NM / NP DiD life

[Donkey]

Hi Donkey,
sounds like you went through a similar process to myself. I would have bought a Patrol and risked the hand grenade but the boss flatly stated "I'm not driving that thing". Whereas both my Pajeros are no problem. Which is funny as they are not that much smaller. But the Paj is so much nicer to drive.
oh!, and I wasn't having a go when I made comment about buying a car that age if you could afford newer. I re-read it and thought it might have come across as a bit blunt, so apologies there.

Rob

No worries. Perhaps a bit blunt but it also made me think about the reasons I bought the car in the first palace, and I still stand by that decision.

It's just that I am two fold, in getting the car maintained or getting the car build up. It makes more sense to do gearbox and pump first before building up the car, but that would mean budget wise that I can't start using the car for what I intended to do whit it when I bought it 2 years ago.

I'll have someone check the gearbox first and go from there.

Money wise fixing it up is the better way to go. Sale price and $10k for the fixes as a budget doesn't really buy me anything else as what I already have.

[Nab]

IMO the gearbox is not that common a fault and a secondhand one will get you back on the road for much less than $3k. Not much choice with the fuel pump, won't get any change from $5k.

The issue is that both faults can occur with zero prior indication that anything is wrong. I reckon just mod it and deal with it if it happens. Many Pajeros out there with 300,000km+ with no issues, I wouldn't be spending $10k rebuilding parts that don't necessarily need it.

If my pump fails I will just spend the coin putting a new one in. Similar to you, selling the Paj and putting in the extra $5k won't get me anything better than I already have.

[BBP]

Yeah, the eternal battle between what we have to buy and what we want to buy for our loved ones ..I mean cars. I am thinking about doing the box because I am not that happy with the change from 1st to 2nd bit slow at times and even though it been flushed (properly) with correct fluid and serviced it just feels "off". Not that I have driven any other NPs to compare.
Also a valve body upgrade to improve off-road usability, descent control should improve along with changes. Plus that damn TC not staying locked in 5th. So fit better TC and at same time do any preventative stuff like the pins. Or just a lock up kit and forget it. My biggest problem is finding someone I trust to Touch the box. I have family in Melbourne so maybe a visit to wholesale auto is in order. And I am seriously considering getting a remap done by the guys in Dandenong as well.

On a different note has anyone flushed their intercooler and what improvement, if any did they get.

[Jwc]

Late posting to this but anyway,

* NP 2004 Diesel GLS
* 185000klms
* Serviced at book intervals by MM, mostly due to 12 month interval
* Transmission serviced seperately by Russels Transmissions at ashmore
* starter motor replaced at 150000klms
* Replaced top chain guide at 180000klms service but no signs of problem on old one, piece of mind.
* No fuel pump problems as yet.
* companion shaft problem encountered towing 2300kg load but didn’t explode just started dripping and caught in time ! Glad they worked out the new oval c clips in 2009 so you don’t have to get new companion shafts as well, much cheaper.
* replaced radiator and thermostat an temp sender due to some towing heat issues but still not completely solved. Runs fine just 3/4 hot on stopping and restarting after towing a couple hours then goes back to normal after idling 1-2 minutes. Looking into viscous clutch.

Bought this car new with the intention of keeping it to tow a van around full time on retirement. 14 years later i have started that goal. Before towing it did a half dozen trips to fraser island, pulled the yard trailer and drove me to and from work, so pretty easy life but never gave me any trouble for 14 years ! Now i am asking it to do a lot more with towing the van but realistically this first 3 month trip was always going to be a shakeout trip and thats whats happening. I could probably get a new vehicle but i hate giving up on things that still perform their function with a little tlc ! Besides what do you really get for a new car price ? I have installed spiffy stereo gear for bluetooth etc, second battery and clearview mirrors. Now if the NP Diesel had an obd2 port or i could get a MUTT scanner it would be perfect but other than that i will continue to correct the problems on the old girl untill i hit a killer issue. Next week it gets a ECU tune to give it a little more torque over the hills hopefully.

2023 Update. Now at 212000klms. Still no pump issues. Got the ECU tune in 2018 but although performance was great it was overboosting on long gradual hills because they used what I consider a bad approach of pretensioning the waste gate actuator which reduces the throw as well as delaying the opening. So replaced with a manual boost controller and egt/boost pillar guage to have more info on what is happening. Finally found a MUTT diag machine that works a treat with gen3 so can really see what’s going on without needing a stealership to look. Installed a catch can and had deisel manifold clean prior.

I literally dread the day I have to give up this car as it is just rock solid, maintainable and competent. Likely to do new suspension this year. Looked at new MUX or Everest and follow their owner forums but tbh will likely keep this car till a viable renewable tug is proven viable even if that means a pump replacement given stupid new car wait times and the problems all the new ancap features are causing, especially towing issues.

[alfthesparky]

currently
2003 3.2 DI-D GLS... 505.000k original moror, turbo, trans, pump, diffs.. re-done brakes..
2000 3.2 DI-D GLS... 390.000k just bought for the wife.. no history
2002 3.5 GDI exceed... 175.000k, dead, tee for rear heater broke from a stone on a gravel road and all the water fell out.. transferred leather seats to 03 paj, still have half of it as pictured..

also of note, 03 2.8TD triton, 510.000k still runs perfect and all original except clutch and rocker cover gasket and bush/shock replacement,
95 delica spacegear LWB 2.8TD, 435.000k, replaced timing chain and turbo..

[CATs 4x4]

currently
2003 3.2 DI-D GLS... 505.000k original moror, turbo, trans, pump, diffs.. re-done brakes..
2000 3.2 DI-D GLS... 390.000k just bought for the wife.. no history
2002 3.5 GDI exceed... 175.000k, dead, tee for rear heater broke from a stone on a gravel road and all the water fell out.. transferred leather seats to 03 paj, still have half of it as pictured..

also of note, 03 2.8TD triton, 510.000k still runs perfect and all original except clutch and rocker cover gasket and bush/shock replacement,
95 delica spacegear LWB 2.8TD, 435.000k, replaced timing chain and turbo..

Damn Alfthesparky, those are excellent longevity mileage on those diesels and some fine looking examples!!!

Any secret servicing or other tips that you care to share?

CATS

Sent from my LG-H870 using Tapatalk

[Poita]

A smidgen under 200k.
Original pump
2 starter motors
1 alternator
50% blocked intake due to EGR (cleaned and blocked)
Other than that just normal wear and tear. Steering rack needs replacing.

An update/edit to this:
153k, 187k - 2 starter motors
160k - 50% blocked intake due to EGR (cleaned and blocked)
168k - HBB motor rebuilt
177k - Rear axles popped out. Replaced with the upgraded version
177k - Alternator replaced
197k - Power steering rack replaced
219k - Gearbox died. The pin fault and as a result the planetary gears completely seized. Replaced with a second hand unit.
230k - Injector pump and injector/s failed. Replaced with a new one and new injectors.

I am over this car. There is that many known faults with the NM/NP I would never recommend them to anyone. The only reason I am keeping it, is I have spent that much repairing it and modifying it to be a comfortable yet tough family tourer, that I can't afford to start again on a newer car.

Known issues of these models (all of which I have now had)
HBB motor ($400)
Rear axles ($746)
Power steering rack ($632 for a second hand one)
Gearbox pins ($2380 for a second hand one fitted. $5000 for a fully rebuilt one fitted)
Injector pump (about $4500 for a new pump, plus $700-$1000 for fitting. Recommended to do injectors as well as the filings can block them as they did on mine, another $1000)

[BBP]

So other than that you have had a good run then.

Seriously though, that would be enough to tick anyone off.

I wrote a long winded post about how much vehicles have cost me over the years, including a BMW bike that was '000s fixing design issues it should never have had, but decided not to bore people with it.

I can see you are peeved after shelling out that much on repairs. But did you enjoy driving the car when it was running ok.
I like mine (mostly). Has it cost me a lot in repairs? Not yet, but I expect it too soon as the TC is on the way out. I was aware of the potential gearbox issues at the begining, but not the pump.
I was on pradopoint the other day. The amount of dosh some have poured into failed injectors and in some cases reco'd engines for similar aged vehicles as my Paj, make me think its not too bad really.
Why do they do it and why are they any different from those on here. Maybe they like their cars more. I don't know. Maybe Landie tragics know.

When I am sick of mine shall get rid of it at whatever I can get, and move on.

[Poita]

Yes other than all that it has been a great car. It's taken us to both sides of Aus on some great holidays.

But there are some niggling issues. The suspension feels soft even though I have HD rears and MD front springs. It gets warm going up big hills (an issue I'm trying to work out). Hopefully the heat is due to it not getting the correct fuel mixture. To the point where I wont tow the boat up the freeway any more as I am nervous about how high the temp gets.

[anycolourfloyd]

late to the party! reading this thread is like playing google doctor on some imagined abnormality, it's scary, what if that lump on my car is cancer?

2002 NP GLX DiD manual, currently @ 306,500 KM

bought @ 266,000 KM (no major issues dealt with previously from what i understand)
seized eccentric suspension bolts fixed near immediately
starter motor replaced @ ~293,000 KM
brake proportioning valve @ ~297,000 KM (physically KO'd on something)

near future - timing chain is worn and chain tensioner at limit, whole lot to be replaced in the near future, as reported @ 297,000 KM major service. wondering if i can wait it out until next major service

i actually love driving the car, very comfortable and surprisingly good fuel economy (~9L/100 KM for my standard driving, a bit higher when i go away).

[Bazooka]

Another one bites the dust!

NP 2004 Auto Exceed 363,000+k's

Most probable early warning signs over a couple of months period were:

1. very occasional engine misfire or stumble while stopped, in drive (auto) at idle and engine at normal operating temperature.

2. on four occasions over the same couple of months the Paj would inexplicably not start after a short run. The engine had been up to operating temp on all occurances then turned off for a short period, say 5 to 15 minutes, then restart failure. The engine would crank with gusto but not fire up.

After a brief period of contemplation, she usually and suddenly started like nothing was ever wrong. All except one occasion when I couldn't risk waiting, so had it flat-bedded home. The next morning it fired up first thing.

The catalyst for getting the pump changed was a stall as I released the accelerator coming into a roundabout. Some black smoke visible on several attempted restarts then after a 5 minute break it fired up and ran like nothing had happened. The difference this time was that it threw code 48 (GE Actuator).

I actually drove the Paj into a dealership several weeks later for the new pump install so it was still working when it was removed from the vehicle.

None of the above symptoms have occured since the new pump went in 2 weeks ago.

[pajflareo]

Thought i should weigh in.

I've had my NM 2002 3.2 since 2012.

It threw an engine code in 2015 I think on -7c morning. Code 47 - TPS/Timing Sensor in Diesel Pump. At about 220,000km.

I replaced the TPS but still got the code. Was told the pump was toast.

Its now 2019 and about 40,000km later and I'm still going on the same pump. Still throws the same code about every second drive. No other symptoms. Usual smokiness. Usual fuel consumption.

Go figure

[Ricardo]

513000 Km
1 radiator
Turbo rebuild @ 489000 Km

[RUGGA]

513000 Km
1 radiator
Turbo rebuild @ 489000 Km

How did the new/rebuilt turbo feel/go?

[nj swb]

513000 Km
1 radiator
Turbo rebuild @ 489000 Km

Those are impressive figures!

A Gen 3 that's survived that long must have some stories to tell!