What to have checked on my ZD30?

[baitfish]

Hi Guys,

I've been in a pickle over the last few weeks. Have been trying to decide if i should buy a brand new ute or keep my current ride. This notion came about because my new job requires me to travel a lot more and i wanted reliability out of my ride.

So after many discussions with the minister of love, war and finance i have decided to keep my current ute. A bloke actually came to look at buying it off me and i felt pretty bad at the idea of some young fella taking it and trashing it so that also swayed my thoughts to keeping it.

Anyway enough of the sob story what i want to do now is have the ute checked out by a pro and make sure there is no hidden issues waiting to develop over the next year or so.


So what do you guys reckon i should have checked engine wise? i was thinking;
Compression check?
check the vale clearances?
timing chain?
is there any engine bearings that should be checked or listened to?
injectors?
i think the rear main seal is leaking
i have new injector oils seals waiting to be put in as well

and what about other things through the car i can check myself?

any ideas would be great or even suggestions of what problems the zd30 are prone to?

i have already replaced the turbo, glow plug, wheel bearings, brake pads, starter solenoid, blocked the egr/swirl mod, added a catch can, intercooler, and put in the 80 series air box. Diff oils and box oils were changed at 200,000kms

The ute has 204,000kms on it. i have only had it for about 40,000kms of that and serviced it every 5000 since then. it has log book services up to the 160k mark.

Thanks guys,

 

[nathand22]

I would be putting an intercooler on it as insurance incase the turbo lets go and maybe a catch can, and keep doing what you are with the servicing and you should be good.
My old zd30 had 370k and was still going strong when it went.

 

[baitfish]

thanks Nathand22,

i changed the turbo already because the old one was a bit suss and i put on a water to air intercooler at the same time. I have a had a catch can for a while now, its amazing how much oil it actually catches.

370ks is an awesome amount of ks. did u changed injectors in that time?

 

[nathand22]

sorry mate i didnt read your post properly as you do clearly state that,,

My Zd30 was completely stock I bought it new and done nothing but service it every 10k, i dont baby my cars and i dont mind letting them rev but i dont flog them either and think i have a certain amount of mechanical sympathy so to speak. I always listen to the engine so i can pick up on the slightest change and hopefully change or fix the little things before they cause more strife.

 

[Nick-palmer1]

The way i see it mate is if you look after the vehicle it will look after you, regular services and fixing small problems before they turn into big ones, at least thats what we try to do at work and with some of our vehicles up around the 1,000,000 kilometer mark it speaks for it self. Going by your original post it seems like you're already doing all the right things, maybe a new serpentine belt depending on when that was last done and check coolant hoses as they get hard and crack with age the little ones on the EGR valve are good for that.

 

[baitfish]

yeah i try to keep on top of anything that pops up and look after the ute a fair bit. I dont drive it like i stole it but i don't just roll around the bush stopping at any "little" obstacle either.

my main concern is that i have no real idea how the Ute was treated before i got it. some signs defiantly point to it not being babied but. so i just want to double check everything now for piece of mind.

 

[baitfish]

Has anyone had any trouble with their timing chain in the zd30 or is does it seems to only be a problem in the yd25?

 

[gadgets]

Hey mate, my zd30 has got 250000k on it. All Ive done is change the oil and filter every 10000k. Never replaced anything mechanical, same glow plugs turbo etc, only engine mod is a catch can. It gets driven like its stolen on a regular basis! Only when its up to running temperature though.

 

[Teleman191]

Hey mate, my zd30 has got 250000k on it. All Ive done is change the oil and filter every 10000k. Never replaced anything mechanical, same glow plugs turbo etc, only engine mod is a catch can. It gets driven like its stolen on a regular basis! Only when its up to running temperature though.

Arnt people doing 5000km changes? Had to on the late patrol but how many zd30 nav guys are doing 5000? Air filter aswell?

 

[gadgets]

Lots on here change the oil every5000ks, Its personal preference, I dont think modern diesels need to change the oil every 5000ks but alot of people seem to do it anyway, Thats not saying there wrong either, engines love clean oil!
Only other things ive done are change the fuel filter ever 20000k and clean out my uni filter roughly every 10000ks ( unless Ive been off road, then I clean it a few days later).

 

[baitfish]

yeah i do mine every 5000kms, filter ever 10,000kms. fuel filter around 10 to 15 as well.

 

[Dave]

I use to do the fuel filter in my D22 every 40,000km's. Never seen the water light come on.

Diffs, gearbox, coolent and transfer case every 40,000km's. Traded it at 280,000km's and would of made 400,000km's easy.

Use to do the engine oil every 5000-10,000km's.