...Or maybe a hardware problem of the lock system? Or the gradient system? Do you have access to gradient shimming?
Getting a field profile would help diagnose I a gradient coil problem I think.
We had a problem with an instrument that would incorrectly enter 'lock-hold' during a gradient experiment, giving distorted lines in phase sensitive, non-magnitude experiments. We diagnosed the problem after I disconnected the 2H lead during the experiment...
Duncan