ZD30 Turbo useby date

[DVR]

The last 2 times I've had my truck serviced my mechanic has suggested that if I intend to keep the old girl, that I should consider a turbo upgrade as she has now done over 110,000Ks. I asked him why and he recons that the stock turbos don't last much past 100,000


Any body here agree with this?
Ive been on this forum - off and on - since I bought the truck and I dont think I've ever heard of this as being an issue with a ZD30.

 

[bods]

It really depends how well the vehicle has been looked after. If you are the original owner and changed the oil and filter and coolant regularly, there's no reason to just replace it. If you don't know the service history or how the vehicle has been treated prior to you owning it, then it's anyone's guess really... In saying that, some get thrashed and last for ages and some get looked after and seem to die earlier... If you're worried it wouldn't hurt, but if it isn't making any weird noises when in boost I wouldn't be too concerned...

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[happy john]

I'd agree with Bod's, 110.000 is nothing for a well looked after ZD30. In fact many go toward 300k without an issue.

 

[Rabbid-chop]

Mine started blowing oil around 200k. I reckon i looked after it pretty well - regular oil changes, always warmed down before killing the engine more or less - but I was running more boost than stock for the last 50k or so, about 17-18psi which wouldn't have helped. When it came out there was some shaft play and compressor wheel was pretty eroded.

Biggest symptom was the oil use, and the amount of oil in all the intake pipes and intercooler despite catch can. Intake manifold was clean as a whistle though if a litlle bit completely oil soaked! Didnt sound real flash either once the intercooler went on and could hear it a bit better.

 

[DVR]

Thanks Guys, everything you have said is what I've always thought. He was trying to tell me that they become prone to catastrophic failure and destroy the engine. OK I can see that that happens sometimes, Crap happens.......SOMETIMES.
However, to infer that it is a known issue? C'mon. Really?

 

[abouttogobush]

Thanks Guys, everything you have said is what I've always thought. He was trying to tell me that they become prone to catastrophic failure and destroy the engine. OK I can see that that happens sometimes, Crap happens.......SOMETIMES.
However, to infer that it is a known issue? C'mon. Really?

If it starts to sound like a siren then it's about to **** itself.

 

[tweak'e]

old mans ute over 300k, mine 250k.

the turbo does have a flaw in that the shaft is apparently a bit weak.
but the worse thing is the lack of intercooler.
i would spend the $$ on intercooler. if the turbo goes the intercooler will catch any bits and save the engine.

i suspect a lot of the problem is air filters. if the compressor wheel is getting eroded then dust is getting past the filter somehow. also filters are not replaced any where near enough. many mechanics have bad practices like blowing the old filters out.
i suspect high suction on the compressor wheel due to the air filter restriction causes excessive loading on the turbo.

i had turbo bark once caused by dirty air filter. filter looked fine.

 

[Rabbid-chop]

I was hoping the wear on my fins was from pvc oil and later turbo oil. It does have black sludge build up on all the lee facing surfaces. I'll chuck up a pic later if i can get around to it.

 

[tweak'e]

I was hoping the wear on my fins was from pvc oil and later turbo oil. It does have black sludge build up on all the lee facing surfaces. I'll chuck up a pic later if i can get around to it.

could well be from oil if it was getting a lot of it. if liquid runs down the intake tube then it will smash into the blades and hive a jaggered tooth look to the blade tips.

if its smooth all over the tips it could be dirt.

 

[Rumpig]

Pre 2004 were supposed to have the weaker pistons and dodgy compressor wheels.

 

[happy john]

I was always taught never to clean a paper element using compressed air, the theory was the volume of air would force the dust back through the filter and into the intake when you fire it up. I'd say this is true, the modern day mechanic blows it out without any concerns at all I've seen heaps do it.

Any filter that's left too long in a filthy condition will start to suck dirty air and root a turbo or engine well before normal expectancy. As Tweake suggested wear on the fins is mainly caused by the abrasive nature of the dirty air injested into the turbo. Another reason why many have ditched the K&N in favour of the paper element.

 

[abouttogobush]

I was always taught never to clean a paper element using compressed air, the theory was the volume of air would force the dust back through the filter and into the intake when you fire it up. I'd say this is true, the modern day mechanic blows it out without any concerns at all I've seen heaps do it.

Any filter that's left too long in a filthy condition will start to suck dirty air and root a turbo or engine well before normal expectancy. As Tweake suggested wear on the fins is mainly caused by the abrasive nature of the dirty air injested into the turbo. Another reason why many have ditched the K&N in favour of the paper element.

Bushman says FCUK THA K&N's bloody turbo munchers!!!

 

[Rabbid-chop]

Yeah blowing out an air cleaner is dodgy at best - seperates the fibres. I never blew mine out though i dont know what any of the mechanics did the few times i had it serviced while it was under warranty. There have been long spells between filter changes but i was under the impression they actually filter better when they are a bit dirty if a bit more restrictive?
Anyways, here's a pic of my compressor the corners are a bit rounded and thats about it.Shaft play not too bad. Was using a lot of oil prior and the intakes and 'cooler were VERY oily prior to putting new turbo in - new turbo fixed that 100% so i have to assume the oil seals in the turbo were gone. Surely constant oil mist would erode aluminium alloy at 100,000rpm or more? I dare say one of these little guys would be getting over-sped at 18-19psi.

 

[bods]

I've also heard it is not recommended to remove and inspect an air filter. Although I'm pretty sure that was mainly to do with trucks and heavy equipment. The air filter should just be changed at the required intervals, not inspected. Apparently to eliminate the risk of any dirt getting in between the seals on the filter or onto the clean side of the filter...

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[d22dave]

at this time of year we blow the air filters out every few days on the big tractors, if we didn't we would be replacing them every few days or about 30 or 40 hours. The manufactures recommend blowing them out as part of servicing.

 

[Oldie]

When I think back to my truck driving days, we always blew them out with an air hose. I can tell ya's, after a week of Pilbara dust it needed it and it took time to get it all out.
The other way was washable filters. Put them in a bucket of special filter solution to wash them out and then let them dry, not sure about that one but it was not my truck I was driving so I didn't care.

 

[Rabbid-chop]

Yeah blowing out an air cleaner is dodgy at best - seperates the fibres. I never blew mine out though i dont know what any of the mechanics did the few times i had it serviced while it was under warranty. There have been long spells between filter changes but i was under the impression they actually filter better when they are a bit dirty if a bit more restrictive?
Anyways, here's a pic of my compressor the corners are a bit rounded and thats about it.Shaft play not too bad. Was using a lot of oil prior and the intakes and 'cooler were VERY oily prior to putting new turbo in - new turbo fixed that 100% so i have to assume the oil seals in the turbo were gone. Surely constant oil mist would erode aluminium alloy at 100,000rpm or more? I dare say one of these little guys would be getting over-sped at 18-19psi.

Did clean my catch can filter and swap out to larger size hose and a different vaccuum source when i changed the turbo. Is possible the oily situation i was having was result of poor PCV ventilation and therefore turbo oil drain issues? As well as more blow-by?

 

[tweak'e]

i have had it where my catch can blocked up and turbo blew oil into the exhaust.
strangely enough it only blew white smoke on startup or if being idled a lot.

 

[tweak'e]

at this time of year we blow the air filters out every few days on the big tractors, if we didn't we would be replacing them every few days or about 30 or 40 hours. The manufactures recommend blowing them out as part of servicing.

When I think back to my truck driving days, we always blew them out with an air hose. I can tell ya's, after a week of Pilbara dust it needed it and it took time to get it all out.
.

big dust, grain, etc isn't to bad.
the issue is more with tarseal driven vehicles. ie they get a lot of road grime in the filters. its clogged with super fine particles in the filter fibre.

filter looks okish, give it a blow and chuck it back in. not good as its not clean and makes so much suction you end up with turbo issues.

 

[abouttogobush]

When I think back to my truck driving days, we always blew them out with an air hose. I can tell ya's, after a week of Pilbara dust it needed it and it took time to get it all out.
The other way was washable filters. Put them in a bucket of special filter solution to wash them out and then let them dry, not sure about that one but it was not my truck I was driving so I didn't care.

Glad you wer'nt driving my trucks Homer