Reasons for the turbo damage
IMPACT DAMAGE
Impact damage caused by foreign material entering the turbine housing or compressor housing is clearly visible on the turbine wheel or impeller. Never continue to operate a turbocharger with damaged blades as the rotor balance will be affected and this could impact its service life.
INSUFFICIENT OIL SUPPLY
Insufficient oil supply can be attributed to the following:
Re-fitting a turbocharger without adequate priming
Long periods of non-use
Broken or restricted
oil feed pipe
Low engine oil pressure due to malfunctioning lubrication system
Low or no oil in sump
The use of sealants, which can restrict oil flow
Not priming a replacement oil filter with new oil. If this cannot be done then crank the engine with no fuel to establish oil pressure
DIRTY OIL
Dirty oil damages the turbocharger by causing heavy scoring of critical bearing surfaces.
To avoid damage, oil and filters should be of a quality recommended by the engine manufacturer. These should be changed when a new turbocharger is fitted and at regular intervals according to the vehicle/engine manufacturers specification.
Dirty oil damage could result from:
Blocked, damaged or
poor quality oil filter
Dirt introduced during servicing
Engine wear or
manufacturing debris
Malfunctioning oil filter
by-pass valve
Degraded lubrication oil
CARBON BUILD UP
Failure from excessive exhaust temperatures or hot shutdown of engine results in carbon build-up. It is recommended that you idle the engine for two to three minutes to cool the bearing system before shutting down. Turbine end heat soak into the bearing housing results in oil carbonisation and corrosion of the bearing system.
The main damage occurs to the shaft seal ring and grooves, turbine end bearing and bearing housing oil drain cavity blockage.
Carbon build-up can be caused by: