Best mods for 42tdi

[Kaz141]

Hi guy,
After a bit of bad luck and blowing my 3.0L in my gu
I have done a 42tdi transplant. After a few teething problems
It's now running. I have installed a 3in turbo back exhaust and
Is running 11psi.

So what I wanted to find out is what are the best mods to do first
up? The car tows at least once a week around 2t.

Any advice would be appreciated!

[Dominator]

I am guessing he means engine mods.

I would fit a EGT gauge and an aftermarket water temp gauge (the factory temp gauge is useless). I am assuming because you know your running 11psi that you already have a boost gauge, if not, get one. These gauges will help you keep an eye on what is happening inside the engine.

Next I would fit an intercooler. Ideally a front mount but a top mount will work too, if it has a factory intercooler there are some fantastic upgrade kits out there. Lower intake temps will not only help squeeze out a bit more power but it can also increase fuel economy and engine life.

After this if your wanting a bit more power, you can wind the boost up a bit. The factory turbo, HT-18, is fairly efficient up to about 14-15 psi. Getting a diesel tuner to increase the boost and fuel, coupled with a good intercooler can see you get 150HP at the wheels, which will make towing 2 ton a lot easier.

From there they sky is the limit, turbo and injector pump upgrades etc, while expensive, can push you along to 250-300HP. But it won't be cheap

[threedogs]

First off I'd be installing a pillar pod with EGTs and Boost
guages of your choice.

[Kaz141]

Ok so the current set up is a 2000 Gu patrol wagon that used to be 3.0L.
Now it has a 2006 GU4 4.2L turbo diesel with factory intercooler. But is still running original 3.0L running gear. It's a 5 speed manual. Has 3in turbo back exhaust and a boost gauge currently running 11 psi. The fuel pump hasn't be adjust. As far as I know the factory intercooler engines run the pump of the computer but as mine being a 3.0L computer the pump isn't hooked up to anything! I think next step will be egt gauge and dyno tune!

[shanus05]

Hey Kaz141 what's your revs at 100k's. I've recently done a conversion as well and seem to be sitting around 2400rpm with 285 75 16 tyres.

[nissannewby]

Kaz you need to get the control system for that pump. Its completely different to the 3.0 setup. You can either track down the ecu and associated wiring and wire it up or get an earlier full mechanical pump. This is for best results.

With nothing connected to those pumps they go to full advance which in the long run can slightly hurt longevity of the pump.

As for mods. The first thing I would be doing is change the pump to a mechanical setup and look at a turbo upgrade. If your happy with your power levels then stick with the factory turbo, you already ahve the exhaust so upgrade the cooler and get it tuned to 12-14psi.

[Kaz141]

Hey Kaz141 what's your revs at 100k's. I've recently done a conversion as well and seem to be sitting around 2400rpm with 285 75 16 tyres.

I don't think the tacho is working properly. It seems to be showing revs a lot lower then they really are. At 100kms it shows around 1500rpm with 285 75 16 tyres. So I don't know if I need to get a 4.2L cluster or something like that.

[Kaz141]

Kaz you need to get the control system for that pump. Its completely different to the 3.0 setup. You can either track down the ecu and associated wiring and wire it up or get an earlier full mechanical pump. This is for best results.

With nothing connected to those pumps they go to full advance which in the long run can slightly hurt longevity of the pump.

As for mods. The first thing I would be doing is change the pump to a mechanical setup and look at a turbo upgrade. If your happy with your power levels then stick with the factory turbo, you already ahve the exhaust so upgrade the cooler and get it tuned to 12-14psi.

I might have to find a full mechanical pump somewhere. Hopefully it just bolts up.
Definitely wouldn't mind a turbo upgrade and dyno. Would help with the towing.

[nissannewby]

Yeah the pumps are all the same mounting wise just internal differences as they got newer and with the addition of a compensator for the turbo version.

[97EK1]

Could you mod the tdi pump to get rid of the electronic crap?

[Kaz141]

Would not have a clue about the pump!

[nissannewby]

Could you mod the tdi pump to get rid of the electronic crap?

Yes you can but it can be costly and is probably easier to source a mechanical one. While it isn't ideal the electronic one with all electronics disconnected will work and run but as said its not ideal and results can be hampered.

[97EK1]

Yeah nah that's fine, I've been running one unplugged for 3 years once the bank account recovers ill look into it, it is a slug at the moment but it has helped me get out of a few speeding fines lol!

[Tristan d]

Don't ditch the tdi pump! Run a unichip to control injection timing and boost compensator as well as boost. Also get it built to 12mm specs by Diesel central (no other mob worth getting a pump built by). Fit the largest air/air intercooler you can on the front, ebay ones work great. Now get a 20g td05 from united fuel injection and run around 30psi. Also a Plazmaman inlet manifold will help a lot. Tuned correctly this should net around 200rwkw and hope to god your clutch goes before your crank :D

[nissannewby]

Don't ditch the tdi pump! Run a unichip to control injection timing and boost compensator as well as boost. Also get it built to 12mm specs by Diesel central (no other mob worth getting a pump built by). Fit the largest air/air intercooler you can on the front, ebay ones work great. Now get a 20g td05 from united fuel injection and run around 30psi. Also a Plazmaman inlet manifold will help a lot. Tuned correctly this should net around 200rwkw and hope to god your clutch goes before your crank :D

Nice to know you have heaps of money.

And plazmaman manifolds aren't really worth what they are asking maybe for looks but not air flow.

[Tristan d]

Unichip is cheaper then converting to a mechanical pump, intercooler can easily be done for $400 and diesel central are much cheaper than what others charge. Plazmaman manifold is a proven 10kw increase at low rpm on a stock setup, running lots of boost will dramatically increase this difference.

In regards to the OPs question, an ebay front mount would be the best mod from where you're at and a ufi turbo depending on your power goal. Whatever you do dont waste money on high flowing the stock turbo

[nissannewby]

What's a unichip worth $12-1400?? Then a dc pump $2800 plus injectors (no point doing a pump and not injectors), ufi turbo $2800, plazmaman manifold $1500, your stated eBay cooler $400 your looking at probably atleast 8k.

Agreed on the turbo don't waste your time or money modifying the sock unit.

As for the "proven" 10kw on a stock setup, is this just bolted on or tuned to suit? Can you put up a link or website to where these results are?

[97EK1]

I've got the massive front mount already but who does work with the unichip? I like the sound of this option I think I'll go an 18g when the time comes and I have wanted a swaffy pump for a while and get my manifold modded for forward facing at the same time to suit the front mount

[Tristan d]

Andy at Diesel-tec has done the unichip on a td42 before however any unichip dealer should be able to fit it. DC charge $3000 for 12mm pump and hi flow injectors including shipping. The manifold only made around 2kw difference total however downlow power was greatly improved https://www.plazmaman.com/article-patrol-td42-inlet-manifold-results-88 no tuning was done just straight bolt on

[nissannewby]

Yes he has I believe Zoltan on the other forum had good results. The difficult parties in the fact there isn't a unichip suited to the ti pump and it has to be wired in and tuned from sctratch which can add up to a lot of dollars. Also the dealers that can do such a thing are very few.

That dc pump is either for a full mechanical setup or I need to rind swaffie again as I was quoted 2800 just for a ti pump about a month ago. The injectors can be slightly more due to number one having the sensor in it for the ecu. It's also imperative that this no 1 crack pressure is set very accurately.

There is a good write up on that manifold on the other forum your on. I can't see how it could change to much in power just by bolting it however it may help with the torque rise due to the slightly better blow down low. Far better manifolds can be had for a far cheaper price.

[97EK1]

Did the unichip replace the original computer? I don't have the original computer but I have the wired injector and the rest of the gear hmm

[TurboOne]

You can double hiflow the turbo and this will get you pushing 19psi and then you can get the pump modified and the pump will then only work if the turbo is pushing 19 psi. Other then that, you can get a power up chip like Rapid.

[Dominator]

You can double hiflow the turbo and this will get you pushing 19psi and then you can get the pump modified and the pump will then only work if the turbo is pushing 19 psi. Other then that, you can get a power up chip like Rapid.

For the cost of 'double hi flowing' the HT18 you could but a decent Garret or MHI turbo that will work better. The factory turbos are crap when used for anything other than a factory tune.

And as for the plazmaman manifold. If I was going to spend $1500 I would wait to see what Matt at UFI comes out with. He has something in the works and I am sure it will be more than a shiny version of the factory manifold.

[Kaz141]

I'm a bit confused! Are you saying hook up a unichip to the 3L computer to run the pump or instead of the computer to the pump?

[nissannewby]

Nuh the TD42Ti had there own ecu for the injector pump and you can then fit a unichip to this. You won't be able to use any of the 3L control stuff at all.

I'm pretty sure the unichip has to run in conjunction with the standard ecu, so this takes us back to my first response you need the ecu and any wiring you might be missing from the td42ti donor vehicle.

[97EK1]

Mechanical pump it is! Lol

[Kaz141]

Yeah I think your right there!
Now to find one...