Hi all. Had a 2010 Navara which was written off after I hit a deer at 110kmh on north coast highway. Now have a 2013 STX V6 Navara

[Tajine]

So I did a trip up the coast last week & back (about 900kms total) with no dramas. Got home & unpacked the vehicle. Later drove it out onto the street & tried to start it a couple of days later. No start. Looked up forum & took out the glo plug relay & tried :start ya bastard" into air intake. Engine started so I went inside to grab my phone & took off okay down the street but only got about 300m away before engine stalled. Tried startya but this time nothing. Had the vehicle towed to a mechanic who has checked compression & found all pots low say around 120psi. How is this possible when no indicators of anything wrong previously other than a check engine light that book said was not urgent. A few error codes came up on mechanics diagnostic scan but he didn't run them off to me but rather saying engine is stuffed. Is it really or are we missing something? ANy suggestions & info much appreciated as it appears only option might be a second hand motor but have seen prices of $15k for one? !! ouch!!

 

[Tajine]

Low compression in diesel V9X. Fails to start. I've seen a video suggesting pouring a bit of injector cleaner down into each pot & let sit for at least 12 hrs to de carbonise rings & grooves then re install injectors & try starting. Chain may have stretched & jumped timing cog? I've done all my own mechanical work for over 40 years but this sudden event has me stumped....

 

[tweak'e]

120 psi on ALL cylinders is highly suspect. only way to do that is cam timing to be out and its not fully closed when they test it. putting a bit of oil in the bore and testing again should show if its ring related or not.

can you manually pull up the codes? that would point to what the issue is.

 

[landmannnn]

Agree, virtually impossible for all cylinders to be down equally on compression.

It sounds like the mechanic is either some sort of cowboy or incompetent.

 

[Tajine]

120 psi on ALL cylinders is highly suspect. only way to do that is cam timing to be out and its not fully closed when they test it. putting a bit of oil in the bore and testing again should show if its ring related or not.

can you manually pull up the codes? that would point to what the issue is.

Thank you & what I was thinking of doing. Will have to wait until Monday to get the full report (codes)as mechanic rang me late Friday afternoon to let me know what he had found so far.

 

[Tajine]

Agree, virtually impossible for all cylinders to be down equally on compression.

It sounds like the mechanic is either some sort of cowboy or incompetent.

Yeah I had my doubts but he was the soonest I could get hold of to actually look at the vehicle. Young guy by my comparison but thought I'd give him a go. Does seem like a timing issue but how does or could that happen so quickly? Mechanic did say the chain could have jumped a cog though. New timing chain is a big operation but heaps cheaper than total engine replacement ($15k I've seen so far!...no way)

 

[Olpha]

Hi Tajine,
I agree with what tweak'e and Landmannnn are saying. An even 120 psi across all cylinders is nearly unheard of. Likewise I would be reluctant to suggest that it is a timing issue due to the fact that this motor runs 2 chains. 1 for each bank. Combine the chance of it being a problem with the drive sprocket coming loose, and, from what you have not said, no real indication of there being a lot of nasty noises coming form the engine bay when it was actually running (it would have been banging 24 valves in a bloody awful cacophony), the indications to me are that the problem is not mechanical.
I would suggest starting with the most simple stuff first. Fuel filter would be the logical type of culprit, but maybe by chance the fuel is not even getting to there due to bad sh1t in the tank. What is the recent refuelling history? If you can put a squeeze bulb in pre filter and still cannot push a lot of fuel through the filter and beyond it will start to narrow down the possibilities quickly. If that is all ok then the problem gets a lot more complex due to the pressure valves embedded in the pressure rail system.
If you are cranking it to test or trying to start it, remember not to crank for too long (15-20 seconds) in case the injectors are dry and they can overheat.

 

[Tajine]

Hi Tajine,
I agree with what tweak'e and Landmannnn are saying. An even 120 psi across all cylinders is nearly unheard of. Likewise I would be reluctant to suggest that it is a timing issue due to the fact that this motor runs 2 chains. 1 for each bank. Combine the chance of it being a problem with the drive sprocket coming loose, and, from what you have not said, no real indication of there being a lot of nasty noises coming form the engine bay when it was actually running (it would have been banging 24 valves in a bloody awful cacophony), the indications to me are that the problem is not mechanical.
I would suggest starting with the most simple stuff first. Fuel filter would be the logical type of culprit, but maybe by chance the fuel is not even getting to there due to bad sh1t in the tank. What is the recent refuelling history? If you can put a squeeze bulb in pre filter and still cannot push a lot of fuel through the filter and beyond it will start to narrow down the possibilities quickly. If that is all ok then the problem gets a lot more complex due to the pressure valves embedded in the pressure rail system.
If you are cranking it to test or trying to start it, remember not to crank for too long (15-20 seconds) in case the injectors are dry and they can overheat.

Thanks for your input Olpha. I actually changed the fuel filter after I found it not starting. I primed the tank & lines as best I could but there was no priming bulb behind the seat so gave it a go. I took the glow plug relay out as recommended & got my wife to turn the engine while I sprayed startyabastard into the air inlet without turning over more than 15 secs. It started & I put the air cleaner together but not the relay back in. Let it warm up for a couple of mins while I got my phone & then drove off as it changed gears for about the first 300m before stalling again. This time I couldn't get it going so presumed there might be an air leak in the fuel line. Got the car towed to nearby mechanic who did the quick compression test on Friday but no good news. As I said to him I don't understand how it could just not fire up after having driven 450km a few days before with no problems indicated. I had stopped the car overnight while I unpacked the vehicle & drove it out onto the street the next day.

 

[Tajine]

Thanks for your input Olpha. I actually changed the fuel filter after I found it not starting. I primed the tank & lines as best I could but there was no priming bulb behind the seat so gave it a go. I took the glow plug relay out as recommended & got my wife to turn the engine while I sprayed startyabastard into the air inlet without turning over more than 15 secs. It started & I put the air cleaner together but not the relay back in. Let it warm up for a couple of mins while I got my phone & then drove off as it changed gears for about the first 300m before stalling again. This time I couldn't get it going so presumed there might be an air leak in the fuel line. Got the car towed to nearby mechanic who did the quick compression test on Friday but no good news. As I said to him I don't understand how it could just not fire up after having driven 450km a few days before with no problems indicated. I had stopped the car overnight while I unpacked the vehicle & drove it out onto the street the next day.

Went to the shop yesterday with my spare key & tried to start again by myself but engine just keeps turning with no response, no noises either. Praying it's a simple fix.......

 

[oldand pastit]

My problem turned out to be a pin hole in the primer bulb Hence no fuel pressure 20 euros non genuine

 

[Tajine]

Thanks for your input Olpha. I actually changed the fuel filter after I found it not starting. I primed the tank & lines as best I could but there was no priming bulb behind the seat so gave it a go. I took the glow plug relay out as recommended & got my wife to turn the engine while I sprayed startyabastard into the air inlet without turning over more than 15 secs. It started & I put the air cleaner together but not the relay back in. Let it warm up for a couple of mins while I got my phone & then drove off as it changed gears for about the first 300m before stalling again. This time I couldn't get it going so presumed there might be an air leak in the fuel line. Got the car towed to nearby mechanic who did the quick compression test on Friday but no good news. As I said to him I don't understand how it could just not fire up after having driven 450km a few days before with no problems indicated. I had stopped the car overnight while I unpacked the vehicle & drove it out onto the street the next day.

Hi Oldie, I'm wondering if you can tell me the proper way to test the compression as I have downloaded the manual which shows that in order to test compression you need a special Nissan extension that screws into the glow plug orifice (after it's removed obviously). The mechanic who tested told me he tested one bank (passenger side) by removing the injectors I thought he said. I have more doubts about his competence now if that is the case. I had to go away for a week so only just back to try & identify what's really going on with this engine. The manual appears to show the glo plugs way down on the head.

 

[Tajine]