ZD30DDTi Rocker Cover Removal and Gasket Replacement

Hi all,

Has anyone done a DIY Rocker Cover Removal and Replacement on the ZD30DDTi to replace the gasket due to a leak? Been looking thru the manuals and I cant seem to find the procedure for this engine anywhere, its like there is a revision or supplement missing! Pretty keen to see how easy or hard it will be to do myself before I take it to a mechanic. I know the gaskets are not expensive and from what I have seen, they come with glow plug sleeves too.

Any help or vids links would be much appreciated.

Easy job mate. Just start removing bit and take stage pic with your phone if you think you may get lost is a section. FYI the rocker cover gasket doesn't come with glow plug seals, they are separate, but I would replace these as well while your at it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mudski

Easy job mate. Just start removing bit and take stage pic with your phone if you think you may get lost is a section. FYI the rocker cover gasket doesn't come with glow plug seals, they are separate, but I would replace these as well while your at it.

---

Ta mate. How much has to come off the top of the engine? Intercooler is a no brainer but how much under that is there to take off and do you know the torque settings for cover bolts?

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Trav_1980

Ta mate. How much has to come off the top of the engine? Intercooler is a no brainer but how much under that is there to take off and do you know the torque settings for cover bolts?

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

---

rocker cover is next thing after the intercooler pretty much. I never worried about torque settings for the bolts, I just did them up until tight. Never leaked....

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mudski

rocker cover is next thing after the intercooler pretty much. I never worried about torque settings for the bolts, I just did them up until tight. Never leaked....

---

[emoji106] Champion!

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

pretty easy job. The bus bar needs to come off the glow plugs and a few hoses from memory. Easy job overall.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mudski

pretty easy job. The bus bar needs to come off the glow plugs and a few hoses from memory. Easy job overall.

---

Had a look at another engine (not in the vehicle) the other day and what looks like part of the EGR system sits over top of the rocker cover, does that need to come off or does the rocker cover slide out from under it easy enough?

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Trav_1980

Had a look at another engine (not in the vehicle) the other day and what looks like part of the EGR system sits over top of the rocker cover, does that need to come off or does the rocker cover slide out from under it easy enough?

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

---

For the Patrol the egr is on the side. At the back is the throttle body. You can remove the RC I think without removing the throttle body but the job will be easier with it removed.
Just start pulling bits off mate and wing it as you go. It’s not rocket science. Take pics as you go so if you get stuck in the refit you have a reference.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Trav_1980

Had a look at another engine (not in the vehicle) the other day and what looks like part of the EGR system sits over top of the rocker cover, does that need to come off or does the rocker cover slide out from under it easy enough?

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

---

For the Patrol the egr is on the side. At the back is the throttle body. You can remove the RC I think without removing the throttle body but the job will be easier with it removed.
Just start pulling bits off mate and wing it as you go. It’s not rocket science. Take pics as you go so if you get stuck in the refit you have a reference.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mudski

For the Patrol the egr is on the side. At the back is the throttle body. You can remove the RC I think without removing the throttle body but the job will be easier with it removed.
Just start pulling bits off mate and wing it as you go. It’s not rocket science. Take pics as you go so if you get stuck in the refit you have a reference.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

Cheers for that, havin a crack tomorrow to see what's involved. Gasket turns up Tuesday. Hopefully that's where the leak is

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

Is it the original intercooler? If so check the underside of it for wet oil deposits. The original IC's are well known to leak and if you see oil on it, its leaking. Throw it out and replace it. This could be your oil leak issue. Rocker cover gaskets not so much. Injector seals or glow plug seals more so.

It is the original as far as I can tell. But if crankcase isn't vented back to intake, how would IC leaking cause this? Just wondering as not super familiar with this engine

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Trav_1980

It is the original as far as I can tell. But if crankcase isn't vented back to intake, how would IC leaking cause this? Just wondering as not super familiar with this engine

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

---

Oil vapours from the turbo. Remove the IC and see anyway. Like I said if the bottom side of the IC has wet oil deposits, its leaking and needs to be changed. You turbo will be working overtime to create boost pressure that is just leaking out when it shouldn't.
Id check this out first before doing the RC. Because it could just be oil from the IC and not a leaking RC.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mudski

Oil vapours from the turbo. Remove the IC and see anyway. Like I said if the bottom side of the IC has wet oil deposits, its leaking and needs to be changed. You turbo will be working overtime to create boost pressure that is just leaking out when it shouldn't.
Id check this out first before doing the RC. Because it could just be oil from the IC and not a leaking RC.

---

Awesome advise, cheers cobba

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

K so took IC off and it's in good shape. No leaks that I can see and no oily spots anywhere except in the valleys below the injector sleeves between the intake manifold and the head, which tells me it's the injector sleeves, they all had a bit of oily moisture around them, even after degreasing and pressure washing and a 10 minute run around the block. Me thinks the injector sleeves is the culprit and the next item on the replacement list. After that, I'm not sure.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Trav_1980

K so took IC off and it's in good shape. No leaks that I can see and no oily spots anywhere except in the valleys below the injector sleeves between the intake manifold and the head, which tells me it's the injector sleeves, they all had a bit of oily moisture around them, even after degreasing and pressure washing and a 10 minute run around the block. Me thinks the injector sleeves is the culprit and the next item on the replacement list. After that, I'm not sure.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

---

Sweet. Atleast you know 100% what it is. They are a bit of a pain to remove and replace as you need to remove the injector lines but it doable...

Might get a mechanic to do it I think

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mudski

Sweet. Atleast you know 100% what it is. They are a bit of a pain to remove and replace as you need to remove the injector lines but it doable...

---

Do the injector lines need to be replaced like on a CRD after breaking the seal?

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Trav_1980

Do the injector lines need to be replaced like on a CRD after breaking the seal?

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

---

No. Unless they are physically broken, they will be fine. If you do the job yourself, make sure you bleed the injectors properly by cracking the nut on each one and pumping the primer until the air is removed.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mudski

No. Unless they are physically broken, they will be fine. If you do the job yourself, make sure you bleed the injectors properly by cracking the nut on each one and pumping the primer until the air is removed.

---

Ok no worries. Guessing it will be easiest to remove intake and throttle body to make taking injector lines off the pump easier?

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Trav_1980

Ok no worries. Guessing it will be easiest to remove intake and throttle body to make taking injector lines off the pump easier?

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

---

I honestly can't remember if that will be easier or not. Removing the entire intake is a big job. Get yourself a Gregory's manual, and/ or, download the pdf here. It will explain a lot for you. The Gregory's manuals are quite in depth too.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mudski

I honestly can't remember if that will be easier or not. Removing the entire intake is a big job. Get yourself a Gregory's manual, and/ or, download the pdf here. It will explain a lot for you. The Gregory's manuals are quite in depth too.

---

Yeah got the online version yesterday and had a squiz at it, not sure whether or not to have a crack myself or just book into Nissan. They're the experts and they have warranty on repairs if it goes south.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Trav_1980

Yeah got the online version yesterday and had a squiz at it, not sure whether or not to have a crack myself or just book into Nissan. They're the experts and they have warranty on repairs if it goes south.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

---

Get a quote from them, theres a few hours in this, it might get a bit exy. If your good with the spanners and have the time, you can do it yourself no issues. Like i said, take plenty of pics as you go.

Wicked advise, cheers muchly!

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

Anyone changed out their Injector Stem Seals without using a bit of sealant goo around the outside edge? Just wondering if that will help or hinder the sealing process

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk