Hi Guys,
I hope I am posting in the correct place.
My 3.2 Di-D (on 190 000km now) is currently undergoing some heart surgery. About 3 weeks ago she suddenly lost power and started belching smoke out of the exhaust. When the mech opened her up piston 1 was cracked from the centre to the outside edge.
The injectors have now been bench tested and the diesel mech says they are perfect.
My mech originally indicated that he thought the issue would have been overfuelling by the injector above Piston 1 but now it seems that might not be the case.
During September the orange engine management began to come on intermittently. Took it in to Mitsu and they ran a diagnostics check. Came back with the info that they could not isolate a fault and told me to return once the light stayed on permanently. Anyway the light stayed off about 2 months after that. Then it came back on but would only stay on for about 5s to 30s and would go off again.
Needless to say it has never stayed on permanently and then the engine failed.
Does anybody have any suggestions, other than overfuelling from a faulty injector, why the piston would crack? And any suggestions about what the engine management light could be related to?
ECU issues?
Thanks for any advice you can offer.
Crack = heat = over-fuelling
The over-fuelling is not always the injector's fault. It can be the ECU and/or sensors failing.
My fear is that unless they find the fault (the piston is the victom), it will do the same to the new piston.
The over-fuelling is not always the injector's fault. It can be the ECU and/or sensors failing.
My fear is that unless they find the fault (the piston is the victom), it will do the same to the new piston.
Gerhard Fourie
If you want to shoot somebody, make sure you aim at his head, not your own foot.
Me
If you want to shoot somebody, make sure you aim at his head, not your own foot.
Me
"Hi, I checked other posts but could not find anything related to this toffee. 3.2 Did 4M41
I was driving @ 130 on C/C when a vibration started, I tapped the brake to get C/C off and it subsided. First thought was propshaft, stopped and checked, no problem. Started off again when I noticed big loss in power. Vibration started @ 80 and stopped as soon as I tapped off. I was driving for about 4 km when the oil pressure light and engine warning light came on. I switched off imediately and smelled oil. When I opened the bonnet it was covered in engine oil, OK, turbo failed, not so. No oil in sump as it was all breathed out by high sump compression.
I stripped the engine down and found number 1 piston cracked and number 2 started to heat seize. Engine now has 340 000 km on the clock and I never ever had a problem with it. Pump and injectors was done at 300 000 km. No damage to crank or bearings. Any suggestions on the cause?"
this sounds very similar to what happened with mine...any further answers from the gurus?
I was driving @ 130 on C/C when a vibration started, I tapped the brake to get C/C off and it subsided. First thought was propshaft, stopped and checked, no problem. Started off again when I noticed big loss in power. Vibration started @ 80 and stopped as soon as I tapped off. I was driving for about 4 km when the oil pressure light and engine warning light came on. I switched off imediately and smelled oil. When I opened the bonnet it was covered in engine oil, OK, turbo failed, not so. No oil in sump as it was all breathed out by high sump compression.
I stripped the engine down and found number 1 piston cracked and number 2 started to heat seize. Engine now has 340 000 km on the clock and I never ever had a problem with it. Pump and injectors was done at 300 000 km. No damage to crank or bearings. Any suggestions on the cause?"
this sounds very similar to what happened with mine...any further answers from the gurus?
Affiliate Member
4ePajero's Di-D did very funny things when the TPS (located at the throttle peddle) connector had a bad connection.
Blocked Catalytic converter maybe causing excessive back pressure and higher EGT's than the manufacturer allowed in the design process?
Perhaps carbon buildup causing premature combustion?
Do you have a picture of the head (if the engine has been stripped)
I nearly lost my engine last month due to the oil pressure sensor failing and spewing oil - luckily the low oil level came on before damage was done (pretty common occurrence over the web) - if you have insufficient oil pressure the oil squirters will not function and will in turn not cool the pistons sufficiently.
Blocked Catalytic converter maybe causing excessive back pressure and higher EGT's than the manufacturer allowed in the design process?
Perhaps carbon buildup causing premature combustion?
Do you have a picture of the head (if the engine has been stripped)
I nearly lost my engine last month due to the oil pressure sensor failing and spewing oil - luckily the low oil level came on before damage was done (pretty common occurrence over the web) - if you have insufficient oil pressure the oil squirters will not function and will in turn not cool the pistons sufficiently.
Affiliate Member
another far fetched idea
the Di-D has a throttle butterfly that is always open when the engine is running and closes when you switch the engine off to help it die quickly with no residual shudder like you had in the old carb cars.
If this butterflies acts up it may restrict airflow causing a rich mixture (rich = high EGT)
the Di-D has a throttle butterfly that is always open when the engine is running and closes when you switch the engine off to help it die quickly with no residual shudder like you had in the old carb cars.
If this butterflies acts up it may restrict airflow causing a rich mixture (rich = high EGT)
I assume there was no external Exhaust Gas Temperature monitor system on the engine at the time of the failure? Would have been valuable to see if the EGT's went crazy for the last few km before failure to warn you of disaster to come 
Very strange that the injectors and pump are within spec.
What else is there on a diesel that determine heat in the combustion chamber? Turbo?? I have no clue and am only throwing stones in the bush here to see what comes out.
CATS
PS - Truly sorry to hear of your loss, hope you get it sorted as painlessly as possible.
Very strange that the injectors and pump are within spec.
What else is there on a diesel that determine heat in the combustion chamber? Turbo?? I have no clue and am only throwing stones in the bush here to see what comes out.CATS
PS - Truly sorry to hear of your loss, hope you get it sorted as painlessly as possible.
2009 Pajero 3.2 DiDc Lwb GLS (Gen4) - Casper (Starting to grow on me)
2001 Pajero 3.2 DiD Lwb GLS Manual (Gen3) - Snoopy (SOLD but not forgotten)
2008 Pajero 3.2 DiDc Lwb GLS Auto (Gen4) - Silvester (SOLD)
2001 Pajero 3.2 DiD Lwb GLS Manual (Gen3) - Snoopy (SOLD but not forgotten)
2008 Pajero 3.2 DiDc Lwb GLS Auto (Gen4) - Silvester (SOLD)
Thanks everybody. You migt have something the 4epikanini. I did sometimes have a residual shudder but that was not always the case. I will get the mech to check the throttle butterfly for correct operation.
CATS unfortunately I did not have an EGT fitted. Would have been interesting though.
If anybody else has any other ideas please send them.
Once the engine has been fixed i am going to take it back to Mitsu and have them run a diagnostic test and see if they can pick anything up.
While the engine is apart replacing the timing chain, oil pressure sensor and those t-pieces at the base of the engine (water supply I think).
Will also definitely be fitting an EGT he he
CATS unfortunately I did not have an EGT fitted. Would have been interesting though.
If anybody else has any other ideas please send them.
Once the engine has been fixed i am going to take it back to Mitsu and have them run a diagnostic test and see if they can pick anything up.
While the engine is apart replacing the timing chain, oil pressure sensor and those t-pieces at the base of the engine (water supply I think).
Will also definitely be fitting an EGT he he
What about "dirty" diesel? Like mixed with parafin. Will this not have an affect on the temperature of the of the combustion chamber? Will the ECU pick up something like that with all its sensors?
Just thinking aloud, as I would dearly like to know what the cause was. Maybe have the diesel in the tank tested for stuff that is not supposed to be in there.
CATS
Just thinking aloud, as I would dearly like to know what the cause was. Maybe have the diesel in the tank tested for stuff that is not supposed to be in there.
CATS
2009 Pajero 3.2 DiDc Lwb GLS (Gen4) - Casper (Starting to grow on me)
2001 Pajero 3.2 DiD Lwb GLS Manual (Gen3) - Snoopy (SOLD but not forgotten)
2008 Pajero 3.2 DiDc Lwb GLS Auto (Gen4) - Silvester (SOLD)
2001 Pajero 3.2 DiD Lwb GLS Manual (Gen3) - Snoopy (SOLD but not forgotten)
2008 Pajero 3.2 DiDc Lwb GLS Auto (Gen4) - Silvester (SOLD)
who would i take the diesel to for testing? i am thinking that the engine management light coming on intermittently must have been some kind of indication of a problem. Unfortunately the Mitsu guys couldn't tell me what it meant.
Will definitely post once the mech has had a closer look at the throttle butterfly
Will definitely post once the mech has had a closer look at the throttle butterfly
Hiway Motors, East London
Gerhard Fourie
If you want to shoot somebody, make sure you aim at his head, not your own foot.
Me
If you want to shoot somebody, make sure you aim at his head, not your own foot.
Me