Heres my problem, i own a 1991 Toyota Hilux Surf 2.4 litre turbo diesel. on the dash of the car it has a light which comes when the turbo is running (pretty much most of the time). lately what has been happening is that the light will go off when i reach so many revs and the check engine light will come on and i'll lose a whole lot of power. is this easily fixed and if not, will i fuck my car if keep driving it? im meant to be taking it for a five hour drive tomorrow. I already have been driving it though for two 4 hour drives in the last day. long post sorry. all help is appreciated.

get a card reader or a place like autozone to check why the CEL is on, and come back with your results

1991 Toyota Hilux Surf 2.4 litre turbo diesel

Seriously, I envy you. I'd rather have the pickup, but I love the diesel Hilux's.

Honestly I have no clue what the problem is. Maybe it's running lean and pinging? I know next to nothing about them and modern diesel engine troubleshooting, but that's the only thing that comes to mind. Like red_eyed said, you should get a scanner.

(No, diesel engines are not immune from the effects of predetonation.)

It really sounds like your turbo took a shit and died. if you cant read the DTCs then i would first look at the turbo, take it out and check the fins.

Knackered turbo. Go to a decent shop and have them take it apart, clean it and (possibly) replace the bearings. Oh, and look for a replacement in decent condition from the local breaker yard, just in case the abovementioned treatment fails.

Maybe it's running lean and pinging? I know next to nothing about them and modern diesel engine troubleshooting, but that's the only thing that comes to mind. Like red_eyed said, you should get a scanner.

(No, diesel engines are not immune from the effects of predetonation.)I'm not being condescending, but are you sure you understand how diesel (compression ignition) engines work? The fuel is injected into the cylinder when the piston is at TDC on the compression stroke, so I would figure that any pre-ignition would have to be caused by an injector timing issue.

I'm not being condescending, but are you sure you understand how diesel (compression ignition) engines work? The fuel is injected into the cylinder when the piston is at TDC on the compression stroke, so I would figure that any pre-ignition would have to be caused by an injector timing issue.

Yeah, diesels don't really ping too often. I'd agree with the boy that sounds like your turbo is probably knackered.

check your coolant for oil, if its dark, then the turbo's seals are out.

does the turbo whine? if it does, especially under higher boost, its dead/dying.

does the truck eat alot of oil? check your intake and stuff for much oil, if so, turbo seals are out.

i've had a turbo go out on my old a4 1.8t a long while back and know what its like to have a dead turbo.

if you could take the intake pipe off the front of the turbo and check the shaft for play, it shouldn't move forward and down much, if it does its fucked. if it moves left or right left or right, then its definitely fucked.

and also, as said before check the turbine.

http://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n111/jken04/billetwheels3.jpg

thats a good turbine there.

Cheers for the help guys. Ive just done a whole lot of kms in it between boxing day and today and its doing a whole lot of the shit that wonda said. i'll take it to a shop tomorrow cuz its way too fucked for me to do anything about it now.

http://www.supracentral.com/articleimages/death_whine.wav

if you get the turbo whining like the audio file, then you got a visit from the turbo fairy, time for a new one.