| Engine oil & filter | ZD30: ACEA B3 or JASO DH-1, 10W-40 strongly recommended (Nissan bulletin, Sept 2004), revised capacity 8.3 L. TB48: owner's manual says 5W-30. Nissan's 2002 service manual: ZD30 outside Europe API CD, CE, CF, CF-4 or JASO DH-1 (in Europe API CF-4 or ACEA B3; never API CG-4), 8.2 L with filter. TD42/TD42T: API CC to CF-4 or JASO DH-1, 10.5 L with filter. TB45: 7.6 L, and TB48DE: 6.8 L with filter (petrol API SE to SL or ILSAC). Nissan Europe's 2004 supplement prefers 5W-30 for diesels there, so the grade depends on market and climate | Nissan Europe schedule: ZD30 and TB48 every 15,000 km or 12 months, RD28 every 10,000 km or 6 months, halved in severe use such as towing, dust or short trips. Other markets: confirm in manual. Many owners change ZD30 oil more often when towing | On a ZD30, confirm the dipstick has been recalibrated to the revised capacity. Sludge or grit under a cold oil filler cap is a bad sign.Genuine Nissan oil filter, GU ZD30 · Patrolapart ↗Genuine Nissan oil filter (large thread), GU TD42 · Patrolapart ↗Genuine Nissan oil filter, GU TB45/TB48 · Patrolapart ↗Genuine Nissan oil filter, GU/GQ RD28 · Patrolapart ↗ |
| Air filter & MAF sensor | Dry element; engine-specific (check the listing for your engine) | Inspect at every service, more often in dust | On the ZD30, oil on the MAF sensor (from crankcase venting or an over-oiled aftermarket filter) is a suspected cause of bad fuelling. Clean it with MAF cleaner and consider a catch can.Genuine Nissan air filter, GU diesel TD42T/TD42Ti/RD28/ZD30 · Patrolapart ↗Genuine Nissan oval air filter, GU TD42 NA (also GQ TB42) · Patrolapart ↗ |
| Diesel fuel filter | ZD30: spin-on filter with water-drain cock. Screw it on until it seats, then turn a further 2/3 of a turn, and bleed the air afterwards (Nissan service manual) | Replace at purchase. Nissan Europe schedule: ZD30 every 45,000 km or 36 months (every 22,500 km in dusty or extreme conditions); RD28 every 40,000 km. Drain the water trap regularly | Early ZD30s are known for fuel-pump and fuel-system trouble (the Bosch VP44 pump), and clean fuel is cheap insurance.Genuine Nissan fuel filter, GU/GQ TD42, RD28, ZD30 (VP44) · Patrolapart ↗Genuine Nissan fuel filter, GU ZD30 common-rail · Patrolapart ↗ |
| Glow plugs (diesels) | confirm in manual | Test if cold starts are slow | Worn glow plugs are a common cause of hard starting on older diesels.Genuine glow plug, TD42/TD42T/TD42Ti · Patrolapart ↗Genuine glow plug, GU ZD30 (VP44) · Patrolapart ↗Genuine glow plug, GU ZD30 common-rail · Patrolapart ↗Genuine glow plug, GU RD28Ti · Patrolapart ↗ |
| Timing drive | RD28: belt. ZD30 and TB45/TB48: chain. TD42: gears | RD28 belt: Nissan Europe's schedule replaces it at 80,000 km or 48 months (90,000 km for high-mileage use). Replace it if there's no record | Only the 2.8 RD28 has a belt to budget for. Wikipedia warns the RD's crank/balancer bolt can work loose, so use thread-locker on reassembly.Timing belt kit, RD28 (GQ/GU) · Patrolapart ↗ |
| Coolant, radiator & fan clutch | Ethylene-glycol Nissan Genuine Engine Coolant or equivalent (L2N in Europe), at a 50% mix (Nissan's L2N comes premixed; 50% protects to −35 °C). Capacity with front heater ≈ 12.7–13.2 L (ZD30), 15.1 L (TD42), 12.0 L (TB45), 13.0–13.8 L (TB48) (Nissan service manual) | Flush and refill at purchase. Nissan Europe: first at 90,000 km or 60 months, then every 60,000 km or 48 months | Clean the core, refit the condenser foam seals and check the fan clutch (about half a turn when cold). This matters most on a TD42 that tows.Long-life coolant · Supercheap Auto (search) ↗Genuine Nissan 76.5° thermostat, GQ/GU TD42 · Patrolapart ↗Genuine Nissan thermostat, GU ZD30 (VP44) · Patrolapart ↗Genuine Nissan thermostat, GU ZD30 common-rail · Patrolapart ↗ |
| Manual gearbox oil | API GL-4. Nissan's service manual lists the FS5R30A at 5.1 L (75W-90), and the FS5R50B at 3.8 L in the 1998 edition (also the handbook figure quoted on ExplorOz) but 3.5 L in the 2001–02 supplements, which give 75W-90 and then 75W-85. Check which gearbox you have before filling | Change at purchase | Check the fifth gear and the 2nd-to-3rd shift while you're under there. Both are known weak spots.Gear oil 75W-90 (confirm grade in manual) · Supercheap Auto (search) ↗Genuine Nissan diff/gearbox/transfer fill plug, GQ/GU · Patrolapart ↗ |
| Automatic transmission fluid | ≈ 3–4 L drains from the pan, about 12 L total (2001 ZD30 owner). Nissan service manual: 4-speed RE4R03A 11.8 L with converter, Genuine Nissan ATF or equivalent (Dexron III/Mercon); TB48 5-speed RE5R05A 10.4–10.7 L, Nissan Matic Fluid J only | One owner cites Nissan at 40,000 km for ATF | A pan drain changes only about a third of the fluid. Do several drain-and-fills, or have a transmission shop exchange it through the cooler line (about 16 L).Dexron-type ATF · Supercheap Auto (search) ↗ |
| Transfer case | ≈ 1.9 L (handbook figure, and also quoted by a 2001 ZD30 owner as Dexron III). Nissan's service manual confirms the TX12A transfer at 1.9 L, Genuine Nissan ATF (Dexron III) or API GL-4 (75W-90 preferred) | Change at purchase | Nissan schedules it with the LSD oil: replace every 60,000 km (30,000 km when towing or on rough roads). Don't mix ATF and gear oil; drain fully if you switch.Dexron-type ATF · Supercheap Auto (search) ↗ |
| Front & rear differentials | Front ≈ 5.4 L (Nissan service manual; also the handbook figure on ExplorOz). Rear: 2.1 L with LSD (outside Europe); H233B 2.4 L open or 3.0 L with diff lock; H260 4.7 L open or 3.7 L with lock (Nissan service manual; the older ExplorOz handbook figure is also 2.1 L). Open diffs take API GL-5, with 80W-90 preferred in cold and warm climates. An LSD takes Nissan Hypoid LSD gear oil (KLD31-14002) or API GL-5 SAE 140 plus 10% LSD friction modifier (38469-C6000); owners also use 85W-140 LSD oil | Change at purchase and after deep water crossings | CarsGuide says hard-used GUs need regular diff oil changes. Note whether your rear is an H233B or an H260.LSD gear oil 85W-140 · Supercheap Auto (search) ↗Diff centre gasket, H233 (GQ/GU) · Patrolapart ↗Genuine Nissan rear axle shaft grease seal, H233 GQ/GU · Patrolapart ↗ |
| Front wheel bearings, hubs & swivels | Repack with wheel-bearing grease. Nissan's service manual (and Gregory's, quoted on ExplorOz): lock nut to 167–196 Nm while rotating, back off to zero, retighten to 3–5 Nm twice, preload 0–18.6 N at a hub bolt, zero end play. Repack the axle joint with NLGI No. 2 lithium grease | At purchase, then Nissan Europe replaces the grease every 30,000 km on the ZD30 schedule (40,000 km on the 1998 RD28 schedule), and after water crossings | CarsGuide also recommends lubricating the front swivel joints on hard-used trucks. Auto hubs should be warm, not hot, after a drive.Front wheel bearing kit, GU Y61 · HD Automotive ↗Front hub bearing seal, GQ/GU · Patrolapart ↗ |
| Brakes & brake fluid | DOT 3 (Nissan service manual, outside Europe); DOT 3 or DOT 4 in Europe. Never mix the two | Flush at purchase, then every 2 years (Nissan Europe schedule) | Check for gear oil on the rear brakes from leaking axle seals, and that the calipers clear your wheels. Caliper sizes vary by year.Ultima front brake pads, GU Y61 · HD Automotive ↗Brake fluid (match the DOT rating on the reservoir cap) · Supercheap Auto (search) ↗ |