Our first Terrano :-)

[terrythefirst]

Hi All,

We just bought our first Terrano a 2001 3dr 2.7 TD. It's been driven up and down a dirt track every day for 3 years before we got it and has ( we think ) around 122k on it ( even though the dash says 89k! ).

Service history is not great and has quite a bit of corrosion [ think dust which was never washed off which then got & stayed wet ]. Worryingly it's not been serviced for 24k !!! Although it did pass it's MOT.

We love it, and are using it as a family car which also tows a horse trailer with a pony in. It's great fun to drive, and steady for towing.

I'm wondering what the best way to catch up on servicing is ? I need keep my family safe

 

[terrythefirst]

Oh ... forgot to mention that I can't do the work myself :-( So it's local garage or Nissan?

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

The diesel T2's are pretty basic when it comes to servicing, so if you really can't do it yourself, and you trust a local garage, then go down that route. Most stuff is available from motorfactors, so you don't even need to go to the stealer for parts either.

Pretty much, all you need are Fuel, air, oil and pollen filters, and Engine oil for the routine stuff.

Have a read up on here about doing front and rear diffs, as it is important to make sure you get the right oil, and not all parts places do list the right type, and maybe get them to change the gearbox and transfer box oil, this time, as it probably has not been done.

Other than that, at that mileage, get them to check the pipes that run from the front to the back of the car for corrosion, brake fluid for water, and see if the clutch flexible pipe is OK.

 

[terrythefirst]

Cheers Lazy-Ferret,

Okay, I'll be specific with what the local garage need to do. I've read the posts on LSD Oil, so I'll pin them down on that too.

Love to do it myself, but am recently disabled after a random illness leaving me with spinal chord damage ... slowly getting better so it's not a sob story ... but if I got under it I probably wouldn't be able to get out ;-)

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

slowly getting better so it's not a sob story ... but if I got under it I probably wouldn't be able to get out ;-)

Some days I feel like that, and I don't have a good excuse..:lol

 

[Barrbeast]

Welcome bud and congrats on entering the realm's of Nissan 4x4 ownership and joining the best forum (and club) on the net :thumbs

 

[zippy656]

very nice

 

[melissachels]

welcome to the club! looks nice & tidy :thumb2

 

[firebobby]

welcome to the club! looks nice & tidy :thumb2

Welcome, where in Berkshire are you, I work around Reading and the surrounding areas, so may be able to give you advice.

 

[solarman216]

yes welcome mate, plenty on here to keep you informed, Rick

 

[terrythefirst]

Thanks all.

Spoke to the head guy at the local garage, he rang me back last night. I almost trust them after using them for 5 years.

Anyway, he's fully aware of the need to use LSD oil. So they'll do that and a 'normal' major service + grease anything with a nipple + check the pipes.

Steering clear of Nissan as I imagine the kids that work there would not know what to do with a 2001 car & WHEN they do find something else, it might be something that isn't really important and I'll be charged £100 p hr to fix it. Or am I being harsh ?

 

[briggie]

Thanks all.

Spoke to the head guy at the local garage, he rang me back last night. I almost trust them after using them for 5 years.

Anyway, he's fully aware of the need to use LSD oil. So they'll do that and a 'normal' major service + grease anything with a nipple + check the pipes.

Steering clear of Nissan as I imagine the kids that work there would not know what to do with a 2001 car & WHEN they do find something else, it might be something that isn't really important and I'll be charged £100 p hr to fix it. Or am I being harsh ?

:sly be carefull

 

[bry]

Howdy

 

[terrythefirst]

... Update: It's back from it's service & it drives a lot better ( back end more stable, quieter, quicker to accelerate ). BUT... there is a lot of oil burning off in the engine bay ! ... and I really can't tell if it's a new leak or they just made a mess when they took the filter off plus it's leaking coolant now from one of the nuts at the front on the top, so it's going back in.

Seems to happen more when it's in 4 wheel drive and/or it's towing a horse & trailer, but that could just be that it get's hotter so the oil mess burns off more? Or it's under more pressure & it's leaking more [ groan ].

Temp gauge is fine though.

Mate of mine gave the name of another mechanic they've known for 30 years & highly recommend [ they run older vehicles as well ] ...so we will be trying him next regardless of what the garage do.

Seems to be a labour of love getting our first Terrano up to scratch.

 

[clivvy]

welcome to the club Terrythefirst! love your truck, im after one pretty much the same as yours!

Anyway, as for the servicing, yeah just get them to look again at that leak, probably just not quite tightened the nut up. As for oil burning as you suggest I bet they just spilled a bit because believe me there's LOT of oil in these trucks so its very easy to make a mess. As said above, these cars are pretty basic and easy to keep serviced. I found mine, although I had a lot of problems, to be VERY easy going and never fussy in terms of servicing-great cars if you dont have lots to fix (like mine did).

Your main concern though, should be corrosion, so in terms of family safety get your garage to make sure the rear seat belt mounts are good, and the front cross member where the chassis meets the inner wing (theres a rubber flap covering the area, look in there where it bolts in place, if like mine was its detached, then you have a serious safety issue!

not scaremongering, believe me these cars are tough, but if you can ensure you don't have the above issue, then that truck will last a hell of a long time, probably fairly trouble free.:thumbs

 

[Banshee]

Fuel, Oil and Pollen Filters
Engine Oil
Rear Diff Oil
Bushes if needed
Replace belts

That's all I can think of off the top of my head

 

[terrythefirst]

Thanks Clivvy. We will do as you suggest.

 

[terrythefirst]

Thanks Banshee. All done

 

[Lazy-Ferret]

Fingers crossed the oil smell is just spilt oil from the service. I did the oil change on mine the other day, and because the oil filter hangs down under the turbo, and the turbo oil return pipe goes straight into the filter housing, when you remove the filter a fair bit of oil runs out from there, all over the outside of the filter, and down onto everything below. You then have to tip the filter to get it out, emptying yet more oil out of the filter as well.

 

[TONUP]

Fingers crossed the oil smell is just spilt oil from the service. I did the oil change on mine the other day, and because the oil filter hangs down under the turbo, and the turbo oil return pipe goes straight into the filter housing, when you remove the filter a fair bit of oil runs out from there, all over the outside of the filter, and down onto everything below. You then have to tip the filter to get it out, emptying yet more oil out of the filter as well.

I'm glad this just doesn't happen to me then... I always end up getting oil over the chassis and adjacent parts.

I was once told to spin the motor up for the briefest of time to empty the oil filter. I only tried it once and it didn't work.

Regards

Alan