Despite the durability promised by the manufacturer (10 years) and wear resistance, car turbocharger still fails and breaks down. Therefore, sometimes it is necessary to repair failures of the turbine of both diesel and gasoline engine. To detect failure symptoms in due time, you should always pay attention to the unusual behavior of the car.
The turbine has failed, if:
- it seems that the rod has disappeared (the power has decreased);
- when the car accelerates, there is blue, black ot white smoke from the exhaust pipe;
- when the engine is running, you can hear whistle, noise, skirr;
- oil consumption has increased dramatically or there is an oil leak;
- air and oil pressure drops often.
If these symptoms appear, a thorough check of the turbine on a diesel engine is necessary.
Symptoms and failures of the turbocharger
- Blue exhaust smoke is a sign of oil burning in the engine cylinders that has got there from the turbocharger or engine. Black smoke means that there is an air leak, and white exhaust smoke indicates that the oil drain of the turbocharger is clogged.
- The cause of the whistle is an air leak at the junction of the compressor discharge and the motor, and the skirr indicates the rubbing elements of the entire turbocharger system.
- It is also necessary to check all the elements of the turbine on the engine, if it turns off or does not work at all.
There are three causes of all turbocharger failures.
Oil shortage and low oil pressure
It occurs due to the leakage or constriction of the oil hoses, as well as due to their improper installation to the turbine. It leads to the increased wear of the rings, shaft journal, insufficient lubrication and overheating of the turbine radial bearings. They should be replaced.
Oil contamination
It occurs because of the untimely replacement of the old oil or filter, the ingress of water or fuel into the lubricant, the use of low-quality oil. It leads to bearing degradation, clogging of oil supply pipes and damage to the axis. Defective parts should be replaced with new ones. Thick oil also harms the bearings, as it leaves a sediment and reduces turbine tightness.
Intrusion of a foreign object inside the turbocharger
It results in damage to the compressor wheel blades (therefore, air pressure drops); turbine wheel blades; rotor. On the compressor side, it is necessary to replace the filter and to check the inlet duct for leaks. On the turbine side, it is necessary to replace the shaft and check the intake manifold.
Is it possible to repair the turbine without any professional help?
The car engine turbine consists of: 1. compressor wheel; 2. bearing; 3. actuator; 4. oil supply choke; 5. rotor; 6. cartridge; 7. hot volute; 8. cold volute.
The turbocharger design looks simple and easy-to-understand. To repair the turbine, it is necessary to know the turbine model, engine number and manufacturer and to have spare parts or factory repair kit for turbines.
You can perform visual diagnosis of the turbocharger, demount it, disassemble and replace defect parts of the turbine and put the turbine back with no outside help.
You can inspect the air, fuel, cooling and oil systems with which the turbine interworks and check their operation.
Preventive measures against the turbine failures
To extend the operating life of the turbocharger, follow the simple rules:
- Replace air filters in a timely manner.
- Fill the genuine part oil and high-quality fuel.
- Change the oil in the turbocharging system completely after every 7,000 km of run.
- Control the level of turbocharging pressure.
- Be sure to warm up the car with the diesel engine and turbocharger.
- After an extensive trip, let the hot engine cool down, the engine should run at idle for at least 3 minutes before turning off. There will be no carbon residue that damages the bearings.
- Perform diagnostics regularly and address professional service.