Exhaust
This Is Usually The Starting Point For Most Patrol Owners. After Years Of Fitting Many Of The Big Brands Along With Some Of The Cheaper Alternatives, We Found There Is Very Little Real-World Power Difference Between Most 3-Inch Systems.
Any Quality 3-Inch Turbo-Back Exhaust With A Catalytic Converter/Emissions Equipment And A Single Muffler Will Flow Far Better Than The Factory System While Still Remaining Roadworthy And Comfortable To Drive.
The Biggest Gains From An Exhaust Upgrade On A ZD30 Are:
- Lower Exhaust Gas Temperatures (EGTs)
- Improved Turbo Response
- Better Towing Performance
- Reduced Back Pressure
- A Deeper Exhaust Note
We Have Found A System That Sounds Great And Is Cost Effective To Customers, Link Below!
Spartan Nissan Patrol GU Y61 ZD30 Exhaust System
Intercooler
Intercooler Setups Are Everywhere These Days, With Countless Cheap eBay Copies Of Genuine Units Flooding The Market. Unfortunately, Many Of Them Offer Very Little Improvement In Intake Air Temperatures Or Overall Cooling Performance.
One Of The Biggest Debates In The ZD30 World Is Top-Mount Vs Front-Mount Intercoolers. In Reality, There Are A Few Proven Setups — And The Right Choice Depends Entirely On Your Intended Power Level And Driving Conditions.
The Low-Boost Setup (18–22 PSI)
If You’re Only Planning To Run Around 18–22 PSI, A Larger Top-Mount Intercooler With Welded End Tanks Works Extremely Well. Pairing It With A Thermo Fan Mounted Underneath The Core Helps Pull Air Through The Fins At Lower Speeds And Keeps Intake Temperatures Stable.
This Setup Is Ideal For:
- Daily Drivers
- Touring Setups
- Mild Tunes
- Owners Wanting To Retain A Factory-Looking Engine Bay
For Most Patrol Owners Chasing Reliability Rather Than Huge Horsepower Numbers, This Is More Than Enough.
The Mid-Boost Setup (22–26 PSI)
Once You Start Pushing Beyond 22 PSI, The Decision Between A Large Top-Mount And A Front-Mount Becomes More Important.
From Experience:
- If The Vehicle Mainly Sees Highway And Around-Town Driving, A Quality Front-Mount Intercooler Such As The Demon Pro Setup Performs Extremely Well.
- However, If You Run A Bullbar Packed With Spotlights, Winches, Or Spend Time Crawling Through Mud And Low-Speed Tracks, A Large Top-Mount Such As A Cross Country Intercooler Is Often The Better Choice.
Why? Because Maintaining Airflow To The Radiator Becomes Critical In Slow Off-Road Conditions, And A Front-Mount Can Restrict Cooling Airflow More Than People Realise.
The High-Boost Setup (26+ PSI)
If You’re Chasing Serious Power With Large Injectors, Bigger Turbochargers, And 26+ PSI Boost Levels, A Front-Mount Intercooler Becomes The Only Real Option.
Time And Time Again, Front-Mount Setups Have Proven To:
- Cool Intake Temperatures More Effectively
- Handle Sustained High Boost Better
- Reduce The Risk Of High EGTs
- Help Prevent Melted Pistons In Hard-Driven ZD30s
While The Longer Pipework Is Often Debated, The Direct Airflow Across The Front-Mount Core More Than Makes Up For It In High-Power Applications.
Important Cooling Note
Most Of Our ZD30 Patrols Now Have Well Over 150,000 KM On Them, And In Many Cases The Factory Clutch Fan Is Weak Or Worn Out. Adding A Front-Mount Intercooler To A Poor Cooling System Can Actually Make Engine Temperatures Worse.
A Genuine Nissan Clutch Fan, Genuine Thermostat, And Correct Coolant Mixture Go A Long Way Toward Keeping A Modified ZD30 Reliable Especially In Australian Conditions.
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