Nissan MR16DDT (DIG-T, 1.0–1.6)

1.6 L · inline-4 · turbocharged · petrol · 2010–present

Also known as: mr16ddt, 1.6 dig-t, juke turbo, dig-t, 1.6 turbo nissan

Nissan's 1.6-litre direct-injected turbo — the DIG-T engine of the Juke, and later of the Sentra, Altima and X-Trail in some markets. A downsized, highly boosted petrol four in the same idiom as the European engines it was built to compete with.

It brings the failure profile that idiom implies, which the naturally aspirated MR20 and HR16 do not have: intake-valve carbon, high-pressure fuel-pump wear, and a turbocharger whose life depends heavily on oil condition. On the Juke in particular these engines are frequently modified, so establishing whether the car is running standard boost and standard software is a fair first question on any knock or over-boost complaint.

The timing chain is the third item at mileage. As always in this range, a CVT sits behind many of them, so separate an engine symptom from a transmission one before committing to a diagnosis.

DIG-T is a badge across three engine sizes and this page answers for the badge — the cars listed below run 1.0, 1.2 and 1.6 litres, the smaller two being three-cylinder HR-series engines rather than MR16s. They share the boosted direct-injection failure profile above and not the block, so a part number follows the code and never the badge.

Cars fitted with this engine

5 generations, across 1 make. From the authored catalogue — an absent car means the catalogue has not reached it, not that the engine was never fitted.

Nissan

Information, not instruction

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