ZD30 power loss and rattle

[HubsBeats]

Hi all. I've been searching the internet for weeks for help but no luck, so I've ended up here...

Few months ago, over the course of a week;
I noticed that my D22 had lost pretty much all of its torque. Then on cold starts, it developed a nasty sounding rattle for a couple seconds then would disappear. Gradually this rattle is lasting longer and longer with the engine starts. If I don't wait for the engine to warm up a little and the noise to stop and I start driving, it's got next to no power at all. It really chugs hard. Once the rattle stops, the power comes back. However...under cornering, the rattle comes back until I straighten again. I thought maybe it's oil starvation? Maybe the oil pickup is somewhat blocked?

Around the same time this started happening, I noticed the turbo had oil all over the front of it and underneath, so I bought a new Turbo online and installed it, along with a boost gauge which now reads it's running 18psi...which as far as I'm aware, stock...they run around 6psi.
Since this time period too, I've noticed it's lost almost all of its torque. I thought I'd do a quick test to spin the wheels on dirt in 1st gear and it barely breaks traction.

I stopped past a mates workshop recently and asked him about the engine rattle. He had a quick listen and believes it's the timing chain.
(Service book says replace it at 150,000kms and car has just hit 200,000kms).

Would a worn out timing chain correlate to these issues?
Or could it be something to do with the EGR and soot/oil buildup inside the engine?


Any help will be MASSIVELY appreciated.
Thank you

 

[tweak'e]

I noticed the turbo had oil all over the front of it and underneath, so I bought a new Turbo online and installed it, along with a boost gauge which now reads it's running 18psi...which as far as I'm aware, stock...they run around 6psi.

the oil is from the breather rather than the turbo. very common for these to blow oil out the breather especially if over filled with oil. catch can is recommended.
stock boost is about 15 psi.

Then on cold starts, it developed a nasty sounding rattle for a couple seconds then would disappear. Gradually this rattle is lasting longer and longer with the engine starts. If I don't wait for the engine to warm up a little and the noise to stop and I start driving, it's got next to no power at all. It really chugs hard. Once the rattle stops, the power comes back. However...under cornering, the rattle comes back until I straighten again.

this sounds like air being sucked into the fuel lines. an air bubble forms in the fuel filter and the bubble moves under cornering starving the engine of fuel.
replace the filter, fit a clear fuel hose and check for bubbles. split fuel hoses and leaking primer are common causes. blocked up filters make it worse.
if you wan to get fancy a diesel lift pump helps as it pressurises the fuel filter which stops air being sucked in.

 

[Boogieboots]

Yep, I would go with Tweakes, he is a guru mate. I found a split hose directly under the protective sleeve around the fuel line to the pump on mine. If you get someone to pump the primer and flex the hoses a bit you may find a leak. It's hard otherwise as the fuel lines are under negative pressure, hence the air getting in. From my reading on here primer and filter are the first port of call as Tweake said
At least if you eliminate the fuel being the issue it narrows the problem down somewhat.