Almost all current cars are equipped with turbocharged engines, so it is important to know how to detect if the turbo is failing or about to fail.

The proper functioning of the turbocharger affects the performance and efficiency of the car, taking into account that it turns at 200,000 rpm and can reach 1,000 degrees of temperature.

The moving parts of the turbos are indeed highly resistant, but it must not be forgotten that no turbine supports continuous abuse for years, so a mistreatment of the turbo will almost certainly mean a future breakage with important bills.

The symptoms before breaking the turbo

The turbocharger, however, shows various symptoms before it breaks, which you must know to avoid it:

White/bluish smoke emission with high oil consumption

It is because the turbo is introducing oil into the intake, and if the oil consumption skyrockets this means that serious problems are coming.

The turbocharger shaft (turbo spool) rotates bathed in oil and is surrounded by very special bushings that can develop clearances that cause a loss of tightness in the shaft until the oil passes through to burn inside the engine. This generates the characteristic bluish-white smoke as well as the smell of burning oil emitted from the exhaust.

In this case, you must stop immediately and take the car to the workshop by tow truck to replace the bushings or the turbo shaft. It is necessary to check that the oil level is acceptable to ensure that there has not yet been a seizing of the engine or other possible damage that can occur in very extreme cases. This intervention will always be more affordable than a total failure of the system.

Jerking or less-than-normal performance

Variable geometry turbochargers are the most widespread among diesel engines, the mechanism that varies its geometry can be damaged due to high temperatures on the electromechanical that modifies the angle of the turbine blades and can also seize due to soot accumulation ( intensive use in the city or habitual driving at low revs).

You will quickly notice that the car has lost dozens of horsepower with much lower performance and on many occasions the “error engine” light will come on, which is already a serious enough problem.

You may also notice intermittent jerks which would indicate that the turbo wastegate may be damaged.

In this case, it is necessary to go to the workshop urgently (by crane if possible) so that the mechanism is decarbonized or replaced.

It is not a particularly expensive failure, since it is normal for the turbo to work normally again, since the physical integrity of the engine is not usually compromised. Also replacing turbo wastegate parts is not very expensive in your case.

Strange noises, mechanical howling, and “vacuums” under the hood

If the engine starts to sound like a vacuum cleaner or generates strange noises at low revs with a clear loss of performance, it is surely a very serious fault.

These symptoms denote that the turbo shaft has developed play and the turbine blades are in direct contact with the turbo casing at tens of thousands of rpm, so the pieces of metal that this situation generates can end up in the cylinders of the turbo. engine causing the practical destruction of the propellant, in any case, the probability of mechanical damage to other components is very high. This type of breakage can occur without warning, even when driving at low speed.

The engine needs to be stopped and turned off immediately and hopefully, it will only have broken the turbo. The cost of a new turbo exceeds €1,000 + labor, so it is certainly advisable to periodically check the turbo in the sizes to ensure that there are no clearances.

Whistling in the engine compartment

If you hear the engine wheezing or it becomes higher and more constant than usual when accelerating, there may be a loss of system pressure, most likely one of the turbo hoses or clamps has blown. loosened or present a crack, which usually occurs at times of high load.

You can also notice a decrease in the performance of the car, although in this case, it will not be excessive.

This type of fault is the least serious, but it must be corrected by replacing the damaged clamp or sleeve, which are easy to replace and low-cost parts. In any case, for cars with years of service, a preventive replacement of the turbo hoses is advisable to save yourself later headaches.

Tips to Properly Maintain Turbocharger Life

We offer the following suggestions:

• Always wait a couple of minutes after starting as well as when arriving at your destination with the engine idling to normalize the turbo temperature and avoid carbonization. Stops after high-speed road driving are the most delicate.
• Always use good quality oil, since savings with cheap oils can generate lower lubricating properties and faster deterioration of the turbo.
• Wait until the oil is at the optimum temperature before starting to request more performance from the car so that the lubricating properties of the oil are perfect and its viscosity as well.