A couple of ford maverick questions

[Mothsiri]

Any experts on the above car?
I need to know a few bits so would be really grateful for answers here
1) As its made by Nissan, does it have a cam belt or chain?
2) Whats their reliability history
3) Will it run on Veg

A friend is offering me his one with 52,000 miles on it, not sure what plate/year L or N but I believe its a safe motor as he has had it for years with little use apart from towing his caravan on very short trips after he bought it 6 odd years ago.  The down side to it is that its a SWB 3 door, and it does not engage easily in 4WD.....that shouldnt be too big of an issue as I dont think I would bother using it much.

Thanks in advance all

[mr mince]

Any experts on the above car?
I need to know a few bits so would be really grateful for answers here
1) As its made by Nissan, does it have a cam belt or chain?
2) Whats their reliability history
3) Will it run on Veg

A friend is offering me his one with 52,000 miles on it, not sure what plate/year L or N but I believe its a safe motor as he has had it for years with little use apart from towing his caravan on very short trips after he bought it 6 odd years ago.  The down side to it is that its a SWB 3 door, and it does not engage easily in 4WD.....that shouldnt be too big of an issue as I dont think I would bother using it much.

Thanks in advance all

Not 100%  sure although in this order

1) Think it's a belt
2) Solid engine, don't know a lot about them though.
3) As long as it's the eary iDi engine, think that was the only diesel engine until they changed to the TDi somewhere around 96/97

Tigger is the man to ask though as one of these was his first trip to the world of the tractor

[Swanny]

I used to have an L plate long wheel base Maverick (diesel). It was terrible on fuel, as the gears are so short!. There is a lot of body roll in the corners too.

[mr mince]

It was terrible on fuel,

I remember Tigger used to say his one had a drinking problem

[Mothsiri]

Body roll yes and sliding in the rear as its high and not wide so theres a high centre of gravity, My mate said it has to be driven a totally way to anything else, he said its very quick in a straight line with that 2.7 engine, but you have to take it easy on bends or corners, thats from his using it in2 wheel drive mode 99% of the time......I wonder how much better it would be if kept in 4 wheel drive?

No cam belt OR chain.......all gear driven, just found this after some internet research, that should be good surely, no belt to change or snap and no cam chain to rattle etc.  First time I have heard of this in an engine........makes me think that some of those small old tractors I drove years ago might have been similar

Should be OK on SVO if it has a Bosch pump but more research to do here......hopefully someone here has had a Maverick/Terrano and used veg.......

[mad001]

i owned a nissan terrano and as far as i can rememmber it has a timing chain not belt also if you keep a couple of bags of sand in the boot will hold better on the roadhave a haynes manual somewhere if you want it overall crakin wagon would buy one anyday am looking at the mo but cant get one to suit my budget

[Kernowman]

Here's a post on the same question from another site..


POST..
Hello all
I
was thinking of buying a Ford Maverick or Nissan Terrano for use with vegetable oil. I was my intention of using a blend, maybe WVO 85%, 10% diesel and 5% petrol, in the standard tank with a coolant heated filter. I know the TD, i.e. non direct is the way to go, so an early one would be best. Does anyone have any experience with vegetable oil and this engine? If the above is not suitable could someone recommend a 4x4 that is good on a blend, preferably a high blend, summer and winter.
REPLY....
Yep. We do!

1997 2.7tdi currently on 40-50% SVO and 50-60% dino at the moment. Dropped to 30% SVO during the Winter. No pre-heat and runs very sweet, so far covered around 8k miles without any problems.

Before using a blend we fitted a new filter and after 5k swapped for another. Old filter cut open and no sign of any crud at all. Total vehicle milage is 148k.


Full thread here..

[mr mince]

I'd be wary of veg in the TDi as it can cause piston ring gumming in direct injection engines.

When I sold my Polo on it had more oil in the sump than it had when I bought it (after only 9000 miles) a sure sign that something wasn't right. That said somebody had 30000 miles vegging on a Di transit.

[Kernowman]

For a TDi you'd need to run a 2 tank system.. provided the pump will handle the veg.

[mr mince]

For a TDi you'd need to run a 2 tank system.. provided the pump will handle the veg.

Maverick is always a veg friendly pump from what I can tell, that post you found is from a bloke whose still around on the veg forum and still vegging his TDi single tank, he's using lower ratio of veg than we do and has a heat exchanger fitted but still rather him than me

[Mothsiri]

Here's a post on the same question from another site..


POST..
Hello all
I
was thinking of buying a Ford Maverick or Nissan Terrano for use with vegetable oil. I was my intention of using a blend, maybe WVO 85%, 10% diesel and 5% petrol, in the standard tank with a coolant heated filter. I know the TD, i.e. non direct is the way to go, so an early one would be best. Does anyone have any experience with vegetable oil and this engine? If the above is not suitable could someone recommend a 4x4 that is good on a blend, preferably a high blend, summer and winter.
REPLY....
Yep. We do!

1997 2.7tdi currently on 40-50% SVO and 50-60% dino at the moment. Dropped to 30% SVO during the Winter. No pre-heat and runs very sweet, so far covered around 8k miles without any problems.

Before using a blend we fitted a new filter and after 5k swapped for another. Old filter cut open and no sign of any crud at all. Total vehicle milage is 148k.


Full thread here..

Nice find Paul, All I have heard up until now was that the pre TD engines were better for use on veg, but that was one comment only, I'm not sure what engine other than 2.7 is in the one I've been offered and still got lots of time as it wont be available until april.  Still need to find out what the name of the pre TD engine was called as I'v forgotton DOH
Will post when I find out.

[Mothsiri]

Here is a site with information about cars using Veg sucessfully
Some surprising entries there!

http://www.vegetableoildiesel.co.uk/fuelsdatabase/database/index.php

[mjltigger]

my maverick had a drink problem it also had diff issues which caused it to struggle to slip into 4wd and in the end would have killed it had i not sold it on to an enthusiast.

yes it's geaqr driven top to bottom so no chain or belt and the engine is lovely.. they are tough to drive.. very agricultural but quite satisfying.. don't expect any great speed though..

[Kernowman]

As a guide...  pre HDi common rail engine.. in otherwords.. basic diesels should run on veg ok.. but those with lucas pumps seem to suffer more pump problems.. bosch pumps seem to handle the slightly thicker fuel ok.

You can use veg in a HDi engine, but you'l generally need to fit a 2 tank system... where you fire up on diesel which warms the veg in the tank.. once up to normal running temperature it switches over to veg.
When you turn the engine off it runs on for 20-30 seconds as it draws diesel back into the pump ready to fire up again.

 

If anyone can elaborate more, please do so.

[Mothsiri]

my maverick had a drink problem it also had diff issues which caused it to struggle to slip into 4wd and in the end would have killed it had i not sold it on to an enthusiast.

yes it's geaqr driven top to bottom so no chain or belt and the engine is lovely.. they are tough to drive.. very agricultural but quite satisfying.. don't expect any great speed though..

Aparently the one I've been offered wont go into 4WD without reversing several hundred feet, but should this matter in my case I wonder as it wont be in the conditions which need 4WD other than snow/ice.  Would it be ok kept in 2WD?

[Kernowman]

If you can lock it in 2 w/d then it should be fine...  only a test drive will show up any problems.

[Mothsiri]

My mate runs it only in 2WD as a result of this problem, might well be a diff problem as mjl indicated earlier, could always change the diff in the future I suppose.
Dont know about locking it in 2WD, would this be something to be done underneath?

[Kernowman]

No.. you should have 2 gearsticks.. one for gearbox and other for 2 or 4wd   ... just leave it 2wd.
Some 4wd motors have locking hubs to engage awd... but I don't think the Maverick does.

Issue could be worn front diff or transfer box...  but as long as it drives in 2wd you have a drivable motor.. 

[Mothsiri]

As far as I can remember its got 2 gearlevers and my mate said he keeps it in 2WD anyway, I'm sure this confirms this.....

If I go for the deal I will look into it sometime anyway, only other issue is that its a 3 door SWB! could be a squeeze getting 6 in it! but should still be bigger than Ruby

[mjltigger]

take it for a drive and see how it handles on lock.. not difnitive but mine sounded like a bag of spanners on full lock .. all part of the same diff issue apparently.. thing is with any system like this if it is never used it can seize up so it may be that simple.. bit of oil and a hammer in the right place to free the transfer gearbox and you are back in good shape.. I wouldn't buy a 4x4 that wont go into 4x4 unlesss I knew more though as it is potentially a major problem.. of course if the price is low enough then go for it and take the risk..

[Kernowman]

Are we all talking about one of these..?

[Mothsiri]

Yes, and it looks just like that one too

[Mothsiri]

finally got a good look at my mates Maverick yesterday, its an N reg, 96, definetly the cleanest one around inside and out, nice green, color coded bumpers, brilliant tyres with white writing.  Very clean everywhere including under the bonnet.
If I didnt need an Esti or couldnt pull of the recent purchase of my new one, I'd definetly have this Maverick.
Will try to get pictures later before he sells it in April.

[Mothsiri]

My mate has chuucked some veg in the Maverick, running at about a third now.  I think if he gets used to running it on the cheap he wont want to sell it and now that I've got my Esti I wont want it.  But one thing for sure its by far the best and best looking one around, its an N reg, chrome bars on the side, half chrome spare wheel cover. Original wheels look fantastic too.
After testing on the one third veg, I think he will up the percentage too.  Waiting for his feedback.....