Another overheating 3.0L CRD

[juzzs8]

Hey all,

So bought my 2010 Patrol 3 weeks ago through a private sale only 86,000kms. Spent a week setting up for travel and last 2 weeks been traveling slowly up the east coast. On saturday driving from Batemans Bay towards Canberra, was quite a steep and windey road, the mrs was driving and going between 2nd and 3rd a lot. Wasn't til we were near the top of the mountain, i said whats the temperature at, just to make sure it was ok after all that hill climbing. Sure enough it was in the hot zone, pulled over immediately and noticed steam and coolant pissing out the overflow. Left it for 30-40 minutes and called my mate (also my mechanic) back in Melbourne. Told me once its back to normal operating temps turn the car on and off to check the fan is engaging. It wasn't engaging, so he said if i bought it back to Melbourne and dont push the car up hills and take it easy before monday (today) he could look at it before he goes on holiday tuesday (tomorrow) and fix the fan. Filled up the car with coolant (at the time i didnt realise i should have just used water instead of mixing coolants) and decided to travel the 7-8 hours home that day.

On the way temperature was up and down. Going up hills over 100km temperature would rise to 3/4 and would have to back down to 80km for it to drop back down, and going down hills it would go back down as quickly as it went up. Called my mate again, he said it sounds more serious than just the fan if its heating up at those speeds. So took it very easy on the way home, 7 hour drive turned in to 12, but finally got home and dropped car off to mate.

He's telling me from what i've told him, sounds like it could be a cracked head. He did a head test on it yesterday but it showed up fine. He will be looking at it today, fixing the fan thats not engaging and possibly replacing the radiator in case of blockages.

Anyway i've read a few threads on here that have ended in the radiator being blocked and that has been the issue. I am hoping that this is the case with our patrol, but am scared maybe that after that first overheating incident (As the mrs didn't check the temperature gauge we are unsure how long it was hot for) has cooked the heads or something and just wanting to know if anyone else has done this, if that could be possible, is it most likely the radiator? or a head issue? When we realised the car was running hot, was probably 5-10 minutes of steep hill climbing, between 2nd and 3rd gear before that.

Any info appreciated,

Cheers

Justin

[mudski]

To me I would replace the clutch fan if its not working as it should. Also remove the radiator and get it professionally cleaned. Dont replace it unless its needed. I doubt you would have cracked the head. Going from past experience, on my old direct injection motor, the ecu will simply shut down the motor when it gets too hot. Well mine did anyway. Which is good. I'd probably change the thermostat too, if it got very hot theres a small chance the extra hot water might have made the thermostat in there redundant. Probably not but while your there you might aswell.
What colour was the coolant? Dirty or clean? It good practice to replace your coolant every year. Mine gets done at the same time every year, so I know it just part of a yearly routine to do so. If you've seen any mud or dirt. While the radiator is empty, remove it and soak the fins in some CT18 (green truck wash) and wash it out. Do the a/c condenser too. If the condenser is blocked your a/c will overheat very easily.

[juzzs8]

Yeh he's replacing clutch fan today.
Coolant was a light brown color when I checked.
Not too sure what he's doing with radiator. I just told him to do whatever he would do if it was his car, just want it fixed asap.
I've also told him your advice and that he can take it or leave it. Thanks! See what happens.

[Maxhead]

Clyde mountain certainly sorts out the vehicles with poor cooling pretty quickly. Mudski is on the money with his advice mate.
I have heard of near new radiators being clogged up with crap so not uncommon

[juzzs8]

Cheers guys.
Got the patrol back from my mate. He replaced everything everything in the cooling system. Radiator, maf sensor, thermostat, clutch fan, replaced a few other things on car that needed fixing also. So hopefully that fixes my heating issue. If I have issues after this then it's something internal. Will let know how it goes after some driving for anyone else with similar problems.

[Maxhead]

WOW mate, expensive repair by the sound of it. Please let us know what it was if you can figure it out with all those things replaced
BTW: MAF sensor???

[juzzs8]

yeh, was a bit. but being a mate, he looked after me pretty well. Everything was at cost price. was only an extra $100 to get new Genuine Nissan radiator at cost price than it was for him to send it to the radiator guy for flush and clean and have to wait minimum 4 days for it to be done. Least i know everything in the cooling system is in good working order now!

MAF sensor - Mass Airflow sensor, i don't know too much about it but was gonna get it replaced at 100,000kms anyway as apparently they can fail after that and turbo can boost higher than normal causing problems, so he just did it now instead, still got the old one in a box in case the new one ever does fail.

As far as i can see from my drive home it went well, hopefully that did the trick. Will have to wait til next year to see if the radiator was blocked and if that was the problem, for now i just have to hope that it was and wont have an issue again!

[mudski]

Looks like you've had the lot done! It shouldn't over heat now. Lol.

[juzzs8]

Seems to be all ok now.
Glad it's not a head issue.
Yeh just doing whole thing seemed to be best option. Nearly at 100,000kms so while had to replace the clutch fan and radiator anyway. Might as well do the rest. At least the cooling system should be good for another 100,000!

[threedogs]

Get your MAF sensor back as a spare , clean it and keep it in the glove box