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
Turbocharger technology has come a long way in the past few decades. Most older turbos were oil cooled only and many turbos nowadays like the one on the 3.5L EB are oil and water cooled utilizing thermal siphoning to cool down the turbo housing when the engine shuts down. This dramatically increased longevity and durability while not requiring you to idle down after running it hard.
Another thing that increased turbo life and durability is the bearings themselves. Ball bearings have replaced the old journal bearing making today's turbos much more responsive. Ball bearings require less lubrication which decreases failure on cold starts where lubrication is low. They also hold the shaft in place better than journal bearing allowing for much higher turbo speeds and eliminates the need for a thrust bearing which is a common weak point on journal bearing turbos.
Lastly, the forged and billet internals used in many of today's turbos are also much stronger, can handle hotter temps, and can reliably run at higher speeds than turbos of a few decades ago.
Another thing that increased turbo life and durability is the bearings themselves. Ball bearings have replaced the old journal bearing making today's turbos much more responsive. Ball bearings require less lubrication which decreases failure on cold starts where lubrication is low. They also hold the shaft in place better than journal bearing allowing for much higher turbo speeds and eliminates the need for a thrust bearing which is a common weak point on journal bearing turbos.
Lastly, the forged and billet internals used in many of today's turbos are also much stronger, can handle hotter temps, and can reliably run at higher speeds than turbos of a few decades ago.
