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Mitsubishi
Triton
ME / MF / MG / MH / MJ·
1986-1996
ute
Caution
Price (AUD)
$2k-$10k
Body styles
Single Cab, Club Cab, Dual Cab
Drivetrain
RWD, 4WD part-time
Origin
Japan
Built in
Japan
Overview
Long-running Triton generation spanning 1986-1996, internally subdivided ME/MF/MG/MH/MJ by year. Pre-purchase rust inspection is THE critical step on this generation - survivors are prone to severe cab, sill, windscreen surround, and chassis rust, especially on coastal or QLD examples. All AU-delivered diesels are belt-driven interference engines - belt history must be confirmed or assume a $2000+ valve job is on the cards.
Engines & variants
2.5L 4D55T turbo diesel
Engine
2.5L turbo diesel I4 (ME early)
Config
I4 turbo
Displacement
2477cc
Power
62kW @ 4200rpm
Torque
175Nm @ 2000rpm
Drivetrain
RWD / Part-time 4WD
0–100
~18.0s
Economy
9.5 L/100km combined
Tow (braked)
1500kg
Tow (unbraked)
750kg
Transmission
4MT, 5MT
Timing chain / belt / gear
Belt-driven (100,000km / 5-year - MANDATORY)
Pros
- Mechanically sturdy if belt history is good
- Mechanical injection - no electronics
- Cheap to service with basic tools
Cons
- Noisy and very slow by modern standards
- Interference engine - belt failure = bent valves
- Most examples are very high km
Known problems
high
Timing belt snap (interference engine)
Mandatory 100,000km / 5-year belt interval. Skipping it = snapped belt = bent valves = top-end rebuild. The single most critical maintenance item on this engine.
Fix: Strict belt service. If snapped, full top-end rebuild with new valves and complete timing kit.
high
Cylinder head cracking from overheating
Early 4D55Ts are intolerant of cooling system neglect. A single overheat event under load can crack the cylinder head between valves.
Fix: Cylinder head replacement and full cooling system refresh. Sourcing parts can be challenging at this age.
medium
Injection pump leaks
Mechanical Bosch injection pump can develop seal leaks at the shaft over time. Symptoms: fuel weep, hard starts, hesitation.
Fix: Pump reseal or recondition at a diesel specialist.
2.5L 4D56 turbo diesel
Engine
2.5L turbo diesel I4 (mid-life onward)
Config
I4 turbo
Displacement
2477cc
Power
64kW @ 4200rpm
Torque
201Nm @ 2000rpm
Drivetrain
RWD / Part-time 4WD
0–100
~16.5s
Economy
9.2 L/100km combined
Tow (braked)
1500kg
Tow (unbraked)
750kg
Transmission
5MT
Timing chain / belt / gear
Belt-driven (100,000km / 5-year - MANDATORY)
Pros
- Long-lived engine family - good parts support
- Slight torque improvement over 4D55T
- Same engine carries through into MK era
Cons
- Interference engine - belt failure = bent valves
- Heavy blow-by and oil leaks on high-km examples
- Separate balance shaft belt adds risk
Known problems
high
Timing belt snap (interference engine)
100,000km / 5-year belt interval is MANDATORY. Belt failure = bent valves = top-end rebuild. Confirm service history at pre-purchase or budget for the belt job.
Fix: Replace timing belt, balance shaft belt, tensioners, idlers, and water pump as a single job.
high
Balance shaft belt failure
The 4D56 uses a separate small balance shaft belt behind the main timing belt. If it snaps, debris commonly destroys the main timing belt too - same outcome: bent valves. Often overlooked at belt service.
Fix: Replace BOTH belts (timing + balance shaft) at every 100,000km service. Cheap insurance.
medium
Heavy crankcase blow-by
High-km 4D56s develop heavy blow-by - oil mist out of the breather, oil consumption, oil leaks at every gasket. Symptom of ring/bore wear.
Fix: Bottom-end rebuild required to properly address. Many owners just keep topping up oil and live with it.
2.6L 4G54 petrol I4
Engine
2.6L Astron petrol I4
Config
I4 NA
Displacement
2555cc
Power
76kW @ 4800rpm
Torque
192Nm @ 2400rpm
Drivetrain
RWD / Part-time 4WD
0–100
~14.5s
Economy
12.0 L/100km combined
Tow (braked)
1200kg
Tow (unbraked)
750kg
Transmission
4MT, 5MT
Timing chain / belt / gear
Belt-driven (100,000km / 5-year)
Pros
- Decent low-down torque for a 4-cyl
- Simple layout - DIY-friendly
- Cheaper than diesel to buy
Cons
- Carburettor models hard to tune
- Thirsty for the output
- Belt-driven - regular service required
Known problems
medium
Timing belt service neglect
100,000km / 5-year belt interval. The 4G54 also has a balance shaft chain that wears - tensioner failure causes heavy rattle.
Fix: Replace timing belt and tensioners. Inspect balance chain at the same time - replace if worn.
low
Carburettor wear and flooding
Early carby setups suffer worn needles and seats, heavy floats, hardened vacuum lines. Symptoms: uneven idle, poor cold start, flooding.
Fix: Rebuild the carby with a kit, or replace. Reset base mixtures after.
low
Jet valve issues
Astron MCA-Jet design uses a small auxiliary jet valve per cylinder. Valves can stick or burn over time, causing rough running.
Fix: Jet valve replacement at major service. Some owners delete and run plugs.
2.4L 4G64 petrol I4
Engine
2.4L twin-balance-shaft Astron derivative
Config
I4 NA
Displacement
2351cc
Power
84kW @ 5000rpm
Torque
192Nm @ 3000rpm
Drivetrain
RWD / Part-time 4WD
0–100
~13.5s
Economy
11.0 L/100km combined
Tow (braked)
1500kg
Tow (unbraked)
750kg
Transmission
5MT
Timing chain / belt / gear
Belt-driven (100,000km / 5-year)
Pros
- Smoother than 4G54 - balance shafts work
- EFI on later MJ - good reliability baseline
- Reasonable economy for the era
Cons
- Belt + balance belt = 2 belt failures possible
- Less low-end grunt than the 2.6L
- Belt service is non-negotiable
Known problems
high
Timing belt service neglect
100,000km / 5-year mandatory. Like the 4D56, the 4G64 has a separate balance shaft belt - both must be done together.
Fix: Replace timing belt, balance shaft belt, tensioners, and water pump at every 100k.
low
Hydraulic lifter tick
Small oil supply channels feeding hydraulic lash adjusters clog, causing top-end ticking. Common on neglected oil change schedules.
Fix: Engine flush and short service intervals can stabilise. Replace lifters if persistent.
3.0L 6G72 V6 petrol
Engine
3.0L Cyclone/Sirius V6 petrol (MJ only)
Config
V6 NA
Displacement
2972cc
Power
109kW @ 5000rpm
Torque
234Nm @ 4000rpm
Drivetrain
RWD / Part-time 4WD
0–100
~11.5s
Economy
14.0 L/100km combined
Tow (braked)
1500kg
Tow (unbraked)
750kg
Transmission
5MT, 4AT
Timing chain / belt / gear
Belt-driven (100,000km / 5-year)
Pros
- Best highway pull of the ME-MJ range
- Smooth V6
- EFI in AU spec - reliable baseline
Cons
- Very thirsty, especially with auto
- Tight engine bay - awkward to service
- Belt-driven interference V6 - costly belt job
Known problems
high
Timing belt snap (interference engine)
6G72 is a strict interference design. Past 100,000km without belt service risks total valvetrain damage on belt failure.
Fix: Heads off, machine, replace valves, full timing kit. Don't skip belt service.
medium
Valve stem seal oil consumption
Rubber valve stem seals dry and crack, allowing oil to pool in cylinders. Symptoms: blue smoke on startup or after long idle.
Fix: Replace stem seals with viton items - heads can usually stay fitted (spring compressor through plug holes).
low
Intake manifold gasket leak
Upper plenum and runner gaskets harden and leak - vacuum leaks cause rough idle and fault codes.
Fix: Replace intake gaskets with updated multi-layer sets.
Common problems (all variants)
high
Cab corner and sill rust
Mud and water collect in lower rear cab corners and outer rocker sills, rotting panels from the inside out. THE major rust hot spot on ME-MJ Tritons. Coastal and QLD examples are usually written off by now.
Fix: Cut out corroded steel and weld in fabricated repair panels. Get a quote before purchase.
high
Windscreen surround rust
Water trapped under the factory rubber windscreen trim starts deep rust channels in the A-pillar tops. Eventually leaks water onto front floors.
Fix: Pull the windscreen, grind back to clean metal, weld in repair sections, paint, reseal with new glass and trim.
high
Chassis rust at rear leaf hangers
Open box-section chassis rails above the rear leaf spring mounts retain dirt and water, causing structural corrosion that compromises load safety.
Fix: Professional chassis cleaning, cut back to clean metal, weld heavy-gauge fishplates. Engineering certification may be needed if structural.
medium
Tray crossmember rust
Factory styleside steel trays have minimal underbody protection, leading to crossmember corrosion that eventually compromises the tray itself.
Fix: Weld new steel box crossmembers under the tray bed, or swap to an aluminium tray with new mounts.
low
Front torsion bar sag
IFS torsion bars fatigue over decades, dropping front ride height and causing bump-stop contact.
Fix: Adjust factory tension bolts to level. Heavy-duty torsion bars from Dobinsons or EFS for repeat loads.
low
Diff pinion seal leaks
Front and rear diff pinion seals harden and leak, slowly losing gear oil. Left unaddressed: bearing damage.
Fix: Unbolt driveshaft flange, pull old seal, press in new seal. DIY-friendly.
medium
Power steering box leaks
Internal seals in the steering gear box fail with age, weeping hydraulic fluid down the sector shaft.
Fix: Reseal kit or fit a reconditioned exchange box.
low
Door lock and window mechanism wear
Manual window regulators and inner door lock latches dry out, leading to stuck windows or doors that won't latch cleanly.
Fix: Door card off, replace or lube regulator rails and lock pivots.