Which is the right oil for my Trooper?

I recently bought an Isuzu Trooper 3.0D (2002 model) I have been told by my mechanic that it needs special engine oil to avoid breaking down. However, he is not sure which oil to use. Would you know?
Eliphaz

Isuzu Trooper 3.0D engine has more sophisticated engine management electronics than the alternative 3.1D. Its performance and fuel economy are impressive. In equal measure the required maintenance standard is high.

You must only use the fully synthetic engine oil that meets the viscosity index of 5W30. Your Isuzu engine has an oil pressure regulator and sensor which are very sensitive to the wrong type of engine oil and will shut it down when you use the wrong oil.

The recommended 5W30 is clearly marked on the engine oil dipstick. You can use Shell Helix Ultra, which is available at Shell service stations. Helix Ultra is a scientifically formulated fully synthetic engine oil which works in high performance diesel and petrol engines. It has active cleansing detergents which remove dirt and sludge deposits in the engine bores.

The synthetic properties provide long term oxidation stability and maintain the recommended viscosity grade throughout the service schedule. Helix Ultra’s high shear stability reduces oil volatility.

This ensures 37 per cent better and longer lasting engine protection, better cold starts as well as fuel efficiency and overall engine performance. Also ensure that you use genuine Isuzu oil and diesel filters.

I have a friend who is selling his car, Land Rover Freelander (2000 model), 2.5L registered from Congo. He is selling at Shs8m. Taxes are likely to cost Shs6m. I need your advice on precautions to take before acquiring that car and disadvantages of Freelanders compared to Toyota cars. I really want to buy it considering the fact they are from England I presume they are strong cars that can withstand Ugandan roads and also the fact that it is a classy vehicle to own. Is it a manageable vehicle in terms of maintenance and repairs? Is it durable? I see many of them these days. I am an average income earner.

Prossy Mangeni

Before you loosen your purse strings to pay for the Land Rover Freelander first establish that the ownership and Congolese registration are legitimate. Request to see the official importation and transit paperwork as well as carry out due diligence checks with relevant authorities.

The Freelander, if bought in a good running condition is a robust all-terrain vehicle with a full time four-wheel drive system which uses viscous coupling to lock differentials and a combination of anti-lock brakes, traction control and hill descent control to make your off-road experience safe. All the comfort trappings of a modern SUV are available such as air conditioning, power windows and mirrors. It is reasonably comfortable and designed to look elegant.

The Freelander requires a strict maintenance regime using genuine parts and qualified technicians. A lot of the bad stories about this car tend to happen at about 100,000km to the petrol 2.5 litre V6 and the 2.0 litre petrol engines. The cooling system usually requires overhauling and replacing the thermostat housing, water pump, coolant reservoir and hoses. A failure to do so leads to endless engine overheating. The other electrical glitches equally affect other vehicles.

Failure to use correct service fluids and oils on time will lead to transmission and engine failure. I know a few owners of Freelanders who have kept them because of diligent care. New and used parts are expensive and hard to come by.

A few parts outlets for Freelander exist at Nakivubo Green and a couple of independent parts sellers. You can also order the more expensive non-fast moving items from abroad. Armed with those facts, you can now make a wise decision.

My Mercedes Benz C200 Kompressor has been running well until recently when I drove into a deep pothole which damaged one of my rear wheels (alloy rim and tyre). I replaced the damaged wheel with a spare steel wheel borrowed from a friend. Whenever I drive off, the ABS and ESP fault lights display on the dashboard when I reach 30kph and my automatic gearbox stops shifting. We have failed to identify the problem and the gearbox is regularly serviced. Can you advise? Amos.

You need to examine the size of the spare tyre you fitted to the car. There is a possibility that the steel wheel you borrowed has a different size which does not match the three alloy wheels on your Mercedes.

This will disrupt the function of the anti-locking brake system (ABS) and Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) whose primary function relies on monitoring the speed of each wheel and relaying this information to the engine and automatic transmission computers.

In the event that one of the wheels is of a different size, there will be conflicting speed information relayed which subsequently will affect the speedometer reading, automatic transmission and engine operation. Replace the damaged alloy rim with a correct one (same size) and your car should run normally again.

I drive a Volvo S60 but it has had a problem which seems to be getting worse. The dashboard message centre displays fault “reduced engine performance.” When I kick down during acceleration, the car hesitates and goes limp or static without revving up for a little while and does not shift gears.

However, when I accelerate gently it slowly shifts gears until I kick down it falters again. I noticed a strong smell from my exhaust which has become worse over the last few weeks. My mechanics have checked the transmission and engine and cannot find anything wrong. What do you think we should do? Kamya

You need to confirm whether the smell you are experiencing is pungent and ammonia like. If it is, then your engine malfunction is caused by damaged and blocked exhaust catalytic converters. These are honey comb like fixtures made of a ceramic material fitted in your exhaust line.

They are supposed to break down and filter exhaust pollutants in your engine emission for environmental protection. The catalytic converters can get damaged when you use leaded or contaminated unleaded fuel.

The damaged converters will emit ammonia like smell and melt, which blocks the exhaust and may cause the fault you describe. If your mechanic can investigate and confirm CAT damage, you will need to get replacement units from a Volvo parts dealer and use unleaded extra fuel.

Appreciation
Thanks for your answer on D4 engines. I would like to add, from experience, D4 engines are more fuel efficient than EFI. This is a fact. They are also not tolerant to “adulterated” fuel and even leaded fuel. One way to maintain the D4 engines is to avoid bad or leaded fuel. In Uganda, leaded fuel is banned so most fuel stations will have only Unleaded.

From Joseph