Crd 3.0 engine reliabillity with no mods

[bowerbird]

I want to put catch can on mine and block EGR etc but was wondering how many of you out there have done nothing to their high mileage CRD engines except servicing. Mine is bog std ( except for snorkel and 33's) mileage now 102K and all running sweet as. Would like to hear from all the hi milers out there with std engines just to get an idea of reliability without the famous mods.
year:
mileage:
%towing:
weight of tow:
any issues? :

[Ben-e-boy]

Not me personally but old workmates have a 2001 ZD30, when I last saw it it had 445,000 km on the clock, that was nearly 18 months ago.
All they did was long trips and frequent servicing

[bowerbird]

Thanks Ben-E Boy but looking specifically for CRD engines. My old DI got to 220K without a single problem. but now looking at the later CRD engines

[happygu]

Are you worried Bowerbird ..... I'm not

Can't say I am high mileage yet, at 70,000 Klms, but my CRD goes everywhere, and gets a harder life than all my other Patrols ( still well cared for though ).

At the last service, they mentioned that my front radius arm bushes need replacing already, and that hasn't happened before on the others....

[happygu]

No EGR Block or catchcan ... only mod is 2.75 inch Beaudesert Exhaust System, and this was done before our double Simpson Desert crossing to keep exhaust temps down as low as possible.....

[Hodge]

Workmate has one of the earlierst CRD utes DX . Stock as rock. Been all over the place and is sitting on about 180ish nowdays and he hasnt had any dramas with it.

[Rock Trol]

I know someone who works for our state roadside assist/insurance mob and he told me that the CRD's have pretty much the same failure rate (needing a flat bed) as any of the other Japanese manufacturers. They started seeing a decline in problems from 2006 onwards when the oiling system on the block was revised and by the time the CRD came out in 2007 its pretty much fixed. It's been 7 years since they were introduced and they are generally dependable engines. No surge in problems like the 2000-2002 models.

But having said that, you still get the non catastrophic problems occurring. So far my 2007 CRD (145 000km) has had the leaking intercooler, belt tensioner and warped exhaust manifold problems.
Mine is not standard but I modded it for more power low down.
If you put in egr blank may I suggest you do daws and needle valve. While not necessary it settled the boost down as the ecu still tries to drop boost when it thinks the EGR is open. I didn' do mine straight away but the car drives a lot better with both it and the EGR blank.

[bowerbird]

Rock, Trol, there seems to be confusion on the boost with the later CRD engines. some say no need for the dawes as the ecu now controls boost quite well. others say it needs it> mmm confushed

[Hodge]

Ecu is still shit at controlling the boost. It does an OK job. But with Dawes and needle valve you have far greater control over it and boost is smooth and even , and not yoyoing all over the place.
Car much better to drive after it fitted.

Sent from my S4 using Forum Runner

[Rock Trol]

Bowerbird, I think if the CRD is stock it does a good job of controlling boost and no need to change it unlike early ZD30's which were erratic with their boost. However, once you start changing things its another story altogether. When I blocked the EGR in 2013 my engine started boosting a little (18-19psi) and would then settle down to 12-17psi. Boost would go up and down as the ECU thought the EGR was opening.

Last November I had a 3 inch exhaust fitted and started getting severe over boosting. Boost would go to 21-22psi but the turbo would start rattling as if it wanted to create even more. The vanes must have been pushed to the extreme by the high boost. When the Dawes and needle valve went on the boost became linear. It just increases as more fuel goes into the engine and only drops off when you take the foot off the accelerator. Really nice to drive and very predictable. The only reason Nissan let the ECU control boost was so it would work with the EGR valve. That is the one and only reason.

If you don't block the EGR then no reason to change anything. If you block the EGR then you take the only reason for keeping the ECU in charge of the boost away so you might as well go all the way! I regret not doing it sooner, but you live and learn.

A word of advice. CRD's are reliable without with out mods but once you start it will be hard to stop. You've been warned ;)

[micknor51]

Hi Bowerbird, my 2008 CRD Auto has 100,000km with a Safari snorkel, otherwise standard engine and no problems so far.
We tow a Pioneer Argyle camper trailer (1000 kgs loaded) when we go outback. Usually sit on 100-110 km/hr and get 15L per 100km.
Michael

[the evil twin]

Perhaps this post will help understand VNT's...

My understandings below were gleaned mainly from the Factory Manual, Garret and other VNT manuf's, several forums and Chaz's website :1062:

First thing to get your head around is that ECU controlled VNT's are not a dead beat control loop device and are supposed to "spike" a certain amount.
Second thing is the Adjustment screw adjusts max Spool rate (with or without a needle valve)
Third thing is the the Rod length adjusts boost pressure and controls erratic boost.

That is usually enough for most but read on if you wish.

Boost Pressure
Easy bit first. Ex factory the ZD30 Boost pressure is controlled solely by the ECU electrically sensing the boost pressure at the intercooler outlet plenum and modulating a vacuum signal via the boost control solenoid to the turbo actuator which then mechanically increases/reduces the angle of the vanes directing gases into the turbine.

This engine control process is what the Dawes Valve partially replaces by limiting max boost pressure and, hopefully for those who fit them, eliminating overboost.
Note as Chaz says in his site, the Dawes alone will not fully control proportional boost settings just maximum.

Turbo response (often also referred to in forums as 'spool up'. I'm not going to argue other than say the manuf's of VNT's seem to distinctly differentiate the two terms) :confused:

Adjusting the actuator rod length (if your game). Adjusting the rod length does change the max boost pressure and it also changes the interim pressures but it doesn't change the max spool up rate. What it does do is make the actuator more or less sensitive to the modulated vacuum signal from the boost control valve.
Shorter rod length means the same actuator movement for the same ECU commands will move the vanes over a larger angle earlier so more sensitive, longer is the opposite so less sensitive.

Now the important bit... it appears that this ONLY affects the turbo when the ECU is modulating below max boost. IE if you 'metal the sucker' everything goes max and the vane angle is once again limited by the stop screw. Intermediate settings with an incorrect rod length however and the turbo could possibly hunt like a bitch
It is the turbo response from the ECU via the bost control solenoid that the Needle Valve will affect and here is the interesting thing.
The needle valve adjustment can only make the turbo less responsive not more. Again, using Chaz's illustrations the Boost at a given RPM is often significantly lower with a needle than when controlled from the ECU.

If you look at typical VNT curves they show much higher boost available at lower engine RPM which is exactly why VNT turbo's are used in almost every modern small diesel.
Note On Chazs site the "typical" curve is not a like for like scaled representation
Also I discovered that the fluctuations observed in VNT curves are usually attributed to EGR control modulations not the VNT turbo operation itself.
(edit) Given the operation of the CRD EGR and the ECU VNT control I doubt this is the case.
I think that the cause is increased energy in the exhaust stream giving the Turbo more grunt.
Note the CRD factory manual states that the ECU needs to relearn EGR control after any changes.

Adjusting the VNT grub screw. This adjustment adjusts the maximum vane angle available to the turbo nozzle. This affects the maximum spool up rate as it allows more exhaust gas to be directed away from the bypass plenum and into the turbine by the variable vanes as they can open further. Larger vane angle, more gas, faster spool.
Now the important bit again... neither the Dawes nor Needle valves can affect this setting as it is 100% mechanical IE the valves cannot increase but only decrease spooling and pressure

Bottom line... no wonder Dawes and Needle mods are so popular rather than dicking with the actuator on the Di's.
CRD's however with their higher factory boost pressures (up to 22 PSI manifold), different EGR plumbing and different ECU maps maybe not needed so much.
Note In most cases an ECU controlled VNT will produce higher boost earlier than a Dawes but a Dawes is "smoother"

In no way am I saying "Do" or "Don't Do" any mods etc. I am simply saying I like to understand what is happening and previous great work by Chaz, Whitey, Etc caused me to rethink a few things and very rightly so on their part.
Also like any subject I could still be rrr... rrrrrrr..... rrroooonnn... incorrect ;)

[Rock Trol]

Thanks E.T. Very comprehensive post. Has gotten me thinking about my particular setup again...

When the motor started over boosting after the 3 inch exhaust I installed a just the HPD Dawes valve bypassing the vacuum solenoid as suggested by the turbo shop which I bought the valve from. Over boost stopped and turbo spooled up quickly. Car felt very lively. No limp mode from the motor. I posted the results on the forum and was advised that I still needed a needle valve so I installed one.

Now thinking about it my spool up rate is a little slower than it was before. Boost is good as it sits around 12psi at 100kph and when I push it a bit it flattens out between 14-15. Did I really need a needle valve? Probably not. I might play around with it again and maybe take it off. The CRD might require faster a spool rate than the DI and sometimes I get the impression the engine lags slightly until the boost catches up. Me thinks its maybe time to tinker under the bonnet again.

All that aside, a standard CRD should be as reliable as diesels from other brands. The fuel management is different from the DI and it has built in protection in case you are pushing it too hard. They have a knock sensor which detects if combustion is not occurring properly (as in starting to over fuel) and will put the car into limp mode. I have read somewhere on the net (can't remember the forum) where this happened to someone and they were trying to find out why. Apparently they were towing up hill on 35 degree day with the foot to the floor and they lost power. Pulled over for a few seconds and car started working correctly again.

[batesy]

My 2007 CRD has just under 240Ks no mods put a 3" exhaust on not long ago & just about to put a catch can on.

[bowerbird]

Thanks Batesy, that's awesome - 240K no probs. hopefully a few more will come out of the woodwork with similar hi mileage.
To the Evil Twin you know your stuff but it has now confused the bejesus out of me.
also if anyone reads this that has removed and inspected an intake manifold of a CRD (without egr block or catch can) we would love pics showing how much crud and carbon has been deposited vs mileage. I work with a guy that bought a POOJERO (poor bloke) and after 170K it started to surge uphill and lost power. he removed the intake and found that the engine was trying to breath through a straw, from all the crap that had collected in the intake.

[threedogs]

Thanks Batesy, that's awesome - 240K no probs. hopefully a few more will come out of the woodwork with similar hi mileage.
To the Evil Twin you know your stuff but it has now confused the bejesus out of me.
also if anyone reads this that has removed and inspected an intake manifold of a CRD (without egr block or catch can) we would love pics showing how much crud and carbon has been deposited vs mileage. I work with a guy that bought a POOJERO (poor bloke) and after 170K it started to surge uphill and lost power. he removed the intake and found that the engine was trying to breath through a straw, from all the crap that had collected in the intake.


If you require pics check anything written buy Chaz Yellowfoot, plenty of befoer / after shots