many years ago when I had an old petrol hilux . in the interim phase while I was deciding what to do, just changed the oil and did not pressurise the coolant system ,ie - left the radiator cap loose . still used and spewed a bit of water but I got two more years out of it . I,m feeling your pain .

[hutchy84]

Sorry to hear your crappy start to the new year

But personaly if i was going to replace the engine i would go with a TD42T as these are very reliable and honestly bullet proof they can take a fair bit and just tonk along.

I was talking to a guy just the other dau and he has a TD42 and he has cracked over 800,000 kms in the old girl and still going strong i personally think that if you were to go with that decission you wouldnt regret it. I Love my TD42T im just going to get a stage 3 turbo kit installed by United fuel Injection as the factory turbo is a little gutless without modifications and thirsty on fuel and the stage 3 kit will give me over 400+ NM of torque and way better fuel economy depending on how you drive it.

Also you can look at sticking a cummings engine in there i have heard they are really good also

[Cowboy]

Hi Fellow members.
Well after much head bangin', I have decided to replace the head and keep the fingers cross when strippin' down the motor to do it.
It is the cheapest option at the moment and if all goes well, it will give me some time to sort out a conversion to 4.2lt for the future.

So, the new head arrived on Friday, so into the mech's today and off with the old...Well, I know there is a lot of bad things said about these 3lt units, but I have to take my hat off to this one. The mech asked today if I had any probs starting in the mornings and any missing..or smoke out the pipe??? Answer, "What the hell ya talking about...No.. she runs like nothing was wrong.."
So, apparently all the injectors are stuffed (around 150-170+ 1 completly cactus), 3 out of 4 Glow plugs stuffed,Belt tensioner pulley with stuffed bearings. Oh, and a stuffed head....Strange, considering it has always been serviced, at 1st every 5k and then after 150k at 10k intervals.

How was this motor still going????? It has never let us down and with 235000km's she has performed well, so in this case I applaude this motor for being "sick" but not stopping. Moreso with a 2100kg van on the back.
So new head on in the morning with everything else done/replaced and the 'ol girl is back in action. The bores, Pistons, rings, are all good, so all will be good.
Total cost will be approx $4000.00 all up.
So now I have a change of mechanic (now proper diesel one) and a shiny top end all should be good and am looking forward to getting back in her and trying it out to see the change.

Cheers