Fitting a boost gauge - ZD30

[andrewk]

Has anyone fitted a turbo pressure boost gauge to a ZD30 in either a Patrol, Navara or Terrano?

If you have:

* What gauge did you buy & where did you get it? Is it OK?

* How did you connect the pipe from the gauge? Did you connect the pipe between turbo & intercooler or somewhere else? Did you have any problems & how did you solve them?

* Where did you fit the gauge itself? The 'Troll has no obvious place it can go.

Andrew

 

[(RIP) PLANK]

Hello stranger, long time no see!

there was a thread recently on 'outboasting' that threw up loads of usefully and interesting stuff on patrol's might be worth doing a search :thumb2

 

[(RIP) PLANK]

Hello stranger, long time no see!

there was a thread recently on 'outboasting' that threw up loads of usefully and interesting stuff on patrol's might be worth doing a search :thumb2

found it:

http://www.nissan4x4ownersclub.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2984&highlight=overboosting

 

[andrewk]

Yep, seen that.

Andrew

 

[dinky]

Dave Muddell fitted some guages on his to monitor engine performance.

 

[rayf3262]

No plumbing required....
You already have most of what you need on the ZD30, Just put a cheap and cheerful panel mount DVM on the Charge Air Pressure Sensor output.
It even swings both ways!

Ref: EC-215.
"The charge air pressure sensor detects pressure in the exit side of
the charge air cooler. The sensor output voltage to the ECM
increases as pressure increases. The charge air pressure sensor
is not used to control the engine system under normal conditions."

 

[andrewk]

I am trying to solve an overboost problem (sudden power loss, 0905 ECU error).

There are two options -

a) The CAP itself is faulty and there is no real excessive boost pressure
b) There is excessive boost pressure and I need to start saving up for a new turbo (or EGR valve or whatever).

I need, therefore, to measure boost pressure independently of the CAP, as it may be telling porkies to the ECU - so yes, unfortunately, I may have some plumbing to do.

Andrew

 

[Jocky]

hi sorry I missed this.

I've got a dual Boost/EGT fitted to mine and the sensor for the boost is electronic. I drilled and tapped the intercooler to take the sensor, 1/8th" NPT thread. Mines is a McNally Gauge from the US

I know mines is a 2.8 and they have a dump valve which stops the overboasting that the 3.0ltr have with the variable vane turbo. I don't know what DaveMuds set up is on his

Have read that the peeps on Patrol4x4 are fitting dawes valves to set the max boost from the turbo, I gather they can set it quite low to stop problems.

http://www.chaz.yellowfoot.org/Manual%20Boost%20Controller.htm

http://www.patrol4x4.com/forum/nissan-patrol-gu-gr-10/needle-valve-dawes-setup-37957/index4.html

Hope this helps:thumb2

 

[briggie]

oops

 

[Jocky]

Have a good read at this thread.

http://www.patrol4x4.com/forum/nissan-patrol-gu-gr-10/ecutalk-poor-59417/index2.html
http://www.ecutalk.com/ecutalk.aspx


I downloaded the software got one of the OBI plugs from fleabay for less the £20 and its impressive when you see all the gauges sitting on the laptop so you can check things when its running correct and when it faults you can see which has gone pearshaped.

:thumb2

 

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

i still get a check light, for over boost,

it also still clears when engine switched off.

sometimes get that loss of power, ease off then power
it and away we go.

 

[andrewk]

I've got a dual Boost/EGT fitted to mine and the sensor for the boost is electronic. I drilled and tapped the intercooler to take the sensor, 1/8th" NPT thread.

I did think about doing that, but in the end decided that I want to engineer a reversible solution. I've bought a piece of 6mm thick aluminium bar & have cut/drilled/filed it into the same shape as the base of the boost sensor. The idea is fit a 1/8 BSPT brass hosetail to a tapped hole in the aluminium and bolt it to the intercooler in place of the existing boost sensor. I can then fit short pieces of 3mm silicone high temp hose to the hosetail, the boost sensor and the gauge sensor (it also is an electronic one) and connect them together with the tee-piece supplied with the gauge. I'm pretty confident it will work out OK.

The bit I'm trying to wrap my head around now, is quite where in the cabin to fit the gauge itself. There's hardly a square inch of free space on the dash and it's not at all obvious how I can get cables from the gauge to the places I need to connect them inside the dash itself - i.e. an earth, permanent 12V, ignition switch and the dash lighting dimmer - at least not without dismantling the dash or drilling holes in it, both of which I'd prefer not to do.

Where & how did you fit the gauge itself?

Andrew

 

[Jocky]

You could buy a pod for the gauge and fit it on the pillar

I fitted mine in the plastic wood effect under the heated rear window switch, had to do some dismantling and used a holesaw, also had to cut away some plastic behind the wood effect so the gauge would go back far enough. Was going to fit it in the space above the radio.

I took the power from the cigarette lighter, wasn't bothered about dimmer as it not to bright anyway.

I thought about fitting a t-piece on the intercooler where the charge air temp sensor is on the 2.8.

As for getting the wiring into the cabin there is a large rubber gromet in the bulkhead on the driverside below the servo that I used a piece of wire to poke through and sealed with silicone when finished.

 

[Jocky]

If I had a 3.0ltr I'd be fitting the dawes valve to be sure its not overboosting. :nenau But you still need the gauge:thumb2

 

[andrewk]

I fitted mine in the plastic wood effect under the heated rear window switch

Mmm .... mine has a rotary switch for the rear difflock there

Was going to fit it in the space above the radio

On the SVE, it's filled with the SATNAV display

The favourite is probably a pod on the A-pillar .....

Andrew

 

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

seem to recall dav mud has a doulbe or even triple gauge pod on a pillar.

calling dave, come in lol

 

[andrewk]

I'm still waiting for a pillar pod, so haven't made any progress yet on fitting the boost gauge.

I've had a look around in the engine bay and can't see any obvious way to get cables through the bulkhead. I've seen some stuff about there being a grommet somewhere that can be used, but haven't seen it yet. Does anyone know where this is?

Andrew

 

[Jocky]

Andrew the gromet is on the drivers side down the bulkhead under brake Servo etc, its about 2" Diameter there is one on passenger side but its harder to get at due to ABS and exhaust.
:thumb2

 

[Karinofnine]

Oh, I've got the three litre ZD, I understand from TTT2 that they do suffer from overboost sometimes, but you know because there is no more acceleration, so you take your foot off the pedal, it resets, and off you go again. I wasn't going to bother with a boost guage (but wondering now if I should).

While I was in the local Nissan dealer for replacement key fobs I asked whether I should fit a turbo timer. After receiving the pretty much standard look that (most) men give women who ask a technical question about cars (it's a cross between a sneer and sheer disbelief) they said that it doesn't need one, only high performance cars do.

I have decided that if I've worked it hard, I'll just sit in it for a few minutes when I reach my destination before switching off engine.

 

[andrewk]

Oh, I've got the three litre ZD, I understand from TTT2 that they do suffer from overboost sometimes, but you know because there is no more acceleration, so you take your foot off the pedal, it resets, and off you go again.

This overboost condition indicates a fault that needs fixing. It is NOT normal behaviour. You will probably find that the ECU has stored a fault code 0905 when it happens.

It is sometimes related to a failing MAF sensor (mass air flow), which if ignored can cause the engine to destroy itself like a grenade. If you have this problem, you need to get it looked at.

Andrew