Nissan X-Trail - Catalytic converter

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Tue 17 May 2011 10:46
Nissan X-Trail - Catalytic converter - herald

Hi i have a 2003 Nissan xtrail diesel, i am trying to identify which part of the exhaust is the catalytic converter.

I need to change it and need to see if i can remove it myself.

thanks herald

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Tue 17 May 2011 12:19
Nissan X-Trail - Catalytic converter - Ethan Edwards

03 XT Petrol one has two cats. One Manifold Cat (Manicat) and another one under the mid section of the car.

Diesel - not sure but this might help.

http://www.vito03.com/en/exhausts/2912

Looks like your lucky. Only the one and it's a Manifold Cat.

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Tue 17 May 2011 12:48
Nissan X-Trail - Catalytic converter - injection doc

If its blocked you can jet wash it backwards with High pressure washer !

Done loads ! never had to buy a new one yet !

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Tue 17 May 2011 14:14
Nissan X-Trail - Catalytic converter - herald

If its blocked you can jet wash it backwards with High pressure washer !

Done loads ! never had to buy a new one yet !

it is blocked where is it fitted?

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Tue 17 May 2011 15:10
Nissan X-Trail - Catalytic converter - Ethan Edwards

Where is it?

Manifold cat - It's bolted directly to the engine cylinder head/block assembly.

Edited by Ethan Edwards on 17/05/2011 at 15:11

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Wed 18 May 2011 20:10
Nissan X-Trail - Catalytic converter - herald

Hi thanks for the replies sorted cat out but it didn't solve my 'diesel knock' i am now being told i need to change injectors at £280+vat each. I am looking to change car in 2012 what would damage could i do if i leave faulty injectors that are causing a knock between 2000-2500 rpm?

thanks herald

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Wed 18 May 2011 20:26
Nissan X-Trail - Catalytic converter - unthrottled

The oxidation catalyst was never going to cause diesel knock-why did you start with that in the first place? Who is making these sporadic diagnoses? Diesel knock can be caused by a variety of things-mainly injection timing being too far advanced.

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Thu 19 May 2011 09:07
Nissan X-Trail - Catalytic converter - herald

Hi thanks for the reply i had the car diagnosed at a diesel specialist,it has a common rail fuel system, they did a full diagnosis found no fault codes, but thought the cat may be blocked causing back pressure and to do that first as a cheap fix.

I have now done this and spoke to them again and they now want to replace the injectors at £280 +vat each. Still got a 'pinking/knocking' noise between 2000-2500rpm under load and don't really want to start throwing money at it.

thanks herald

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Thu 19 May 2011 10:42
Nissan X-Trail - Catalytic converter - injection doc

Ity may be worth popping to halfords and buying some "commer" diesel injector majic for diesels

Pop a bottle in the tank, if you can remove the fuel filter then with the engine hot fill the filter up with a bottle and restart and add another bottle to the tank. Worth running the tank full to see if it improves. It may or may not work but for less than £10 worth a try. I cured many a diesel issue with that particular make of cleaner.

Continous heavy knock can burn a piston

Is the timing chain sound ? I thought these suffered with timming chains causing a noise around 2200 rpm ! seem to recall it was a slipper that used to defragment.

Sounds like you need to change your diesel specialist !

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Thu 19 May 2011 12:31
Nissan X-Trail - Catalytic converter - unthrottled
Particulate traps can become blocked-but I've not heard of Oxidation catalysts becoming clogged. Poor exhaust scavenging would cause smoking and loss of performance under load but not knocking.
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Thu 19 May 2011 17:58
Nissan X-Trail - Catalytic converter - herald

Thanks again for the replies, i have tried most injector cleaners over the last couple of years but the problem still persists, it had the timing chain mod done in 2003. Think it may be time to sadly get shut

herald

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Thu 19 May 2011 21:20
Nissan X-Trail - Catalytic converter - unthrottled

i have tried most injector cleaners over the last couple of years but the problem still persists

That figures. Injector cleaner is basically snake oil.

It can be hard to distinguish between diesel knock and the clatter of the fuel pump. It's really hard to give an unambiguous diagnosis on a forum. I would try a different 'specialist'. The current one sound like a diagnosis by substitution gang. The problem may well be affordable to fix-and the replacement car might not be fault free either....

Edited by unthrottled on 19/05/2011 at 21:24

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Thu 19 May 2011 21:59
Nissan X-Trail - Catalytic converter - herald

i have tried most injector cleaners over the last couple of years but the problem still persists

That figures. Injector cleaner is basically snake oil.

It can be hard to distinguish between diesel knock and the clatter of the fuel pump. It's really hard to give an unambiguous diagnosis on a forum. I would try a different 'specialist'. The current one sound like a diagnosis by substitution gang. The problem may well be affordable to fix-and the replacement car might not be fault free either....

This is the second 'diesel specialist' we have had the car diagnosed with the first one wanted to change the timing chain at great expense but could not guarantee it would cure the fault, and now the current one who wants to go down the fuel injection route.

Nissan wanted to start with the turbo and take it from there???

I agree it is hard to diagnose without looking at the vehicle, i work as a service engineer and understand its hard to give advise over a forum.

Just a bit of back ground i have had the car 5years and it has done 89k miles, i tow a caravan and the noise started about 18months ago, only when towing and under load(up hill for instance) and it was only very quite. It has got progressively worse it now happens all the time under load even when not towing, and is very noticable inside and outside the car when accelarating through the rev band 2-2500 rpm, and its driving me mad trying to find a diagnosis.

Cheers herald

Edited by herald on 19/05/2011 at 21:59

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Thu 19 May 2011 22:31
Nissan X-Trail - Catalytic converter - unthrottled
Flipping heck, you've been through the wars with this car!

I think anyone who says 'lets start with replacing the turbo' should be dismissed out of hand.

Any other problems? Has it become harder to start when cold (not easy to tell in this weather). Does it smoke at idle or under load? Because if none of those symptoms are present then it would suggest that there isn't much fundamentally wrong with the fuel injection system.

The timing chain isn't a stupid suggestion. They don't tend to snap like belts but they can stretch and that would affect the timing. I still wouldn't replace it without a more definite diagnosis.
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Thu 19 May 2011 22:33
Nissan X-Trail - Catalytic converter - injection doc

Herald, I was involved in testing injector cleaners some years ago complete with independant bodies and rolling roads and actually still have the reports and facts and figures and i can asure you some makes do work whilst those not in the know refer to them as snake oil !

Whilst you had a timing chain replaced and modified I still suspect this is your problem, you say it was replaced in 2003 ! long time ago, its a very common problem with x-trails. If the injectors are leaking x-trails tend to knock and bang on the overun down hill ! sounds like bad erratic tappets !

Extract from x-trail forum "Noisy timing chains at 2000-2500 rpm"

2nd extract,

Our car did develop a lumpy idle around 95,000 miles. Dealers will tell you this is caused by blocked injectors and try to sell you new ones. At around £250 each, plus labour, this is not what you want to hear - especially as they are sods to get out on some higher mileage engines. I did some searching and found on a LR forum that a guy had cured the problem on his by using a £15 fuel conditioner/injector cleaner from Halfords - I tried it & it worked a treat;

My inclination would be to have the chain checked ! as I first mentioned. I can sympathise with you over the expertise of the dealer just saying " try the turbo first " they are run by accountants these days ! but dont have the technical expertise! they are just supported by the name over the door !

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Thu 19 May 2011 23:22
Nissan X-Trail - Catalytic converter - herald
Hi thanks to you both for replies,it has no other running faults,start first time,even when knocking it does not loose power or hesitate, it seems to be using more fuel but this maybe my imagination due to the price at the minute. I will try some quality cleaner directly into the filter as recommend.understand what you are saying about timing chain but it is an expensive job and I am a bit reluctant to spend alot, was going to replace it next year anyway
Herald
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