Nissan Patrol: RD28T Head Gasket Failure Between Cylinders

The RD28T 2.8L turbocharged diesel fitted to Y60 Patrols suffers head gasket failure concentrated between cylinders 4 and 5 and at the water jacket bridge near cylinder 3. The block is iron but the head is aluminium, and the original multi-layer steel gasket was insufficiently clamped for sustained turbo boost pressures. The condition is worsened by any overheating event or if the head bolts are not re-torqued at the first service interval as specified. Once the gasket lifts, combustion gases pressurise the cooling system, causing coolant overflow and progressive overheating. The RD28T was withdrawn from the NZ/AU market partly due to the frequency of these failures.

• Coolant pushed into overflow reservoir and expelled from the cap under light load
• White exhaust smoke with a sweet smell at operating temperature
• Bubbles visible in the coolant reservoir when engine is revved
• Loss of power on cylinders 4 or 5 confirmed by compression test

1. 1

   Perform a combustion gas test (block test / CO sniffer) on the coolant reservoir — a colour change from blue to yellow confirms exhaust gases are entering the coolant.

2. 2

   Compare compression across all six cylinders; adjacent low readings indicate inter-cylinder gasket breach.

3. 3

   Inspect the coolant for dark discolouration or oily film.

4. 4

   Check if the head bolts were re-torqued at the first 1,000 km service as per the factory schedule — ask for the logbook entry.

Parts involved: Head gasket.

$2,500 to $7,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

• “Has the head gasket been replaced, and was the head resurfaced at the same time?”
• “Were the head bolts re-torqued at the 1,000 km service as specified by Nissan?”

The failure described above is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.