3.0 td questions
Posted: 30 Mar 2018 06:51
Hello almal
I'm asking the question below because I saw a 2006 3td for sale with a recent engine/clutch overhaul.
I read somewhere the pre-2003 3td motor was the one with problems (hand grenade), but even with issues ironed out, the 3 td motor is still a gamble, specially if you're driving it a bit harder. Interesting comments from another forum below...
Some (not all) 3.0L DI or CRD's will go bang no matter what you do - not all (but some) just go bang. I do believe the variable vane turbo on the CRD does cause overboost at highway speeds on light throttle. That causes pistons to get hot and to let go. This is exactly what happened to my 2008 GU.
After the rebuild I added a 3" exhaust and boost and EGT gauges. The EGT gauge will act like the biggest brake pedal you have ever seen. Having the gauge there to look at made me modify my driving quite a lot. No more 4th gear flat out up hills - it just used to get too hot. I tried very hard to keep my EGTs below 600C after that. Before I did that though, I tested my old style of driving and saw temps a lot higher than 600C whihc is no good for your ZD30.
Having the boost gauge also meant that I could keep an eye on the boost spikes. I eventually stopped the spikes by getting a friend to fiddle with the VNT stop screw which changed when the boost comes in (it now came in lower) - don't just fiddle with this screw it needs an ZD30 or turbo expert to get it right. Once I had all that sorted (EGR was already blocked) and a slightly larger PWR intercooler the thing went like a train.
Sadly, like you, I had no faith in the bugger by then and had to get rid of it probably at the point it was going to be most reliable. I just couldn't trust it.
I'm asking the question below because I saw a 2006 3td for sale with a recent engine/clutch overhaul.
I read somewhere the pre-2003 3td motor was the one with problems (hand grenade), but even with issues ironed out, the 3 td motor is still a gamble, specially if you're driving it a bit harder. Interesting comments from another forum below...
Some (not all) 3.0L DI or CRD's will go bang no matter what you do - not all (but some) just go bang. I do believe the variable vane turbo on the CRD does cause overboost at highway speeds on light throttle. That causes pistons to get hot and to let go. This is exactly what happened to my 2008 GU.
After the rebuild I added a 3" exhaust and boost and EGT gauges. The EGT gauge will act like the biggest brake pedal you have ever seen. Having the gauge there to look at made me modify my driving quite a lot. No more 4th gear flat out up hills - it just used to get too hot. I tried very hard to keep my EGTs below 600C after that. Before I did that though, I tested my old style of driving and saw temps a lot higher than 600C whihc is no good for your ZD30.
Having the boost gauge also meant that I could keep an eye on the boost spikes. I eventually stopped the spikes by getting a friend to fiddle with the VNT stop screw which changed when the boost comes in (it now came in lower) - don't just fiddle with this screw it needs an ZD30 or turbo expert to get it right. Once I had all that sorted (EGR was already blocked) and a slightly larger PWR intercooler the thing went like a train.
Sadly, like you, I had no faith in the bugger by then and had to get rid of it probably at the point it was going to be most reliable. I just couldn't trust it.