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Top issues
19 known problems · 7 high
high
Cab corner and sill rust
All engines
high
Windscreen surround rust
All engines
high
Chassis rust at rear leaf hangers
All engines
At this odometer
See which of this car's known problems are due at that mileage, which should already have been dealt with, and what's coming up.
Generations
Best and worst years for the Mitsubishi Triton →
Before: Mitsubishi L200 / Triton MA-MD (1979-1985)
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)
Engine code
4D55T
Config
I4 turbo
Displacement
2477cc (unverified)
Power
62kW @ 4200rpm (unverified)
Torque
175Nm @ 2000rpm (unverified)
Drivetrain
RWD / Part-time 4WD
0–100
~18.0s (unverified)
Economy
9.5 L/100km combined (unverified)
Tow (braked)
1500kg (unverified)
Tow (unbraked)
750kg (unverified)
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)
Engine code
Config
I4 turbo
Displacement
2477cc (unverified)
Power
64kW @ 4200rpm (unverified)
Torque
201Nm @ 2000rpm (unverified)
Drivetrain
RWD / Part-time 4WD
0–100
~16.5s (unverified)
Economy
9.2 L/100km combined (unverified)
Tow (braked)
1500kg (unverified)
Tow (unbraked)
750kg (unverified)
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
Engine code
Config
I4 NA
Displacement
2555cc (unverified)
Power
76kW @ 4800rpm (unverified)
Torque
192Nm @ 2400rpm (unverified)
Drivetrain
RWD / Part-time 4WD
0–100
~14.5s (unverified)
Economy
12.0 L/100km combined (unverified)
Tow (braked)
1200kg (unverified)
Tow (unbraked)
750kg (unverified)
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
Engine code
4G64
Config
I4 NA
Displacement
2351cc (unverified)
Power
84kW @ 5000rpm (unverified)
Torque
192Nm @ 3000rpm (unverified)
Drivetrain
RWD / Part-time 4WD
0–100
~13.5s (unverified)
Economy
11.0 L/100km combined (unverified)
Tow (braked)
1500kg (unverified)
Tow (unbraked)
750kg (unverified)
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)
Engine code
Config
V6 NA
Displacement
2972cc (unverified)
Power
109kW @ 5000rpm (unverified)
Torque
234Nm @ 4000rpm (unverified)
Drivetrain
RWD / Part-time 4WD
0–100
~11.5s (unverified)
Economy
14.0 L/100km combined (unverified)
Tow (braked)
1500kg (unverified)
Tow (unbraked)
750kg (unverified)
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.