2.8l Rebuild Options

Hi All,
So after 2 different compression tests my rough running engine and smoke machine has come down to 2 cylinders down badly in compression (Cyl 1&2). Runs beautifull when its warm, cant even tell there is anything wrong with it, but starting cold its got a bad misfire and blows a hell of alot of black, then blue, then black smoke.

Called a couple of engine reconditioners just to ask the question, and seems a full rebuild with me removing & installing the engine myself is going to cost about $4000...

Anyway, thought I would ask the question about what most people seem to do when their RD28t runs out of puff...

I realise it may only be a head problem, but its not worth just re-doing the head on a bottom end with 310000kms...

Cheers,
Shaun...

Black smoke excess fuel,blue smoke rings, white smoke unburnt diesel

The only problem with reconditioners "Guestimates" is they dont really know how stuffed the motor is till its pulled down
IF the head is perhaps cracked beyond repair (like my ol GU 2.8) there goes 2K straight away

Id either get a 2nd opinion on the motors condition,then assess the situation
Live with it, drive it in the ground
Or look for a good running condition 2nd hand 2.8 T diesel
OR , even buy a complete running car

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MQ MAD

Black smoke excess fuel,blue smoke rings, white smoke unburnt diesel

The only problem with reconditioners "Guestimates" is they dont really know how stuffed the motor is till its pulled down
IF the head is perhaps cracked beyond repair (like my ol GU 2.8) there goes 2K straight away

Id either get a 2nd opinion on the motors condition,then assess the situation
Live with it, drive it in the ground
Or look for a good running condition 2nd hand 2.8 T diesel
OR , even buy a complete running car

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I've done a compression test myself, and also had an engine shop do a compression test. Its buggered.
I'll take the head off and see the full extent of the damage, but was just wondering what people have done in the past.

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Originally Posted by Shaunous

but was just wondering what people have done in the past.

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What i done when my GU (not a GQ i know) 2.8 had issues
After finally spending way to much on the head cracked issue,over 4K on the top end alone
(Brand new bare head , labour,parts ect)
I sold it real quick while it was running
I was at the time in a bind re wheels,so it was fix it then unload , or sell it not goin for near nothin

If i had the choice now, and had the time,that i didnt have then
For 4K and time on my side,it would be as i mentioned a 2nd hand motor
Or look for a power upgrade

I just wouldnt spend 4K on a 2.8

Should be able to get a fairly good nick complete GQ 2.8 for around that money

Another option to consider is replacing the RD28 with a petrol RB25DET. They bolt up to the same bell housing and engine mounts, provide similar fuel economy and torque with about double the power. For even more torque you can fit an RB30 bottom end under the RB25 head.

Tony

time for a 4.2 diesel with turbo

Bump.

Hi Shaunous, how was this resolved. New engine? rebuild? interested to know.

thx, Tuck.

Hi Tuck,
Well I'm back over in PNG working now, but when I get home i'm going to remove the engine and send it to get rebuilt I think (still deciding, but so far rebuild is winning). It's going to cost me just under $4000 for a complete rebuild using good quality parts.
For me, the car cost next to nothing, the clutch is brand new, the tyres are brand new and alot of other bits and pieces have all be replaced or rebuilt, non of which I paid for, so I think $4000 on a next to new engine is money thats going to give me a car that'll last many more years to come.
I am a diesel mechanic myself and could do the engine for just the cost of the parts, but it takes time, and when im only home for 2 weeks out of every 7, i don't wanna be doing major works to my 4x4, and having to send the head and block away anyway :smile:

Replacing with another model engine is also alot more time consuming, and likely to give headaches down the road...

Hey Shaunous, I'm in the same boat re rebuild / replace my 2.8. What are your compression readings? I'm at 280 PSI all round but the truck is driving really strong so a bit confused about what to do.

How hard is it to remove the engine to send for rebuild? I'm not a mechanic but have patience, time an willingness to learn by mistakes....

Cheers, Lachie

Sounds like a good bit of common sense. $4k for a quality rebuild seems like excellent value.

Cheers, Tuck.

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Originally Posted by TUCK

Sounds like a good bit of common sense. $4k for a quality rebuild seems like excellent value.

Cheers, Tuck.

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Yeh i figured so, called 3 different engine rebuilders in south east QLD and they were all just under 4k...

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Originally Posted by lachiek

Hey Shaunous, I'm in the same boat re rebuild / replace my 2.8. What are your compression readings? I'm at 280 PSI all round but the truck is driving really strong so a bit confused about what to do.

How hard is it to remove the engine to send for rebuild? I'm not a mechanic but have patience, time an willingness to learn by mistakes....

Cheers, Lachie

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Hi Lachie,
If you are getting 280psi all round I wouldn't bother mate, unless you wanted to run more boost from your turbo or throw a bigger turbo on, or something of that nature thats going to make the engine work harder then standard, its probably not worth it unless you have money to spend.

I would even get it compression tested again by someone else, or even try using a new/different gauge, as you may find the readings may all go up with a different gauge or mechanic, but general rule if you have similiar readings throughout the cylinders, unless they are extremly low, you have a good engine, maybe a little worn if anything.

One thing, was the engine compression tested cold :shivering:, or not been ran for long time (i.e. no lube oil coating the cylinder which seals between the piston rings and the cylinder), if so this can also give quite lower readings with an older engine, and you may find doing the test not long after the engine has been run will bring the readings right up to where they normally would be, your engine may still be worn as you'd expect in an older car though, but mechanically there will be nothing wrong so to speak.

Mine however has 1-90psi, 2-120psi, 3-400psi, 4-450psi, 5-450psi & 6-450psi, so its a major engine problem between cylinders 1 and 2. So I gotta do something before it leaves me stranded on the highway.:(

Cheers,
Shaun...

Thanks for the info Shaunous.

I just got that second opinion from my normal mech. Tested after a short drive, all cylinders on 400! Bloody relief for me.

Good luck with your issues. I know it's better to rebuild your own so you know the history but I found this on ebay. Thought it might interest you.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/NISSAN-PA...9#ht_500wt_953

Well some updates on the problem, removed the engine and dismantled, both vavles in cyl 1 were hardly seating, and the exhaust in cyl 2 was hardly seating, so there is part of the low compression problem, that and a mild score on the bore of cylinder 1, but that score was straight up and down, so that also would have added to the problem.

I removed all the fruits off the engine and took it into the rebuilders, even with me doing that its going to cost me $4000, which includes all the parts and labour as normal, then extra for the parts needed for the buggered head and a brand new oil pump as the drive gears for the old one were shagged, they are basically rebuilding the long block and i'm doing the rest. Adding to that I had the turbo fully refurbed and balanced which cost me $1000, could have probably bought one cheaper, but didn't realise untill we had it apart that there was that much carbon build up in the exhaust from the engine running so bad it had pushed against the compressor wheel and wrecked it, also had the fuel pump and injectors full refurbed, fuel pump housing was badly worn (common problem for the 2.8l), so that had to be replaced, them together cost me $1600.

So all up without my labour and the cost of some engine oil and filter it'd costing me $6600.


Thought i'd post this up to give some other people out there an idea of costs and what other things may pop up when you think its only going to cost you so much untill your right in the middle of it.

When I left the engine rebuilders today they had a guy picking up a 3.0l nissan patrol, the bill was just short of $14000 which included R&I of the engine, but i nearly fainted when i seen that.

hi shaunous my 2.8 has done 330000 klms compression on all six range from 420 to 425 psi so see if you can fet away with the head to start off with contact dieselcomponents.net they are priced extremely well

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Originally Posted by micko69

hi shaunous my 2.8 has done 330000 klms compression on all six range from 420 to 425 psi so see if you can fet away with the head to start off with contact dieselcomponents.net they are priced extremely well

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Yeh mines done about the same, I didn't want to just refurb the head and put it onto a worn old block, i'm going to keep the car for a long time so i figured i would do things right, if i were thinking of selling soon I would have just done the head and kept on motoring. But now I have decided to do the whole engine i've found all these other things that are very badly worn or damaged. I won't know what hit me when I take it on its first test drive, it'll be like a rocket in comparison...

Cheers for the website mate.

Shaun...

I don't like reading about rd28 gq's for next to nothing to buy. I paid $10,500 for mine only 6 months ago.

So $1,600 for the injectors and fuel pump done. That might be what mine needs. But think I might be in the same boat with a motor on its it's way out. Heap of blow by and crap loads of white smoke and rough as guts idle on cold starts. But I'm leaning more for the rb25det engine swap. Don't want to spend that amount of money unless the cars going to go a heap better afterwards.

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Originally Posted by gqt

I don't like reading about rd28 gq's for next to nothing to buy. I paid $10,500 for mine only 6 months ago.

So $1,600 for the injectors and fuel pump done. That might be what mine needs. But think I might be in the same boat with a motor on its it's way out. Heap of blow by and crap loads of white smoke and rough as guts idle on cold starts. But I'm leaning more for the rb25det engine swap. Don't want to spend that amount of money unless the cars going to go a heap better afterwards.

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Hey gqt,

Keep in mind my injectors and pump costs were on the high end due to cyl 1 injector being f#@ked, and cyl 1 injectors on the electronic 2.8l cannot be repaired so it had to be replaced, also the pump housing was worn past repair as the pump had never been done in 310,000kms so it again had to be replaced, if it was as simple as test and repair it would have been cheaper.

I did look at an engine conversion, but now im driving the newly rebuilt engine im glad i stayed with the RD28, sure its no race car, but with currently only 8psi boost and the EGR blocked its running great, i'll do a snorkel next to get some forced cold air induction and wind the boost up to 10-11psi and that should make it better again, I also have the standard exhaust and have the pump set to standard fuel output so again more improvements if i choose to spend the $$$

I also as said, rid the engine of all the emissions crap nissan throws on there and after 1200km's the engine oil still looks brand new :thumbup:...

Cheers,
Shaun...

Shaunous,

Which engine builder did you use?

My 99 GU 2.8t dropped the timing tensioner last week at 300,028 kms. Thinking bent valves etc and due to kms a full rebuild.

Do you know how to increase the boost from stock?

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Originally Posted by G&D's GU

Shaunous,

Which engine builder did you use?

My 99 GU 2.8t dropped the timing tensioner last week at 300,028 kms. Thinking bent valves etc and due to kms a full rebuild.

Do you know how to increase the boost from stock?

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Hey Mate,
I used a shop in Yatala, 'All Car Engine Recondition Services' http://www.allcarengines.com.au, Its a husband & wife business with a few good mechanic's working for them, and the guy who does the rebuilds is really good and picks up on things well, he noticed a few things like locating dowells and so on that were broken or even one missing from factory. And remember the more you do the cheaper it is.

I did get my turbo and pump serviced elsewhere as I didn't want them to send it away and just charge me the mark up, and I personally knew the guys who did them both from past experiences.

Increasing your boost from stock in these engines is the same u would a petrol car, boost controller/needle valve is all and adjust to your required boost..

Cheers,
Shaun...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by G&D's GU

Shaunous,

Which engine builder did you use?

My 99 GU 2.8t dropped the timing tensioner last week at 300,028 kms. Thinking bent valves etc and due to kms a full rebuild.

Do you know how to increase the boost from stock?

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Also Mate, Just head over to the Introductions section and introduce yourself to the forum, we all like to know a bit about you and it keeps the peace.

Cheers,
Shaun...

Hey there Shaunous, your decision to spend the money on the engine rebuild is solid. At least you will know you have a good engine and regular servicing will get you another 350000km. I suggest you get the head fully tested as they do fail rather expensively. New head and gaskets will cost roughly $1900.

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Originally Posted by SEEBEE

Hey there Shaunous, your decision to spend the money on the engine rebuild is solid. At least you will know you have a good engine and regular servicing will get you another 350000km. I suggest you get the head fully tested as they do fail rather expensively. New head and gaskets will cost roughly $1900.

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Hey mate, Yeh i'm stoked on the rebuild. Few little mod's and the removal of the emissions bull$#@t and I have myself a better then standard engine. Drives great and enough power for what I want.