Brag about your car's miles!

[Jiro]

More like a blown head gasket.

How would off-roading improperly cause coolant to be in the combustion chamber?

either improper towing or 4x4'ing such as engaging 4x4 at high speed, gunning it to get over an obstacle, etc.

it's Xterra.... you can imagine all kinds of abusive stuff you can do with it.

 

[diehardbiker]

Yup, same with my F-250 diesel they are picky with which oil. Im sticking with the one that Ford recommends. I aint playing with this thingy. Not worth ruin $10,000 dollars engine.

Yes, VW is very picky for oil. That's why I keeps double check on bottle of oil and make sure VW-approved oil.

 

[Glenn]

either improper towing or 4x4'ing such as engaging 4x4 at high speed, gunning it to get over an obstacle, etc.

it's Xterra.... you can imagine all kinds of abusive stuff you can do with it.

Improper towing? Too vague. Do you mean towing too much weight? How would that get coolant in the combustion chamber? Maybe, if the head gasket became blown due to overheating.

Engaging 4wd at too high a speed? How would that get coolant in the combustion chamber?

Gunning it to get over an obstacle? How would that get coolant in the combustion chamber?

 

[Jiro]

Improper towing? Too vague. Do you mean towing too much weight? How would that get coolant in the combustion chamber? Maybe, if the head gasket became blown due to overheating.

if you tow frequently, you need to change oil frequently or you'll risk overheating.

Engaging 4wd at too high a speed? How would that get coolant in the combustion chamber?

overheating

Gunning it to get over an obstacle? How would that get coolant in the combustion chamber?

overheating

According to his post - Xterra has 200k on it. and it hydrolocked too. Obviously.... some parts and seals most likely have worn off from offroading abuse since it's an Xterra. It would be nice to know what was the driver doing when it seized up.

 

[diehardbiker]

It is possible, just think about this, the internal combustion have very high pressure, the more towing the more pressure in the cylinder which results pressure on cylinder head, and it can push outward, towing too much can make it crack open, let coolant creep in the cylinder. Don't you realize that there is coolant around the cylinders to keep it cool. It makes sense to me logically.

Improper towing? Too vague. Do you mean towing too much weight? How would that get coolant in the combustion chamber? Maybe, if the head gasket became blown due to overheating.

Engaging 4wd at too high a speed? How would that get coolant in the combustion chamber?

Gunning it to get over an obstacle? How would that get coolant in the combustion chamber?

 

[sequoias]

Improper towing? Too vague. Do you mean towing too much weight? How would that get coolant in the combustion chamber? Maybe, if the head gasket became blown due to overheating.

Engaging 4wd at too high a speed? How would that get coolant in the combustion chamber?

Gunning it to get over an obstacle? How would that get coolant in the combustion chamber?

The best answer I could give you is one of the worrisome things to focus is the automatic transmission. You want a good transmission cooler for towing heavy loads often. Transmission can overhead with towing heavy loads and plus engine oil and transmission oil changes invertals have to be more often than normal.

 

[Glenn]

Well, I have owned a 4wd for over ten years and driven them longer. I have engaged 4wd at 70 mph. This doesn't cause overheating of the engine. How could it? All the driveline parts are spinning at the same speed; all I am doing is engaging a gear. It doesn't relate to the engine.

You can gun any car or truck...it doesn't normally cause overheating.

 

[Glenn]

The best answer I could give you is one of the worrisome things to focus is the automatic transmission. You want a good transmission cooler for towing heavy loads often. Transmission can overhead with towing heavy loads and plus engine oil and transmission oil changes invertals have to be more often than normal.

the Xterra in question had a manual transmission.

 

[Jiro]

Well, I have owned a 4wd for over ten years and driven them longer. I have engaged 4wd at 70 mph. This doesn't cause overheating of the engine. How could it? All the driveline parts are spinning at the same speed; all I am doing is engaging a gear. It doesn't relate to the engine.

You can gun any car or truck...it doesn't normally cause overheating.

AWD and 4x4 are different. in Xterra - you're not really supposed to drive 4x4 on road at 70mph or you'll risk overheating and more.

Gunning truck on offroad especially with high mileage? yep you'll overheat.

and spinning n' spinning while you're stuck or gunning it uphill and your truck's moving slowly. yep you'll overheat.

 

[Glenn]

AWD and 4x4 are different. in Xterra - you're not really supposed to drive 4x4 on road at 70mph or you'll risk overheating and more.

Gunning truck on offroad especially with high mileage? yep you'll overheat.

and spinning n' spinning while you're stuck or gunning it uphill and your truck's moving slowly. yep you'll overheat.

Who said anything about AWD? Not me. I said 4wd--same as 4x4.

High mileage doesn't relate to overheating and offroading. More relevant is regular maintenance of the cooling system.

Same with gunning an engine.

If the engine's power wasn't up the job, the owner should have used low range. Are you familiar with that? No need for gunning over obstacles. On my truck low range more than halves the high range speed.

 

[Jiro]

Who said anything about AWD? Not me. I said 4wd--same as 4x4.

High mileage doesn't relate to overheating and offroading. More relevant is regular maintenance of the cooling system.

high mileage does play a factor when it comes to offroading or heavy duty stuff because some parts will be worn off.

Same with gunning an engine.

If the engine's power wasn't up the job, the owner should have used low range. Are you familiar with that? No need for gunning over obstacles. On my truck low range more than halves the high range speed.

that's you but him? Probably didn't know any better. But it is possible when gunning it with low range for extended period of time especially uphill (maybe muddy)... you'll overheat it. Or if he did this many times... Xterra is bound to reach its breaking point.

who knows how he drives it and how he maintains it.

 

[Glenn]

...
who knows how he drives it and how he maintains it.

We can agree on this part 100%. Otherwise, it's all speculation.

 

[diehardbiker]

This is not true anymore after 1995, can go 4x4 on 70MPH as long as the pavement is not dry. But of course never over 30MPH with 4x4 low otherwise it will overheat.

you're not really supposed to drive 4x4 on road at 70mph or you'll risk overheating and more.

 

[Jiro]

This is not true anymore after 1995, can go 4x4 on 70MPH as long as the pavement is not dry. But of course never over 30MPH with 4x4 low otherwise it will overheat.

if pavement is not dry and you're 4x4'ing at over 70mph... you've gotta be stupid.

 

[Jiro]

my Nissan Xterra's owner manual

The 4H position provides greater traction. Avoid excessive speed, as it will cause increased fuel consumption and higher oil temperatures, and could damage drivetrain components. Speeds over 62 MPH (100 km/h) in 4H is not recommended

Do not drive on dry hard surface roads in the 4H or 4LO position. Driving on dry hard surfaces in 4H or 4LO may cause unnecessary noise and tire wear. NISSAN recommends driving in the 2WD position under these conditions.

 

[diehardbiker]

My owner manual didn't say that driving over 70MPH on wet pavement is not recommended. It only against recommeding going over 30 MPH with 4x4 LO.
I have drove 4x4 over 70 few times and Im not planning to constantly doing this for one reason. Fuel economy

if pavement is not dry and you're 4x4'ing at over 70mph... you've gotta be stupid.

 

[Jiro]

My owner manual didn't say that driving over 70MPH on wet pavement is not recommended.

because they assume people have common sense to not drive on wet pavement or offroad or whatsoever at over 70mph with 4WD engaged.

It only against recommeding going over 30 MPH with 4x4 LO.
I have drove 4x4 over 70 few times and Im not planning to constantly doing this for one reason. Fuel economy

right but right now - we're talking about Xterra. I'm saying that Xterra can overheat if you do 4H at high speed.

 

[Glenn]

My owner manual didn't say that driving over 70MPH on wet pavement is not recommended. It only against recommeding going over 30 MPH with 4x4 LO.
I have drove 4x4 over 70 few times and Im not planning to constantly doing this for one reason. Fuel economy

This in a Jeep?

 

[Glenn]

because they assume people have common sense to not drive on wet pavement or offroad or whatsoever at over 70mph with 4WD engaged.


right but right now - we're talking about Xterra. I'm saying that Xterra can overheat if you do 4H at high speed.

A manufacturer can never "assume" that people have common sense. There ahve been countless lawsuits to discourage such assumptions.

Can you tell me why an Xterra would overheat if you do 4H at high speed? It's a little more work for the engine, but it shouldn't overheat unless the cooling system is already marginal. I'd say it's more likely to overheat idling on a hot summer day at the stoplight with the AC going full blast than it is to overheat while driving in 4H at any speed.

 

[Jiro]

A manufacturer can never "assume" that people have common sense. There ahve been countless lawsuits to discourage such assumptions.

Can you tell me why an Xterra would overheat if you do 4H at high speed? It's a little more work for the engine, but it shouldn't overheat unless the cooling system is already marginal. I'd say it's more likely to overheat idling on a hot summer day at the stoplight with the AC going full blast than it is to overheat while driving in 4H at any speed.

why? as you said - better safe than sorry regarding lawsuits.