Evening all.

I have just joined the Outlander brigade with a near new 2013 ZJ " poverty pack" LS spec diesel 4WD with 7 seats. I went for the LS in preference to the Aspire models which have more smarts, but 18" low profile tyres, which I didn't particularly like, both for replacement cost and harshness. I won't be doing any serious dirt bashing, but I'm sure the 16" 70 aspect ratio tyres of the LS will be more suited to occasional dirt roads. The LS still has way more smart features than my BF Futura ever had- and almost as much torque.

I have downsized from the BF Falcon sedan, wanting something a little smaller that will pull my 1850KG caravan with 160KG towball weight, without dragging the vehicle's rear end all the time. There are almost no SUV's that will meet those specs, except for the manual diesel X-Trail, and the auto diesel ZJ Outlander. Even bigger Sorento & Santa Fe won't meet that spec. The X-Trail payload capacity has to be derated according to increase in towball weight, whereas the Outie has no such limitation. I haven't got a towbar yet (none in the country) to try it on the van, but I am hopeful that the Outie will do the job. If not, I may need to downsize a little on the van.

At 60+ I'm no rev head, but after only 2 days of driving,I am blown away by the refinement of the vehicle in terms of performance, economy, ride, and comfort.

There doesn't seem to be any ZJ discussion on these forums yet, so if not, I hope more ZJ owners will join me.

This is my first diesel vehicle, and I'm looking for a recommendation for engine oil, as I plan to do the oil & filter changes myself. The Mits specs say- "SAE 5W-30 ACEA Classification: "For service C1,C2,C3 OR C4. Jaso classification "For service DL-1" From online saerching, retailers, I can't see too many oils that match that spec. If anyone can recommend a good qual and competitively priced oil that meets those specs I'd be pleased to hear about it.

The LS has the "poverty pack" multimedia display. It has factory reversing camera, and I am hoping to connect a van rear camera for seeing what's behind my van on the road. I doubt that the MM display has an unused video input, so I'll have to switch between the tailgate and van cameras, then work out a way of enabling the display when the auto is not in reverse. Once again, if anyone can tell me how to get the MM display out safely, and which wire I'll need to connect to for camera activation, I'd be grateful. If I can just get the display out of the console without damaging it, I can probably nut out the activation wire from the gearbox reverse switch.

 

never mind getting it out. Find a kvm switch.
Drag the wire from your van camera to somewhere near the wire from the existing. Fit the kvm there.

It either triggers off the gearbox or the computer: tricky **** to hack, unknown what else youll mess up collaterally. But there should be a way.

Over here its illegal to have anything on screen while driving, dnt knw if you care or what the statute is over there...

 

Hi Akzle
Yeah, that was the plan - put a small switch or relay down the back to toggle between cams, to save running a new vid lead.

"It either triggers off the gearbox or the computer: tricky **** to hack, unknown what else youll mess up collaterally. But there should be a way."

That's why I was contemplating pulling out the MM display, so that i could probe the control inputs and see which one toggles when you select reverse. With a diode to isolate the existing feed from a new control switch, hopefully it would avoid any collateral issues.

" Over here its illegal to have anything on screen while driving, dnt knw if you care or what the statute is over there..."

Yup, illegal here, but safer to watch it on a decent console screen rather than a tinpot little screen screwed to the dash elsewhere. With a discrete little switch somewhere to override the reverse switch activation, hopefully nobody will ever know! Don't want to let the law get in the way of common sense. The only alternative is to always travel in reverse.

 

well, sounds like you're onto it.
i'd try looking around the gear selector stick first before trying to take a dash off, if there's a wire that looks like it's grounded (these things are usually negative trigger) when in reverse, unplug it, turn the car "on" and then ground it by hand, if your camera comes up, that's the wire to splice a switch into.
HOWEVER, the console might get ****ty as it may have another trigger for when vehicle is in drive or park (ie, wont let you watch DVD while driving, kind of thing)
ALSO, you may be able to find a wiring color code for mitsi which means you could pick the wire from the footwell rather than behind the dash..
ALSO, if you have a test light with a wire-stabbing probe, you could find the bundle and test there, hopefully without removing the dash.

so you're hoping to use the existing wire from the reverse camera to carry the van signal, just run new wire the length of the van and tow hitch, yeah? i s'pose when the van's on you'd want that camera for reversing anyway, so switching at the hitch/rear isn't much of an issue.

as i said, good idea dude, let us know how it goes on.