Possible turbo issue? 4.2 diesel

[Ricor]

So this is a first shot question.

I just purchased a 1996 Patrol with a 4.2l turbo. This is the first one I have driven.

It has 100km on it and is in very good condition. I have had it up on my lift and everything is tight and looks great except for some frame rust, to be addressed. Drives great, except for...

I don't expect it to be fast, and she drives and shifts fine, but she is slowwwwwwwwww. 0-70km/h is 21 seconds! When I am doing 80 and lightly punch it, she downshifts, and slows down for a couple seconds then slowly gains speed. I live on an island, so there is not much traffic, but I still hold people up every time I pull onto the main road. BUT, she starts immediately, is smooth as glass and sounds great. No turbo noise at all, ever.

My first thought is the turbo is not working, but I do not know what happens with them as I have never owned a turbo. I have built race cars, boats and everything in between, but never a turbo.

Your thoughts?

20250712_084013.jpg

[Cuppa]

As purchased my '06 TD42i was a slug. Stock standard with just over 150k on the clock. The motors are very 'tuneable', but beware of overdoing it as it becomes a money pit, which increases the reliability these motors are known for. I had mine tuned 'for towing' on a dyno after fitting a 3"exhaust. The stock turbo pressure was only 7psi. Ours was increased to a max of 13.2 psi - less than many folk aim for, but just below what would require going down a rabbit hole of other upgrades. Doing this made it a different car to drive, what I believe it should have been off the factory floor. Not a speedster, but a very pleasant car to drive. In effect those changes gave it what felt like an extra gear, & the ability to hold a gear uphill. Those changes maintained the legendary reliability the motor is known for.

[mudnut]

Welcome to the forum. Are you on Guam, by any chance? I do believe we have seen a pic of that same vehicle from the owner who transported it to the island maybe 1or 2 years ago.

[Ricor]

No, I am in the US, Florida Keys.

[Ricor]

Anyone else have any input on this? 25 seconds 0-60mph this morning. Again, smooth, sounds good but god so slow.

[Cremulator]

Anyone else have any input on this? 25 seconds 0-60mph this morning. Again, smooth, sounds good but god so slow.

The only thing I can think is to check the boost hoses and make sure they are connected properly and not split.
I drive an 04 GU TD42 turbo with a boost compensated fuel pump and I had an experience recently where my car was incredibly slow. Felt like it didn't have a turbo installed.
Turned out one of the boost hoses had come off a fixed metal line that is mounted to the top of the intake plenum and this was preventing the fuel pump operating correctly and limiting the boost the turbo was producing to about 5 psi.

Boost compensated fuel pumps are later models only, but the boost lines are definitely worth inspecting.

[Ricor]

OK, I will look, thanks

[Ricor]

20251109_102253.jpg20251109_102245.jpg20251109_102401.jpg20251109_102242.jpg20251109_102314.jpg

[Ricor]

This is a repost from my post about fuel filter change, but it applies here:

SOLVED - probably

I moved on to change the gauze filter in the injection pump. It is so small it was hard to tell how dirty it was. Cleaned it with carb cleaner, it looked perfect and obviously was dirty. Reinstalled, and WOW. She pulled like a beast, and not pushing her very hard 0-60mph went from 39 seconds (post fuel filter change speed) to 15 seconds.

Will test the boost pressure this weekend but it is looking good.