Symptoms
Water in the diff or gearbox oil after crossings, or snagged and split breather lines.
The fix, step by step
- Owners found a clear tube linking the MQ's gearbox and transfer case breathers, with only the front diff breather running up to the inner guard; the front axle also has an equaliser tube between the diff and axle housing.
- The common fix is to fit new seals and separate breather lines run high into the engine bay, terminated with small filters.
- One member uses 6 mm Teflon tube with push-in fittings and Ryco fuel filters as caps.
Tools & part numbers
- Spanners
- hose
- cable ties
- push-in fittings
Where to buy the parts
ARB differential breather kit, 2-pointPatrolapart ↗Amazon ↗
Diff breathers kit, 4-point (universal 4x4)Patrolapart ↗Amazon ↗
Hunting a used or discontinued part? Search eBay Motors for Nissan Patrol 160 / MQ parts →
Rated for a competent home mechanic with a decent tool kit. Confirm torque figures, fluids and procedures against the factory service manual for your VIN, support the truck on stands rather than a jack, and work at your own risk (disclaimer). Some parts links are affiliate links, which pay us a small commission at no cost to you.