Rockets Wagon

[Rocket55]

Took the Patrol for a run up to Newcastle yesterday to pick up my new caravan It was a big day. All the work in getting the Patrol ready and the excitment of the new van made for an experience that could deliver soo much goodnes, or could be bitter sweet.

Headed off through Sydney in the morning and got a good run through the traffic and made good time. Sat on around 105km/hr up the free way and the Patrol sat around between 6-8psi and about 230-250deg. Pretty happy with that. Any hill was takled in 5th with sweet FA throttle required, temp gauge never moved.



Got to Newcastle no worries and picked up the new van. It was all good.



Now for the trip home. Set off with the 2.7T trailer in tow. I could feel it was there but the Patrol picked up speed with the traffic from the lights with ease, then onto the freeway. Cruised up to around 90, no problems. Moved up to around 95-100km/hr in 5th, boost was around 10-12 psi and EGT's were around 300. Pretty happy. Small hills came and went without notice, some of the slightly bigger hills or slopes I used 4th to take the load off 5th gear. For those that know the Newcastle to Sydney Freeway, there are 3 big climbs along the way, out of Ourimbah, Mooney Mooney and The Hawkesbury. These were all tackled in 4th with an intial speed of 95-100 and came out the top at 95-100 using probably somewhere between 1/2 to 2/3rds throttle. Biggest numbers I saw was 27psi, 500 Deg and the temp gauge moved up a tad but still well within normal. Happy days!!

One thing though, under heavy load it does generate quite a vibration in the 1,900 to 2,400 rev range. It doesn't feel good at all, not sure what it is. It's happens when it's making bulk torque.

[Ben-e-boy]

. For those that know the Newcastle to Sydney Freeway, there are 3 big climbs along the way, out of Ourimbah, Mooney Mooney and The Hawkesbury. These were all tackled in 4th with an itial speed of 95-100 and came out the top at 95-100 using probably somewhere between 1/2 to 2/3rds throttle. Biggest numbers I saw was 27psi, 500 Deg and the temp gauge moved up a tad but still well within normal. Happy days!!

One thing though, under heavy load it does generate quite a vibration in the 1,900 to 2,400 rev range. It doesn't feel good at all, not sure what it is. It's happens when it's making bulk torque.

I have fond memories of those hills. Last time I drove down south, I was forced to show a pack of fully sick hilux's who's boss. They didnt catch me untill pennant hills rd

How bad is the vibration? Was it there before the new flywheel

[nissannewby]

Was the clutch and flywheel assembly balanced prior to fitment?

[Rocket55]

The lower the revs the worse the vibration at one point I backed off on it as I thought if I kept going it would surely break something (approx 2,100rpm). It's only there under load, magnified by towing the trailer. Light throttle there's nothing, heavy throttle as an empty car you can feel it but it's not too bad.

It was there before the new clutch and flywheel, seemingly exactly the same, although I never towed with the old clutch flywheel set up. No the new clutch flywheel assembly was not balanced as a unit before install.

[nissannewby]

How do your engine mounts look rod?

[Rocket55]

They didn't look to bad when I was under there before. There's no clunking or banging going on and I couldn't see and shiney bits on them anywhere to indicate metal to metal. In saying that I might have a better look with a pinch bar or similar tonight. Wagon has only done 170,000km.

[Rocket55]

I have fond memories of those hills. Last time I drove down south, I was forced to show a pack of fully sick hilux's who's boss.

Haha Love it!!

I caught another van about the same size as mine just north of Gosford. Followed him down the hill into Mooney Mooney at about 100km/hr, as the hill started up the other side, back to 4th and lean on it a bit. I started catching him at a great rate of knots, I'm looking for the outside lane when he moves left and I go straight past him easily carrying 20-25km/hr more speed (if not more). I look in the left mirror and he's disappearing at a huge rate of knots, never saw him again until, you guessed it, Pennant Hills Rd. He was in a 100 Series Cruiser, it was a solid overtake, I was pretty impressed with the mighty Nissan


Although can't help but think there’s a tortoise and the hare analogy thing in there somewhere

[mudski]

Haha Love it!!.................


Although can't help but think there’s a tortoise and the hare analogy thing in there somewhere

Not when you got the power under the right foot on tap there isn't. Well for me anyway. Lol
So its a good guess your impressed? Apart from the vibration.
Long shot but get the tailshaft looked at maybe if the engine mounts are good. Mine has a vibration at around 100 clicks, I know its my tailshaft, as from the whirring vibration, if you'd call it that (hard to explain), I reckon it needs to be balanced.
Next is a bonnet respray eh?

[Rocket55]

Yep, I'm pretty happy with it. It's really got effortless power when just driving around. I'll try and get to the bottom of the vibration over time. I just put two new uni's in the rear tailshaft as one was kaput. Bonnet gets sprayed on Monday.

[gubigfish]

hey mate apart from your mistake with cutting the bonnet did you have any issues getting everything to seal? My Cross Country Inter-cooler just arrived today just wondering if its a straight forward install.