How to prevent turbocharger failure through ‘impact damage’

BTN Turbo highlight the causes of turbo failure by foreign objects which can damage the compressor or turbine

How to prevent turbocharger failure through ‘impact damage’
95 per cent of turbo failures are because of problems with oil starvation, oil contamination or foreign object damage, says BTN Turbo.

Turbochargers can spin at over 6,000 revs per second (360,000 rpm) and endure temperatures of 950°C and in these conditions even the smallest object ingested or sucked into the turbo can damage or destroy the compressor and turbine, leading to low pressure or total failure.

Compressor damage is caused by objects being sucked into the air intake and turbine, damage is usually caused by engine components, such as injector tips or valve train parts.

Damaged blades mean the turbo won't provide boost.

Damaged blades mean the turbo won’t provide boost.

Causes of impact damage
  • Items sucked into the air intake because of a damaged, poor quality or missing air filter.
  • Damaged hoses allowing small particles to enter the intake.
  • Gasket material entering the intake.
  • Nuts, bolts, washers, rags or other items left in the intake pipe during servicing.
  • Broken engine components, e.g. injector tips, valves or fragments of damaged piston.
  • Fragments from a previous turbocharger failure.
Preventing failure caused by impact damage
  • Ensure all air hoses are in good condition, intact and free from blockages or loose items.
  • Always use new gaskets to create perfect seals and avoid gasket breakup.
  • Always fit the correct new air filter.
  • Check there are no turbo or engine fragments in the system from the previous failure, before fitting the replacement.

For more tips and advice and to find out more about BTN Turbo, select ‘more details’ below.

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