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Towing Perfomance

1.6K views 3 replies 3 participants last post by  Bikie  
G
#1 ·
I am looking to buy a 2002 Nissan Patrol 3.0 TD and want to hear about it's towing performance. I'd be towing an 18ft caravan or tandem trailer, about 1.5 tons at times. Any one do similar? How does it handle? Would a 4.2 be better?
 
#2 ·
In standard form, a 4.2 would be better off the mark.. It'd probably handle the climbs better as well..

I have a 3L that's been chipped, and have towed around my GQ which all up would be over 2T.. With the 3L, you need to keep it down in the rev range for long climbs etc and plod along, else things start to get a bit stressed.. It does handle alright, but I'd prefer a bit more grunt if I was towing a lot..
 
#3 ·
towing advice

yeah i got a 3L 02 mate, auto! auto is alot better for towing i think.. towing kills the clutch in manual! umm.. the 4.2 is a manual only and aparently the radiator is inadiquate for the size of it... it struggles to get through beach entries without the temp gauge significantly rising! soo i dont think a standard 4.2 is the go unless you hevily modify it, then again.. still manual.. the 3.0l is probly better but you would need to upgrade some basic things.. like zorst system.. for example.. the turbo will get extremly hot under towing conditions so it is better to get the hot gases out and away from the engine area ASAP! Heat can kill engines, speacially diesels.. so i recommened a 3" mandrel system and a chip - this will greatly increase power and torque! also make sure the MAF(mass airflow) or air flow sensor/meter is always clean - aftermaket ones are aparently better! (they send a signal of air masses to ECU calcualting air/diesel mixture.. to lean can stuff ur motor, to dense, bad power - flooding - black smoke - ****ty fuel economy! i am also finding info on intercoolers.. and what ones to go for, if at all.. will keep you posted on that!

hope this helps

Cheers
 
#4 ·
You can never run too lean with a diesel motor, running lean on a petrol motor will melt pistons, where-as running rich on a diesel (black smoke, ****ty fuel economy) can generate too high combustion temps which will then start to melt things.
cheers Bikie