The Mitsubishi Pajero Owners Club®

[UKShogunMK2]

Hi All,

I am new to the forum. I have a metallic blue 1997 (R) UK SWB manual Shogun 3.0 V6 GLS with flared arches. I bought her from Mitsubishi Bristol in around 2006. As of late it is my only vehicle, and has circa 87k miles. Totally standard. I do around 8k miles per year. Cruise, air con, S, M, H suspension etc.

I have a number of questions. I am a petrol head, have the same looks on her now as I did when I bought her, and she still drives beautifully. The last MOT required around £300 of welding plus some other bits and pieces, and I'm wondering if this is a slippery slope.

The ultimate question is should I keep it? It will be 20 next year. If I keep it as an only vehicle I want to overhaul a number of things. A general discussion is welcome. If I sell her, then the replacement will be a ~2012 Range Rover. I have removed the rear seats my mountain bikes fit in perfectly. I prefer older cars. And I do not have to keep up with the jones'!

Ok, that fairly unstructured rant is over. Here are my key questions that will all add up to the bigger question, of should I keep her!

*2 of the (front) 4 green lights flash when I go up hills or put my foot down. This has happened for a couple of years. Faulty sensor?
*Chassis looks rusty. That engrained type of rust, albeit it is 20 years old. Can it be replaced for a galv one? Or have it completely stripped, acid dipped and repainted to prevent future rust.
*What would it cost to have it completely restored to a high standard?

I have started looking at the jobs peeps do on old Land Rovers, and wondering if I could get another 20 years of loving ownership from her.

Answers on a postcard!

Thanks,
Ian

[Google]

[KEVINBUK]

By virtue of what you say it is obvious you want to keep her and the alternative RR would likely be an expensive one
the biggest issue is the rusty chassis imo. Forget replacing the chassis or galvanising the existing due to the huge work involved. If yours is repairable then do it and spend some money protecting the rest.
age is not important, condition is.
4wd lights are telling you theres a problem bur if you rarely shift between 4 and 2wd then its likely to be just stiffness that might be freed up by exercising the shift. You dont say if the rear green lights come on? Theres plenty of help on here so start listing your problems and see if any showstoppers crop up
keep her

K  

[KEVINBUK]

Read this...

4wd.blogeasy.com/article.view.run?articleID=318776

K  

[KEVINBUK]

Damn phone...

Its a link from these forums

Go to main index

Open Gearbox and transmissions forum

Open Flashing lights fix

Good luck

K  

[peteinchad]

Before you consider any Lawn Rover I suggest you read THIS - you will likely pay a lot of money and then have the usual LR problems.

As Kev says - the rust is the main problem. Either take it to a garage that specialises in welding or get a mobile welder to visit and give it a good inspection and an estimate of the cost.

Forget galvanising. You can get galvanised chassis for LRs but a LR is easy to take apart because the body comes to bits easily - I did a Series 3 LR many years ago in an ordinary garage.

Pajeros / Shoguns are a different challenge - you would have to be able to lift the body off the chassis so would need either a 4 post lift or a biggish forklift. Then you would have to strip everything off the chassis and get it welded if necessary. Then take it to the galvanisers and get them to dip it. Before they dip it ask if they think it will twist in the tank - if it does then you will need another chassis as the heat from the hot dip bath will likely deform it beyond repair.

I researched having it done - I am capable of doing all the work myself but do not have access to any lifting equipment. If you paid a garage to do it then I would assume the labour charges would be very high.

The fix Kev mentioned for the flashing lights is HERE

[UKShogunMK2]

Thanks all. will post a picture when I get a minute.
She passed the last MOT with a small amount of welding, and I see how it goes.
Anyone know anyone in the south wales area that specialize in these vehicles?
Thanks,
Ian

[linchil]

I have just bought my second 3 litre V6, a 1999 one, to replace the 96 model I have destroyed in off-road competitions (because rust made it impractical to keep). I am planning to use the "new" one only for occasional trials, but want to keep it available to fall back on as my only road vehicle in the future perhaps. That's for the same reasons you mentioned - 90s cars are great; they have some good things (cruise control, I love it!), but do without the massive avalanche of computerised rubbish that you cannot escape in modern vehicles. Both of mine don't, for example, have ABS - I have driven nearly 40 years of cadence braking when necessary, and ABS is just one more thing to go wrong. In fact, I just ripped out both front ABS sensors while off-roading my L200 pick-up over stumps and fallen timber.

I'd be interested to hear about your ongoing experiences and plans if you decide to hang on to your vehicle. I agree that the big problem is rust. My "new" one already has plenty of rust patches welded by the previous owner - a very competent welder and body fabricator - but I know I'll have to get busy with my welder on the chassis if I'm going to keep it.

[linchil]

I am wondering if the later, flared arch model will be more resistant to body rust, especially over the rear wheels. I haven't had a chance to take a good look, yet, but the plastic trim on the older model could hide a lot.

[peteinchad]

I had a 1997 SWB flared arch Shogun and the rust was MUCH worse than my present 1995 LWB Pajero.

I have checked inside the doors and rear panels when I had the interior trim off and there is no rust hidden by the plastic arches and door/sill trims.

I think that imported Pajeros are less rusty because they don't use salt in Japan. Shoguns get sprayed with salt off our roads from the very first winter.

My old Shogun even had rust in the scuttle - under the front windscreen rubber.

[linchil]

Ah, well that's interesting.

At this age, individual vehicle history will count most of all, of course, and I'm aware that Jap Pajeros are reckoned not to have encountered salt in Japan.

However, I have also picked up a diesel Pajero recently (grey import), and the recent MOT noted that the chassis was very rusty.

I have also read that the Shoguns imported originally had some under body rust protection, whereas the Japanese vehicles did not get that, and therefore may rust more after they are imported. But, that's just second hand comment...

I live in Scotland, so the odds are not great in any case!

[peteinchad]

I got my present one with a good body and chassis and I treat inside the cavities and underbody with Dinitrol every two years.

Mucky work but worth the effort.

[linchil]

Yes, that does sound like a lot of work. Worth it for a primarily on road vehicle of this age, I'm sure.

But I'll be using mine in off-road trials, which require pressure washing the underside afterwards to remove 3 or 4 inches of mud. Therefore, I don't think a rust-proofing treatment will last at all.

Therefore, I'll probably aim to

1 Cut holes in the chassis to allow the crud to be washed out. I've done this on previous vehicles, welding in angle iron abeam the holes to reinforce the chassis. I have generally found that mud or muck inside the chassis simply stays wet, whereas, if all that can be cleaned out, then the interior of the chassis has the chance to dry out. Particularly if the vehicle is only rarely used.

2 Paint anything I can get to.

[peteinchad]

Yep - you need to remove the mud asap.

Mine doesn't see mud - it is spotless underneath, but it is my main daily driver

[Jutwit]

[UKShogunMK2]

Hi ALL

MOT passed. I've decided to keep her for the medium term.
List of imminent jobs:
1. Stop the rot in the wheel arches and repaint
2. mew clutch (booked for 20th Nov)
3. 2" suspension lift
4. 15x10 33, 12.5 modular wheels and tyres
5. Full service

Been looking, and I have seen nothing that does it for me like the Shogun does. Good times!

for the 2" kit I have bought spacers for the rear off ebay. Can someone advise a link with decent instructions to jack up the front using the torsion bars? With pics preferably...

Ian