FT’s Patrol Project

[Flying Torquewrench]

Bit late to the party, sorry terranosaurusdog. I will post some photos in the next few days as I am going to a motorway awareness course today so a bit short on time.

To answer your qeustion. I absolutely love the Patrol. Could do with a bit more power but it does everything and more then I ask from it. Was having a chat with our local garage when we took my wife’s car in. He said that with the new MOT rules it will be doubtful if the Patrol passes the next MOT, due in December.

Depending on the issues uncovered I will either have him repaired or do it myself. I dread to think that I need to start looking for another car.

The last few months I had some issues with a headlight not always working. A quick fiddle with the wires would normally sort the issue out. Last week even that trick didn’t work anymore and the problem needed to be solved. It turned out that a conncetion in the connector had corroded. After replacement it now all works as it should.

Whilst taking the grille and headlight out I noticed a gaping hole just besides the mounting point of the body to the chassis. This is a well know area for corrosion on the Patrol. It will need to be repaired but this will have to wait till after the MOT. Seems pointless spending time/money repairing this whilst it is hidden during the MOT. There is however a part which needs repairing before the MOT and that is the offside doorsill. It has now rusted completely through.

All in all this thread will start to see some action again in the near future.

 

[terranosaurusdoug]

You may have saved me some hassle bud, I've been having a similar problem with one of my headlights :thumb2

 

[Flying Torquewrench]

On the patrol the headlight connectors are easily to open. You can then repair/replace the individual terminal.

As my patrol is 20 years old I was expecting brittle wiring but much to my surprise the wiring was in excellent order. Just some corrosion on one of the terminals.

Good luck. :thumb2

 

[johnb5177]

Was having a chat with our local garage when we took my wife’s car in. He said that with the new MOT rules it will be doubtful if the Patrol passes the next MOT, due in December.
Depending on the issues uncovered I will either have him repaired or do it myself. I dread to think that I need to start looking for another car.

Hang on a minute........which particular sections of the new MOT did he think your Trol would fail on.....:nenau

Has he taken into account the age and basic technology of this car, or is he talking diesels generally (DPF's etc)........

By implication, he is inferring that nearly all the vehicles owned by us, due to their ages, may fail the new MOT.......

Please seek greater clarification.......:bow

 

[solarman216]

You should have no problem with your Patrol any more than I will have with mine, go to a tester that has the ability to understand the regs, I was told a while ago that as my front wings were badly rusted it would fail as this would affect the suspension, the guy could not understand what a chassis was, never went back and that motor went through 3 more tests after that with gaffer tape to stop sharp edges, simple, Rick

 

[RJL Services]

the new mot regs mainly effect vehicles from 2008 onwards had this out when i took mine for test most pre 2008 model were not made to meet new emmisions etc just mot scare mongering a lot of it i think i have not heard anyone having issues since new regs came in

 

[Flying Torquewrench]

He was taking about emissions and any visible smoke. Having read Up on the new rules this seems only to apply to vehicles with a DPF filter which my 20 year old Patrol doesn’t have.

The garage is not an MOT test station, they take it somewhere else. Maybe that is why he is not 100% up to date on the new regs.

We will find out in December. In the meantime there are a few jobs that need doing anyway as the rust is getting worse.

 

[Flying Torquewrench]

As per request.

 

[terranosaurusdoug]

As per request.

Hard at work I see :thumb2 I like those wheels

 

[terranosaurusdoug]

the new mot regs mainly effect vehicles from 2008 onwards had this out when i took mine for test most pre 2008 model were not made to meet new emmisions etc just mot scare mongering a lot of it i think i have not heard anyone having issues since new regs came in

Yeh thats what i was told too, i took mine in just after the new regs came into effect and it passed, never mentioned emissions, gave me a minor defect and three monitor and repair if necessary's (advisories) though, the git :lol

 

[Mr K]

Good to see you back :clap

 

[Flying Torquewrench]

One last photo. It has been moving decorative stones out of the garden and brick & concrete to the crusher. Most loads were in the region of 2500 to 3000kg. It didn’t miss a beat.

 

[Flying Torquewrench]

It is time to do some more welding on the Patrol. The door sill was showing some signs of rust.

Unfortunately when removing the rear wheel arch more rust was uncovered. What was initially a rather small job has turned out to be a rebuild of the off side bodywork. Nissan hasn’t designed the bodywork very well with a horizontal lip in the wheel arches. Any mud will lay on top and hasten the rust problem. During the repairs this lip will be eliminated.

The aft section of my door sill.

 

[Flying Torquewrench]

Front section. Also a good time to remove the dent.

 

[Flying Torquewrench]

Rear wheel arch.

 

[Flying Torquewrench]

After the first optimisic cut, only to find out that there is a lot more that needs to come out.

 

[Flying Torquewrench]

Part of the door sill cut out. I had hoped to repair the door sill but it seems unlikely. A new door sill has been ordered and should arrive this week. Not sure if I replace the whole door sill or if I make a repair piece from the new one.

 

[Flying Torquewrench]

My biggest headache is this body mount, a sure failure for the MOT which is due early December.

I don’t really have enough space to get to it for welding as it is very close to the chassis. Thinking about cutting a hole in the floor, making a new body mount and weld that to a repair piece before dropping it back in place. The repair piece can the be welded from the outside before the door sill is welded in place.

 

[Flying Torquewrench]

I have checked the near side door sill which is still in good condition. Once this repair has been completed and the car passes the MOT I will check the remaining wheel arches and repair as required before it gets out of hand.

 

[jims-terrano]

Sadly it effects them all as you have seen on here.

Good idea cutting floor but if you are cutting whole body mount out support body against chassis as when I did my project truck I could see as I was cutting the body stoarted to move.