Things to check when buying a second hand diesel?

[fastesthamster]

A follow on from the previous thread. Car is a 4x4 3.0TD with 113,000km on the clock.

Is there anything different I should be aware of when looking at a diesel?

 

[bboy]

t-u-r-b-o
easiest thing to bugger up on a diesel, and thats a lot of km's for a turbo.

 

[Fazda]

t-u-r-b-o
easiest thing to bugger up on a diesel, and thats a lot of km's for a turbo.

Sorry, bboyy, but that is miniscule mileage for a diesel!! The damned thing is not even run in at 113 000 km!!! Your bigger turbo powered trucks do around a million k's between rebuilds, and your newer TD's have all got pumps to keep the turbo fed with lubricant if you do switch off suddenly.

 

[cleask]

Turbo : Turbo's are finicky, however if its been looked after can last well over 300 000
Injectors : Generally the first items to to wear out, mainly due to poor quality of diesel in this country and they are expensive! Sometimes they can be reconditioned.
EGR Valve : Can foul up with dirt and make the car more difficult to start, also affects fuel consumption. Quick to replace but costs +- R 4000.

I suggest you post this question though on SA 4x4 Community Forum. http://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/
Give more specifics about the vehicle you are interested on that forum and you will get some honest answers on what to look out for.

 

[fastesthamster]

Sorry, bboyy, but that is miniscule mileage for a diesel!! The damned thing is not even run in at 113 000 km!!! Your bigger turbo powered trucks do around a million k's between rebuilds, and your newer TD's have all got pumps to keep the turbo fed with lubricant if you do switch off suddenly.

So then the big question is whether a 2005 Nissan Hardbody has the newer turbo or not

Turbo : Turbo's are finicky, however if its been looked after can last well over 300 000
Injectors : Generally the first items to to wear out, mainly due to poor quality of diesel in this country and they are expensive! Sometimes they can be reconditioned.
EGR Valve : Can foul up with dirt and make the car more difficult to start, also affects fuel consumption. Quick to replace but costs +- R 4000.

I suggest you post this question though on SA 4x4 Community Forum. http://www.4x4community.co.za/forum/
Give more specifics about the vehicle you are interested on that forum and you will get some honest answers on what to look out for.

Thanks, site is blocked at work, will have a look when I get home

 

[Tacet]

I'd suggest that you research the cost of a new turbo and new injectors before buying. Also look at prices for similar items at other manufacturers - it might influence your choice of brand.

Just be warned - diesel is quite addictive to drive! Even with the turbo nursing - once the turbo is warmed up it is simply fun to drive.

 

[bboy]

Sorry, bboyy, but that is miniscule mileage for a diesel!! The damned thing is not even run in at 113 000 km!!! Your bigger turbo powered trucks do around a million k's between rebuilds, and your newer TD's have all got pumps to keep the turbo fed with lubricant if you do switch off suddenly.

Not really, a 113 000km is plenty of distance to cock up a turbo, there is no way you know how it has been treated.
Remember the OP is asking what to look at, and even if a turbo can last 300 000km , its not gonna if they guy didnt treat it well, so its something that must be looked at.

I know nothing about the drivetrain of this car, but you should also research the vehicle type for common faults on it, diffs,gbox etc etc.

 

[MFour]

but do remember (depending on who the previous owner was), because it has a turbo, people tend think: turbo = sports car, i.e. drive the living daylights out of it.
/smiles at TDi drivers speeding from robot to robot

 

[Tacet]

/smiles at TDi drivers speeding from robot to robot

Turbo-nursing means that I'm that slow little Polo catching up with the rest as the next robot turns green.

But on the highway in 5th, with the turbo warm and the diesel willing:

 

[Fazda]

Not really, a 113 000km is plenty of distance to cock up a turbo, there is no way you know how it has been treated.
Remember the OP is asking what to look at, and even if a turbo can last 300 000km , its not gonna if they guy didnt treat it well, so its something that must be looked at.

I know nothing about the drivetrain of this car, but you should also research the vehicle type for common faults on it, diffs,gbox etc etc.

Sorry, you just don't seem to get it! There are tens of thousands of Turbo diesel bakkies on the roads, and they are all clocking up huge mileages without any hassle. 113 k is NOT a big mileage!

You've had a great deal of experience with turbo diesels I gather....

 

[bboy]

well i did work at a transport company where all vehicles were diesels and just about every other broken down car was a turbo issue, but hey , you're right, he should check the... errr.... seats for tears... cause thats the real things to look out for!

 

[SilverNodashi]

Does it start easy n on the first key-turn? If not, it could be old glow-plugs (probably about R400 - R800 each), or the injector pump (about R5000 - R8000 to fix)
What color is the smoke? Blue or black? Black is normal, but not too black. blue shows signs of warn rings
does it "rattle" very loudly, i.e. louder than a normal diesel car / bakkie does? Then the timing could be out, or signs of worn / soon-to-wear-out injector pump.
does it show any signs of oil leaks?

some suggestions

 

[fastesthamster]

Does it start easy n on the first key-turn? If not, it could be old glow-plugs (probably about R400 - R800 each), or the injector pump (about R5000 - R8000 to fix)
What color is the smoke? Blue or black? Black is normal, but not too black. blue shows signs of warn rings
does it "rattle" very loudly, i.e. louder than a normal diesel car / bakkie does? Then the timing could be out, or signs of worn / soon-to-wear-out injector pump.
does it show any signs of oil leaks?

some suggestions

That's useful stuff. Thanks!

 

[upup]

is their oil leaking on engine, "heavy sweating".

Apparently, you can listen to the turbo, it will tel you, i am tired.

Also, phone the previous owner, and service records.
Friend of mine owns a xtrail. their intercooler's were a bad design[ it leaks after 20000km]. he modified his and now very happy.

 

[Kloofvreter]

Sorry, bboyy, but that is miniscule mileage for a diesel!! The damned thing is not even run in at 113 000 km!!! Your bigger turbo powered trucks do around a million k's between rebuilds, and your newer TD's have all got pumps to keep the turbo fed with lubricant if you do switch off suddenly.

Now if they could only build a car's engine to the same standard as a truck's engine...