Turbochargers... durability, reliability ?
Some years ago, turbochargers seemed to be considered service items, that may or may not last the engine life of the vehicle. We're thinking of getting a new midsize SUV, that will be able to do light...
Forum Discussion
I have designed and owned and driven turbo cars since the late 70's.
So to answer your question; it depends. For instance the 6.4 and early 6.7 Ford diesel turbo's are junk. They were a twin wheel design and they could never get them balanced correctly. They tried and tried and tried and finally gave up in 2015 and never looked back. All of their turbo problems ended when they went to a new design.
I haven't heard much turbo problems with the Ecoboost. The ones I have heard about where people trying to clean their intake tracts and they dump a bunch of chemicals in the engine and blow up their turbo's.
As far as cool down goes. I almost NEVER cooled my turbo's down. I drove it like an ordinary N/A engine. Never blew one up ever. And these were old oil cooled turbo's and not the new oil/liquid cooled turbo's. Now before anybody loses there minds I didn't go out and thrash on the engine and then shut it off red hot. Common sense needs to rule.
As far as maintenance goes I like to change the oil in a turbo engine a little sooner because the turbo tends to beat up the oil a little faster.
All and all today's turbo's are very reliable but like anything they are another part to go wrong.
So to answer your question; it depends. For instance the 6.4 and early 6.7 Ford diesel turbo's are junk. They were a twin wheel design and they could never get them balanced correctly. They tried and tried and tried and finally gave up in 2015 and never looked back. All of their turbo problems ended when they went to a new design.
I haven't heard much turbo problems with the Ecoboost. The ones I have heard about where people trying to clean their intake tracts and they dump a bunch of chemicals in the engine and blow up their turbo's.
As far as cool down goes. I almost NEVER cooled my turbo's down. I drove it like an ordinary N/A engine. Never blew one up ever. And these were old oil cooled turbo's and not the new oil/liquid cooled turbo's. Now before anybody loses there minds I didn't go out and thrash on the engine and then shut it off red hot. Common sense needs to rule.
As far as maintenance goes I like to change the oil in a turbo engine a little sooner because the turbo tends to beat up the oil a little faster.
All and all today's turbo's are very reliable but like anything they are another part to go wrong.
