Engine lost power completely while driving - Need Help!

[SiberianPatrol]

Need some help, mates. Just bought my 99 GU RD28T on Friday and took it today on its first highway cruise. About 30 min into the cruise I turned off the highway onto a side road and came up to a traffic light and had to stop. After light turned, I was accelerating up from a dead stop and had reached 4th gear cruising about 90kmh in the 2500-3000 RPM range when the engine just quit on me. I threw it into neutral while coasting and tried to crank it and it wouldn't even turn over. Just a simple click like the battery was dead.

Finally got it to the side of the road, stopped it, tried to crank it again and same thing - nothing, just a click. Popped the hood and everything looked in order, but it smelled hot. Then I heard a clicking on the turbo side of the engine like a relay kept flipping but couldn't pinpoint the location. After a couple of minutes I tried to crank it again and it turned over really slowly for a few seconds, cranked it again and it fired right up. Drove the rest of the way with no problem and returned home after another 35 minutes of driving with no more problems whatsoever.

I'm taking it in for diagnostics and general service tomorrow, but does anyone here have any idea what may have cause the engine to completely blank out like that while driving?

[mudski]

Could be a dud relay. Sometimes when they get, and or old, they stick and refuse to work. I would be looking at something electrical. ...

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[happygu]

If diesels have fuel and compression, they should run .... the only possible explanation would be a faulty electronic or electrical component, and it sounds like it is a heat related one, which can be hard to diagnose

[SiberianPatrol]

Could be a dud relay. Sometimes when they get, and or old, they stick and refuse to work. I would be looking at something electrical. ...

Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk


If diesels have fuel and compression, they should run .... the only possible explanation would be a faulty electronic or electrical component, and it sounds like it is a heat related one, which can be hard to diagnose

Thanks mates. Kind of what I was thinking. I'm going to try to get it into service tomorrow so we'll see what they say about it. Hopefully it's nothing win the injectors or pump.

[4bye4]

It will have a fuel solenoid somewhere which could have an electrical problem or even be sticking mechanically when hot and shutting fuel off. I just reread your post where you say it wouldn't turn over at all. Check your battery connections. If you have a loose terminal it may be heating up because of current draw and going open circuit. It then connects again when it cools down. It is also possible you have and intermittent open circuit internally in your battery.

[SiberianPatrol]

It will have a fuel solenoid somewhere which could have an electrical problem or even be sticking mechanically when hot and shutting fuel off. I just reread your post where you say it wouldn't turn over at all. Check your battery connections. If you have a loose terminal it may be heating up because of current draw and going open circuit. It then connects again when it cools down. It is also possible you have and intermittent open circuit internally in your battery.

Battery connections were tight and clean and the battery is just over 1 month old. I did check that when it happened. I'll have the battery tested tomorrow as well.

Fuel solenoid. Any ideas where that would be located? I see my list growing longer for the service center tomorrow :(

[threedogs]

Maybe run a few more earth straps, somes electrical.
Not sure why the battery went completely dead though,
But hopefully diagnostics tomorrow will sort it out for you.
And not too costly. Seeing as you were able to continue without any
mishaps sounds promising.

[dom14]

Sounds electrical, doesn't it?
The fact it died while running on the road & then couldn't crank at all points to the battery and the immediate connections after that like terminals, relays, wires, etc.

[SiberianPatrol]

Sounds electrical, doesn't it?
The fact it died while running on the road & then couldn't crank at all points to the battery and the immediate connections after that like terminals, relays, wires, etc.

Yup. Still trying to get the electrical sorted out. Battery tested fine - plenty of juice to crank the starter. Diagnostics showed an error coming from the injector sensor. Need to delve in more to find out what's going on there. Also found some seals and bushings that need to be replaced on the front suspension - hub swivel seals, drive shaft bearings, steering linkage, etc. nothing too major there, just have to hunt down the parts here in the city.

Will make an appointment with the auto electrician this week to see if we can get the electrical faults sorted out.

[dom14]

Another scenario that came to my mind is that certain error codes causing the the ECU to go to the 'safe' mode and prevent you from cranking. I'm speculating here as I'm not sure GU ECUs come with such fail safe electronic mechanism built into it.

[SiberianPatrol]

Ok mates, had something similar happen again yesterday, except I wasn't on the road at the time. Drove to a store hunting for some parts, engine was up to normal operating temps, everything looked good. Parked the truck, was on the store for about 15min. When I came out and tried to start the engine, the starter would crank and crank and crank, but nothing would fire. Waited a couple of minutes, glowed it again and cranked the starter for another 10 sec and still nothing. Turned the key off and waited 2-3 min, then tried to crank it and this time nothing happened - the starter didn't even crank, just a dull click like the battery was dead.

I just had the battery tested yesterday and it has plenty of cranking power and is holding charge perfectly, so I know it wasn't the battery. Waited 5 min and tried again with the same result - click. This went on for about 10 min or so and then all of a sudden the starter decided to crank and the engine fired up.

I have no ideas what happened there. When I cold start it first thing in the morning, she fires right up without a hitch. This only happens when the engine is hot and water temp gauge is showing normal operating temps.

I am at a loss. Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.

[threedogs]

If your model has an ECM it could be that or maybe even the glow plug relay playing up.
Sounds like its a PITB hope you sort it soon.

[4bye4]

Couled with your earlier posts, this sounds to me like a high resistance earth or battery lead. I know you have checked the battery and the connections, but how about the other end where it bvolts to the motor. batteries don't usually come good after 5 minutes. Also might be worth checking the main fuse/breaker terminals where they plug into the holder. other than that I,m lost.

[threedogs]

Use a green kitchen scourer on the battery terminals to make sure, also clean inside the terminals
both pos and neg, and as suggested redo the earth where it joins the motor or chassis

[SiberianPatrol]

Cleaned all terminals and connections on the battery today. Everything is fine there. Bought new glow plugs and will install those tomorrow and check all fuses and relays tomorrow as best I can. Have an appointment with auto electrician for Friday so we'll see where that gets me.


1999 GU Y61 2.8L turbo diesel; manual transmission; 33" Khumo mudders; ... more mods on the way ;)

[dom14]

Let us know the outcome of the appointment with the sparky.

[SiberianPatrol]

Let us know the outcome of the appointment with the sparky.

Will do thanks for the help so far.

[threedogs]

Cleaned all terminals and connections on the battery today. Everything is fine there. Bought new glow plugs and will install those tomorrow and check all fuses and relays tomorrow as best I can. Have an appointment with auto electrician for Friday so we'll see where that gets me.


1999 GU Y61 2.8L turbo diesel; manual transmission; 33" Khumo mudders; ... more mods on the way ;)

Are you able to squirt the relays with CRC, or WD40 style sprays

[SiberianPatrol]

Are you able to squirt the relays with CRC, or WD40 style sprays

Yes. WD40 is easy to find here. Will pick some up today for the job

[dom14]

Yes. WD40 is easy to find here. Will pick some up today for the job

Are you really in Siberia? I'm guessing it's not the winter there right now!

[SiberianPatrol]

Are you really in Siberia? I'm guessing it's not the winter there right now!

That I am. Located right in the middle of Siberia, north of the western border of Mongolia in the city of Krasnoyarsk. We do have summer here where the temps get up to 30-35C on the really hot days. Thankfully it is short lived and most of the summer stays in the 20s.

Trying to get everything done on the Patrol before winter comes as I plan on taking it up some of the winter ice roads in -30C (or colder).

Here's a shot of some of the surrounding area now in the summer.

http://www.nissanpatrol.com.au/forums/images/imported/2015/07/337.jpg


1999 GU Y61 2.8L turbo diesel; manual transmission; 33" Khumo mudders; ... more mods on the way ;)

[SiberianPatrol]

Ok, mates. I installed new glow plugs today (the old ones still looks pretty good - just a bit blackened on the ends), and disconnected every terminal and relay that I could find and cleaned them really well with WD40 and a scouring pad. I noticed on a couple of connectors that there are a few that are showing their age and have some frayed wires, so I need to get some connectors and fix a couple of those. Cleaned the intercooler really well and checked the EGR valve to see if it had been blocked. It hasn't been, so that's on the todo list for later. Still have the appointment with the auto sparky tomorrow, so I hope to get an answer to the hard/impossible starting when the engine is hot.

[dom14]

That I am. Located right in the middle of Siberia just a little ways north of the western border of Mongolia in the city of Krasnoyarsk. We do have summer here where the temps get up to 30-35C on the really hot days. Thankfully it is short lived and most of the summer stays in the 20s.
Trying to get everything done on the Patrol before winter comes as I plan on taking it up some of the winter ice roads in -30C (or colder).

Here's a shot of some of the surrounding area now in the summer.

1999 GU Y61 2.8L turbo diesel; manual transmission; 33" Khumo mudders; ... more mods on the way ;)

Hi mate,
That's so beautiful. We don't get to see that kind of northern lush green here in Australia.
You must be loving it. Sounds like you had been living in Australia as well.
I hope to come to Siberia one day and see my most favourite majestic creature of all time, the Amur Tiger in the wilderness. I hope the Amur tiger will still be around when I get to go there.
I know there are no Amur tigers anywhere near Krasnoyarsk, but I think it was part of their territory, not that long ago.
BTW mate, while doing your good work there, please consider doing something for the survival of this majestic creature. These are the kind of things sometime make me wanna believe in cosmic intelligence at work, otherwise we wouldn't have been born into this epoch. Amur tiger would've been gone if not for the international group of workers working tirelessly to save the doomed creature.

[dom14]

Ok, mates. I installed new glow plugs today (the old ones still looks pretty good - just a bit blackened on the ends), and disconnected every terminal and relay that I could find and cleaned them really well with WD40 and a scouring pad. I noticed on a couple of connectors that there are a few that are showing their age and have some frayed wires, so I need to get some connectors and fix a couple of those. Cleaned the intercooler really well and checked the EGR valve to see if it had been blocked. It hasn't been, so that's on the todo list for later. Still have the appointment with the auto sparky tomorrow, so I hope to get an answer to the hard/impossible starting when the engine is hot.

When you get to the point of removing the EGR, do bit of homework on that. Do plenty of reading on the EGR before you block it and make sure you block it the right way.
Intermittent electric problems are PITA to locate, but a sparky is trained to find those things.
So, you should be good after the sparky appointment. I reckon it's a relay or a loose connector/wire going bad as the engine gets hot.

[SiberianPatrol]

Well the visit to the auto electrician was beneficial today. Found out that the previous owner had hacked into the glow plug relay and had wired something in that didn't belong. So he pulled it all out and rewired the glow plug relay and ignition the way it should be. Whether or not that solves the hard starts when hot, will remain to be seen. He recommended getting a compression check and testing the injectors and pump if the problem continues. Will see what happens over the weekend and go from there.

[threedogs]

The glow plugs are on a timer via the relay, there is a modification
you can do on the ZD30 the shorten the duration. Hope you get it sorted sooner rather
than later. Beautiful looking country where you live ,be it flat as. I could not imagine driving in minus 30 conditions bbbrrrrrrr
In summer here we get 40 celcius and up to 50 if El Nino is around lol.

[SiberianPatrol]

The glow plugs are on a timer via the relay, there is a modification
you can do on the ZD30 the shorten the duration. Hope you get it sorted sooner rather
than later. Beautiful looking country where you live ,be it flat as. I could not imagine driving in minus 30 conditions bbbrrrrrrr
In summer here we get 40 celcius and up to 50 if El Nino is around lol.

The previous owner had wired in some kind of switch into the relay that was causing it to malfunction. When you say you can shorten the duration are you meaning the duration of the actual glow?

I can't imagine summers of 40-50C. I would much rather take my -40C anytime over that kind of heat ;)

[dom14]

The glow plugs are on a timer via the relay, there is a modification
you can do on the ZD30 the shorten the duration. Hope you get it sorted sooner rather
than later. Beautiful looking country where you live ,be it flat as. I could not imagine driving in minus 30 conditions bbbrrrrrrr
In summer here we get 40 celcius and up to 50 if El Nino is around lol.

He can bypass or disconnect the intercooler during the winter. :)

40c didn't happen in Melbourne last summer. :D
50c never happens in Melbourne.(Well...not in my lifetime so far)
So, you might wanna move? :D

[SiberianPatrol]

He can bypass or disconnect the intercooler during the winter. :)

40c didn't happen in Melbourne last summer. :D
50c never happens in Melbourne.(Well...not in my lifetime so far)
So, you might wanna move? :D

Would disconnecting the inter cooler be necessary in the extreme cold? Never thought of that before.

[dom14]

Would disconnecting the inter cooler be necessary in the extreme cold? Never thought of that before.

I was being humorous. I don't think you can do it easily, though not impossible. :)
At -40c, you need all the heat you can get. So, the excess heat from the turbocharger is not a problem, it's a god given. :D
I was also going to make another joke about not needing the radiator as well. :thumbup:

[SiberianPatrol]

I was being humorous. I don't think you can do it easily, though not impossible. :)
At -40c, you need all the heat you can get. So, the excess heat from the turbocharger is not a problem, it's a god given. :D
I was also going to make another joke about not needing the radiator as well. :thumbup:

True. We do put blankets on our engines when it gets that cold and we block off the front grill to minimize the cold airflow over the radiator. In the extreme cold we even change out our diff oils to a lighter weight.


1999 GU RD28Ti turbo diesel; manual transmission; 33" Khumo mudders; ... more mods on the way ;)

[dom14]

True. We do put blankets on our engines when it gets that cold and we block off the front grill to minimize the cold airflow over the radiator. In the extreme cold we even change out our diff oils to a lighter weight.


1999 GU RD28Ti turbo diesel; manual transmission; 33" Khumo mudders; ... more mods on the way ;)

Yes, perhaps engine oil as well. I tend to switch from 20/50 to lighter 15/40 during the winter, which is right now in Melbourne, Australia. Though in mine(Patrol, GQ RB30), it tends to 'burn' the oil though.
Perhaps caused by bit of bottom end wear I think. As you may know, Australian winters aren't winters from Russian standards. We rarely get a zero celsius day in Melbourne. Even when we do, it's always early morning, but never during the day, more like the tail end of the Siberian spring. :)

[threedogs]

How does the diesel react in such cold conditions.
Over here in the high country when snowing, Ive heard
stories of ppl lighting small fire under the fuel tanks to warm up the fuel

[SiberianPatrol]

How does the diesel react in such cold conditions.
Over here in the high country when snowing, Ive heard
stories of ppl lighting small fire under the fuel tanks to warm up the fuel

This will actually be my first winter with a diesel, but I have many friends who have diesels - some parked in a garage, some parked outside in the extreme cold. As long as you take care of it, it will work fine. Use an anti-gel additive in the fuel tank, change diff and engine oils to lighter weights, let it warm up for a while before taking off, etc.

One friend of mine grew up in the Far East of Siberia and they would have to light fires under the diffs to thaw them out.

We also have several aftermarket heater options for the engine which you can install and they will automatically kick on once the temp drops.

[dom14]

How does the diesel react in such cold conditions.
Over here in the high country when snowing, Ive heard
stories of ppl lighting small fire under the fuel tanks to warm up the fuel

I'm not sure where I heard it, but remember hearing diesel engines are better in extreme cold climates than petrol or LPG. Perhaps 'cos diesel power is a handy thing in snow and the ability to generate more heat is a gift in such climates??!!
Though, diesel does freeze up before petrol does, doesn't it?

[SiberianPatrol]

I'm not sure where I heard it, but remember hearing diesel engines are better in extreme cold climates than petrol or LPG. Perhaps 'cos diesel power is a handy thing in snow and the ability to generate more heat is a gift in such climates??!!
Though, diesel does freeze up before petrol does, doesn't it?

True it does freeze up, but by adding an anti-gel additive you can prevent most of that. It usually happens with the lesser quality diesel fuel. You can also get a heater for your fuel tank to prevent that as well. The low-down torque and power of a diesel engine make them great for the snow. You don't have the wheel-spin and quick take off power of a petrol to worry about.

[dom14]

True it does freeze up, but by adding an anti-gel additive you can prevent most of that. It usually happens with the lesser quality diesel fuel. You can also get a heater for your fuel tank to prevent that as well. The low-down torque and power of a diesel engine make them great for the snow. You don't have the wheel-spin and quick take off power of a petrol to worry about.

True. It's a pretty good to have a diesel vehicle in any climate, I reckon.
I'm on to TD42 Patrol. Just need to quit touring and start saving and working more. :)
I like the idea of being a slackass for a while, but it's being going on for far too long. :D
Another thing is that the microbe contamination can be minimum in diesel fuel in such sub zero weather, apparently one of the biggest
problems diesel fuel tanks and fuel lines have to deal with after few years of use, especially in warmer weather.