The design of the most recent Patrol SUV and its Japanese Safari twin was inspired by the Nissan Td42 engine, a 4.2-liter diesel engine that was initially introduced in 1987. This powertrain is still in demand in auto markets with lenient environmental regulations.

Although the Nissan TD42T has been manufactured in Japan since 1993 and is often used in commercial vehicles, the Safari SUV is where it is most well-known. These gadgets are available in the TD42T1, TD42T2, TD42T3, TD42T4, and TD42T5 generations.

The TD series includes the TD23, TD25, TD27, and TD27ETi internal combustion engines.

On what the Td42 engine was mounted:

Nissan Patrol 5 (Y61) from 1997 to the present; Nissan Patrol 4 (Y60) from 1987 to 1998

The Nissan TD42 engine, which was used in the GQ and GU Patrols from the late 1980s until 2007, was sort of the misfit of the TD engine family. but not negatively. The Td42 engine was a six-cylinder engine in a four-cylinder family, but it shared the fundamental TD-family architecture in terms of cylinder spacing and building materials. Of course, Nissan Patrol buyers didn’t care because they rapidly warmed to the engine’s never-say-die dependability and tough design.

The TD42 was not exceptional in that regard, having a 4.2-litre displacement with a cast-iron block and cylinder head. The Td42 engine employed a set of gears to drive the camshaft located in the block instead of a chain or a toothed rubber belt because the engine had overhead valves. Although it was undoubtedly a bit unconventional, the Td42 engine image as being invulnerable was aided by this set-and-forget technique. In reality, the TD42 quickly earned a reputation as an engine that could run for 500,000 kilometers as long as the servicing was kept up. The Td42 engine wouldn’t be introduced until 1990, which is two years later.

The Td42 engine made its debut in the brand-new GQ Patrol in 1988. Because of the color of its rocker-cover, this model was known as the Silvertop and generated 260Nm of torque and 85kW of power. That doesn’t sound like much, and to be honest, it wasn’t, but the Patrol’s ability to cling on, along with the gearing in the transfer case’s lower ratios, gave it enough of punch for off-roading, which was still the main purpose of these kinds of vehicles in 1988.

However, there are two different iterations of that original Td42 engine. Nissan is thought to have updated the engine sometime about 1994, perhaps to make it a little easier to manufacture. The engine was still reliable if left alone at that point, but it wasn’t as accommodating to aftermarket turbocharger kits due to the introduction of thinner, lighter pistons (and maybe new gudgeon pins, the judgement is still out on that) (which had been a popular way of upping the performance). Many owners learned the hard way that the later TD42’s pistons will shatter with excessive boost.

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