Captive Nuts & Nissan Service Bulletins (ie. the ones they don't tell you about!)

[Barrbeast]

Just blowing off some steam... :thumbs

Had an afternoon under the truck yesterday, in between seeing to the clydesdale and doing a few other bits on the farm. Anyway... wanted to change engine and transfer box oil and, if I had time, gearbox oil.

And yes the engine oil was done not that long ago but I recently discovered Mr Nissan released a service bulletin recommending only one type of oil for the 3.0l and since I'm very conscious of the rep of the early ZD30s I thought I'd better do it again and make sure the right stuff is in her. Also, now I've got the oil pressure gauge fitted I've noticed that the pressure at 2000rpm is lower than it should be by around 10psi and wondered if putting in a different viscosity would make the difference. (It has a little bit but not much - some of the Aussie lads have noticed the same but they've ran like that for a few years with no problems so I'm not gonna let it trouble me).

Transfer box oil is being swapped for ATF (another Nissan bulletin) to stop the front prop turning when its very cold and engaging the auto hubs (wasn't going to but the Aussie's all do it and I reckon if they can manage that ok in their climate then I should be fine over here).

Anyway, unbolted the steel sump guard, there's already one bolt sheared for that anyway so that was fine - rest came out no issues (as I'd expected given the amount of WD I fired up the there). Started carefully and gently unbolting the plastic (why plastic?! :nenau) guards for the gearbox and transfer box and oh! There's a nut sheared... oh, there's another one sheared (!) etc.

In total 5 out of 9 bolts sheared including all 4 of the side bolts for the gearbox guard so I could only put the transfer box guard back on I've got an M8 helicoil kit so I can do the one for the sump guard and the one that sheared on the exhaust bracket so I guess I'll just be an expert with it by the time I finish

And I never did get the gearbox oil changed - need a breaker bar on the filler plug and mine is too bulky to fit as it's 3/4" with an adaptor on it to bring it down to 1/2" (luckily remembered to try the filler plug first before having a go at the drain plug )

Plus side I got my cut-off switch for the winch fitted and had a perfect chance to use it when I discovered the longer positive cable I had fitted had a very small slit in the insulation and was shorting on one of the solenoid cables...

 

[macabethiel]

10 psi at 2000 rpm

That's the trouble with pressure gauges they give you more to worry about !

Do you know what the manufacturers original readings should be as that might be normal if the oil galleries are relatively large to allow for volume rather than pressure ?

Some manufacturers like the older Jaguar's were designed with low pressure but with high flow from new.

All the older Mercedes had a pressure gauge with a maximum reading of 40 psi / 3 Bar but with plenty of flow !

 

[Barrbeast]

It's ok bud - it's 10 psi lower than it should be at 2000rpm, not 10psi at 2000rpm (that would be worrying since idle is minimum 23psi )

I'm not too fussed about the lower pressure reading at 2000rpm. It's just 68-70 psi instead of 78psi and like I said there's plenty of the Aussie lads that have noticed the same and been running there trucks for a few years like that with no problems. Pressure at idle and 4000rpm is comfortably above the minimum figures so am not worrying :thumb2

 

[firebobby]

So what engine oil did you use in the end, I use Castrol 10w40 in mine.

 

[Barrbeast]

So what engine oil did you use in the end, I use Castrol 10w40 in mine.

Yeh semi-synthetic 10w40 is the one recommended by Mr Nissan so went for Miller's Nanodrive EE and changed the filter as well (for all the cost of it). Seems to be liking it better than the 15w40 that was in there though it could just be my imagination! (though I would point out 15w40 is ok according to the handbook :doh)