Diesel engines are complicated, especially modern ones. There is no doubt that at one point or another, you’ve come to a time where a major component such as a turbocharger has failed. Luckily, DFI is here to help get you through the stress with ease, should it happen again.
Are you not completely sure that your turbocharger is the one to blame? Highway & Heavy Parts has put together a list of common turbo problems and failures to help you determine what the source of the problem is. Check it out here
We, here at DFI are committed to making sure that your diesel engine stays in perfect running condition. But when the turbo decides it doesn’t want to work as it should, important decisions have to be taken. Do you replace the entire unit or is it better to just swap out the cartridge? This question plus many more will be answered in this post!
Turbo Housing
You have concluded that in fact, it is the turbocharger that has been causing your engine grief. What to do now? There are a few options available based on the budget and condition of the defective turbo. In many cases, a remanufactured or entirely new turbocharger is the way to go.
Remanufactured turbos are a much cheaper alternative to buying a brand one. However, this option is only viable if the condition of the old turbocharger housing is in good shape as it will need to be traded when buying the reman one.
If something went wrong inside the turbocharge and the housing ended up getting damaged, the old unit may not be in good enough shape to be used for a rebuild, so the price will go up considerably on the remanufactured turbo. The same goes for fuel injectors. If the core is damaged or deemed unusable, the owner will usually have to buy remanufactured injectors at full price.
While the compressor and turbine housing are both important parts of your turbo’s system, they can become damaged in separate ways. Sometimes, this damage is invisible to the naked eye. Problems such as hairline cracks from the hot side (turbine) can allow gasses to escape.
Alternatively, the turbine housing could have leaking seals allowing oil to get sucked into the engine and intercooler. Fortunately, simple issues such as bad seals can be easily resolved. Even serious challenges can be resolved with the need for a new core(we will cover it more in the next section), but physical damage to the actual turbo housing will mean having to opt-out for a new one.
Turbocharger Cartridge
First of all, let’s have a looks at what a turbocharger cartridge is. Generally, the turbo cartridge is made up of the center components such as turbine and compressor wheels, the shaft which connects them, bearings, etc.
If you’ve concluded that the housing on your diesel engine’s turbo is fine and can be reused, a complete core or rotating assembly, alongside a set of gaskets, is all that may be needed to get your truck/heavy-duty equipment back on the road.
All cores supplied by DFI come fully assembled and balanced. Simple details such as these are what make us one of the best in the game. Plus, installation is made extremely easy due to the cartridge being fully assembled, just take out the old one and swap with a fresh, new rotating assembly.
If done correctly, swapping out the defective components of a turbo for new ones will basically give you a remanufactured turbocharger at a fraction of the price. That, of course, is based on having the right knowledge, tools, and of course time to do it. If any of the factors mentioned are missing, it may be best left up to a pro shop such as DFI or Highway & Heavy Parts. But if you plan on doing it yourself, we got that covered as well. Here is a handy guide on Diesel Engine Turbocharger Installation Tips
Keeping Your Turbo In Top Operating Conditions
Preventative maintenance is key, if you want things to last that is. Simple things such as periodic visual inspections will make sure that your turbo will give you many trouble-free miles of use. Spotting an issue before it becomes even more serious will also help keep costs down to a minimum. And who doesn’t love saving a few dollars if it’s possible, right?
Other key period checks/maintenance you can do to make sure your truck is in top operating conditions can include checking oil levels, replacing the air filter regularly, and making sure there are no potential hazards such as build-up sludge/debris in the intake. Deposits become dangerous as they have the chance of coming loose and entering the intake and eventually entering the turbo, creating a high possibility of damage.
Final Words
Our highly trained team of ASE-certified technicians is more than willing to help you with any questions you have about rebuilding a diesel engine turbocharger. From the simplest hose clamp to engine remanufactured or brand-new units, we got you covered! To learn more about keeping your turbo healthy, check out this Highway & Heavy Parts post here.
For further assistance, you can call us at INSERT CORRECT PHONE NUMBER HERE(regular business hours) or simply request a quote online today by clicking here INSERT CORRECT LINK HERE.
