How do you diagnose a bad turbo?

The symptoms of a damaged or failing turbo are:

1. Loss of power.
2. Slower, louder acceleration.
3. Difficulty maintaining high speeds.
4. Blue/grey smoke coming from the exhaust.
5. Engine dashboard light is showing.

What are the main causes of turbo failure?

Most failures are caused by the three ‘turbo killers’ of oil starvation, oil contamination and foreign object damage. More than 90% of turbocharger failures are caused oil related either by oil starvation or oil contamination. Blocked or leaking pipes or lack of priming on fitting usually causes oil starvation.

What noise does a failing turbo make?

Loud noises: If your vehicle has a bad turbo, you may hear loud noises that sound like whining or screeching. So if your vehicle is running and you hear a loud whining sound that increases in volume as the problem goes unfixed, this is most likely to do a turbo problem.

Do Turbos need servicing?

It depends on the type of maintenance. Turbocharged engines will require more frequent oil changes and fresh spark plugs, though turbo engines typically don’t require additional service compared to naturally aspirated engines.

How do I clear a blocked DPF?

DPF Regeneration What you should do is get in your car, drive to the nearest motorway or long A-road, stick it in a lower gear than you normally would while cruising and maintain 3000+RPM for 10-20 minutes. You may find that this allows your vehicle to go through its regeneration cycle and clears the blockage.

When do you need to replace a turbocharger?

If your turbocharger troubleshooting finds this, the turbo should be replaced immediately in such conditions. If the fault is due to install or mis-use, then there would not be a warranty claim. If however, there is a manufacture fault in the part supplied, then the unit will fall under manufacture warranty.

What should I know about turbocharger failure analysis?

Turbocharger failure analysis is a science unto itself. Performing a failure analysis on a turbocharger is a valuable endeavor regardless of the application. Turbos are applied to everything from commercial diesels to street performance vehicles and professional competition vehicles.

What causes an oil leak in a turbocharger?

Of all problems encountered with turbochargers, oil leaks are a relatively common issue. Often the problem is not in the turbo itself, but rather a peripheral maintenance or turbo installation issue. Oil may be seen inside the turbocharger, inside the compressor or turbine, on either side of these respective housing seals.

What was the cause of the caterpillar turbocharger failure?

A turbocharger from a 550 hp Caterpillar engine model 3406E has obviously experienced a compressor wheel failure. The turbine shaft on this turbo actually broke due to the nature of the compressor wheel failure probably happening at very high speed and the imbalance caused a catastrophic failure.