Nissan LD20T
A reliable cast-iron diesel, but it is very afraid of overheating: high temperatures quickly destroy the gaskets.
Nissan Caravan engines
The Nissan Caravan is a Japanese van class vehicle from the manufacturer Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. Manufactured since 1973. Between 1976 and 1997, a slightly modified version of the model called the Nissan Homy was produced. In addition, outside of Japan, the car was sold as the Nissan Urvan and Nissan King Van. Since 2012, the 6th generation of the model has been produced at factories in Japan. NV350 is equipped with a new diesel engine. The car was also produced in the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand.
The Nissan Caravan was offered with 9 engines between 1983 and 2012 (2 petrol, 7 diesel). Displacement ranges from 2.0 to 3.2 liters, power output from 75 to 170 hp. All of them use a timing chain. 4 are turbocharged. The longest rated lifespan belongs to the Nissan QD32 (about 450,000 km).
Nissan Caravan engines by generation
| Engine | Years | Volume | Power | Fuel | Timing | Oil | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nissan Caravan 2 (E23) 1983–1986 | |||||||
| Nissan LD20T | 1983–1986 | 2.0 L R4 | 81 hp | diesel, turbo | chain | 4.7 L | ~300,000 km |
| Nissan Caravan E24 1986–2001 | |||||||
| Nissan TD23 | 1986–1990 | 2.3 L R4 | 75 hp | diesel | gears | 6.2 L | ~440,000 km |
| Nissan TD25 | 1986–2001 | 2.5 L R4 | 75–80 hp | diesel | gears | 6.5 L | ~450,000 km |
| Nissan TD27 | 1986–2001 | 2.7 L R4 | 80–125 hp | diesel, NA / turbo | gears | 5.9–7.2 L | ~400,000 km |
| Nissan TD27ETi | 1995–2001 | 2.7 L R4 | 130 hp | diesel, turbo | gears | 7.2 L | ~350,000 km |
| Nissan QD32 | 1996–2001 | 3.2 L R4 | 100–110 hp | diesel | gears | 6.6 L | ~450,000 km |
| Nissan KA20DE | 1999–2001 | 2.0 L R4 | 120 hp | petrol | chain | 4.1 L | ~340,000 km |
| Nissan Caravan 5 (E25) 2001–2012 | |||||||
| Nissan ZD30 | 2001–2012 | 3.0 L R4 | 105–170 hp | diesel, NA / turbo | chain | 6.3–6.9 L | ~250,000 km |
| Nissan QR20DE | 2007–2012 | 2.0 L R4 | 147 hp | petrol | chain | 3.9 L | ~300,000 km |
Nissan Caravan engine FAQ
What engines were used in the Nissan Caravan?
Nissan Caravan 2 (E23) (1983–1986): Nissan LD20T; Nissan Caravan E24 (1986–2001): Nissan TD23, Nissan TD25, Nissan TD27, Nissan TD27ETi, Nissan QD32 and Nissan KA20DE; Nissan Caravan 5 (E25) (2001–2012): Nissan ZD30 and Nissan QR20DE.
Which Nissan Caravan engine is the most durable?
By rated service life the most durable Nissan Caravan engines are: Nissan QD32 — about 450,000 km; Nissan TD25 — about 450,000 km; Nissan TD23 — about 440,000 km. Actual lifespan depends heavily on maintenance and oil change intervals.
How much oil does the Nissan Caravan engine take?
Engine oil capacity with filter: Nissan KA20DE — 4.1 L (5W-30); Nissan LD20T — 4.7 L (10W-40); Nissan QD32 — 6.6 L (10W-30); Nissan QR20DE — 3.9 L (0W-30 / 5W-20 / 5W-30 / 5W-40 / 10W-30 / 10W-40 / 10W-60 / 15W-40 / 20W-20); Nissan TD23 — 6.2 L (10W-30); Nissan TD25 — 6.5 L (10W-30); Nissan TD27 — 5.9–7.2 L (10W-30); Nissan TD27ETi — 7.2 L (10W-30); Nissan ZD30 — 6.3–6.9 L (5W-30).
Does the Nissan Caravan have a timing belt or chain?
Timing chain: Nissan KA20DE, Nissan LD20T, Nissan QR20DE and Nissan ZD30; gear drive: Nissan QD32, Nissan TD23, Nissan TD25, Nissan TD27 and Nissan TD27ETi.
Was the Nissan Caravan available with a diesel engine?
Yes: Nissan LD20T, Nissan QD32, Nissan TD23, Nissan TD25, Nissan TD27, Nissan TD27ETi and Nissan ZD30.
Engine details
Nissan TD23
The engine is very noisy and prone to vibrations due to the timing gear drive.
Nissan TD25
Due to the fault of the timing gear drive, the power unit is prone to noise and vibration.
Nissan TD27
The engine has a huge resource, but few people like noise and vibration.
Nissan QD32
The motor is very reliable, but the noise and vibration from the timing gear drive is annoying.
Nissan TD27ETi
All the most common breakdowns of this diesel engine are somehow connected with the high pressure fuel pump.
Nissan KA20DE
This gasoline engine is very reliable, and its resource exceeds 300,000 km.
Nissan QR20DE
Until 2004, power units were constantly flooded with candles during cold starts, the catalyst was destroyed from excess fuel, and its crumbs…
Models with the same engines
- Nissan Navara/Frontier 6 shared engines
- Nissan Terrano 3 shared engines
- Nissan Pathfinder 2 shared engines
- Nissan Avenir 1 shared engine
- Nissan Bluebird 1 shared engine
- Nissan Cedric 1 shared engine
- Nissan Elgrand 1 shared engine
- Nissan Patrol 1 shared engine
- Nissan Prairie/Liberty 1 shared engine
- Nissan Primera 1 shared engine