2001 zd30 no power

Have searched the forum and can't find this particular problem so here goes.
Hi Guys,
Sorry this is a little long winded.
Excellent forum I've learnt a lot. I am semi retired farmer, earthmoving contractor/miner from Bindoon WA (some of the older members may remember Bindoon Rock that put our little town on the map) currently motorhoming around Oz with the patrol behind.
I have a 2001 GU ZD30 Patrol Wagon "The original grenade" bought secondhand with what looked like a new engine, Hmm and yes it went bang with the tiniest hole in No3 piston. I rebuilt it myself and blocked EGR, adjusted boost all was well for a little bit. Then limp mode raised it's ugly head and I took it to a Mechanic to read codes (I was newbie then) Throttle position sensor came up so after replacing sender and sensor he couldn't fault it. 50Ks into the 80ks home it's limping again so fitted Dawes valve, boost gauge, catch can cleaned MAF and all good for a long time.
Lost power while in Exmouth last year, very sluggish take off and wouldn't hold top gear and battling to hold 100kph.
A mechanic in Broome put his computer on it and the MAF was at fault, put the old one in from bang and away she went again.
When I rebuilt it originally I didn't know about the stretch head bolts and was a bit miffed when tensioning the head (with the old bolts - nothing in the manual about new ones) so she started using coolant and had an oil leak so I bought new bolt and gasket kit for a fix up.
In the meantime both my knees gave up the ghost so I got a pair of new titanium ones - no grease nipples.
Was in Bendigo in March and she starts limping on acceleration (mainly due to the cold I reckon ok when warm) so I sent it to the shop for head gasket replacement as the knees wouldn't let me do it myself. $4000 later they give it back and could hardly drive it out of the yard. Went around the corner and looked under the bonnet and the fitter had botched the plumbing of the dawes, I fixed that and readjusted the needle valve and she seemed ok. She went onto the trailer and got used in Coober Pedy running like a bucket of sh*t, Just like MAF gone again, replaced with new one still no power. Doesn't lose coolant though.
We are now in Darwin still having trouble and am searching the forum madly looking for a fix. MAF voltages are good, been cleaned, no faults showing, air cleaner good, fuel filter good, all vacuum hoses good and seem in the right places, boost is low 10psi max, motor very sluggish and only high idles to 3400rpm BUT if I leave a vacuum hose off it revs quicker and to 5000 without boost, no smoke just gutless all round. Oh power light comes on on the A/T switch when trying to take off and accelerate as well.
Any ideas please I haven't got much hair left to pull and I probably should have put this in a thread somewhere but new member.
Thanks in advance.

Bad news about the car and I hope you find a quick and simple cheap solution. Reading through this has made me wonder a few things about my car.
Last weekend I noticed it’s used some coolant, this week it’s been running rough when cold. Omg I hope 1+1 doesn’t equal head gasket for me [emoji90]


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Had the Patrol got the original intercooler on it mate?


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yes thanks mudski original IC not leaking. If i suck on the vnt hose (with vacuum hose disconnected where it revs more freely) boost goes up no problem so I'm going over all the vacuum hoses to see if they put them on the wrong way round somewhere

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Originally Posted by MettersGU

yes thanks mudski original IC not leaking. If i suck on the vnt hose (with vacuum hose disconnected where it revs more freely) boost goes up no problem so I'm going over all the vacuum hoses to see if they put them on the wrong way round somewhere

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2001 model, original IC and not leaking. I highly doubt it. These leak from new mate. Get it pressure tested to be 100% sure because a leaking IC, even a small leak will create all sorts of dramas.


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My money is on the injector pump. @mudski can relate to this.
Issue with IP electrics can throw up all sorts of codes and symptoms.

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Originally Posted by Hodge

My money is on the injector pump. @mudski can relate to this.
Issue with IP electrics can throw up all sorts of codes and symptoms.

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The pump on mine just went south and the car would not even start. Could be the pump though, but, since the IC is the original, this would be the next port of call in my opinion. Get it leak tested at the least. Its unheard of that an original, OEM IC from 2002 is not leaking.

IIRC symptoms mentioned on our old 2002 3.0L were its stock IC. I’m not a mechanics backside although agreed could be worth double checking just in case mate.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by mudski

2001 model, original IC and not leaking. I highly doubt it. These leak from new mate. Get it pressure tested to be 100% sure because a leaking IC, even a small leak will create all sorts of dramas.


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Thanks for the replies Fellas.

I don't remember replacing it during rebuild ? but washed it out with petrol yesterday and the petrol didn't even leak, so should be right with it I think.

Played around with the dawes and needle valve yesterday and having a bit more boost but still have to put a leg out the door and kick to get it moving from standstill.

hi mate,
Philippe from the other side of the planet (FRANCE).

When you play with the needle, from closed to opened, do you see the actuator arm moving from one end to the other ?

if you take the vacuum hose off, you have the VNT wide open, and no boost. Normal behaviour.

To close it and have boost, you need to have vacuum, so that VNT is closed, with arm touching the limiting screw.

Playing with needle valve should show you that the arm moves, and that you have a good vacuum in the hose.

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Originally Posted by MettersGU

Thanks for the replies Fellas.

I don't remember replacing it during rebuild ? but washed it out with petrol yesterday and the petrol didn't even leak, so should be right with it I think.

Played around with the dawes and needle valve yesterday and having a bit more boost but still have to put a leg out the door and kick to get it moving from standstill.

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Up to you mate but thinking it should be right to knowing it is are two big different things. Especially the shit you have been though I would not be thinking anymore.
If it’s 100% not leaking then we can move onto other things.


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I replaced my 2000 IC recently from stock, by a larger one, but I can ensure you I had absolutely no problem with it, and it was not leaking ( no oily/greasy ends). So I guess it sometimes happened that they worked for long.

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Originally Posted by phdv61

hi mate,
Philippe from the other side of the planet (FRANCE).

When you play with the needle, from closed to opened, do you see the actuator arm moving from one end to the other ?

if you take the vacuum hose off, you have the VNT wide open, and no boost. Normal behaviour.

To close it and have boost, you need to have vacuum, so that VNT is closed, with arm touching the limiting screw.

Playing with needle valve should show you that the arm moves, and that you have a good vacuum in the hose.

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Thanks Phillipe that is exactly how it is I have the boost at 15lb and spool up is good but still no grunt for take off from idle. At least I get moving if I turn off the Air con.

I was not happy with the Dawes/Needle setting, although I got it to work.
For me, this arrangement is missing one level of freedom to make sure we get the best out of the VNT.
This is why I am about to install the following arrangement :

Attachment 76221

The first needle, is used to set the maximum opening of the VNT, which stays shut up until the dawes open.
And then the second needle is tuned to set the speed at which the VNT will open, and decrease the speed of pressure increase with RPM.

Not sure if it is clear for you, but it is for me.
The VNT range of opening goes from -465mbar (closed) to -220mbar (open).
If you set the Needle to get -465mbar in the vacuum hose, when the dawes open, the vacuum goes direct to -250mbar, and the VNT is opened. I wished it would be more continuous, which is why I decided to insert another needle behind the dawes, so as to make the dawes open a bit sooner, but manage the level of vacuum more precisely vs RPM by opening or closing the second needle.
Any comment welcome.
Cheers

Quote:

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Originally Posted by phdv61

I was not happy with the Dawes/Needle setting, although I got it to work.
For me, this arrangement is missing one level of freedom to make sure we get the best out of the VNT.
This is why I am about to install the following arrangement :

Attachment 76221

The first needle, is used to set the maximum opening of the VNT, which stays shut up until the dawes open.
And then the second needle is tuned to set the speed at which the VNT will open, and decrease the speed of pressure increase with RPM.

Not sure if it is clear for you, but it is for me.
The VNT range of opening goes from -465mbar (closed) to -220mbar (open).
If you set the Needle to get -465mbar in the vacuum hose, when the dawes open, the vacuum goes direct to -250mbar, and the VNT is opened. I wished it would be more continuous, which is why I decided to insert another needle behind the dawes, so as to make the dawes open a bit sooner, but manage the level of vacuum more precisely vs RPM by opening or closing the second needle.
Any comment welcome.
Cheers

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I see the problem you are having after seeing your explanation on the other thread phdv61. in your pic the first needle valve is not in the right place, it must be between the damper and the T to the dawes valve on the vacuum side. You will then maintain your boost levels when dawes opens and the second needle valve is removed.

Hi mate, thanks for your answer
Originally, I had this :
Attachment 76226
With the needle set to establish the vacuum level as explained. But as soon as the Dawes was opening, I had a drop in pressure.
And I had a look at the way the level of vacuum was changing, with the opening of the needle, and the opening of the Dawes.
The opening of the dawes is not progressive at all.
This is why I modified and added a second Needle.

and there was a mistake in my diagram, sorry.
This is what I am about to do when I receive my second needle valve ( to smooth the flow coming from the dawes, and regulate the spped of opening of the VNT
Attachment 76227

Quote:

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Originally Posted by phdv61

and there was a mistake in my diagram, sorry.
This is what I am about to do when I receive my second needle valve ( to smooth the flow coming from the dawes, and regulate the spped of opening of the VNT
Attachment 76227

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I am not having the boost drop you are experiencing. Are you still running through the the original boost control solenoid, I had dips in boost while using that.
Check Dawes and needles install post - should help

No, I no longer use the Solenoid.
I checked the install post, and all was set as explained.

With the original setting, I could get the pressure to go up nicely until 1.1 bar (16PSI), but I discovered by monitoring the vacuum pressure that the VNT would stay "closed" up until the dawes would open, and then the VNT would be in 'open' position, and the pressure would hardly continue to raise.

This was because the opening of the dawes at the preset pressure level, would create a sudden decrease in the vacuum (ie more pressure), which would open the VNT, thus limiting the further increase of pressure.

But in fact the needle/dawes setting would transform our VNT into a two position turbo (VNT closed / VNT opened).
Thus the need to regulate further the vacuum level once the dawes was opened, to make use of the full potential of the VNT.

Do you follow me ?
cheers mate

Im with @mudski your IC will be leaking I think they leak straight off the showroom floor CR included.
If its oily its leaking, you could test in a kiddies pool and a bike pump, block the erg as well . If you dont have a boost or EGT gauges
I strongly suggest you fit a set . you need to know whats happening under the bonnet. Have you got fresh fuel filters fitted

Quote:

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Originally Posted by threedogs

Im with @mudski your IC will be leaking I think they leak straight off the showroom floor CR included.
If its oily its leaking, you could test in a kiddies pool and a bike pump, block the erg as well . If you dont have a boost or EGT gauges
I strongly suggest you fit a set . you need to know whats happening under the bonnet. Have you got fresh fuel filters fitted

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Thanks TD and Mudski The Gu is travelling on the trailer behind the bus again so next stop in civilization I will get serious about it again.
Cheers

OK guys I have had a bit more of a play but am no better off. I bypassed the IC altogether in order to discount an internal blockage - same amount of boost and spool rate - oddly it went into limp mode even though the MAP was out of the circuit (still in the bypassed IC) was this because the computer saw no boost?
Should my next step be new injectors?
Thanks in advance

Have you replace the MAF with a new genuine one?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mudski

Have you replace the MAF with a new genuine one?

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I have 3 good MAFs @mudski - 2 genuine - all good, I have chucked the dud one I had for checking.
Sorry for slow response, travelling down the west coast South of Broome at the mo, patchy signal.

One thingThat would be worth looking into is the MAF voltage mod. Im not sure how to do it but from what I understand its cheap, the cost of a resistor, and its easy to do. There is a tutorial on the web somewhere about it. I had limp mode issues with my old ZD. I went the expensive route before I knew of the mod and bought a HPD high flow MAF housing. After fitting it I never had limp mode again and could boost over 30psi and still no limp.

Hi Guys,

I finally managed to get back on the forum and after replacing the injectors all of my troubles have gone away. The engine is as powered up as it has ever been. The old injectors were spraying a good pattern but were down on pressure av.174psi and should have been around 214 so there you have it I did hear a couple of times in my search for an answer that if the head was removed the injectors needed replacing. Mine was off twice and still had original injectors that had done 240k Ks so had a good run.

Now I seem to have an occasional fuel drain back problem so am thinking maybe a seal on the fuel returns from the injectors could be leaking. Would that explain it?

Cheers nm

Thanks for all that information I am about to rebuild a zd30 I brought car NT running no compression in no4 have stripped engine and found nice hole into top ring looking for a supplier to get complete rebuild kit was wondering can you get stronger pistons from someone thanks again Mal