Grant4u
Is it time to give up?
I was given a 1998 2.8 TDI Pajero from an estate. The owneer had put a re-con engine in but it blew, literally, a year later. I took the engine out and replaced rings, bearings, con-rods and all....then discovered the head was cracked....so put in a brend-new head. It started and ran....for about 10kms...over heated and the head-gasket blew...again! what next?...the battery, starter-motor, radiator, glow-plugs,alternator, thermostat, water-pump....all replaced! R20k later....it smokes, wont pull, over-heats. I have no experts or service facilities in the Karoo.....the car has been off the road for 10 months now and no sign of an end to the problems!....Do I give up, cut my losses and sell to the highest bidder?
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Re: Is it time to give up?
please post pics of the vehicle.

what offers will you consider as is (if you are selling)

where is the car located?
Grant4u
Re: Is it time to give up?
Thanks for your reply....I want R35,000 for my Pajero....I already spent near R20,000 on it...Engine plus battery, starter etc....it has brand new Bridgestone AT Duelers (@R10,000)....body is perfect. It needs a windscreen for RWC. It is not currently registered or licenced (We are on a farm Near De Aar, Northern Cape) but has police clearance for chassis and engine and weight certificates
Call me on 0736910419 or e-mail me at : grant.paget4u@gmail.com

Cheers....Grant
Pajero Karoo ee.jpg
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Pajero 2e.jpg
Mechanic installing new head
Mechanic installing new head
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Re: Is it time to give up?
Grant I am sad to hear about your misfortune but think of it this way, the next owner is going to uy a vehicle in pretty good nick for next to nothing. He is going to sort out the diesel pump timing and volume and the Pajero will be running like a swiss clock. I am sure it is just a bit of vasbyt and tuning to get it 100% but worst case scenario is a jap runner and the baby is vehicle again.
Henk Bannink

Some people are wise, some people are otherwise
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Re: Is it time to give up?
my thoughts exactly.

If I buy it, I'd drop in an import motor, break up the old and sell as spares, give the rest of the car including cooling a once over and then either keep it or sell it on.

Your price is a bit high due to the import status which is always a mission with licensing and insurance, so in light of that consider getting an import motor, they are easy to drop in and have the cooling system checked.
Re: Is it time to give up?
I don't want to P on anybody's battery, but it is impossible to register that vehicle in South Africa.

(... been there, done that, nearly had the Pajero confiscated & crushed. I was only saved by the fact that the legislation had changed from the time I imported the vehicle and the time I wanted to register it)
Gerhard Fourie
If you want to shoot somebody, make sure you aim at his head, not your own foot.
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Re: Is it time to give up?
to make it easier for a potential buyer, try to register it in your name in South Africa.
Re: Is it time to give up?
Back on-topic.

This is unfortunately another classic example of repairing the results of a problem, and not the cause of the problem as well.

It seems as if there is a serious cooling problem somewhere, which resulted in over heating and a failed head etc.

Unless the cause (of the over heating) is found and fixed, you can replace the failed components as many times as you wish, but they will invariable fail again.
Gerhard Fourie
If you want to shoot somebody, make sure you aim at his head, not your own foot.
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Re: Is it time to give up?
Gerhard please educate me.

I have noticed that a large number of reconditioned diesels pack up again after a relatively short time, is it just the mechanics not working meticulously or is it that a diesel having had problems once will always be "geknak" :?: I have taken note of folks replacing a blown cylinder head with a skimmed head at first and a bit later they discover it was cracked and then buy a new one only to report a short while later that the engine is kaput.

I have seriously considered adding a shorty diesel to the family and followed Marius's fuel consumption thread as well as other indicators and I must say the consumption is close to that of a petrol engine and the petrol has longer legs. Other than a bit more torque there is no real advantage between the two......or am I wrong?
Henk Bannink

Some people are wise, some people are otherwise
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Re: Is it time to give up?
May I take a stab before dad gets here :)

The problem is that people the replace the blown engine only and don't find the cause. The next engine walks the same line as the cause wasn't addressed. Typically it's a fault in the cooling system that doesn't get sorted with an engine change. An engine should last half a million kilos with minimal maintenance if it's systems are working as they should.

When I rebuilt my Gen2 petrol I took no shortcuts and had the entire engine done, plus starter overhauled, plus coolant system overhauled, plus electrics cleaned up etc. I still see it in town a few years down the line.

With regards to the 3.2 fuel economy. Remember that mine has nearly 300'000km and looks like it may have had a hard life. I'm even starting to suspect that mine has a rebuilt engine in as it pulls better than a 2008 Gen4 I test drove the other day. And I can see signs in the engine bay that has definitely been worked on in the past. It also had wiring in for a duel battery system from the previous owner so it was probably used as an overlander as well.

TranskeiCowboy used to get 10l/100km on his Gen3 GLX but his was the facelift model.

I think it's to do with the auto gearbox programming. The later ones seem to get better economy. Then again Mimmo has over 600'000km on his 2001 Auto and still gets 10-11 l/100km. https://www.pajeroclub.co.za/forum/sear ... 8&sr=posts

If you look at my fuelly it has been coming down steadily over the time I have had the vehicle but then again I have done a few things to it.

Even if the petrol and diesel in the gen3 uses the same fuel I would still go the diesel route as it tows better and it's lifetime service costs are cheaper, lower maintenance and the legendary 4M41 reliability.
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