The turbocharger is a precision instrument and because it is centrifical, it must be in good working condition thoroughly. Only when the fins of the impeller are undamaged can they deliver the air velocity required for the turbo do its job, which is to return horsepower to the engine. Anything off-balance, or unevenas you know, also creates vibration, which is destructive. A turbo has to be in good shape in order to deliver its owner an economical advantage in fuel consumption.
As diesel engine owners, we are quite aware of the power delivered to our engines through the use of a turbo charger. The extra horsepower that you yield from a turbocharger is certainly worth the cost of the part. As a technical question, it is often asked at what point should a turbo charger be replaced? The parts that wear on a turbo are all internal, so you really do need to have a technician look within the unit to see if there are problems. When it comes to your turbo, go as long as you can to get usage from it, but when it's time to replace it, it's time. After about 700,000 miles, bearings start to wear out. And when they wear out, they rub against the shaft. When the shaft starts wearing out this causes prop strike where the impellers will strike against the inside of the turbocharger.
First in terms of the intake side of the turbo, from something like a prop strike where the impeller will touch the inside of the housing of the turbo. Once this occurs, the turbo is shot. It cannot be repaired. Secondly, another place to look for damage is the exhaust side of the turbo. How do we know that the exhaust side is bad? By simply looking inside you can't see it. But with the help of a small light and a small mirror a technician can reach down within the exhaust of the turbo to see the everything. The technician can see the impellers and if they may be damaged. Once an impeller is damaged on a turbo, it is not repairable. Once a strike happens, the whole center section is almost always ruined.
Some people who want to rebuild their turbo might say “why don't I just by a cartridge and still use the hot side?”. Here's why that is not advised: The hot side tends to accumulate heat cracks in the metal and damage deep inside over time. Also, if you do rebuild, there is no way to get the cracks out of the turbo. No matter how you try to treat the cracks they will always be there. Also, of course along with the damage can come a broken intake wheel.
There is nothing like a brand new turbo on your diesel engine, and you can get one from Internet diesel and order it online. Internet Diesel Carries Detroit Diesel, Cummins and Caterpillar Turbos. The money you will save throughout the months and years in fuel consumption will certainly make it worth your purchase.
Internet Diesel, Inc.
www.internetdiesel.com
