What goes wrong with RD28 engines?

Other Nissan diesel engines and vehicles: TD/RD/YD/FD/UD etc.

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danielfarley
Posts: 4
Joined: 16 years ago
Location: New Zealand

What goes wrong with RD28 engines?

#1

Post by danielfarley »

Hey im looking at buying a Nissan laurel with a rd28 in it, how reliable are these motors? What tends to go wrong with them? would i be better to get a older car with the ld28 in it instead?? Also anyone had running SVO in them, how you find it??

Daniel
davehoos
Posts: 525
Joined: 18 years ago
Location: Karuah Valley,NSW Australia
Contact:

#2

Post by davehoos »

RD28 is nice to drive.has better performance.are you looking at a C33 it will be more modern that he old C32.i have R31 skyline.

what part on nz?

needs maintainance due to timing belt and alloy head.gasket failures and craked heads are common.
it uses hydrolic lifters so no adjustment is needed but if they fail it can damage the camshaft.the lifter rotates so it needs claen oil and no overheating.
WCJR31 Skyline.3.0 manual.wagon
R31 SKYLINE/Passage GT/PINTARA
LPG Ford Falcon 99-06 93 Disco
Local Shire Southern Zone Mechanic.
Evildiesels
Posts: 6
Joined: 16 years ago
Location: Auckland New Zealand

#3

Post by Evildiesels »

I'll be advertising one on Trademe soon dude, just finishing a freshened engine to fit to it next week, it's a 93 C-34, is my daily driver, but is making way for my new project, the trans (RE4R01A) has done 18K since major overhaul, all shocks and all pads are new, just put new rings/brngs/ shaved the head and faced valves and seats, fitted Steel laminate head gasket, cambelt and rollers, water pump etc etc it's a rare sunroof model and is fitted with 280Z mags, new tires, and an awesome stereo (2xamps, sub, pioneer deck, new alpine component speakers etc) everything on it works and will be supplied with 6 month rego and a day old WOF

Like Hoos mentioned, they do have trouble with the older style head gaskets and do run a belt drive, but they are a good engine if sorted out, I'm building one that I'm turbo/intercooling, larger plunger in pump, nitrous, ballanced, Kelfords cam etc etc etc.

Let me know if ya keen on the car - Evildiesels on trademe

Check out Aimpostmaster on trade-me, he bought one of my C-34 Laurels I recoed the engine etc and runs it on Bio-diesel, loves it, he also sells Bio-diesel kits
92 Nissan Patrol TD42 Turbod and Intercooled
2 X 95 Nissan Laurels RD28 1 for project the other parts
86 Nissan Laurel LD28 - wifes car
1990 Nissan Cedric Wagon RD28 - Parts pickup and Hack
85 K5 Blazer 6.5 turbo diesel
81 K5 Blazer No engine - project
73 K5 Blazer 6.5 Turbo Diesel - Used for Parts
69 David Brown 990 Tractor - turbo from LD20T
danielfarley
Posts: 4
Joined: 16 years ago
Location: New Zealand

thanks guys

#4

Post by danielfarley »

Hey guys thanks for the replys good to hear, hey evil diesel i think that your car sound quite nice but i think that the price you will be wanting for it / it deserver is a bit nice for my pocket. The turbo one your working on sounds fun ! :-)

Daniel
Evildiesels
Posts: 6
Joined: 16 years ago
Location: Auckland New Zealand

#5

Post by Evildiesels »

No worries dude, will be listing it for 5K, sad really as these cars should be worth heaps more as they ride awesome, but that's the market - make sure ya find a good one, not one that has run wit a blown headgasket and scarred the block, or to fix it properly your up for block machining or it will keep blowing gaskets, and with pistons that protrude from the block and selective head gaskets your in scary teritory
good luck
92 Nissan Patrol TD42 Turbod and Intercooled
2 X 95 Nissan Laurels RD28 1 for project the other parts
86 Nissan Laurel LD28 - wifes car
1990 Nissan Cedric Wagon RD28 - Parts pickup and Hack
85 K5 Blazer 6.5 turbo diesel
81 K5 Blazer No engine - project
73 K5 Blazer 6.5 Turbo Diesel - Used for Parts
69 David Brown 990 Tractor - turbo from LD20T
danielfarley
Posts: 4
Joined: 16 years ago
Location: New Zealand

#6

Post by danielfarley »

Whats the C32 nissan laurel's like compared with a c33 for road noise etc at open road speeds? If they are almost as quite as a c33 i might try and get one of these as im not going to be competing with boyraciers on the price so much.. ( just test drove a c33 manual was very nice but had a whole lot of people wanting to buy it as a drift car to put the petrol :-( moter in it. and the LD motor is less likely to have head issues isn't it?

Daniel
davehoos
Posts: 525
Joined: 18 years ago
Location: Karuah Valley,NSW Australia
Contact:

#7

Post by davehoos »

C32/R31 is the last of an evolution.these share most of the chasis parts just the trim is different to cover the 2 sales markets.the chasis is simple by modern standards.the C31/R30 is the same as the bluebird/maxima.
the diesel C32 uses a solid rear axle as its basically a taxi.sold to comercial buyers.the R31 uses an independant rear for better ride.
the cars imported to NZ are normally high spec.the R31 i bought in christchurch is a disguised taxi.someone fitted gt interiour on this basic model.

the C33/C34 evolved as a change in direction for the nissan company that didnt work out.they spent lots of dollars to get these to suit a market.
the older clasic cedric is now built for the taxi model along with the smaller nissan crew replacing a 10 year old 910 taxi..

the laurel chasis now uses parts common with other performane nissans only a longer wheel base to suit private buyers..short wheel base rear drives are for drift work and thats about it..this is why the boy racers want these cheep skylines.

havnt seen the newer cars but i read that the laurel has gone in another direction to suit the real buyers.i dont think you can buy the small 4 cyl model anymore and the diesel is popular as its sold in europe..
WCJR31 Skyline.3.0 manual.wagon
R31 SKYLINE/Passage GT/PINTARA
LPG Ford Falcon 99-06 93 Disco
Local Shire Southern Zone Mechanic.
Guest

#8

Post by Guest »

O btw dave you asked where in NZ i am im in Palmerston North.

DAniel
davehoos
Posts: 525
Joined: 18 years ago
Location: Karuah Valley,NSW Australia
Contact:

#9

Post by davehoos »

this david is in new south wales.north of newcastle.
i plan to be in christchurch for a regular visit in sept.

i have a R31 passage RD28 GT-D excel sitting in a yard and plan to disassemble it for parts of my own car here in australia.its rusted badly so i cant import it.i plan to remove all the diesel stuff to fit to a wagon.i looked at C32 but the engine was worth more than the car.i have had LD28/LD20T ex japan cheep but not the stuff to make it look original.

i was after over the years half cuts.fwd diesel mitubishi to fit a lancer or magna, LD20/CD20 nissan diesel, C32 V6,other bits over time that my have been a good conversion.the rules change regularly,alt fuel was ok then not.for a time i could fit a smaller JAP engine into an australian car IE a 2 liter V6 into a 3 liter but it had to have all the bits that go with it.i fitted CA20 LPG engines into commodores before using diesels.
i can now reprogram ecu so this market has gone-also the gov pays to fit lpg.

i have shipped 2 cars from christchurch but its now too hard/expensive
unless you have a container load.
pre 1988 you can import but its worth nothing to resell when you add $4-5000 in costs.

there are lots of goodies still around but it has to be in auckland to get reasonable frieght cost.

i purchased an ip on trademe for a mate.TD27T i get the first emails then nothing.i think they are not up to speed with internet.i only need the top half.its to use on a TD42 patrol converted to turbo..
WCJR31 Skyline.3.0 manual.wagon
R31 SKYLINE/Passage GT/PINTARA
LPG Ford Falcon 99-06 93 Disco
Local Shire Southern Zone Mechanic.
mapopapo
Posts: 1
Joined: 16 years ago
Location: Varna Bulgaria eastern Europe

RD 28 problems

#10

Post by mapopapo »

RD 28 engine is a very good one until uou change the timing belt.Refer to owners manual and DOUBLE check the correct timing to the fuel pump and camshaft rotate cranckshaft by hand{tool} to be shure the timing`s right at least one full rev .As the pulley`s very strong that is why problems in the timing leads to overheating I`ve done several changes of timing belts on Nissan ''Patrol'' No engine problems at all ! :wink:
cone
Posts: 2
Joined: 16 years ago
Location: Chile, South America
Contact:

Re: What goes wrong with RD28 engines?

#11

Post by cone »

danielfarley wrote:Hey im looking at buying a Nissan laurel with a rd28 in it, how reliable are these motors? What tends to go wrong with them? would i be better to get a older car with the ld28 in it instead?? Also anyone had running SVO in them, how you find it??

Daniel
Dear Daniel,

I mounted a Nissan RD28 from 1996 in my Mercedes 300E. This engine comes on the Nissan Laurel.

It is wonderful engine, very reliable. It is working fine, with an automatic transmission. I think the engine will last more than myself.

It is smooth, good sound, very little vibration and noise. Yield in the city is about 9km/l depending on driving conditions. On the road at 110 km/h sustained, it yields 14km/lt, in overdrive.

Good luck!
I love Nissan RD28 diesel engine, want to share informations, experiences.
manya
Posts: 5
Joined: 11 years ago
Location: United States

#12

Post by manya »

Great help from all,.
Thanks all for such a useful tips and ideas shared,.I appreciate all please help each others more here in this board,.

Brisbane Metal Recyclers
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