dronus4x4

GUIDE STATUS - IN DRAFT.

Please check back for the full guide after I update this status.

-------

Howdy all. Just reserving this thread so that I can post an easy to follow, step by step guide to installing the Nissan Anti Detonation mods for all to use.
I'm just gathering all of the photos from my camera, taking some new photos and updating the parts and price list.


,..........

The Nissan Patrol 3L di engine can have a few modifications to make it more reliable and avoid the dreaded 'grenade'. This thread is not here to debate the reliability of the engine, or compare it to the 4.2 or petrol variants, its here as an easy to follow guide for anyone interested in doing the modifications.

I have done these modifications to about 10 GU patrols now, and while I'm not a qualified mechanic I reakon I have it down pat. Many thanks to Chaz for teaching me.

Any advice on this thread is just that - advice. I am not a mechanic so if in doubt ask first!

WHAT IS NADS?

NADS or Nissan Anti Detonation is a series of simple modifications that can be done to the di zd30 engine and exhaust to avoid the well documented issues with piston and engine damage.
....

WHY SHOULD I INSTALL NADS? (Short version)

There are 5 root causes for the zd30 engine failures.

1. Exhaust Gas Reticulation Valve (EGR). This valve recycles inert (but very dirty) exhaust gas back into the inlet manifold in an effort to reduce emissions. However the blank gunk deposited creates restrictions in the inlet manifold causing hot spots and starvation to mainly number 2 and 3 cylinders. See the install section for photos.

2. Oil Starvation. When the early engines came out, Nissan recommended that it only required 6 or so litres of oil. After a while they noticed many failures and "fixed" the problem by recalling the Patrols to shorten the dipstick. The correct amount of oil for the Di ZD30 is 8.3 Litres.
The modified length of the dipstick is (edit)cm

3. Overboosting. The ECU on the early GU patrols doesnt control the boost very well. The GU patrol has a Garratt VNT (Variable Nozzle Turbo). The way this works is - the pitch of the blades of the turbo are changed to create more boost at lower exhaust pressure. Think about how a turbo prop planes engine works. At a constant rev range the power (or thrust) can be increased, decreased or even reversed by changing the pitch of the blades. Like a fan!. The ECU has a pretty big job on its hands trying to control boost at the best of times - different engine revs, different load, the EGR opening and closing (which increases boost in the inlet manifold, after the turbo that the ECU doesnt know about). Nissan introduced an overboost sensor to try and over come this. It basically measures the boost (in the intercooler) and if it stays over a certain psi (it seems different for many sampled patrols) if puts the car into limp mode. You will know if you have limp mode if you are driving along, and all of a sudden if feels like you have no power. If you release the accellerator and reapply, it resets. Very annoying!

4. High EGT (Exhaust Gas Temperature). The Diesel engine is made to work. Good torque at low revs so you dont have to rev its guts out to get power. Its one of the reasons it is so fuel efficient compared to petrol engines) as a lot of the power is rquired just to get your 3T car moving! Obviously for the engine to run you need fuel and air and the combination of these can determine the temperature of the exhaust. Over fuelling or underboosting are common causes of high EGT. Why should i care about EGT? Well, at certain temperatures metals change caracteristics. They can get weaker (causing failure) or even melt! If your exhaust is glowing hot, think about how the pistons, cylinders, manifolds, oil and turbo are feeling!

5. Dirty or faulty MAF sensor. The MAF (Mass Airflow Sensor) is a small device located just after the air filter which measures the volume, speed and temperature of the incoming air. If the sensor is faulty, the ECU can over or under fuel the engine, causing high EGT and failure.
A common issue with MAF sensors is that they get oil on them. This is caused by the Crank Case Ventilation hose feeding back into the air inlet, just after the air filter. If you have a look on top of your engine, you will see the pipe coming from the top most part of the engine, it goes to the air inlet next to the passenger side battery. Oil mist causes the MAF to give incorrect readings. Regularly cleaning your MAF sensor, and fitting a good qulity catch can will certainly help. Its a simple thing that can be done relativly quickly. See the how to section for details.

WHAT PARTS ARE NEEDED? WHERE DO I GET THEM?

If you have read this far, you are probably keen to learn about what is included in "the mods" - Well here they are!



What - Boost Gauge
Why - Monitor what your turbo is doing. Easy to install, do it first.
Where- Get a good boost gauge. It is the foundation of knowing what your engine is doing. myPatrol4x4.com.au vendors section (when it appears), Ebay, Patrol4x4.com vendors section or even your localauto parts shop. Dont get the el cheapo one - you will find yourself replacing it soon enough. I have a Garratt Boost Gauge. You dont need one that goes into vaccuum.. mine does but it doesnt really matter.



What - EGT Gauge
Why - Monitor your Exhaust Gas Temperature. This is just as important as the boost gauge. You will be impressed with the feedback it gives you about your driving style!
Where - As above. I have a Auber digital gauge. I prefer the instant accurate feedback from the LCD display, but others prefer an analouge dial.



What - EGR "Shim"
Why - *CAUTION* Blocking your EGR is probably not legal in your state. EGR's can "Fail closed" . Blocking hte EGR not only helps to keep your inlet manifold and oil clean, it helps you to control the boost that your turbo is producing.
Where - myPatrol4x4.com.au vendors section (when it appears), Patrol4x4.com vendors section, or make one up yourself




What - Dawes Valve
Why - A Dawes valve sets the upper boost limit.
Where - http://3barracing.com sell them, as does some local 4x4 shops (at a outrageously inflated price, Shame!) If you have time get it direct from Darren Dawes at 3 bar racing - it might take 3 weeks but it might teach the local shops a lesson for being so greedy. We can also organise a group buy - post interest in the other section!



What - Needle Valve
Why - A needle valve controls the spool up rate of the turbo once we take away the ECU's control. "Spool Up" is the rate of increase of boost from the turbo. Too fast and you might get limp mode, too slow and you will lose power and have high EGT
Where - Dependable Distributors in SA is where i got my Italian Needle valve.



What - Catch Can
Why - To filter the crank case ventilation pipe, keeping the MAF sensor and intercooler clean.
Where - The Provent 200 is a great option, seems to work very well. Some people choose to buy cheaper catch cans with varied success in catching the oil mist. Have a look on ebay, or http://www.westernfilters.com.au - the kit comes with most needed things.

What - Exhaust upgrade
Why - Having a less restrictive exhaust improves performance, and lowers EGT
Where - Most exhaust shops can knock something up, but i preferred to spend a bit extra and get a 2 3/4" Beudesert mandrel bent exhaust. The Catalytic Converter is 200ccm and it makes an impressive difference.

Other Items that are not high priority, but make life better

What - Intercooler upgrade
Why - The standard Nissan intercooler has crimped ends. They will leak over time, its a common problem.. If this is happening to yours, you may notice black stains on the fins near the ends, or an unexplained loss of boost. Neither are good for your engine
Where - If your wallet is bulging and you have 10 weeks up your sleeve to wait grab a Cross Country intercooler. ASETurbo are just down the road, they are cheaper and normally have them in stock. They also come with all new pipes and a fan. A few other places also recore intercoolers on ebay etc. When mine dies, ill go the ASE i think..

....

WHERE DO I START?

So you have decided to go for it! Congratulations! It might seem daunting at first, but if we break it into chunks and take the time to learn what we are doing and why, it will make it a great learning experiance.

Here is the order of how i would go about it... In the next post ill start to describe, in plain english with photos, how to eat this elephant!

1. Fit Boost Gauge.
2. Fit EGT Gauge
3. Fit Catch Can
4. Fit boost control

In between each step i encourage you to DRIVE THE CAR and observe how each change makes a difference, more on that to follow..

INSTALLING THE CATCH CAN
This is one of the easiest mods to do.. In this section ill show you how easy !
During normal operation, the crankcase presurises and vents via the crankcase breather pipe. In the GU Patrol this pipe is connected back to the air intake, just after the air filter. Oil mist can contaminate the MAF sensor and intercooler as described above.
When doing this mod, it is a good idea to also remove your intercooler and clean it. While it is out, check it for oil stains and leaks. To clean the intercooler, firstly remove the 4 bolts which hold it to the engine, loosen the pipe clamps, undo the boost sensor probe plug on the front and take the intercooler out,
I cleaned mine using degreaser, and then flushed with water. i used a hairdryer to make sure it was clear before replacing it.
The crank case breather pipe is on the top of the engine, just to the right of the intercooler. Click on the photos for a bigger version...

It is normally piped straight to the air inlet here..

Basically what we do is put the catch can inline.. Take the pipe out and use the pipe which comes with the catch can to put the catch can inline..
Most people mount the catch can up against the firewall on the passenger side. Your milage may vary depending on if you have ABS.
Here are a few photos, please ask any questions as a comment below.






---

GUIDE STATUS - IN DRAFT.

Please check back for the full guide after I update this status.

-------

Howdy all. Just reserving this thread so that I can post an easy to follow, step by step guide to installing the Nissan Anti Detonation mods for all to use.
I'm just gathering all of the photos from my camera, taking some new photos and updating the parts and price list.


,..........

The Nissan Patrol 3L di engine can have a few modifications to make it more reliable and avoid the dreaded 'grenade'. This thread is not here to debate the reliability of the engine, or compare it to the 4.2 or petrol variants, its here as an easy to follow guide for anyone interested in doing the modifications.

I have done these modifications to about 10 GU patrols now, and while I'm not a qualified mechanic I reakon I have it down pat. Many thanks to Chaz for teaching me.

Any advice on this thread is just that - advice. I am not a mechanic so if in doubt ask first!

WHAT IS NADS?

NADS or Nissan Anti Detonation is a series of simple modifications that can be done to the di zd30 engine and exhaust to avoid the well documented issues with piston and engine damage.
....

WHY SHOULD I INSTALL NADS? (Short version)

There are 5 root causes for the zd30 engine failures.

1. Exhaust Gas Reticulation Valve (EGR). This valve recycles inert (but very dirty) exhaust gas back into the inlet manifold in an effort to reduce emissions. However the blank gunk deposited creates restrictions in the inlet manifold causing hot spots and starvation to mainly number 2 and 3 cylinders. See the install section for photos.

2. Oil Starvation. When the early engines came out, Nissan recommended that it only required 6 or so litres of oil. After a while they noticed many failures and "fixed" the problem by recalling the Patrols to shorten the dipstick. The correct amount of oil for the Di ZD30 is 8.3 Litres.
The modified length of the dipstick is (edit)cm

3. Overboosting. The ECU on the early GU patrols doesnt control the boost very well. The GU patrol has a Garratt VNT (Variable Nozzle Turbo). The way this works is - the pitch of the blades of the turbo are changed to create more boost at lower exhaust pressure. Think about how a turbo prop planes engine works. At a constant rev range the power (or thrust) can be increased, decreased or even reversed by changing the pitch of the blades. Like a fan!. The ECU has a pretty big job on its hands trying to control boost at the best of times - different engine revs, different load, the EGR opening and closing (which increases boost in the inlet manifold, after the turbo that the ECU doesnt know about). Nissan introduced an overboost sensor to try and over come this. It basically measures the boost (in the intercooler) and if it stays over a certain psi (it seems different for many sampled patrols) if puts the car into limp mode. You will know if you have limp mode if you are driving along, and all of a sudden if feels like you have no power. If you release the accellerator and reapply, it resets. Very annoying!

4. High EGT (Exhaust Gas Temperature). The Diesel engine is made to work. Good torque at low revs so you dont have to rev its guts out to get power. Its one of the reasons it is so fuel efficient compared to petrol engines) as a lot of the power is rquired just to get your 3T car moving! Obviously for the engine to run you need fuel and air and the combination of these can determine the temperature of the exhaust. Over fuelling or underboosting are common causes of high EGT. Why should i care about EGT? Well, at certain temperatures metals change caracteristics. They can get weaker (causing failure) or even melt! If your exhaust is glowing hot, think about how the pistons, cylinders, manifolds, oil and turbo are feeling!

5. Dirty or faulty MAF sensor. The MAF (Mass Airflow Sensor) is a small device located just after the air filter which measures the volume, speed and temperature of the incoming air. If the sensor is faulty, the ECU can over or under fuel the engine, causing high EGT and failure.
A common issue with MAF sensors is that they get oil on them. This is caused by the Crank Case Ventilation hose feeding back into the air inlet, just after the air filter. If you have a look on top of your engine, you will see the pipe coming from the top most part of the engine, it goes to the air inlet next to the passenger side battery. Oil mist causes the MAF to give incorrect readings. Regularly cleaning your MAF sensor, and fitting a good qulity catch can will certainly help. Its a simple thing that can be done relativly quickly. See the how to section for details.

WHAT PARTS ARE NEEDED? WHERE DO I GET THEM?

If you have read this far, you are probably keen to learn about what is included in "the mods" - Well here they are!



What - Boost Gauge
Why - Monitor what your turbo is doing. Easy to install, do it first.
Where- Get a good boost gauge. It is the foundation of knowing what your engine is doing. myPatrol4x4.com.au vendors section (when it appears), Ebay, Patrol4x4.com vendors section or even your localauto parts shop. Dont get the el cheapo one - you will find yourself replacing it soon enough. I have a Garratt Boost Gauge. You dont need one that goes into vaccuum.. mine does but it doesnt really matter.



What - EGT Gauge
Why - Monitor your Exhaust Gas Temperature. This is just as important as the boost gauge. You will be impressed with the feedback it gives you about your driving style!
Where - As above. I have a Auber digital gauge. I prefer the instant accurate feedback from the LCD display, but others prefer an analouge dial.



What - EGR "Shim"
Why - *CAUTION* Blocking your EGR is probably not legal in your state. EGR's can "Fail closed" . Blocking hte EGR not only helps to keep your inlet manifold and oil clean, it helps you to control the boost that your turbo is producing.
Where - myPatrol4x4.com.au vendors section (when it appears), Patrol4x4.com vendors section, or make one up yourself




What - Dawes Valve
Why - A Dawes valve sets the upper boost limit.
Where - http://3barracing.com sell them, as does some local 4x4 shops (at a outrageously inflated price, Shame!) If you have time get it direct from Darren Dawes at 3 bar racing - it might take 3 weeks but it might teach the local shops a lesson for being so greedy. We can also organise a group buy - post interest in the other section!



What - Needle Valve
Why - A needle valve controls the spool up rate of the turbo once we take away the ECU's control. "Spool Up" is the rate of increase of boost from the turbo. Too fast and you might get limp mode, too slow and you will lose power and have high EGT
Where - Dependable Distributors in SA is where i got my Italian Needle valve.



What - Catch Can
Why - To filter the crank case ventilation pipe, keeping the MAF sensor and intercooler clean.
Where - The Provent 200 is a great option, seems to work very well. Some people choose to buy cheaper catch cans with varied success in catching the oil mist. Have a look on ebay, or http://www.westernfilters.com.au - the kit comes with most needed things.

What - Exhaust upgrade
Why - Having a less restrictive exhaust improves performance, and lowers EGT
Where - Most exhaust shops can knock something up, but i preferred to spend a bit extra and get a 2 3/4" Beudesert mandrel bent exhaust. The Catalytic Converter is 200ccm and it makes an impressive difference.

Other Items that are not high priority, but make life better

What - Intercooler upgrade
Why - The standard Nissan intercooler has crimped ends. They will leak over time, its a common problem.. If this is happening to yours, you may notice black stains on the fins near the ends, or an unexplained loss of boost. Neither are good for your engine
Where - If your wallet is bulging and you have 10 weeks up your sleeve to wait grab a Cross Country intercooler. ASETurbo are just down the road, they are cheaper and normally have them in stock. They also come with all new pipes and a fan. A few other places also recore intercoolers on ebay etc. When mine dies, ill go the ASE i think..

....

WHERE DO I START?

So you have decided to go for it! Congratulations! It might seem daunting at first, but if we break it into chunks and take the time to learn what we are doing and why, it will make it a great learning experiance.

Here is the order of how i would go about it... In the next post ill start to describe, in plain english with photos, how to eat this elephant!

1. Fit Boost Gauge.
2. Fit EGT Gauge
3. Fit Catch Can
4. Fit boost control

In between each step i encourage you to DRIVE THE CAR and observe how each change makes a difference, more on that to follow..

I followed your guide on the other forum a while ago Ray and did this mod on my 2001 GU2. Everything lines up and works sweet. Nissan in Adelaide did have to order them their Melbourne warehouse overnight.

No more turning the fan on after belting down a dirt road and getting covered in dust!

Brilliant!

Great info Dronus,
I have recently bought an 01 GUII with a 40k replacement engine (old one went BANG on the previous owner). It had intercooler, turbo & radiator replaced at the time of transplant.
My steps of MODS will be as follows: Snorkel, Boost & EGT gauges, catch can. MONITOR then Dawes, Needle valves and EGR blocking
Do you agree this is a logical approach??
Mat A 

GUIDE STATUS - IN DRAFT.

Please check back for the full guide after I update this status.

-------

Howdy all. Just reserving this thread so that I can post an easy to follow, step by step guide to installing the Nissan Anti Detonation mods for all to use.
I'm just gathering all of the photos from my camera, taking some new photos and updating the parts and price list.


,..........

The Nissan Patrol 3L di engine can have a few modifications to make it more reliable and avoid the dreaded 'grenade'. This thread is not here to debate the reliability of the engine, or compare it to the 4.2 or petrol variants, its here as an easy to follow guide for anyone interested in doing the modifications.

I have done these modifications to about 10 GU patrols now, and while I'm not a qualified mechanic I reakon I have it down pat. Many thanks to Chaz for teaching me.

Any advice on this thread is just that - advice. I am not a mechanic so if in doubt ask first!

WHAT IS NADS?

NADS or Nissan Anti Detonation is a series of simple modifications that can be done to the di zd30 engine and exhaust to avoid the well documented issues with piston and engine damage.
....

WHY SHOULD I INSTALL NADS? (Short version)

There are 5 root causes for the zd30 engine failures.

1. Exhaust Gas Reticulation Valve (EGR). This valve recycles inert (but very dirty) exhaust gas back into the inlet manifold in an effort to reduce emissions. However the blank gunk deposited creates restrictions in the inlet manifold causing hot spots and starvation to mainly number 2 and 3 cylinders. See the install section for photos.

2. Oil Starvation. When the early engines came out, Nissan recommended that it only required 6 or so litres of oil. After a while they noticed many failures and "fixed" the problem by recalling the Patrols to shorten the dipstick. The correct amount of oil for the Di ZD30 is 8.3 Litres.
The modified length of the dipstick is (edit)cm

3. Overboosting. The ECU on the early GU patrols doesnt control the boost very well. The GU patrol has a Garratt VNT (Variable Nozzle Turbo). The way this works is - the pitch of the blades of the turbo are changed to create more boost at lower exhaust pressure. Think about how a turbo prop planes engine works. At a constant rev range the power (or thrust) can be increased, decreased or even reversed by changing the pitch of the blades. Like a fan!. The ECU has a pretty big job on its hands trying to control boost at the best of times - different engine revs, different load, the EGR opening and closing (which increases boost in the inlet manifold, after the turbo that the ECU doesnt know about). Nissan introduced an overboost sensor to try and over come this. It basically measures the boost (in the intercooler) and if it stays over a certain psi (it seems different for many sampled patrols) if puts the car into limp mode. You will know if you have limp mode if you are driving along, and all of a sudden if feels like you have no power. If you release the accellerator and reapply, it resets. Very annoying!

4. High EGT (Exhaust Gas Temperature). The Diesel engine is made to work. Good torque at low revs so you dont have to rev its guts out to get power. Its one of the reasons it is so fuel efficient compared to petrol engines) as a lot of the power is rquired just to get your 3T car moving! Obviously for the engine to run you need fuel and air and the combination of these can determine the temperature of the exhaust. Over fuelling or underboosting are common causes of high EGT. Why should i care about EGT? Well, at certain temperatures metals change caracteristics. They can get weaker (causing failure) or even melt! If your exhaust is glowing hot, think about how the pistons, cylinders, manifolds, oil and turbo are feeling!

5. Dirty or faulty MAF sensor. The MAF (Mass Airflow Sensor) is a small device located just after the air filter which measures the volume, speed and temperature of the incoming air. If the sensor is faulty, the ECU can over or under fuel the engine, causing high EGT and failure.
A common issue with MAF sensors is that they get oil on them. This is caused by the Crank Case Ventilation hose feeding back into the air inlet, just after the air filter. If you have a look on top of your engine, you will see the pipe coming from the top most part of the engine, it goes to the air inlet next to the passenger side battery. Oil mist causes the MAF to give incorrect readings. Regularly cleaning your MAF sensor, and fitting a good qulity catch can will certainly help. Its a simple thing that can be done relativly quickly. See the how to section for details.

WHAT PARTS ARE NEEDED? WHERE DO I GET THEM?

If you have read this far, you are probably keen to learn about what is included in "the mods" - Well here they are!



What - Boost Gauge
Why - Monitor what your turbo is doing. Easy to install, do it first.
Where- Get a good boost gauge. It is the foundation of knowing what your engine is doing. myPatrol4x4.com.au vendors section (when it appears), Ebay, Patrol4x4.com vendors section or even your localauto parts shop. Dont get the el cheapo one - you will find yourself replacing it soon enough. I have a Garratt Boost Gauge. You dont need one that goes into vaccuum.. mine does but it doesnt really matter.



What - EGT Gauge
Why - Monitor your Exhaust Gas Temperature. This is just as important as the boost gauge. You will be impressed with the feedback it gives you about your driving style!
Where - As above. I have a Auber digital gauge. I prefer the instant accurate feedback from the LCD display, but others prefer an analouge dial.



What - EGR "Shim"
Why - *CAUTION* Blocking your EGR is probably not legal in your state. EGR's can "Fail closed" . Blocking hte EGR not only helps to keep your inlet manifold and oil clean, it helps you to control the boost that your turbo is producing.
Where - myPatrol4x4.com.au vendors section (when it appears), Patrol4x4.com vendors section, or make one up yourself




What - Dawes Valve
Why - A Dawes valve sets the upper boost limit.
Where - http://3barracing.com sell them, as does some local 4x4 shops (at a outrageously inflated price, Shame!) If you have time get it direct from Darren Dawes at 3 bar racing - it might take 3 weeks but it might teach the local shops a lesson for being so greedy. We can also organise a group buy - post interest in the other section!



What - Needle Valve
Why - A needle valve controls the spool up rate of the turbo once we take away the ECU's control. "Spool Up" is the rate of increase of boost from the turbo. Too fast and you might get limp mode, too slow and you will lose power and have high EGT
Where - Dependable Distributors in SA is where i got my Italian Needle valve.



What - Catch Can
Why - To filter the crank case ventilation pipe, keeping the MAF sensor and intercooler clean.
Where - The Provent 200 is a great option, seems to work very well. Some people choose to buy cheaper catch cans with varied success in catching the oil mist. Have a look on ebay, or http://www.westernfilters.com.au - the kit comes with most needed things.

What - Exhaust upgrade
Why - Having a less restrictive exhaust improves performance, and lowers EGT
Where - Most exhaust shops can knock something up, but i preferred to spend a bit extra and get a 2 3/4" Beudesert mandrel bent exhaust. The Catalytic Converter is 200ccm and it makes an impressive difference.

Other Items that are not high priority, but make life better

What - Intercooler upgrade
Why - The standard Nissan intercooler has crimped ends. They will leak over time, its a common problem.. If this is happening to yours, you may notice black stains on the fins near the ends, or an unexplained loss of boost. Neither are good for your engine
Where - If your wallet is bulging and you have 10 weeks up your sleeve to wait grab a Cross Country intercooler. ASETurbo are just down the road, they are cheaper and normally have them in stock. They also come with all new pipes and a fan. A few other places also recore intercoolers on ebay etc. When mine dies, ill go the ASE i think..

....

WHERE DO I START?

So you have decided to go for it! Congratulations! It might seem daunting at first, but if we break it into chunks and take the time to learn what we are doing and why, it will make it a great learning experiance.

Here is the order of how i would go about it... In the next post ill start to describe, in plain english with photos, how to eat this elephant!

1. Fit Boost Gauge.
2. Fit EGT Gauge
3. Fit Catch Can
4. Fit boost control

In between each step i encourage you to DRIVE THE CAR and observe how each change makes a difference, more on that to follow..

GUIDE STATUS - IN DRAFT.

Please check back for the full guide after I update this status.

-------

Howdy all. Just reserving this thread so that I can post an easy to follow, step by step guide to installing the Nissan Anti Detonation mods for all to use.
I'm just gathering all of the photos from my camera, taking some new photos and updating the parts and price list.


,..........

The Nissan Patrol 3L di engine can have a few modifications to make it more reliable and avoid the dreaded 'grenade'. This thread is not here to debate the reliability of the engine, or compare it to the 4.2 or petrol variants, its here as an easy to follow guide for anyone interested in doing the modifications.

I have done these modifications to about 10 GU patrols now, and while I'm not a qualified mechanic I reakon I have it down pat. Many thanks to Chaz for teaching me.

Any advice on this thread is just that - advice. I am not a mechanic so if in doubt ask first!

WHAT IS NADS?

NADS or Nissan Anti Detonation is a series of simple modifications that can be done to the di zd30 engine and exhaust to avoid the well documented issues with piston and engine damage.
....

WHY SHOULD I INSTALL NADS? (Short version)

There are 5 root causes for the zd30 engine failures.

1. Exhaust Gas Reticulation Valve (EGR). This valve recycles inert (but very dirty) exhaust gas back into the inlet manifold in an effort to reduce emissions. However the blank gunk deposited creates restrictions in the inlet manifold causing hot spots and starvation to mainly number 2 and 3 cylinders. See the install section for photos.

2. Oil Starvation. When the early engines came out, Nissan recommended that it only required 6 or so litres of oil. After a while they noticed many failures and "fixed" the problem by recalling the Patrols to shorten the dipstick. The correct amount of oil for the Di ZD30 is 8.3 Litres.
The modified length of the dipstick is (edit)cm

3. Overboosting. The ECU on the early GU patrols doesnt control the boost very well. The GU patrol has a Garratt VNT (Variable Nozzle Turbo). The way this works is - the pitch of the blades of the turbo are changed to create more boost at lower exhaust pressure. Think about how a turbo prop planes engine works. At a constant rev range the power (or thrust) can be increased, decreased or even reversed by changing the pitch of the blades. Like a fan!. The ECU has a pretty big job on its hands trying to control boost at the best of times - different engine revs, different load, the EGR opening and closing (which increases boost in the inlet manifold, after the turbo that the ECU doesnt know about). Nissan introduced an overboost sensor to try and over come this. It basically measures the boost (in the intercooler) and if it stays over a certain psi (it seems different for many sampled patrols) if puts the car into limp mode. You will know if you have limp mode if you are driving along, and all of a sudden if feels like you have no power. If you release the accellerator and reapply, it resets. Very annoying!

4. High EGT (Exhaust Gas Temperature). The Diesel engine is made to work. Good torque at low revs so you dont have to rev its guts out to get power. Its one of the reasons it is so fuel efficient compared to petrol engines) as a lot of the power is rquired just to get your 3T car moving! Obviously for the engine to run you need fuel and air and the combination of these can determine the temperature of the exhaust. Over fuelling or underboosting are common causes of high EGT. Why should i care about EGT? Well, at certain temperatures metals change caracteristics. They can get weaker (causing failure) or even melt! If your exhaust is glowing hot, think about how the pistons, cylinders, manifolds, oil and turbo are feeling!

5. Dirty or faulty MAF sensor. The MAF (Mass Airflow Sensor) is a small device located just after the air filter which measures the volume, speed and temperature of the incoming air. If the sensor is faulty, the ECU can over or under fuel the engine, causing high EGT and failure.
A common issue with MAF sensors is that they get oil on them. This is caused by the Crank Case Ventilation hose feeding back into the air inlet, just after the air filter. If you have a look on top of your engine, you will see the pipe coming from the top most part of the engine, it goes to the air inlet next to the passenger side battery. Oil mist causes the MAF to give incorrect readings. Regularly cleaning your MAF sensor, and fitting a good qulity catch can will certainly help. Its a simple thing that can be done relativly quickly. See the how to section for details.

WHAT PARTS ARE NEEDED? WHERE DO I GET THEM?

If you have read this far, you are probably keen to learn about what is included in "the mods" - Well here they are!



What - Boost Gauge
Why - Monitor what your turbo is doing. Easy to install, do it first.
Where- Get a good boost gauge. It is the foundation of knowing what your engine is doing. myPatrol4x4.com.au vendors section (when it appears), Ebay, Patrol4x4.com vendors section or even your localauto parts shop. Dont get the el cheapo one - you will find yourself replacing it soon enough. I have a Garratt Boost Gauge. You dont need one that goes into vaccuum.. mine does but it doesnt really matter.



What - EGT Gauge
Why - Monitor your Exhaust Gas Temperature. This is just as important as the boost gauge. You will be impressed with the feedback it gives you about your driving style!
Where - As above. I have a Auber digital gauge. I prefer the instant accurate feedback from the LCD display, but others prefer an analouge dial.



What - EGR "Shim"
Why - *CAUTION* Blocking your EGR is probably not legal in your state. EGR's can "Fail closed" . Blocking hte EGR not only helps to keep your inlet manifold and oil clean, it helps you to control the boost that your turbo is producing.
Where - myPatrol4x4.com.au vendors section (when it appears), Patrol4x4.com vendors section, or make one up yourself




What - Dawes Valve
Why - A Dawes valve sets the upper boost limit.
Where - http://3barracing.com sell them, as does some local 4x4 shops (at a outrageously inflated price, Shame!) If you have time get it direct from Darren Dawes at 3 bar racing - it might take 3 weeks but it might teach the local shops a lesson for being so greedy. We can also organise a group buy - post interest in the other section!



What - Needle Valve
Why - A needle valve controls the spool up rate of the turbo once we take away the ECU's control. "Spool Up" is the rate of increase of boost from the turbo. Too fast and you might get limp mode, too slow and you will lose power and have high EGT
Where - Dependable Distributors in SA is where i got my Italian Needle valve.



What - Catch Can
Why - To filter the crank case ventilation pipe, keeping the MAF sensor and intercooler clean.
Where - The Provent 200 is a great option, seems to work very well. Some people choose to buy cheaper catch cans with varied success in catching the oil mist. Have a look on ebay, or http://www.westernfilters.com.au - the kit comes with most needed things.

What - Exhaust upgrade
Why - Having a less restrictive exhaust improves performance, and lowers EGT
Where - Most exhaust shops can knock something up, but i preferred to spend a bit extra and get a 2 3/4" Beudesert mandrel bent exhaust. The Catalytic Converter is 200ccm and it makes an impressive difference.

Other Items that are not high priority, but make life better

What - Intercooler upgrade
Why - The standard Nissan intercooler has crimped ends. They will leak over time, its a common problem.. If this is happening to yours, you may notice black stains on the fins near the ends, or an unexplained loss of boost. Neither are good for your engine
Where - If your wallet is bulging and you have 10 weeks up your sleeve to wait grab a Cross Country intercooler. ASETurbo are just down the road, they are cheaper and normally have them in stock. They also come with all new pipes and a fan. A few other places also recore intercoolers on ebay etc. When mine dies, ill go the ASE i think..

....

WHERE DO I START?

So you have decided to go for it! Congratulations! It might seem daunting at first, but if we break it into chunks and take the time to learn what we are doing and why, it will make it a great learning experiance.

Here is the order of how i would go about it... In the next post ill start to describe, in plain english with photos, how to eat this elephant!

1. Fit Boost Gauge.
2. Fit EGT Gauge
3. Fit Catch Can
4. Fit boost control

In between each step i encourage you to DRIVE THE CAR and observe how each change makes a difference, more on that to follow..

GUIDE STATUS - IN DRAFT.

Please check back for the full guide after I update this status.

-------

Howdy all. Just reserving this thread so that I can post an easy to follow, step by step guide to installing the Nissan Anti Detonation mods for all to use.
I'm just gathering all of the photos from my camera, taking some new photos and updating the parts and price list.


,..........

The Nissan Patrol 3L di engine can have a few modifications to make it more reliable and avoid the dreaded 'grenade'. This thread is not here to debate the reliability of the engine, or compare it to the 4.2 or petrol variants, its here as an easy to follow guide for anyone interested in doing the modifications.

I have done these modifications to about 10 GU patrols now, and while I'm not a qualified mechanic I reakon I have it down pat. Many thanks to Chaz for teaching me.

Any advice on this thread is just that - advice. I am not a mechanic so if in doubt ask first!

WHAT IS NADS?

NADS or Nissan Anti Detonation is a series of simple modifications that can be done to the di zd30 engine and exhaust to avoid the well documented issues with piston and engine damage.
....

WHY SHOULD I INSTALL NADS? (Short version)

There are 5 root causes for the zd30 engine failures.

1. Exhaust Gas Reticulation Valve (EGR). This valve recycles inert (but very dirty) exhaust gas back into the inlet manifold in an effort to reduce emissions. However the blank gunk deposited creates restrictions in the inlet manifold causing hot spots and starvation to mainly number 2 and 3 cylinders. See the install section for photos.

2. Oil Starvation. When the early engines came out, Nissan recommended that it only required 6 or so litres of oil. After a while they noticed many failures and "fixed" the problem by recalling the Patrols to shorten the dipstick. The correct amount of oil for the Di ZD30 is 8.3 Litres.
The modified length of the dipstick is (edit)cm

3. Overboosting. The ECU on the early GU patrols doesnt control the boost very well. The GU patrol has a Garratt VNT (Variable Nozzle Turbo). The way this works is - the pitch of the blades of the turbo are changed to create more boost at lower exhaust pressure. Think about how a turbo prop planes engine works. At a constant rev range the power (or thrust) can be increased, decreased or even reversed by changing the pitch of the blades. Like a fan!. The ECU has a pretty big job on its hands trying to control boost at the best of times - different engine revs, different load, the EGR opening and closing (which increases boost in the inlet manifold, after the turbo that the ECU doesnt know about). Nissan introduced an overboost sensor to try and over come this. It basically measures the boost (in the intercooler) and if it stays over a certain psi (it seems different for many sampled patrols) if puts the car into limp mode. You will know if you have limp mode if you are driving along, and all of a sudden if feels like you have no power. If you release the accellerator and reapply, it resets. Very annoying!

4. High EGT (Exhaust Gas Temperature). The Diesel engine is made to work. Good torque at low revs so you dont have to rev its guts out to get power. Its one of the reasons it is so fuel efficient compared to petrol engines) as a lot of the power is rquired just to get your 3T car moving! Obviously for the engine to run you need fuel and air and the combination of these can determine the temperature of the exhaust. Over fuelling or underboosting are common causes of high EGT. Why should i care about EGT? Well, at certain temperatures metals change caracteristics. They can get weaker (causing failure) or even melt! If your exhaust is glowing hot, think about how the pistons, cylinders, manifolds, oil and turbo are feeling!

5. Dirty or faulty MAF sensor. The MAF (Mass Airflow Sensor) is a small device located just after the air filter which measures the volume, speed and temperature of the incoming air. If the sensor is faulty, the ECU can over or under fuel the engine, causing high EGT and failure.
A common issue with MAF sensors is that they get oil on them. This is caused by the Crank Case Ventilation hose feeding back into the air inlet, just after the air filter. If you have a look on top of your engine, you will see the pipe coming from the top most part of the engine, it goes to the air inlet next to the passenger side battery. Oil mist causes the MAF to give incorrect readings. Regularly cleaning your MAF sensor, and fitting a good qulity catch can will certainly help. Its a simple thing that can be done relativly quickly. See the how to section for details.

WHAT PARTS ARE NEEDED? WHERE DO I GET THEM?

If you have read this far, you are probably keen to learn about what is included in "the mods" - Well here they are!



What - Boost Gauge
Why - Monitor what your turbo is doing. Easy to install, do it first.
Where- Get a good boost gauge. It is the foundation of knowing what your engine is doing. myPatrol4x4.com.au vendors section (when it appears), Ebay, Patrol4x4.com vendors section or even your localauto parts shop. Dont get the el cheapo one - you will find yourself replacing it soon enough. I have a Garratt Boost Gauge. You dont need one that goes into vaccuum.. mine does but it doesnt really matter.



What - EGT Gauge
Why - Monitor your Exhaust Gas Temperature. This is just as important as the boost gauge. You will be impressed with the feedback it gives you about your driving style!
Where - As above. I have a Auber digital gauge. I prefer the instant accurate feedback from the LCD display, but others prefer an analouge dial.



What - EGR "Shim"
Why - *CAUTION* Blocking your EGR is probably not legal in your state. EGR's can "Fail closed" . Blocking hte EGR not only helps to keep your inlet manifold and oil clean, it helps you to control the boost that your turbo is producing.
Where - myPatrol4x4.com.au vendors section (when it appears), Patrol4x4.com vendors section, or make one up yourself




What - Dawes Valve
Why - A Dawes valve sets the upper boost limit.
Where - http://3barracing.com sell them, as does some local 4x4 shops (at a outrageously inflated price, Shame!) If you have time get it direct from Darren Dawes at 3 bar racing - it might take 3 weeks but it might teach the local shops a lesson for being so greedy. We can also organise a group buy - post interest in the other section!



What - Needle Valve
Why - A needle valve controls the spool up rate of the turbo once we take away the ECU's control. "Spool Up" is the rate of increase of boost from the turbo. Too fast and you might get limp mode, too slow and you will lose power and have high EGT
Where - Dependable Distributors in SA is where i got my Italian Needle valve.



What - Catch Can
Why - To filter the crank case ventilation pipe, keeping the MAF sensor and intercooler clean.
Where - The Provent 200 is a great option, seems to work very well. Some people choose to buy cheaper catch cans with varied success in catching the oil mist. Have a look on ebay, or http://www.westernfilters.com.au - the kit comes with most needed things.

What - Exhaust upgrade
Why - Having a less restrictive exhaust improves performance, and lowers EGT
Where - Most exhaust shops can knock something up, but i preferred to spend a bit extra and get a 2 3/4" Beudesert mandrel bent exhaust. The Catalytic Converter is 200ccm and it makes an impressive difference.

Other Items that are not high priority, but make life better

What - Intercooler upgrade
Why - The standard Nissan intercooler has crimped ends. They will leak over time, its a common problem.. If this is happening to yours, you may notice black stains on the fins near the ends, or an unexplained loss of boost. Neither are good for your engine
Where - If your wallet is bulging and you have 10 weeks up your sleeve to wait grab a Cross Country intercooler. ASETurbo are just down the road, they are cheaper and normally have them in stock. They also come with all new pipes and a fan. A few other places also recore intercoolers on ebay etc. When mine dies, ill go the ASE i think..

....

WHERE DO I START?

So you have decided to go for it! Congratulations! It might seem daunting at first, but if we break it into chunks and take the time to learn what we are doing and why, it will make it a great learning experiance.

Here is the order of how i would go about it... In the next post ill start to describe, in plain english with photos, how to eat this elephant!

1. Fit Boost Gauge.
2. Fit EGT Gauge
3. Fit Catch Can
4. Fit boost control

In between each step i encourage you to DRIVE THE CAR and observe how each change makes a difference, more on that to follow..

GUIDE STATUS - IN DRAFT.

Please check back for the full guide after I update this status.

-------

Howdy all. Just reserving this thread so that I can post an easy to follow, step by step guide to installing the Nissan Anti Detonation mods for all to use.
I'm just gathering all of the photos from my camera, taking some new photos and updating the parts and price list.


,..........

The Nissan Patrol 3L di engine can have a few modifications to make it more reliable and avoid the dreaded 'grenade'. This thread is not here to debate the reliability of the engine, or compare it to the 4.2 or petrol variants, its here as an easy to follow guide for anyone interested in doing the modifications.

I have done these modifications to about 10 GU patrols now, and while I'm not a qualified mechanic I reakon I have it down pat. Many thanks to Chaz for teaching me.

Any advice on this thread is just that - advice. I am not a mechanic so if in doubt ask first!

WHAT IS NADS?

NADS or Nissan Anti Detonation is a series of simple modifications that can be done to the di zd30 engine and exhaust to avoid the well documented issues with piston and engine damage.
....

WHY SHOULD I INSTALL NADS? (Short version)

There are 5 root causes for the zd30 engine failures.

1. Exhaust Gas Reticulation Valve (EGR). This valve recycles inert (but very dirty) exhaust gas back into the inlet manifold in an effort to reduce emissions. However the blank gunk deposited creates restrictions in the inlet manifold causing hot spots and starvation to mainly number 2 and 3 cylinders. See the install section for photos.

2. Oil Starvation. When the early engines came out, Nissan recommended that it only required 6 or so litres of oil. After a while they noticed many failures and "fixed" the problem by recalling the Patrols to shorten the dipstick. The correct amount of oil for the Di ZD30 is 8.3 Litres.
The modified length of the dipstick is (edit)cm

3. Overboosting. The ECU on the early GU patrols doesnt control the boost very well. The GU patrol has a Garratt VNT (Variable Nozzle Turbo). The way this works is - the pitch of the blades of the turbo are changed to create more boost at lower exhaust pressure. Think about how a turbo prop planes engine works. At a constant rev range the power (or thrust) can be increased, decreased or even reversed by changing the pitch of the blades. Like a fan!. The ECU has a pretty big job on its hands trying to control boost at the best of times - different engine revs, different load, the EGR opening and closing (which increases boost in the inlet manifold, after the turbo that the ECU doesnt know about). Nissan introduced an overboost sensor to try and over come this. It basically measures the boost (in the intercooler) and if it stays over a certain psi (it seems different for many sampled patrols) if puts the car into limp mode. You will know if you have limp mode if you are driving along, and all of a sudden if feels like you have no power. If you release the accellerator and reapply, it resets. Very annoying!

4. High EGT (Exhaust Gas Temperature). The Diesel engine is made to work. Good torque at low revs so you dont have to rev its guts out to get power. Its one of the reasons it is so fuel efficient compared to petrol engines) as a lot of the power is rquired just to get your 3T car moving! Obviously for the engine to run you need fuel and air and the combination of these can determine the temperature of the exhaust. Over fuelling or underboosting are common causes of high EGT. Why should i care about EGT? Well, at certain temperatures metals change caracteristics. They can get weaker (causing failure) or even melt! If your exhaust is glowing hot, think about how the pistons, cylinders, manifolds, oil and turbo are feeling!

5. Dirty or faulty MAF sensor. The MAF (Mass Airflow Sensor) is a small device located just after the air filter which measures the volume, speed and temperature of the incoming air. If the sensor is faulty, the ECU can over or under fuel the engine, causing high EGT and failure.
A common issue with MAF sensors is that they get oil on them. This is caused by the Crank Case Ventilation hose feeding back into the air inlet, just after the air filter. If you have a look on top of your engine, you will see the pipe coming from the top most part of the engine, it goes to the air inlet next to the passenger side battery. Oil mist causes the MAF to give incorrect readings. Regularly cleaning your MAF sensor, and fitting a good qulity catch can will certainly help. Its a simple thing that can be done relativly quickly. See the how to section for details.

WHAT PARTS ARE NEEDED? WHERE DO I GET THEM?

If you have read this far, you are probably keen to learn about what is included in "the mods" - Well here they are!



What - Boost Gauge
Why - Monitor what your turbo is doing. Easy to install, do it first.
Where- Get a good boost gauge. It is the foundation of knowing what your engine is doing. myPatrol4x4.com.au vendors section (when it appears), Ebay, Patrol4x4.com vendors section or even your localauto parts shop. Dont get the el cheapo one - you will find yourself replacing it soon enough. I have a Garratt Boost Gauge. You dont need one that goes into vaccuum.. mine does but it doesnt really matter.



What - EGT Gauge
Why - Monitor your Exhaust Gas Temperature. This is just as important as the boost gauge. You will be impressed with the feedback it gives you about your driving style!
Where - As above. I have a Auber digital gauge. I prefer the instant accurate feedback from the LCD display, but others prefer an analouge dial.



What - EGR "Shim"
Why - *CAUTION* Blocking your EGR is probably not legal in your state. EGR's can "Fail closed" . Blocking hte EGR not only helps to keep your inlet manifold and oil clean, it helps you to control the boost that your turbo is producing.
Where - myPatrol4x4.com.au vendors section (when it appears), Patrol4x4.com vendors section, or make one up yourself




What - Dawes Valve
Why - A Dawes valve sets the upper boost limit.
Where - http://3barracing.com sell them, as does some local 4x4 shops (at a outrageously inflated price, Shame!) If you have time get it direct from Darren Dawes at 3 bar racing - it might take 3 weeks but it might teach the local shops a lesson for being so greedy. We can also organise a group buy - post interest in the other section!



What - Needle Valve
Why - A needle valve controls the spool up rate of the turbo once we take away the ECU's control. "Spool Up" is the rate of increase of boost from the turbo. Too fast and you might get limp mode, too slow and you will lose power and have high EGT
Where - Dependable Distributors in SA is where i got my Italian Needle valve.



What - Catch Can
Why - To filter the crank case ventilation pipe, keeping the MAF sensor and intercooler clean.
Where - The Provent 200 is a great option, seems to work very well. Some people choose to buy cheaper catch cans with varied success in catching the oil mist. Have a look on ebay, or http://www.westernfilters.com.au - the kit comes with most needed things.

What - Exhaust upgrade
Why - Having a less restrictive exhaust improves performance, and lowers EGT
Where - Most exhaust shops can knock something up, but i preferred to spend a bit extra and get a 2 3/4" Beudesert mandrel bent exhaust. The Catalytic Converter is 200ccm and it makes an impressive difference.

Other Items that are not high priority, but make life better

What - Intercooler upgrade
Why - The standard Nissan intercooler has crimped ends. They will leak over time, its a common problem.. If this is happening to yours, you may notice black stains on the fins near the ends, or an unexplained loss of boost. Neither are good for your engine
Where - If your wallet is bulging and you have 10 weeks up your sleeve to wait grab a Cross Country intercooler. ASETurbo are just down the road, they are cheaper and normally have them in stock. They also come with all new pipes and a fan. A few other places also recore intercoolers on ebay etc. When mine dies, ill go the ASE i think..

....

WHERE DO I START?

So you have decided to go for it! Congratulations! It might seem daunting at first, but if we break it into chunks and take the time to learn what we are doing and why, it will make it a great learning experiance.

Here is the order of how i would go about it... In the next post ill start to describe, in plain english with photos, how to eat this elephant!

1. Fit Boost Gauge.
2. Fit EGT Gauge
3. Fit Catch Can
4. Fit boost control

In between each step i encourage you to DRIVE THE CAR and observe how each change makes a difference, more on that to follow..

INSTALLING THE BOOST CONTROL
Ok so now we have our gauges and catch can installed its time to install the boost control.
Before you install it i hope you have driven your Patrol and taken note of how the boost and EGT is behaving.
When you accelerate does your boost come up fast, drop down to near 5psi and then climb back up to near 15 - 17psi? What is the maximum spike and sustained boost you are reading? At times does your boost do a coles (go down, and stay down) What are your EGT's around town, on the highway, climbing a hill. How does changing down or up a gear affect EGT? What is the Max EGT you are reading? Any other observations? Before we install anything, lets run through what we are going to do, the components used, what they do, and what we expect to change.
What are we about to do?
We are about to use a couple of devices to take the control of the boost away from the ECU to give us a more linear, controlled boost resulting in lower EGT and more power.
What do we use to do this, and how do they work?
Dawes Valve. A dawes valve is a device which limits the maximum boost that the turbo produces by limiting the VNT Actuator rods travel. As decribed in the first post a VNT turbo adjusts the pitch of the blades in the turbo to produce more or less boost as required. This is done via a rod which opens and closes the vanes. The rod is connected to a diphram, which is controlled by vacuum applied to the other side. By limiting the maximum boost we can set the turbo to produce a precise boost, avoiding limp mode and damage to the engine by high boost.
  Needle Valve. A needle valve controls the rate of spool up that the turbo produces. Spool up can be thought of "how fast the turbo goes from producing no boost, to its maximum boost as determined by the Dawes Valve". Why do we care about this? Well, if the spool up is too slow the turbo doesnt produce enough boost to keep up with the load on the engine, which will cause it to appear sluggsh, and high EGT. If the spool up is too high the dawes valve may not operate in time to limit the boost to its maximum preset boost, causing performance issues when the overboost drops the vacuum (limp mode). Also, too fast a spool up can cause turbulance in the exhaust, which is not so good. If you are going the whole hog and doing your exhaust upgrade, and EGR block you can either do that now to save you reconfiguring again, or do it later, it doesnt matter (depending on your cash flow by this stage, and time).
Ok lets start.
First things first. Make sure you have everything. You will need a Dawes Valve kit, a needle valve kit, any extra 1/8 pipe you can find, an extra 1/8 t-piece, cable ties, sidecutters, and your boost gauge fitted and operational.
Dont chop anything until you have read the following several times and fully understand it. Also, if it is going to rain, a swarm of bees are approaching or you are supposed to be going to a wedding in an hour, perhaps wait until you have more time.
The first thing we are going to do is to fit the needle valve. It is put inline with the VNT actuator and the vaccum pump. It also tees to the boost gauge on the non limited side.
Have a close look at the next photo. Spot the Dawes valve? The non-teed end has a short pipe connected to a t-piece (hidden by the blue pipe, ill get another photo). This t piece is inline with the boost gauge line. The teed end of the dawes valve gets put inline to the pipe which goes to the VNT actuator (the silver thing on top of the turbo). The pipe heading towards us goes to another t-piece.
Phew, still with me?
Ok, so where do these other pipes go? One of them goes to your vacuum pump. It was the line that was going straight to the VNT Actuator. The other pipe is going to head towards the front of the car, and end up in the needle valve.

Here is the second t-piece going to the needle valve

Here we are connected to the needle valve

and finally into the airbox. note the blanked off ports to the left, under the pipe

Can you tell which one is my engine bay, and which one is someone else's?


Adjusting the controls
Ok so you have the gear fitted. How do we calibrate it?
Remember how i said its important to monitor whats going onould like to achieve is a nice linear boost curveto a safe level. This will increase performance, lower EGT and keep your engine from going into limp mode.
First things first - what is your boost doing? is it too high, too low, or just right? When you accellerate, how fast does the boost spool up?
If you boost is going above 15psi, you need to adjust the dawes valve by screwing it in 1/4 turn at a time and re testing.
If you boost isnt making 15 psi (with the needle valve closed) you need to wind it out.
If after winding it out you still cant make 15psi, you may need to remove the Dawes valve and stretch the spring a tad.
Once you have got the max boost set, its time to control the spool up.
Experiment by loosening the hex key that locks the needle valve, and adjust it 1/4 turn at a time. Take the car for a drive and see what it has done. Opening the needle valve slows down the spool up, closing it speeds it up.
--
WHAT HAVE WE LEARNT?

INSTALLING THE BOOST CONTROL
Ok so now we have our gauges and catch can installed its time to install the boost control.
Before you install it i hope you have driven your Patrol and taken note of how the boost and EGT is behaving.
When you accelerate does your boost come up fast, drop down to near 5psi and then climb back up to near 15 - 17psi? What is the maximum spike and sustained boost you are reading? At times does your boost do a coles (go down, and stay down) What are your EGT's around town, on the highway, climbing a hill. How does changing down or up a gear affect EGT? What is the Max EGT you are reading? Any other observations? Before we install anything, lets run through what we are going to do, the components used, what they do, and what we expect to change.
What are we about to do?
We are about to use a couple of devices to take the control of the boost away from the ECU to give us a more linear, controlled boost resulting in lower EGT and more power.
What do we use to do this, and how do they work?
Dawes Valve. A dawes valve is a device which limits the maximum boost that the turbo produces by limiting the VNT Actuator rods travel. As decribed in the first post a VNT turbo adjusts the pitch of the blades in the turbo to produce more or less boost as required. This is done via a rod which opens and closes the vanes. The rod is connected to a diphram, which is controlled by vacuum applied to the other side. By limiting the maximum boost we can set the turbo to produce a precise boost, avoiding limp mode and damage to the engine by high boost.
  Needle Valve. A needle valve controls the rate of spool up that the turbo produces. Spool up can be thought of "how fast the turbo goes from producing no boost, to its maximum boost as determined by the Dawes Valve". Why do we care about this? Well, if the spool up is too slow the turbo doesnt produce enough boost to keep up with the load on the engine, which will cause it to appear sluggsh, and high EGT. If the spool up is too high the dawes valve may not operate in time to limit the boost to its maximum preset boost, causing performance issues when the overboost drops the vacuum (limp mode). Also, too fast a spool up can cause turbulance in the exhaust, which is not so good. If you are going the whole hog and doing your exhaust upgrade, and EGR block you can either do that now to save you reconfiguring again, or do it later, it doesnt matter (depending on your cash flow by this stage, and time).
Ok lets start.
First things first. Make sure you have everything. You will need a Dawes Valve kit, a needle valve kit, any extra 1/8 pipe you can find, an extra 1/8 t-piece, cable ties, sidecutters, and your boost gauge fitted and operational.
Dont chop anything until you have read the following several times and fully understand it. Also, if it is going to rain, a swarm of bees are approaching or you are supposed to be going to a wedding in an hour, perhaps wait until you have more time.
The first thing we are going to do is to fit the needle valve. It is put inline with the VNT actuator and the vaccum pump. It also tees to the boost gauge on the non limited side.
Have a close look at the next photo. Spot the Dawes valve? The non-teed end has a short pipe connected to a t-piece (hidden by the blue pipe, ill get another photo). This t piece is inline with the boost gauge line. The teed end of the dawes valve gets put inline to the pipe which goes to the VNT actuator (the silver thing on top of the turbo). The pipe heading towards us goes to another t-piece.
Phew, still with me?
Ok, so where do these other pipes go? One of them goes to your vacuum pump. It was the line that was going straight to the VNT Actuator. The other pipe is going to head towards the front of the car, and end up in the needle valve.

Here is the second t-piece going to the needle valve

Here we are connected to the needle valve

and finally into the airbox. note the blanked off ports to the left, under the pipe

Can you tell which one is my engine bay, and which one is someone else's?


Adjusting the controls
Ok so you have the gear fitted. How do we calibrate it?
Remember how i said its important to monitor whats going onould like to achieve is a nice linear boost curveto a safe level. This will increase performance, lower EGT and keep your engine from going into limp mode.
First things first - what is your boost doing? is it too high, too low, or just right? When you accellerate, how fast does the boost spool up?
If you boost is going above 15psi, you need to adjust the dawes valve by screwing it in 1/4 turn at a time and re testing.
If you boost isnt making 15 psi (with the needle valve closed) you need to wind it out.
If after winding it out you still cant make 15psi, you may need to remove the Dawes valve and stretch the spring a tad.
Once you have got the max boost set, its time to control the spool up.
Experiment by loosening the hex key that locks the needle valve, and adjust it 1/4 turn at a time. Take the car for a drive and see what it has done. Opening the needle valve slows down the spool up, closing it speeds it up.
--
WHAT HAVE WE LEARNT?

INSTALLING THE CATCH CAN
This is one of the easiest mods to do.. In this section ill show you how easy !
During normal operation, the crankcase presurises and vents via the crankcase breather pipe. In the GU Patrol this pipe is connected back to the air intake, just after the air filter. Oil mist can contaminate the MAF sensor and intercooler as described above.
When doing this mod, it is a good idea to also remove your intercooler and clean it. While it is out, check it for oil stains and leaks. To clean the intercooler, firstly remove the 4 bolts which hold it to the engine, loosen the pipe clamps, undo the boost sensor probe plug on the front and take the intercooler out,
I cleaned mine using degreaser, and then flushed with water. i used a hairdryer to make sure it was clear before replacing it.
The crank case breather pipe is on the top of the engine, just to the right of the intercooler. Click on the photos for a bigger version...

It is normally piped straight to the air inlet here..

Basically what we do is put the catch can inline.. Take the pipe out and use the pipe which comes with the catch can to put the catch can inline..
Most people mount the catch can up against the firewall on the passenger side. Your milage may vary depending on if you have ABS.
Here are a few photos, please ask any questions as a comment below.






---

INSTALLING THE BOOST CONTROL
Ok so now we have our gauges and catch can installed its time to install the boost control.
Before you install it i hope you have driven your Patrol and taken note of how the boost and EGT is behaving.
When you accelerate does your boost come up fast, drop down to near 5psi and then climb back up to near 15 - 17psi? What is the maximum spike and sustained boost you are reading? At times does your boost do a coles (go down, and stay down) What are your EGT's around town, on the highway, climbing a hill. How does changing down or up a gear affect EGT? What is the Max EGT you are reading? Any other observations? Before we install anything, lets run through what we are going to do, the components used, what they do, and what we expect to change.
What are we about to do?
We are about to use a couple of devices to take the control of the boost away from the ECU to give us a more linear, controlled boost resulting in lower EGT and more power.
What do we use to do this, and how do they work?
Dawes Valve. A dawes valve is a device which limits the maximum boost that the turbo produces by limiting the VNT Actuator rods travel. As decribed in the first post a VNT turbo adjusts the pitch of the blades in the turbo to produce more or less boost as required. This is done via a rod which opens and closes the vanes. The rod is connected to a diphram, which is controlled by vacuum applied to the other side. By limiting the maximum boost we can set the turbo to produce a precise boost, avoiding limp mode and damage to the engine by high boost.
  Needle Valve. A needle valve controls the rate of spool up that the turbo produces. Spool up can be thought of "how fast the turbo goes from producing no boost, to its maximum boost as determined by the Dawes Valve". Why do we care about this? Well, if the spool up is too slow the turbo doesnt produce enough boost to keep up with the load on the engine, which will cause it to appear sluggsh, and high EGT. If the spool up is too high the dawes valve may not operate in time to limit the boost to its maximum preset boost, causing performance issues when the overboost drops the vacuum (limp mode). Also, too fast a spool up can cause turbulance in the exhaust, which is not so good. If you are going the whole hog and doing your exhaust upgrade, and EGR block you can either do that now to save you reconfiguring again, or do it later, it doesnt matter (depending on your cash flow by this stage, and time).
Ok lets start.
First things first. Make sure you have everything. You will need a Dawes Valve kit, a needle valve kit, any extra 1/8 pipe you can find, an extra 1/8 t-piece, cable ties, sidecutters, and your boost gauge fitted and operational.
Dont chop anything until you have read the following several times and fully understand it. Also, if it is going to rain, a swarm of bees are approaching or you are supposed to be going to a wedding in an hour, perhaps wait until you have more time.
The first thing we are going to do is to fit the needle valve. It is put inline with the VNT actuator and the vaccum pump. It also tees to the boost gauge on the non limited side.
Have a close look at the next photo. Spot the Dawes valve? The non-teed end has a short pipe connected to a t-piece (hidden by the blue pipe, ill get another photo). This t piece is inline with the boost gauge line. The teed end of the dawes valve gets put inline to the pipe which goes to the VNT actuator (the silver thing on top of the turbo). The pipe heading towards us goes to another t-piece.
Phew, still with me?
Ok, so where do these other pipes go? One of them goes to your vacuum pump. It was the line that was going straight to the VNT Actuator. The other pipe is going to head towards the front of the car, and end up in the needle valve.

Here is the second t-piece going to the needle valve

Here we are connected to the needle valve

and finally into the airbox. note the blanked off ports to the left, under the pipe

Can you tell which one is my engine bay, and which one is someone else's?


Adjusting the controls
Ok so you have the gear fitted. How do we calibrate it?
Remember how i said its important to monitor whats going onould like to achieve is a nice linear boost curveto a safe level. This will increase performance, lower EGT and keep your engine from going into limp mode.
First things first - what is your boost doing? is it too high, too low, or just right? When you accellerate, how fast does the boost spool up?
If you boost is going above 15psi, you need to adjust the dawes valve by screwing it in 1/4 turn at a time and re testing.
If you boost isnt making 15 psi (with the needle valve closed) you need to wind it out.
If after winding it out you still cant make 15psi, you may need to remove the Dawes valve and stretch the spring a tad.
Once you have got the max boost set, its time to control the spool up.
Experiment by loosening the hex key that locks the needle valve, and adjust it 1/4 turn at a time. Take the car for a drive and see what it has done. Opening the needle valve slows down the spool up, closing it speeds it up.
--
WHAT HAVE WE LEARNT?

GUIDE STATUS - IN DRAFT.

Please check back for the full guide after I update this status.

-------

Howdy all. Just reserving this thread so that I can post an easy to follow, step by step guide to installing the Nissan Anti Detonation mods for all to use.
I'm just gathering all of the photos from my camera, taking some new photos and updating the parts and price list.


,..........

The Nissan Patrol 3L di engine can have a few modifications to make it more reliable and avoid the dreaded 'grenade'. This thread is not here to debate the reliability of the engine, or compare it to the 4.2 or petrol variants, its here as an easy to follow guide for anyone interested in doing the modifications.

I have done these modifications to about 10 GU patrols now, and while I'm not a qualified mechanic I reakon I have it down pat. Many thanks to Chaz for teaching me.

Any advice on this thread is just that - advice. I am not a mechanic so if in doubt ask first!

WHAT IS NADS?

NADS or Nissan Anti Detonation is a series of simple modifications that can be done to the di zd30 engine and exhaust to avoid the well documented issues with piston and engine damage.
....

WHY SHOULD I INSTALL NADS? (Short version)

There are 5 root causes for the zd30 engine failures.

1. Exhaust Gas Reticulation Valve (EGR). This valve recycles inert (but very dirty) exhaust gas back into the inlet manifold in an effort to reduce emissions. However the blank gunk deposited creates restrictions in the inlet manifold causing hot spots and starvation to mainly number 2 and 3 cylinders. See the install section for photos.

2. Oil Starvation. When the early engines came out, Nissan recommended that it only required 6 or so litres of oil. After a while they noticed many failures and "fixed" the problem by recalling the Patrols to shorten the dipstick. The correct amount of oil for the Di ZD30 is 8.3 Litres.
The modified length of the dipstick is (edit)cm

3. Overboosting. The ECU on the early GU patrols doesnt control the boost very well. The GU patrol has a Garratt VNT (Variable Nozzle Turbo). The way this works is - the pitch of the blades of the turbo are changed to create more boost at lower exhaust pressure. Think about how a turbo prop planes engine works. At a constant rev range the power (or thrust) can be increased, decreased or even reversed by changing the pitch of the blades. Like a fan!. The ECU has a pretty big job on its hands trying to control boost at the best of times - different engine revs, different load, the EGR opening and closing (which increases boost in the inlet manifold, after the turbo that the ECU doesnt know about). Nissan introduced an overboost sensor to try and over come this. It basically measures the boost (in the intercooler) and if it stays over a certain psi (it seems different for many sampled patrols) if puts the car into limp mode. You will know if you have limp mode if you are driving along, and all of a sudden if feels like you have no power. If you release the accellerator and reapply, it resets. Very annoying!

4. High EGT (Exhaust Gas Temperature). The Diesel engine is made to work. Good torque at low revs so you dont have to rev its guts out to get power. Its one of the reasons it is so fuel efficient compared to petrol engines) as a lot of the power is rquired just to get your 3T car moving! Obviously for the engine to run you need fuel and air and the combination of these can determine the temperature of the exhaust. Over fuelling or underboosting are common causes of high EGT. Why should i care about EGT? Well, at certain temperatures metals change caracteristics. They can get weaker (causing failure) or even melt! If your exhaust is glowing hot, think about how the pistons, cylinders, manifolds, oil and turbo are feeling!

5. Dirty or faulty MAF sensor. The MAF (Mass Airflow Sensor) is a small device located just after the air filter which measures the volume, speed and temperature of the incoming air. If the sensor is faulty, the ECU can over or under fuel the engine, causing high EGT and failure.
A common issue with MAF sensors is that they get oil on them. This is caused by the Crank Case Ventilation hose feeding back into the air inlet, just after the air filter. If you have a look on top of your engine, you will see the pipe coming from the top most part of the engine, it goes to the air inlet next to the passenger side battery. Oil mist causes the MAF to give incorrect readings. Regularly cleaning your MAF sensor, and fitting a good qulity catch can will certainly help. Its a simple thing that can be done relativly quickly. See the how to section for details.

WHAT PARTS ARE NEEDED? WHERE DO I GET THEM?

If you have read this far, you are probably keen to learn about what is included in "the mods" - Well here they are!



What - Boost Gauge
Why - Monitor what your turbo is doing. Easy to install, do it first.
Where- Get a good boost gauge. It is the foundation of knowing what your engine is doing. myPatrol4x4.com.au vendors section (when it appears), Ebay, Patrol4x4.com vendors section or even your localauto parts shop. Dont get the el cheapo one - you will find yourself replacing it soon enough. I have a Garratt Boost Gauge. You dont need one that goes into vaccuum.. mine does but it doesnt really matter.



What - EGT Gauge
Why - Monitor your Exhaust Gas Temperature. This is just as important as the boost gauge. You will be impressed with the feedback it gives you about your driving style!
Where - As above. I have a Auber digital gauge. I prefer the instant accurate feedback from the LCD display, but others prefer an analouge dial.



What - EGR "Shim"
Why - *CAUTION* Blocking your EGR is probably not legal in your state. EGR's can "Fail closed" . Blocking hte EGR not only helps to keep your inlet manifold and oil clean, it helps you to control the boost that your turbo is producing.
Where - myPatrol4x4.com.au vendors section (when it appears), Patrol4x4.com vendors section, or make one up yourself




What - Dawes Valve
Why - A Dawes valve sets the upper boost limit.
Where - http://3barracing.com sell them, as does some local 4x4 shops (at a outrageously inflated price, Shame!) If you have time get it direct from Darren Dawes at 3 bar racing - it might take 3 weeks but it might teach the local shops a lesson for being so greedy. We can also organise a group buy - post interest in the other section!



What - Needle Valve
Why - A needle valve controls the spool up rate of the turbo once we take away the ECU's control. "Spool Up" is the rate of increase of boost from the turbo. Too fast and you might get limp mode, too slow and you will lose power and have high EGT
Where - Dependable Distributors in SA is where i got my Italian Needle valve.



What - Catch Can
Why - To filter the crank case ventilation pipe, keeping the MAF sensor and intercooler clean.
Where - The Provent 200 is a great option, seems to work very well. Some people choose to buy cheaper catch cans with varied success in catching the oil mist. Have a look on ebay, or http://www.westernfilters.com.au - the kit comes with most needed things.

What - Exhaust upgrade
Why - Having a less restrictive exhaust improves performance, and lowers EGT
Where - Most exhaust shops can knock something up, but i preferred to spend a bit extra and get a 2 3/4" Beudesert mandrel bent exhaust. The Catalytic Converter is 200ccm and it makes an impressive difference.

Other Items that are not high priority, but make life better

What - Intercooler upgrade
Why - The standard Nissan intercooler has crimped ends. They will leak over time, its a common problem.. If this is happening to yours, you may notice black stains on the fins near the ends, or an unexplained loss of boost. Neither are good for your engine
Where - If your wallet is bulging and you have 10 weeks up your sleeve to wait grab a Cross Country intercooler. ASETurbo are just down the road, they are cheaper and normally have them in stock. They also come with all new pipes and a fan. A few other places also recore intercoolers on ebay etc. When mine dies, ill go the ASE i think..

....

WHERE DO I START?

So you have decided to go for it! Congratulations! It might seem daunting at first, but if we break it into chunks and take the time to learn what we are doing and why, it will make it a great learning experiance.

Here is the order of how i would go about it... In the next post ill start to describe, in plain english with photos, how to eat this elephant!

1. Fit Boost Gauge.
2. Fit EGT Gauge
3. Fit Catch Can
4. Fit boost control

In between each step i encourage you to DRIVE THE CAR and observe how each change makes a difference, more on that to follow..

GUIDE STATUS - IN DRAFT.

Please check back for the full guide after I update this status.

-------

Howdy all. Just reserving this thread so that I can post an easy to follow, step by step guide to installing the Nissan Anti Detonation mods for all to use.
I'm just gathering all of the photos from my camera, taking some new photos and updating the parts and price list.


,..........

The Nissan Patrol 3L di engine can have a few modifications to make it more reliable and avoid the dreaded 'grenade'. This thread is not here to debate the reliability of the engine, or compare it to the 4.2 or petrol variants, its here as an easy to follow guide for anyone interested in doing the modifications.

I have done these modifications to about 10 GU patrols now, and while I'm not a qualified mechanic I reakon I have it down pat. Many thanks to Chaz for teaching me.

Any advice on this thread is just that - advice. I am not a mechanic so if in doubt ask first!

WHAT IS NADS?

NADS or Nissan Anti Detonation is a series of simple modifications that can be done to the di zd30 engine and exhaust to avoid the well documented issues with piston and engine damage.
....

WHY SHOULD I INSTALL NADS? (Short version)

There are 5 root causes for the zd30 engine failures.

1. Exhaust Gas Reticulation Valve (EGR). This valve recycles inert (but very dirty) exhaust gas back into the inlet manifold in an effort to reduce emissions. However the blank gunk deposited creates restrictions in the inlet manifold causing hot spots and starvation to mainly number 2 and 3 cylinders. See the install section for photos.

2. Oil Starvation. When the early engines came out, Nissan recommended that it only required 6 or so litres of oil. After a while they noticed many failures and "fixed" the problem by recalling the Patrols to shorten the dipstick. The correct amount of oil for the Di ZD30 is 8.3 Litres.
The modified length of the dipstick is (edit)cm

3. Overboosting. The ECU on the early GU patrols doesnt control the boost very well. The GU patrol has a Garratt VNT (Variable Nozzle Turbo). The way this works is - the pitch of the blades of the turbo are changed to create more boost at lower exhaust pressure. Think about how a turbo prop planes engine works. At a constant rev range the power (or thrust) can be increased, decreased or even reversed by changing the pitch of the blades. Like a fan!. The ECU has a pretty big job on its hands trying to control boost at the best of times - different engine revs, different load, the EGR opening and closing (which increases boost in the inlet manifold, after the turbo that the ECU doesnt know about). Nissan introduced an overboost sensor to try and over come this. It basically measures the boost (in the intercooler) and if it stays over a certain psi (it seems different for many sampled patrols) if puts the car into limp mode. You will know if you have limp mode if you are driving along, and all of a sudden if feels like you have no power. If you release the accellerator and reapply, it resets. Very annoying!

4. High EGT (Exhaust Gas Temperature). The Diesel engine is made to work. Good torque at low revs so you dont have to rev its guts out to get power. Its one of the reasons it is so fuel efficient compared to petrol engines) as a lot of the power is rquired just to get your 3T car moving! Obviously for the engine to run you need fuel and air and the combination of these can determine the temperature of the exhaust. Over fuelling or underboosting are common causes of high EGT. Why should i care about EGT? Well, at certain temperatures metals change caracteristics. They can get weaker (causing failure) or even melt! If your exhaust is glowing hot, think about how the pistons, cylinders, manifolds, oil and turbo are feeling!

5. Dirty or faulty MAF sensor. The MAF (Mass Airflow Sensor) is a small device located just after the air filter which measures the volume, speed and temperature of the incoming air. If the sensor is faulty, the ECU can over or under fuel the engine, causing high EGT and failure.
A common issue with MAF sensors is that they get oil on them. This is caused by the Crank Case Ventilation hose feeding back into the air inlet, just after the air filter. If you have a look on top of your engine, you will see the pipe coming from the top most part of the engine, it goes to the air inlet next to the passenger side battery. Oil mist causes the MAF to give incorrect readings. Regularly cleaning your MAF sensor, and fitting a good qulity catch can will certainly help. Its a simple thing that can be done relativly quickly. See the how to section for details.

WHAT PARTS ARE NEEDED? WHERE DO I GET THEM?

If you have read this far, you are probably keen to learn about what is included in "the mods" - Well here they are!



What - Boost Gauge
Why - Monitor what your turbo is doing. Easy to install, do it first.
Where- Get a good boost gauge. It is the foundation of knowing what your engine is doing. myPatrol4x4.com.au vendors section (when it appears), Ebay, Patrol4x4.com vendors section or even your localauto parts shop. Dont get the el cheapo one - you will find yourself replacing it soon enough. I have a Garratt Boost Gauge. You dont need one that goes into vaccuum.. mine does but it doesnt really matter.



What - EGT Gauge
Why - Monitor your Exhaust Gas Temperature. This is just as important as the boost gauge. You will be impressed with the feedback it gives you about your driving style!
Where - As above. I have a Auber digital gauge. I prefer the instant accurate feedback from the LCD display, but others prefer an analouge dial.



What - EGR "Shim"
Why - *CAUTION* Blocking your EGR is probably not legal in your state. EGR's can "Fail closed" . Blocking hte EGR not only helps to keep your inlet manifold and oil clean, it helps you to control the boost that your turbo is producing.
Where - myPatrol4x4.com.au vendors section (when it appears), Patrol4x4.com vendors section, or make one up yourself




What - Dawes Valve
Why - A Dawes valve sets the upper boost limit.
Where - http://3barracing.com sell them, as does some local 4x4 shops (at a outrageously inflated price, Shame!) If you have time get it direct from Darren Dawes at 3 bar racing - it might take 3 weeks but it might teach the local shops a lesson for being so greedy. We can also organise a group buy - post interest in the other section!



What - Needle Valve
Why - A needle valve controls the spool up rate of the turbo once we take away the ECU's control. "Spool Up" is the rate of increase of boost from the turbo. Too fast and you might get limp mode, too slow and you will lose power and have high EGT
Where - Dependable Distributors in SA is where i got my Italian Needle valve.



What - Catch Can
Why - To filter the crank case ventilation pipe, keeping the MAF sensor and intercooler clean.
Where - The Provent 200 is a great option, seems to work very well. Some people choose to buy cheaper catch cans with varied success in catching the oil mist. Have a look on ebay, or http://www.westernfilters.com.au - the kit comes with most needed things.

What - Exhaust upgrade
Why - Having a less restrictive exhaust improves performance, and lowers EGT
Where - Most exhaust shops can knock something up, but i preferred to spend a bit extra and get a 2 3/4" Beudesert mandrel bent exhaust. The Catalytic Converter is 200ccm and it makes an impressive difference.

Other Items that are not high priority, but make life better

What - Intercooler upgrade
Why - The standard Nissan intercooler has crimped ends. They will leak over time, its a common problem.. If this is happening to yours, you may notice black stains on the fins near the ends, or an unexplained loss of boost. Neither are good for your engine
Where - If your wallet is bulging and you have 10 weeks up your sleeve to wait grab a Cross Country intercooler. ASETurbo are just down the road, they are cheaper and normally have them in stock. They also come with all new pipes and a fan. A few other places also recore intercoolers on ebay etc. When mine dies, ill go the ASE i think..

....

WHERE DO I START?

So you have decided to go for it! Congratulations! It might seem daunting at first, but if we break it into chunks and take the time to learn what we are doing and why, it will make it a great learning experiance.

Here is the order of how i would go about it... In the next post ill start to describe, in plain english with photos, how to eat this elephant!

1. Fit Boost Gauge.
2. Fit EGT Gauge
3. Fit Catch Can
4. Fit boost control

In between each step i encourage you to DRIVE THE CAR and observe how each change makes a difference, more on that to follow..

Just needs a "you're a twat" button and I would never get any work done!

Hahaha

I cut a bit of rubber, put two holes in it and cable tied it to the +ve cable so it covers all the positive bits.
Works a treat

GUIDE STATUS - IN DRAFT.

Please check back for the full guide after I update this status.

-------

Howdy all. Just reserving this thread so that I can post an easy to follow, step by step guide to installing the Nissan Anti Detonation mods for all to use.
I'm just gathering all of the photos from my camera, taking some new photos and updating the parts and price list.


,..........

The Nissan Patrol 3L di engine can have a few modifications to make it more reliable and avoid the dreaded 'grenade'. This thread is not here to debate the reliability of the engine, or compare it to the 4.2 or petrol variants, its here as an easy to follow guide for anyone interested in doing the modifications.

I have done these modifications to about 10 GU patrols now, and while I'm not a qualified mechanic I reakon I have it down pat. Many thanks to Chaz for teaching me.

Any advice on this thread is just that - advice. I am not a mechanic so if in doubt ask first!

WHAT IS NADS?

NADS or Nissan Anti Detonation is a series of simple modifications that can be done to the di zd30 engine and exhaust to avoid the well documented issues with piston and engine damage.
....

WHY SHOULD I INSTALL NADS? (Short version)

There are 5 root causes for the zd30 engine failures.

1. Exhaust Gas Reticulation Valve (EGR). This valve recycles inert (but very dirty) exhaust gas back into the inlet manifold in an effort to reduce emissions. However the blank gunk deposited creates restrictions in the inlet manifold causing hot spots and starvation to mainly number 2 and 3 cylinders. See the install section for photos.

2. Oil Starvation. When the early engines came out, Nissan recommended that it only required 6 or so litres of oil. After a while they noticed many failures and "fixed" the problem by recalling the Patrols to shorten the dipstick. The correct amount of oil for the Di ZD30 is 8.3 Litres.
The modified length of the dipstick is (edit)cm

3. Overboosting. The ECU on the early GU patrols doesnt control the boost very well. The GU patrol has a Garratt VNT (Variable Nozzle Turbo). The way this works is - the pitch of the blades of the turbo are changed to create more boost at lower exhaust pressure. Think about how a turbo prop planes engine works. At a constant rev range the power (or thrust) can be increased, decreased or even reversed by changing the pitch of the blades. Like a fan!. The ECU has a pretty big job on its hands trying to control boost at the best of times - different engine revs, different load, the EGR opening and closing (which increases boost in the inlet manifold, after the turbo that the ECU doesnt know about). Nissan introduced an overboost sensor to try and over come this. It basically measures the boost (in the intercooler) and if it stays over a certain psi (it seems different for many sampled patrols) if puts the car into limp mode. You will know if you have limp mode if you are driving along, and all of a sudden if feels like you have no power. If you release the accellerator and reapply, it resets. Very annoying!

4. High EGT (Exhaust Gas Temperature). The Diesel engine is made to work. Good torque at low revs so you dont have to rev its guts out to get power. Its one of the reasons it is so fuel efficient compared to petrol engines) as a lot of the power is rquired just to get your 3T car moving! Obviously for the engine to run you need fuel and air and the combination of these can determine the temperature of the exhaust. Over fuelling or underboosting are common causes of high EGT. Why should i care about EGT? Well, at certain temperatures metals change caracteristics. They can get weaker (causing failure) or even melt! If your exhaust is glowing hot, think about how the pistons, cylinders, manifolds, oil and turbo are feeling!

5. Dirty or faulty MAF sensor. The MAF (Mass Airflow Sensor) is a small device located just after the air filter which measures the volume, speed and temperature of the incoming air. If the sensor is faulty, the ECU can over or under fuel the engine, causing high EGT and failure.
A common issue with MAF sensors is that they get oil on them. This is caused by the Crank Case Ventilation hose feeding back into the air inlet, just after the air filter. If you have a look on top of your engine, you will see the pipe coming from the top most part of the engine, it goes to the air inlet next to the passenger side battery. Oil mist causes the MAF to give incorrect readings. Regularly cleaning your MAF sensor, and fitting a good qulity catch can will certainly help. Its a simple thing that can be done relativly quickly. See the how to section for details.

WHAT PARTS ARE NEEDED? WHERE DO I GET THEM?

If you have read this far, you are probably keen to learn about what is included in "the mods" - Well here they are!



What - Boost Gauge
Why - Monitor what your turbo is doing. Easy to install, do it first.
Where- Get a good boost gauge. It is the foundation of knowing what your engine is doing. myPatrol4x4.com.au vendors section (when it appears), Ebay, Patrol4x4.com vendors section or even your localauto parts shop. Dont get the el cheapo one - you will find yourself replacing it soon enough. I have a Garratt Boost Gauge. You dont need one that goes into vaccuum.. mine does but it doesnt really matter.



What - EGT Gauge
Why - Monitor your Exhaust Gas Temperature. This is just as important as the boost gauge. You will be impressed with the feedback it gives you about your driving style!
Where - As above. I have a Auber digital gauge. I prefer the instant accurate feedback from the LCD display, but others prefer an analouge dial.



What - EGR "Shim"
Why - *CAUTION* Blocking your EGR is probably not legal in your state. EGR's can "Fail closed" . Blocking hte EGR not only helps to keep your inlet manifold and oil clean, it helps you to control the boost that your turbo is producing.
Where - myPatrol4x4.com.au vendors section (when it appears), Patrol4x4.com vendors section, or make one up yourself




What - Dawes Valve
Why - A Dawes valve sets the upper boost limit.
Where - http://3barracing.com sell them, as does some local 4x4 shops (at a outrageously inflated price, Shame!) If you have time get it direct from Darren Dawes at 3 bar racing - it might take 3 weeks but it might teach the local shops a lesson for being so greedy. We can also organise a group buy - post interest in the other section!



What - Needle Valve
Why - A needle valve controls the spool up rate of the turbo once we take away the ECU's control. "Spool Up" is the rate of increase of boost from the turbo. Too fast and you might get limp mode, too slow and you will lose power and have high EGT
Where - Dependable Distributors in SA is where i got my Italian Needle valve.



What - Catch Can
Why - To filter the crank case ventilation pipe, keeping the MAF sensor and intercooler clean.
Where - The Provent 200 is a great option, seems to work very well. Some people choose to buy cheaper catch cans with varied success in catching the oil mist. Have a look on ebay, or http://www.westernfilters.com.au - the kit comes with most needed things.

What - Exhaust upgrade
Why - Having a less restrictive exhaust improves performance, and lowers EGT
Where - Most exhaust shops can knock something up, but i preferred to spend a bit extra and get a 2 3/4" Beudesert mandrel bent exhaust. The Catalytic Converter is 200ccm and it makes an impressive difference.

Other Items that are not high priority, but make life better

What - Intercooler upgrade
Why - The standard Nissan intercooler has crimped ends. They will leak over time, its a common problem.. If this is happening to yours, you may notice black stains on the fins near the ends, or an unexplained loss of boost. Neither are good for your engine
Where - If your wallet is bulging and you have 10 weeks up your sleeve to wait grab a Cross Country intercooler. ASETurbo are just down the road, they are cheaper and normally have them in stock. They also come with all new pipes and a fan. A few other places also recore intercoolers on ebay etc. When mine dies, ill go the ASE i think..

....

WHERE DO I START?

So you have decided to go for it! Congratulations! It might seem daunting at first, but if we break it into chunks and take the time to learn what we are doing and why, it will make it a great learning experiance.

Here is the order of how i would go about it... In the next post ill start to describe, in plain english with photos, how to eat this elephant!

1. Fit Boost Gauge.
2. Fit EGT Gauge
3. Fit Catch Can
4. Fit boost control

In between each step i encourage you to DRIVE THE CAR and observe how each change makes a difference, more on that to follow..

Mmm wish we had aldi...

My ecutalk saved my engine this morning!

I drove into work and noticed that my coolant temps were around 90 when I was idling down. They were creeping up instead of down so I knew something was wrong.
Went and checked coolant, top and bottom tanks empty!
Filled it all back up (I carry spare coolant just in case) and took it to my mechanic mate fearing the worst.
He pressure tested the system and found a split heater hose where a hose clamp had been rubbing on it.
Replaced hose, clamps and coolant and away we went.

If I didn't notice the temp climbing on the ecutalk I could have been writing a much more somber post here tonight!

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Looks good! I keep meaning to get mine detailed but there is all ways another trip not so far away so I never do..
One day!

Looks good!

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Looks good! I keep meaning to get mine detailed but there is all ways another trip not so far away so I never do..
One day!

Looks good!

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2

Going of the gps( 2 of) I'm spot on 10% out running the 285s.
I took the rack off for the trip and I've got the tyres at 40psi.
Its been bloody cold ( for a queenslander ) so I'm reckon that would be helping aswell.
Start of the trip Brisbane to Glen Innes was 15.1 ltrs per 100 and its slowly gotten better.
Trying to fill up at regular intervals to keep an eye on it.

Thank you for not including gratuitous borat man-kini photos admin...

I have the iron man oversize foam cell shocks and 2" lift and oversize damper.

They were an excellent improvement when I first installed them and are still excellent now years later. I also got the HD springs - the bumps do seem smoother when you have a load in, but are comfortable when the car is empty too.

I got mine from John Zordo at zordos suspension (Google it). He is very knowledgeable and doesn't sell you stuff that you don't need.. unlike other places..
Service is excellent too. He can fit there or just post the gear yo you.
After sales service is great too, one of my spring tower rubbers was creaking (not his fault, they were just old) but he diagnosed it over the phone and sent me some for free.. that's excellent.



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