Not sure about the block but the big difference i do know about is in the electronics and that is what I have seen blamed most often for ZD30 hand grenades.
Like most deisel engines the ZD is inclined to haze oil out of the breathers and in the case of the Patrol it supposedly contaminated the air flow meter (Which is not fitted to the Navara version) and whacks the fuel metering, leading in turn to high EGT and "pop".
About the only other things I have seen blamed is the EGR filling the inlet menaifold with gunk, affecting airflow and increasing fuelling to ge tthe same power, raising the EGT and again "Pop" or problems with boost control leading to the same, but on my understanding of it, poor boost control is more annoying than destroctive on a deisel compared to a petrol where big boost spiked may lead to lean out and detonation and hols in pistons.