There are some common problem areas that owners of the TOYOTA HILUX D4D may encounter; we at Steves Auto Clinic care, which is why we will highlight the most commonly known setbacks that may be encountered while being an owner of one of these vehicles.
There seems to be mainly two problem areas experienced with the Toyota Hilux 3.0 D4D model: The injectors tend to give problems and there may be rattling/knocking noises in the motor.
- Injector failure
Do you experience noise and excessive white smoke during a cold start? These are the symptoms of a faulty injector. Yes, the D4D system commonly present itself with injector problems, but this not Hilux-specific; all common rail diesel engines tend to suffer the same fault, but why? The reason is that diesel fuel has to comply with emission laws; fuel companies therefore add additives to reduce emissions and these additives create sticky deposits in the fuel system. Whenever these deposits (even in miniature quantities) find their way into the injector, you are in for some trouble.
Your vehicle will start to experience rattling (to various degrees), and the only thing to do is to replace the injectors. If you fail to do this, it can cause immense internal engine damage, leading to motor failure.
There are a few preventative steps which may be taken:
Rail injectors should not be introduced to Bio Diesel. Dirty diesel is the biggest killer of injection systems. That is why you should always fill up at reputable and well-maintained fuelling stations. The best thing to do is to bring your vehicle to your nearest Steves Auto Clinic and have the injectors tested. At Steves Auto Clinic we will apply a reputable injector cleaner and also replace your vehicle’s diesel injector filter (these should be done at least every 10 000 km if you want to reduce/prevent injector failure). The cost of having these done will far outweigh the costs of replacing broken injectors.
Owners sometimes fit an extra inline diesel filter and a water trap – connected in series to the already present filter – to protect the sensitive injectors. Steves Auto Clinic, at the request of vehicle owners, can assist in this regard.
- Rattle/knocking noises
The Toyota Hilux 3.0 D4D tends to have a rattling noise at low revs. One could easily mistake this noise for an injector failure, but below the 2000 rpm mark it tends to do that, especially in the morning when the engine is cold. After about 1-2 km, the noise may go away as the engine heats up. The reason is that the lifters are still dry and only get lubricated after a few kilometers. The rattling sound is therefore normal, in this sense, but to play safe, have Steves Auto Clinic give your vehicle a thorough inspection to make sure that any noises may not be the start of something more serious.
- Low grade oil being used
This is a common problem, and this tendency should be avoided. Many a Hilux 3.0 D4D met its painful death at the hand of low grade oil. Using low grade oil will result in an excess of heat building up due to poor friction. This in turn results in carbonisation and supply blockages (as seen in the oil pick up below). If this ever happens, be sure to embrace yourself for an engine change because sludging to this extent can never fully and properly be cleared from the oil galleries.
http://www.carforums.co.za/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=17306
It is good practice, if ever you want to prevent the occurrence of this, to take your vehicle to a reputable workshop – such as Steves Auto Clinic – and have the injectors and diesel pump flow and pressure characteristics checked. This ought to be done every 60 000 km, to be on the safe side.
- Turbo fails to kick in
If it feels as if your Hilux 3.0 turbo fails to kick in, then you may consider having your vehicle’s actuator (aka. wastegate) checked. Also have the EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) system checked because this may be dirty.
- Water Pump
Finally, you may also think of having your Hilux 3.0 water pump checked after about 150 000 km.
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