Prado Help

[GGV8Cruza]

Looking for a Prado, need some help with the good and bad

The 3.0L looks to be the engine going around, what to look out for, I think injectors are a problem

How many km's are getting too many

What else should ne checked


Before any of the Nissan fans have a worry, I am not turning to the dark side over a Prado, its for the BIL 

GG

[Black Diamond]

Early 2008 they changed to new injectors. Think it was around March from memory. ApArt from that they are a great car

BD

[D4D]

How much you wana spend?

- If you're going to buy a D4D you wana witness a cold start test on it
- Need to check the back door seam near the hinges isn't cracked
- Need to check the front inner guards aren't cracked

Other than that they're a reliable unit

If your BIL doesn't want to tow I'd have a look at the V6 as it has lots of killer wasps.

[GGV8Cruza]

How much you wana spend?

- If you're going to buy a D4D you wana witness a cold start test on it
- Need to check the back door seam near the hinges isn't cracked
- Need to check the front inner guards aren't cracked

Other than that they're a reliable unit

If your BIL doesn't want to tow I'd have a look at the V6 as it has lots of killer wasps.

$35K max, with the all reliable Tambo cooper, son of my Omeo on the back

GG

[Nomad]

Burnsy's Aunt (I think) bought my 2003 120. I sold it when it had about 100k on it. I am pretty sure it has now done alot more than a single lap. Maybe Burnsy can get a bit of a condition report on it with how many k's etc.......any problems.

Nothing went wrong whilst I had it but it was bloody slow to accelerate from 100km to 120km.

The D4D's I have had have all been fine.

Gotta keep the tyre rotations going and wheel alignment right or it will scrub the front lefts very fast.........particularly the grandcraps.

Go too Pradopoint to see most of the common problems.

[D4D]

You probably need to be close to $40K for a low klm 2008 D4D.

Here's a reasonable specimen high klms though (as an example mine is the same year and I have 90,000klms)
http://www.carsales.com.au/private/details/Toyota-Landcruiser-Prado-2008/SSE-AD-2338045/?Cr=28&sdmvc=1

If he buys a D4D probably a good idea to get the injector seats and fuel rails changed as a precaution.

[Nomad]

Is that one an update. I reckon its the older KJ motor.....can't trust a salesman. 

[FODFA]

The diesel motor change was in 2006, so if it's a 2008 it's the 1KD motor.

Cheers Andrew

[Goose]

- If you're going to buy a D4D you wana witness a cold start test on it

Why is that... what noises etc are we looking for as a bad sign on the cold start?

[ScottT]

If your BIL doesn't want to tow I'd have a look at the V6 as it has lots of killer wasps.

Why not tow with the V6 ?

[Terry W4]

I bout a July 2008 D4D GXL with 110,000 kms on it late September for $37,000. Have had it in for service yet but it is blowing some smoke on cold start.

[D4D]

Why is that... what noises etc are we looking for as a bad sign on the cold start?

Best/only way to tell if the injectors are rooted. Plug in Techstream and see the values in the first 10-20 seconds from a dead cold start. After that the ECU compensates and the values are worthless.

Why not tow with the V6 ?

No problem if you have a fuel card

[ScottT]

No problem if you have a fuel card

Mmm, I think that is exagerrated a little, agreed not as economical as the TD but still worth the consideration given the issues arising with most CRD's.

I guess you could say the same about V8 petrol 100's

[chester ver2.0]

Why is that... what noises etc are we looking for as a bad sign on the cold start?

If they are really buggered it will sound like it is a tractor missing on a cylinder on cold start and for the first 5 mins of acceleration until it warms up.

The fix as D4D said is new injectors and seals

Also a removal of the sump and inspection and clean of the oil pickup screen as this is where the carbon from the failed injectors ends up and this is what then starves the engine of oil and does the damage

[Goose]

Here's a reasonable specimen high klms though (as an example mine is the same year and I have 90,000klms)
http://www.carsales.com.au/private/details/Toyota-Landcruiser-Prado-2008/SSE-AD-2338045/?Cr=28&sdmvc=1

This is what i don't get about Prado's. That car you've listed is 5 years old and has driven 177,000 klms (50K over the redbook average for its age). It was only $60K when new but now all these years later the seller still expects more than 50% of the original price despite the age and distance traveled. Given the lift, bar, dual battery and lights its probably had a fair go offroad too.

Redbook: http://www.redbook.com.au/cars/research/used/details/2008-toyota-landcruiser-prado-kdj120r-378843?R=378843&Silo=spec&Vertical=car&Ridx=0&eapi=2.

[D4D]

This is what i don't get about Prado's. That car you've listed is 5 years old and has driven 177,000 klms (50K over the redbook average for its age). It was only $60K when new but now all these years later the seller still expects more than 50% of the original price despite the age and distance traveled. Given the lift, bar, dual battery and lights its probably had a fair go offroad too.

Yes they have great resale value

[Trackaprado]

I,ve just had my 110k service on my 07 and there was a build up of crap in the EGR (Exhaust Gas Reciculation) apparently a known problem that will effect economy and performance.  Something to keep an eye out for. 

[Big Tread]

We picked up our 2007 prado earlier this year for $44k with 54000km on the clock.  We had 15000 faultless km pulling the Omeo around WA and then not long after we got home the dreaded death rattle started. I reckon it would wake neighbors on a cold morning.  Anyway, it's in at Toyota right this moment, the valve clearances were out of spec and they are replacing the injector seals at the same time. So hopefully that fixes the problem.  The guy at the dealer said he'd never actually seen a blown engine because of this problem, but he had heard of it. He recommended that on the older models it is a good idea to the get the injector seals replaced if valve clearances are being adjusted during a major service.

Not sure if our big trip precipitated the problem, or whether the timing was just a coincidence. Just glad to have caught it before major damage was done. 

[Terry W4]

I bout a July 2008 D4D GXL with 110,000 kms on it late September for $37,000. Have had it in for service yet but it is blowing some smoke on cold start.

I don't have the death rattle and have booked the vehicle in with a reputable diesel specialist for an injector test next week. Was told it could be a number of issues including a bad case of fuel. Need to deliver the car night before so they can do a cold start test. $165 for the test and worst case scenario is all injectors out of speck $2640 for the injectors and 2 hours of labour.

Will let you all know how I go - but being me am working on worst case scenario!

[HKB Electronics]

To put things in perspective, I believe Toyota were if not still are selling around 30000 Prados
a month. Don't know how many are diesels but it would seem the majority have not experienced
a major failure, now where's that bit of wood.

Leigh

[Silvo]

To put things in perspective, I believe Toyota were if not still are selling around 30000 Prados
a month. Don't know how many are diesels but it would seem the majority have not experienced
a major failure, now where's that bit of wood.

Leigh

1 too many 0's there maybe ? unless you mean world wide

[rodw]

This is what i don't get about Prado's.

Its a Toyota 

BUt don't forget to include the $5k+ of accesories fitted.

Coming from the Hilux side which share the D4D engine, I think they are pretty reliable after doing 100k.

Yup, some guys have done injectors but a lot of others have had a good run. I have done a water pump and others have had a good run. I have had to replace the alternator but it gets a hard time. I've got a steering box on the way out but I think that is from a torn boot offroad along the way.

As said elsewhere, failed injector seals get a build up of crud in the sump pickup. When changing oil, I am told you can inspect the screen with a torch.

Unfortunately, with these vehicles $1k does not go far if something goes wrong. If you want to go touring you really need to get a diesel. There are quite a few places where you can only buy diesel. When the engine is working offroad, the petrols will have a much shorter driving range (limited by fuel) as the diesel does not change fuel consumption that much under load..

[Nomad]

I have always bought new and I am on my 4th. Always leased, through the business as its worthwhile. 4 year leases traded in around the 3 year mark and and have always picked up between 10 and 13k as a trade v lease payout. I think that highlights it resale. It may also be a reason for throwing the 35k in cash at a new one and financing the rest. 20k over 4 years with no balloon would cost about     $500 a month, maybe some tax deduction as a work vehicleas well and you would be well infront at the end. 

[Wortho]

  The guy at the dealer said he'd never actually seen a blown engine because of this problem

A friend of mine with an older Prado holed a piston shortly after the death rattle appeared. He had reported it to the dealer at the previous service and was told that a new fuel map had been loaded and the issue was resolved. Well it wasn't and a couple of thousand K's later the piston cracked due to over fuelling. Toyota blamed the diesel quality in Australia and he ended up out of pocket by around $8,000.

Another guy at work had done a fair bit of research on the issue and sent me the following links.

There are two specific threads for the 150 series:

http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread.php?19155-Injector-and-Injector-Pump-Failure-less-than-12mths-old&daysprune=-1

http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread.php?22276-Zero-Compression-Number-1-Cylinder-48-ooo-kms&daysprune=-1

This is an associated issue on the 150 series that is thought to indicate that there are problems ahead (I think there is link in this thread to another thread regarding the same issue in Europe or it could be within the later pages of the 120 series thread):

http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread.php?21124-Engine-rattle&daysprune=-1

This is the same associated issue but on the old 120 series (post Nov 2006) with the D4D engine.  Note that this thread is extremely long indicating that the D4D has a history with poor injector design when first introduced:

http://www.pradopoint.com/showthread.php?12443-diesel-rattle-in-D4D-Prado

[Mace]

Garrick,

Tel him here's his dream wheels! Still got 400k of life left.

It's tempted me, I can tell you!

http://www.carsales.com.au/dealer/details/Nissan-Patrol-2005/AGC-AD-13390678/?Cr=2&sdmvc=1