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Nissan
Navara
D21·
1986-1997
ute
Value
Price (AUD)
$3k-$12k
Body styles
Single cab, King Cab (extended cab), Dual cab (4-door)
Drivetrain
Rear-wheel drive (4x2), Part-time 4WD (dual-range)
Origin
Japan
Built in
Japan
Overview
The D21 was the first ute to wear the Navara name in Australia, replacing the Datsun 720 and running from 1986 to 1997 in single-cab, King Cab and dual-cab forms, both 4x2 and part-time dual-range 4x4. It is an old-school, leaf-rear, body-on-frame workhorse - simple, cheap to keep and easy to fix - which is exactly why tidy examples still earn their keep on farms and trades. Engine choice defines the car: the gear-timed SD25 and TD27 indirect-injection diesels are the durability heroes (no belt or chain to snap, routinely 400,000km+), the TD27T turbo adds welcome torque, while the petrols span the carby/EFI Z24, the EFI KA24E four (whose plastic timing-chain guides are the known weak point) and the smooth VG30E 3.0 V6. Everything is now old, so condition, rust and service history matter far more than badge - but a well-kept diesel D21 is among the toughest cheap utes you can buy.
Engines & variants
2.5L SD25 diesel
Engine
2.5L OHV indirect-injection naturally aspirated diesel I4
Config
I4 diesel (NA)
Displacement
2494cc
Power
57kW (approx)
Torque
162Nm (approx)
Drivetrain
RWD (4x2) or part-time 4WD (dual-range)
Economy
9-11 L/100km combined
Tow (braked)
1500kg (approx)
Tow (unbraked)
750kg
Transmission
5MT
Timing chain / belt / gear
Gear-driven timing (no belt or chain) - very robust
Pros
- Gear-driven timing - nothing to snap, legendary longevity
- Dead-simple mechanical indirect-injection diesel, easy to fix anywhere
- Frugal and undemanding
- Cheap to buy and own
Cons
- Genuinely slow - modest power even by 1980s standards
- Only on the earliest D21s; all are now very high km
- Mechanical injection gets smoky and hard-starting when tired
- Superseded by the larger 2.7 from 1988
Known problems
medium
Injection pump and injector wear
The mechanical injector pump and injectors wear at high km, causing hard starting, white/black smoke and lost power.
Fix: Diesel-specialist pump and injector rebuild. Many have already had this done - ask for records.
high
Overheating / head cracking if cooling neglected
Like its TD27 sibling the SD25 is tough but cracks heads or blows gaskets if it overheats from a tired radiator, fan clutch or low coolant.
Fix: Keep the cooling system fresh - radiator, fan clutch, thermostat and coolant; pressure test pre-purchase.
low
Age-related wear
These are 35+ year-old vehicles - perished hoses, weeping seals, worn bushes, tired clutch and electrics are the norm.
Fix: Budget a consumables refresh on purchase.
2.7L TD27 / TD27T diesel
Engine
2.7L OHV indirect-injection diesel I4 - naturally aspirated, with a factory turbo (TD27T) on some models
Config
I4 diesel (NA or turbo)
Displacement
2663cc
Power
63kW NA (approx) / 82kW turbo (approx)
Torque
173Nm NA (approx) / up to ~235-255Nm turbo
Drivetrain
RWD (4x2) or part-time 4WD (dual-range)
Economy
9-12 L/100km combined
Tow (braked)
2000kg (approx)
Tow (unbraked)
750kg
Transmission
5MT, 4AT
Timing chain / belt / gear
Gear-driven timing (no belt or chain) - very robust
Pros
- Gear-driven timing - famously durable, often outlasts the body
- Indirect-injection simplicity, repairable anywhere
- Turbo (TD27T) adds useful low-end torque for towing/loads
- Strong following and parts/engine availability in Australia
Cons
- NA version is slow, especially loaded or in the 4WD
- Prone to head cracking if overheated
- Glow-plug and injection-pump wear with age
- Turbo can be damaged by hot shutdowns
Known problems
high
Head cracking / gasket failure after overheating
The TD27 is very reliable but is known to crack its head or blow the head gasket if it overheats - a tired radiator, fan clutch or hard-worked turbo is the usual cause.
Fix: Maintain cooling system rigorously; pressure-test and check for combustion gases in coolant pre-purchase. Upgraded radiator on turbo examples.
medium
Injection pump / injector and glow-plug wear
Mechanical injection components and glow plugs wear with age, giving hard cold starts, smoke and lost power.
Fix: Glow-plug replacement; diesel-specialist pump and injector service as needed.
medium
Turbo wear / hot-shutdown damage (TD27T)
The factory turbo on TD27T models wears or fails early if regularly shut down hot without an idle-down.
Fix: Replace/recondition turbo; let the engine idle before shutdown, consider a turbo timer.
2.4L Z24 / Z24i petrol
Engine
2.4L SOHC petrol I4 - carburettor (Z24) then throttle-body EFI (Z24i)
Config
I4 NA
Displacement
2389cc
Power
approx 79kW (Z24i)
Torque
approx 177Nm
Drivetrain
RWD (4x2) or part-time 4WD (dual-range)
Economy
11-14 L/100km real world
Tow (braked)
1500kg (approx)
Tow (unbraked)
750kg
Transmission
5MT, 4AT
Timing chain / belt / gear
Chain-driven
Pros
- Simple, tough non-interference petrol four, easy to repair
- Cheap to buy - the entry point to a D21
- Plenty of low-tech parts support
- Less complex than the V6
Cons
- Carby (Z24) versions suffer fuel-delivery and stalling gremlins
- Modest power and thirsty for the performance
- Only on the earliest D21s, all now very high km
- Superseded by the better KA24E in 1990
Known problems
medium
Carburettor / fuel-delivery faults and stalling (carby Z24)
Carburettor-equipped Z24s commonly develop rough idle, stalling and hesitation from worn carbys, perished vacuum hoses and incorrect fuel-pump substitutions.
Fix: Carburettor rebuild/tune, replace vacuum lines and the correct mechanical fuel pump; some owners EFI/Weber-convert.
medium
Exhaust manifold studs cracking/snapping
Exhaust manifold studs are prone to heat embrittlement and snapping across 1986.5-1995 D21 engines, causing exhaust leaks and ticking.
Fix: Extract and replace broken studs/manifold gasket; use quality replacement studs.
2.4L KA24E petrol
Engine
2.4L SOHC 12-valve (3 valves/cyl) EFI petrol I4
Config
I4 NA
Displacement
2389cc
Power
approx 100kW
Torque
approx 192Nm
Drivetrain
RWD (4x2) or part-time 4WD (dual-range)
Economy
11-14 L/100km real world
Tow (braked)
1500kg (approx)
Tow (unbraked)
750kg
Transmission
5MT, 4AT
Timing chain / belt / gear
Chain-driven
Pros
- Simple, reliable EFI four - easy to live with and repair
- Better driveability and starting than the carby Z24
- Strong parts support, shared with other Nissans
- Reasonable performance for a light-duty ute
Cons
- Plastic timing-chain guides go brittle and break with age
- Exhaust manifold studs crack like other D21 petrols
- Thirstier than the diesels and lower tow rating
- Timing-chain rattle, if ignored, can wreck the engine
Known problems
high
Timing-chain guide failure / chain rattle
The KA24E's plastic timing-chain guides become brittle and break up with age, debris falls into the sump, the chain slaps the front cover (a 'sawing' noise, worst at cold start) and can eventually jump a tooth and damage the engine.
Fix: Replace the full timing-chain kit (chain, guides, tensioner, sprockets) with quality parts at the first sign of cold-start rattle - don't defer it.
medium
Exhaust manifold studs cracking/snapping
Heat-embrittled exhaust manifold studs snap on 1986.5-1995 D21 engines, causing exhaust leaks and ticking under load.
Fix: Extract and replace the studs and manifold gasket with quality hardware.
low
Age-related drivability (sensors, fuel lines, idle)
Aged sensors, perished fuel/vacuum lines and a dirty idle-air system cause rough idle, stalling and poor cold running on high-km cars.
Fix: Service sensors, replace fuel/vacuum lines, clean throttle body and idle control.
3.0L VG30E V6 petrol
Engine
3.0L SOHC EFI V6
Config
V6 NA
Displacement
2960cc
Power
approx 110-120kW
Torque
approx 235Nm
Drivetrain
RWD (4x2) or part-time 4WD (dual-range)
Economy
13-16 L/100km real world
Tow (braked)
1800kg (approx)
Tow (unbraked)
750kg
Transmission
5MT, 4AT
Timing chain / belt / gear
Belt-driven (replace ~90,000-100,000km)
Pros
- Smooth, torquey and notably more refined than the fours
- Reputation as an amazingly reliable Nissan V6 when maintained
- Best performance of the D21 petrol range
- Plenty of parts support (shared with Pathfinder/300ZX family)
Cons
- Has a timing belt - must be changed on schedule
- Thirstier than the fours and the diesels
- Exhaust manifold studs crack like the rest of the range
- Less torque down low than a turbo diesel for heavy work
Known problems
medium
Timing belt service (interference risk if neglected)
Unlike the gear-timed diesels and chain-timed fours, the VG30E uses a timing belt that must be replaced on schedule; a snapped belt can cause valve damage.
Fix: Replace the timing belt (with tensioner and water pump) on interval; confirm last change before buying.
medium
Exhaust manifold studs cracking/snapping
Heat-embrittled exhaust manifold studs snap on 1986.5-1995 D21 engines, causing exhaust leaks and a tick.
Fix: Stud extraction and replacement with quality hardware and new gaskets.
low
Age-related injector/fuel and sensor wear
Injector wear, aged fuel lines and failing sensors hurt driveability on high-km or long-stored examples.
Fix: Injector clean/test, refresh fuel lines and sensors as needed.
Common problems (all variants)
high
Body and chassis rust
D21s rust in the cab corners, door bottoms, tray/tub, windscreen surround and along the chassis rails - coastal and farm examples can be structurally compromised.
Fix: Thorough underbody and cab inspection pre-purchase; favour dry-climate vehicles. Walk away from chassis-rail rot.
low
Front swivel hub / wheel bearing wear (4WD)
The 4WD live front axle swivel hubs weep grease/oil and front wheel bearings and free-wheeling hubs wear with km and off-road use.
Fix: Swivel reseal and repack; replace wheel bearings and hubs together - a DIY-friendly job.
low
Leaf-spring sag and worn bushes
Rear leaf springs sag and shackle/spring bushes wear after a hard working life, giving a saggy, clunky rear end.
Fix: Re-arch or replace leaf packs and bushes; new shock absorbers.
medium
Tired clutch, gearbox and transfer-case wear
High-km manuals wear clutches, synchros and transfer-case parts; whines, crunches and a slipping clutch are common.
Fix: Clutch replacement; gearbox/transfer-case service or rebuild as required.
low
Electrical gremlins and gauge faults (age)
Aged wiring, earths, switches and dash gauges cause intermittent faults on these old utes.
Fix: Clean/repair earths and connectors; repair or replace faulty switches and gauges.