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I own a 2000 Nissan Elgrand with a ZD30 Neo Di diesel engine that has travelled 260,000 kms.

It has started leaking oil at the bottom of the intercooler and appears to be fuming quite a bit out of the oiler filler cap. I can only assume this means worn rings.

If so, do you know the approximate costs to repair this?

Is this the normal life expectancy of a diesel engine or have I got a bad one? Oil and filters have been changed
religiously with the correct grade of oil.

We purchased it 3.5 years ago - it had done 110,000km.

Bruce

From the "Ask Jack" archives - 14 December 2009

It doesn't sound good, the fuming from the oil filler cap is not a healthy sign. I suggest you get it checked out by a diesel specialist to confirm your suspicions.

Cost wise the bill could be several thousand dollars if the engine did require reconditioning. It's the extras that go with reconditioning a diesel engine such as injectors and injector pumps that drive the costs up.

A repair account of around the $4,000 mark plus would not surprise me if the job was done properly.

The question re life expectancy of a diesel is a hard one to answer.

The biggest unknown when you buy an import is the previous service history. It is generally accepted in the trade, based on experiences over many years, that many petrol and diesel vehicles have received minimal servicing when in Japan. This can become an issue further down the track when in the vehicle is on-sold.

Having said that, once any vehicle hits the 200,000km mark, it does become a bit of a lottery just how long things will last before they start to cost excessive amounts of money. It becomes a little bit of, not if, but when, things out of the ordinary will start to develop.

Be careful with options such as second hand engines also in my opinion, they are often not a cost effective way to go.

Get advice from a diesel expert. Simms Diesels & Turbocharger in Auckland are an AA Approved Licensed Repairer you could contact to talk specific costs etc in more detail.