Nissan need to fix their shit

[justbruce]

In January I overheated and destroyed the head. I replaced it myself at home. It cost about 3 grand, and that is cheap. Local mechanics said between $10,000 and $12,000.

I worked out, the problem was caused by a crappy plastic T piece that sends coolant through the firewall. This ABS plastic (75¢ from Bunnings), was a rotten powdery mess. When it let go my engine died before the temperature gauge really moved.

While I rebuilt the engine, I replaced that piece of crap with a $20 brass T piece.

I got the car going. I'm super happy with myself. I've done about 200km in it.
I'm taking my neighbour into town. I'm bragging about how well my D40 goes. I'm showing off my OBD app on my phone. While he is watching my phone, he sees my temperature jump up past 100°C. I pull over and shut down at 115°C. Temp gauge starts moving then.

We lifted the bonnet and waved away the steam. There was another piece of shit Nissan plastic next to my brass T piece. This rotten bit had let go and dumped out my coolant in about a minute. On the road side, we hacksawed the plastic crap off at the aluminum pipe. Put a few inches of heater hose to a $15 brass elbow into the firewall. We used 2 hose clamps on the alloy pipe because I didn't have a flaring tool with me.
YD25 know about this.
http://www.yd25.com.au/index.php/yd25-s-engineered-products/yd25-d40-r51-heater-oil-cooler-hoses
Why doesn't Nissan have an alarm for loss of coolant or potential overheating?
I made 1 for $10, (it isn't in yet because I'm still getting the air out).
Why doesn't Nissan do a fix and supply solid fittings instead of relying on a 3rd party to provide a solution?
Why doesn't Nissan tell the owners of this problem and schedule replacement every 100,000 km?
If I had paid a mechanic to replace the head, and my car died again in less than 300km, who would pay the extra $10,000 to $12,000 to fix it a second time?

Yeah, my Ute turns 10 this year. This still shouldn't happen.
Time for Nissan to fix it.
Time for Nissan to provide a solution ​for their shit!

 

[Old.Tony]

I agree with you. Nissan provide some components that fall below what you'd expect.

Just on those two specific components: do you have any photos of the places where these components can be found, and have you given any thought to galvanisation/conductivity now that you have new (and different) metal components in the coolant?

There's a reason why they use plastic (sometimes). In the case of the top tank of the radiator, it's also because it's non-conductive. If your radiator can conduct, then electrons will flow through it and to accept an oxygen atom, most metals have to give up an electron (example: iron + oxygen - electron = iron oxide aluminium works the same).

What if you coated the interior of your new piece with something heat resistant and painted the outside? Just musing here, but in order to lose an electron and accept an oxygen atom, it would have to be able to interact with air, and if it's painted ... just thinking!

I don't think there's a single car manufacturer these days that doesn't cut some corners. They are, primarily, interested in making money for their shareholders. The greater the dividend, the more the reward for the CEO - so the more he's going to push for "spending refinements". Every company is the same. Even Hitlermobile Incorporated (you know, that company that Adolf Hitler was so happy about) finds ways to cheat.

 

[justbruce]

Besides the ABS plastic and rubber hose, there is a huge mixture of different metals. Other than the iron in the block, turbo, and bolts: all the other metals have non-porous oxides.
There is already brass in the system at the thermostat. If I'm wrong about the thermostat being brass, then I have added zinc to the electrolytic system. Zinc oxide is non-porous, so I don't think it will cause any dramas.
I only ever use the green coolant without water, so I'm not creating a battery.
My only concern now is finding where else has Nissan hidden these bits of plastic.

 

[Old.Tony]

I'm sure the answer is "bloody well everywhere Nissan can save a buck!" or should that be a Yen? Maybe a Peso?

I agree with the thermostat, it has to be a mix anyway, but as long as there's no contact with the rest of the vehicle it can't create a circuit. I thought the ones you just changed were at the firewall? Are they in contact with it, or are they bracketed into place in some way?

Might be a worthwhile exercise for all of us to consider replacing these plastic joins.

 

[the_bluester]

They are far from being Robinson Crusoe on the plastic cooling bits though. Got a BMW in my shed that belongs to a mate. An E36 318is. They are notorious for cracked cylinder heads if you get them hot, they also have a plastic water fitting underneath the inlet manifold that is renowned for splitting and dumping the coolant.

They crack heads with such regularity that it took six weeks to find one that was either not cracked or was not cracked badly enough to be past redemption, and that is from a company that is supposed to be known for top notch engineering.

 

[P4W73]

Besides the ABS plastic and rubber hose, there is a huge mixture of different metals. Other than the iron in the block, turbo, and bolts: all the other metals have non-porous oxides.
There is already brass in the system at the thermostat. If I'm wrong about the thermostat being brass, then I have added zinc to the electrolytic system. Zinc oxide is non-porous, so I don't think it will cause any dramas.
I only ever use the green coolant without water, so I'm not creating a battery.
My only concern now is finding where else has Nissan hidden these bits of plastic.

Those other hidden places would be great to locate as now doing the blown head, after heater plastic failed!!! … jury rigged replacement from wreckers an those seemed solid plastic till I removed them to access heat shield” long story” an they crumbled in hand “3months in(second hand)” looking for the brass replacement?

 

[pistol-W]

In January I overheated and destroyed the head. I replaced it myself at home. It cost about 3 grand, and that is cheap. Local mechanics said between $10,000 and $12,000.

I worked out, the problem was caused by a crappy plastic T piece that sends coolant through the firewall. This ABS plastic (75¢ from Bunnings), was a rotten powdery mess. When it let go my engine died before the temperature gauge really moved.

While I rebuilt the engine, I replaced that piece of crap with a $20 brass T piece.

I got the car going. I'm super happy with myself. I've done about 200km in it.
I'm taking my neighbour into town. I'm bragging about how well my D40 goes. I'm showing off my OBD app on my phone. While he is watching my phone, he sees my temperature jump up past 100°C. I pull over and shut down at 115°C. Temp gauge starts moving then.

We lifted the bonnet and waved away the steam. There was another piece of shit Nissan plastic next to my brass T piece. This rotten bit had let go and dumped out my coolant in about a minute. On the road side, we hacksawed the plastic crap off at the aluminum pipe. Put a few inches of heater hose to a $15 brass elbow into the firewall. We used 2 hose clamps on the alloy pipe because I didn't have a flaring tool with me.
YD25 know about this.
http://www.yd25.com.au/index.php/yd25-s-engineered-products/yd25-d40-r51-heater-oil-cooler-hoses
Why doesn't Nissan have an alarm for loss of coolant or potential overheating?
I made 1 for $10, (it isn't in yet because I'm still getting the air out).
Why doesn't Nissan do a fix and supply solid fittings instead of relying on a 3rd party to provide a solution?
Why doesn't Nissan tell the owners of this problem and schedule replacement every 100,000 km?
If I had paid a mechanic to replace the head, and my car died again in less than 300km, who would pay the extra $10,000 to $12,000 to fix it a second time?

Yeah, my Ute turns 10 this year. This still shouldn't happen.
Time for Nissan to fix it.
Time for Nissan to provide a solution for their shit!

I had same thing go on mine..saved the head but blew the head gasket... I terraced the tee & the pipe to the heater. I mentioned it all on here with a warning to other owners to do this upgrade ASAP..

 

[dennisjh69]

It'll be a cold day in hell before Nissan fix anything. I have a little warning device called "Engine Guard" You can set it to warn you when any particular temperature is reached. They are not expensive and will save you $10k. I took a pic but can't work out how to upload it.

 

[MANNING]

.. I took a pic but can't work out how to upload it.

First way

 

[MANNING]

Second way

Then click

 

[Horatius]

It'll be a cold day in hell before Nissan fix anything. I have a little warning device called "Engine Guard" You can set it to warn you when any particular temperature is reached. They are not expensive and will save you $10k. I took a pic but can't work out how to upload it.

 

[Horatius]

In January I overheated and destroyed the head. I replaced it myself at home. It cost about 3 grand, and that is cheap. Local mechanics said between $10,000 and $12,000.

I worked out, the problem was caused by a crappy plastic T piece that sends coolant through the firewall. This ABS plastic (75¢ from Bunnings), was a rotten powdery mess. When it let go my engine died before the temperature gauge really moved.

While I rebuilt the engine, I replaced that piece of crap with a $20 brass T piece.

I got the car going. I'm super happy with myself. I've done about 200km in it.
I'm taking my neighbour into town. I'm bragging about how well my D40 goes. I'm showing off my OBD app on my phone. While he is watching my phone, he sees my temperature jump up past 100°C. I pull over and shut down at 115°C. Temp gauge starts moving then.

We lifted the bonnet and waved away the steam. There was another piece of shit Nissan plastic next to my brass T piece. This rotten bit had let go and dumped out my coolant in about a minute. On the road side, we hacksawed the plastic crap off at the aluminum pipe. Put a few inches of heater hose to a $15 brass elbow into the firewall. We used 2 hose clamps on the alloy pipe because I didn't have a flaring tool with me.
YD25 know about this.
http://www.yd25.com.au/index.php/yd25-s-engineered-products/yd25-d40-r51-heater-oil-cooler-hoses
Why doesn't Nissan have an alarm for loss of coolant or potential overheating?
I made 1 for $10, (it isn't in yet because I'm still getting the air out).
Why doesn't Nissan do a fix and supply solid fittings instead of relying on a 3rd party to provide a solution?
Why doesn't Nissan tell the owners of this problem and schedule replacement every 100,000 km?
If I had paid a mechanic to replace the head, and my car died again in less than 300km, who would pay the extra $10,000 to $12,000 to fix it a second time?

Yeah, my Ute turns 10 this year. This still shouldn't happen.
Time for Nissan to fix it.
Time for Nissan to provide a solution for their shit!

Agree, and you certainly have my sympathies but cars in general seem to be reducing in quality. Also agree the engine guard is great advice.

Even worse for people who travel off road, remote areas is that around 2000-2010 they generally started going away from making utes (or cars in general) designed with this as a realistic proposition. They seem designed more as a cumbersome way to do the shopping these days. Probably still reasonable for tradies though (which might be their intention).

Engines are getting smaller and souped up to wring power out of them (they ain't gunna last). The high pressure electronic fuel systems are easily grenaded by not much dirty fuel... They are so unnecessarily complicated with so many sensors, computers and soccer mum features it's becoming a negative.

Some of them have so many gimmicky "terrain" settings" you've got to wonder wtf they were thinking? The off road "traction control" is also gimmicky bs (IMO) and while the best they can hope for is that one day they'll have it so worked out that they are only slightly inferior to old fashioned lockers, they're certainly less reliable.

Being stuck half way up (or down) a steep and precarious track because a dirty sensor somewhere means you can't get the "electronic handbrake" off, doesn't sound like much fun. Or any of the other nonsense that will throw them into limp mode or require flat bedding to the dealer.

The number of 30 yr old Patrols and Cruisers still getting about the bush (and the high resale value and demand for them) might make you wonder if they were onto something at one stage? The problem is that it building solid reliable cars doesn't help sales turnover.

Anyway, sorry about the off topic rant.

 

[Erick]

I have pondered and rants about this too. But here’s the thing. U(or myself) are not likely to buy a new Ute/car anytime soon. So who does. Cashed up individuals usually keep them for life of warranty which can be a few years. Trade them and get another. Corporations buy new vehicles and ‘safety’ is everything these days. Even if we know that half of these things get u into more trouble than out of. It’s called marketing. And don’t get me started on the whole E vehicle thing