Nissan VG30E
The main problem is the bending of the valves due to the breaking of the crankshaft shank.
Nissan Navara/Frontier engines
The Nissan Navara / Frontier is a Japanese pickup vehicle manufactured since 1997 by Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. In North America, the car is sold under the name Nissan Frontier, in Mexico – Nissan NP300, and in Chile – Nissan Terrano . Since 2014, the 3rd generation of the model has been produced. The car was named after the area / kingdom of Navarra in northern Spain. The machine is manufactured in the USA, China, Spain, Thailand, Mexico and other countries. On the basis of Navara, they produce a lot of special equipment and even mobile homes.
The Nissan Navara/Frontier was offered with 15 engines between 1985 and 2021 (8 petrol, 7 diesel). Displacement ranges from 2.0 to 4.0 liters, power output from 75 to 265 hp. 8 use a timing chain and 3 a timing belt. 4 are turbocharged. The longest rated lifespan belongs to the Nissan VQ40DE (about 500,000 km).
Nissan Navara/Frontier engines by generation
| Engine | Years | Volume | Power | Fuel | Timing | Oil | Lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nissan Navara 1 (D21) 1985–1997 | |||||||
| Nissan VG30i | 1985–1989 | 3.0 L V6 | 130–140 hp | petrol | belt | 3.9 L | ~380,000 km |
| Nissan TD23 | 1985–1992 | 2.3 L R4 | 75 hp | diesel | gears | 6.2 L | ~440,000 km |
| Nissan TD25 | 1985–1997 | 2.5 L R4 | 75–80 hp | diesel | gears | 6.5 L | ~450,000 km |
| Nissan TD27 | 1985–1997 | 2.7 L R4 | 80–125 hp | diesel, NA / turbo | gears | 5.9–7.2 L | ~400,000 km |
| Nissan KA24E | 1990–1997 | 2.4 L R4 | 115–140 hp | petrol | chain | 4.3 L | ~375,000 km |
| Nissan VG30E | 1990–1997 | 3.0 L V6 | 150–180 hp | petrol | belt | 3.9 L | ~390,000 km |
| Nissan Navara 2 (D22) 1997–2008 | |||||||
| Nissan KA24DE | 1997–2008 | 2.4 L R4 | 140–155 hp | petrol | chain | 4.1 L | ~350,000 km |
| Nissan VG33E | 1997–2004 | 3.3 L V6 | 170–180 hp | petrol | belt | 3.7 L | ~300,000 km |
| Nissan QD32 | 1997–2002 | 3.2 L R4 | 100–110 hp | diesel | gears | 6.6 L | ~450,000 km |
| Nissan YD25 | 1998–2004 | 2.5 L R4 | 150 hp | diesel, turbo | chain | 7.6 L | ~300,000 km |
| Nissan ZD30 | 1999–2004 | 3.0 L R4 | 105–170 hp | diesel, NA / turbo | chain | 6.3–6.9 L | ~250,000 km |
| Nissan KA20DE | 1999–2004 | 2.0 L R4 | 120 hp | petrol | chain | 4.1 L | ~340,000 km |
| Nissan Frontier 2 (D40) 2004–2021 | |||||||
| Nissan QR25DE | 2004–2021 | 2.5 L R4 | 152 hp | petrol | chain | 5.1 L | ~300,000 km |
| Nissan VQ40DE | 2004–2021 | 4.0 L V6 | 265 hp | petrol | chain | 5.1 L | ~500,000 km |
| Nissan Navara 2 (D40) 2010–2015 | |||||||
| Renault V9X | 2010–2015 | 3.0 L V6 | 230–240 hp | diesel, turbo | chain | 8.3 L | ~250,000 km |
Nissan Navara/Frontier engine FAQ
What engines were used in the Nissan Navara/Frontier?
Nissan Navara 1 (D21) (1985–1997): Nissan VG30i, Nissan TD23, Nissan TD25, Nissan TD27, Nissan KA24E and Nissan VG30E; Nissan Navara 2 (D22) (1997–2008): Nissan KA24DE, Nissan VG33E, Nissan QD32, Nissan YD25, Nissan ZD30 and Nissan KA20DE; Nissan Frontier 2 (D40) (2004–2021): Nissan QR25DE and Nissan VQ40DE; Nissan Navara 2 (D40) (2010–2015): Renault V9X.
Which Nissan Navara/Frontier engine is the most durable?
By rated service life the most durable Nissan Navara/Frontier engines are: Nissan VQ40DE — about 500,000 km; Nissan QD32 — about 450,000 km; Nissan TD25 — about 450,000 km. Actual lifespan depends heavily on maintenance and oil change intervals.
How much oil does the Nissan Navara/Frontier engine take?
Engine oil capacity with filter: Nissan KA20DE — 4.1 L (5W-30); Nissan KA24DE — 4.1 L (5W-30 / 5W-40 / 10W-30 / 10W-40); Nissan KA24E — 4.3 L (5W-30); Nissan QD32 — 6.6 L (10W-30); Nissan QR25DE — 5.1 L (5W-30, 5W-40); Nissan TD23 — 6.2 L (10W-30); Nissan TD25 — 6.5 L (10W-30); Nissan TD27 — 5.9–7.2 L (10W-30); Nissan VG30E — 3.9 L (5W-30); Nissan VG30i — 3.9 L (5W-30); Nissan VG33E — 3.7 L (5W-30); Nissan VQ40DE — 5.1 L (5W-30 / 5W-40 / 10W-30 / 10W-40); Nissan YD25 — 7.6 L (5W-30); Nissan ZD30 — 6.3–6.9 L (5W-30); Renault V9X — 8.3 L (5W-30, 5W-40).
Does the Nissan Navara/Frontier have a timing belt or chain?
Timing chain: Nissan KA20DE, Nissan KA24DE, Nissan KA24E, Nissan QR25DE, Nissan VQ40DE, Nissan YD25, Nissan ZD30 and Renault V9X; timing belt: Nissan VG30E, Nissan VG30i and Nissan VG33E; gear drive: Nissan QD32, Nissan TD23, Nissan TD25 and Nissan TD27. Belts must be replaced on schedule: on many engines a broken belt bends the valves.
Was the Nissan Navara/Frontier available with a diesel engine?
Yes: Nissan QD32, Nissan TD23, Nissan TD25, Nissan TD27, Nissan YD25, Nissan ZD30 and Renault V9X.
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 VG30i
The main failure is breaking off the crankshaft shank and bending the valves.
Nissan KA24E
Most often, owners complain about very high fuel consumption or oil consumption.
Nissan QD32
The motor is very reliable, but the noise and vibration from the timing gear drive is annoying.
Nissan VG33E
Due to the breaking off of the crankshaft shank, it may well bend the valves in the motor.
Nissan KA20DE
This gasoline engine is very reliable, and its resource exceeds 300,000 km.
Nissan QR25DE
Until 2004, motors were equipped with not very durable catalysts, which quickly collapsed, and their crumbs were sucked into the combustion chambers.…
Nissan VQ40DE
Nissan owners with such a unit often complain about fuel consumption, and not about breakdowns, but it still has one weak point.…
Renault V9X
Due to the very narrow crankshaft journals, the diesel engine is extremely sensitive to lubrication pressure and, with any drop in the…
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