CRD Engine failure

[GeeYouCRD]

Hi, Ive been a member for a few years, and have found a lot of helpful information in that time.
As I havent found many first hand accounts of CRD grenading I thought I would post this.

My 2007 CRD just died, totally melted piston no.4. No holes, no cracks, from the top ring up melted into 50 odd pea size balls and smeared down cylinder walls, damaged head at cyl no.4 (small dents , no visible cracks) and bits of melted piston holding valves open, had no compression in 3 or 4, 3 due to warped head I suspect (no damage to gasket), coolant in oil. I have an egt and boost guage and never normally drive it above 550c, could easily go way higher towing but i back off, was 20 mins from home when happened, towing 1 ton up hill at about 70-80 kmh with overdrive off (automatic), hadnt looked at gauges the 15 mins before so not sure if they showed anything. Happened so quick unless you were looking at the guages constantly you couldnt prevent it. Need audible alarms I think. I hadnt notices any increases or spikes in boost or rising egts or never missed a beat in the 4 years Ive owned it including the last few weeks.
I have an upgraded intercooler and 2.75" exhaust. Very well looked after and serviced every 5000Km. Fitted oil catch can and Fuel manager pre filter fitted at 120,000Kms, no egr block or dawes valve.
After dismantling, found intake manifold, throttle body and EGR gummed up with black gunk (exhaust gas mixed with PCV) , injectors covered in it too (hard to imagine they could have been workin properly) Sump, exhaust manifold contains melted piston.
Also found 2 oil pump retaining bolts missing and 3 more on last thread about to fall out, found one crushed up and 2 gears in the timing case damaged as a result. This is something you could not check without stripping the engine.
Apart from all this the engine seems in great shape, clean as new inside and no corrosion.
Have taken lots of pictures and will post up when I've finishing cleaning up and inspecting everything in the next few days.
Regards, Jayson

[Clunk]

Mate, that just plain sucks. that's the first time I've herd of a CRD going bang. Really sorry to read that mate........... So what's your plan for this?

[Sir Roofy]

Sorry to hear that mate,seems that the egr is the main cause
when i did my nads on our 02 3l it was full of black grease like
crap reckon if ihad,nt done it when idid think it might have died
long ago
in saying that theres still no gaurentee that it wont happen

[GeeYouCRD]

Whatever the cause, I think it was not far off oil pump failure with a simular result. Still cant discount that the oil pump was sucking air and caused it.
Have to cost it all up and see whether its worth fixing my motor or look for a low km engine. Maybe an engine conversion.

[GeeYouCRD]

Should have added its done 180,000km

[Hodge]

When I was at wreckers few months ago he had 3 of the CRD's with EXACT consequences as yours mate. 2 of them had bit's out of cyl 3 completely blown out, and the other Cyl 4. Everything was just covered in thick goopy black s**t. What was more scary is one of them according to the tag on it, only done 70k. Made me feel really comforted jumping in my CRD to drive back home.

[Figjam]

Hi Jayson
Sorry to here of your engine failure.
At the risk of this sounding bad............I have just pulled a CRD and manual box out of my ute for an engine conversion. The vehicle has only done 30,600km.
PM if you like. I am in Perth.

[happygu]

GeeYouCRD,

It definitely sounds like the Oil Pump wasn't circulating enough oil around due to the loose bolts ..... Pistons don't usually melt like that when there is enough oil to cool them down......

This does mirror a couple of other cases that I have heard of with the same 'Oil Pump' Bolts loose or missing ..... that really sucks, as it has lasted this long, but I would hope that Nissan would come to the party in a case like this, as there seemingly was a batch where this occurred early on. They should be able to check Vin Numbers and see if they are in the same era.

They must have changed the way they tighten or retain these bolts, as it was only the early ones that I know of....

Mic

[happygu]

Should have added its done 180,000km

Didn't see this .... Nissan may wash their hands at this many K's....

[GeeYouCRD]

Yeah at nearly 7 years old now, I think id have buckleys chance of any help from Nissan, however im still going to email them pictures of the pump and damage.
.