Todd Morton, Scone, NSW:
Well, I’ve grown up on the land and learnt to drive in a MQ Patrol, and I’ve been driving 4WDs ever since...2 Patrols, 1 Range Rover and now my 80s Series.
I have set the wagon up as a tourer more than anything else, it’s been turbo-charged, had new suspension fitted, as well as a safety barrier and turbo timer. I would like to put bigger tyres on it, adjust the diff ratios to suit them, and get diff locks front and rear. Oh, and an electric winch would be great too!
It’s about to hit the 300,000km milestone, and I would love to put another 300,000km on it, so I would love some advice on how to make that happen?
Allan Gray:
Todd, there are 3 things that I ask people when they tell me they think their engine is on the way out.
- Does it start okay?
- Is there any heavy noise?
- What’s the oil usage?
If those 3 things are okay, I’d be inclined to drive it into the ground but obviously care for it while you do so! Just watch that turbo-charging, I’d be a little bit worried about an aftermarket turbo at that age.
I’d be inclined to put an exhaust gas temperature gauge on it, and certainly a turbo-boost gauge. If you could put an intercooler in, that’d be great- it would certainly extend the life of the motor. Other than that, I’d just care for it- some people are reporting nearly double that 300,000km mark.
At your mileage, if it starts, runs, doesn’t use oil and doesn’t make excessive noise I’d keep using it buddy!
