Oil changes, break-in procedures, oil lines, and long-term care for diesel turbochargers.
Blue smoke from the exhaust is often blamed on a worn turbo, but the real cause is usually preventable. Learn what turbo oil seals actually are, why they fail, and what to do about it.
Turbocharger Oil Seals: Why They Fail and When to Replace Them Read More »
Knowing How to Test a Turbocharger Without Removing It can save you hours of labor and prevent you from throwing parts at a problem that may not even be the turbo. At PT Turbo, we have spent more than 45 years diagnosing, rebuilding, and stocking turbochargers, and one thing is certain: most turbos that get
How to Test a Turbocharger Without Removing It: 5 Diagnostic Methods Read More »
Turbocharger Wastegate Adjustment is one of the most misunderstood service procedures in diesel work, and getting it wrong can cost you a turbo, a head gasket, or an entire engine. At PT Turbo, we have been rebuilding and testing turbochargers since 1978, and in that time we have seen more turbos killed by improper boost
Turbocharger Wastegate Adjustment: When and How to Set Boost Pressure Read More »
Why You Must Let Your Diesel Idle Before Shutoff comes down to one thing: heat management inside a turbocharger that spins over 100,000 RPM and runs hotter than most people realize. Shut the engine off the second you pull into the yard and you are trapping that heat right where it does the most damage.
Why You Must Let Your Diesel Idle Before Shutoff: Turbocharger Cooldown Explained Read More »
Knowing How to Match a Turbocharger Replacement using cast numbers is the skill that separates a mechanic who guesses from one who gets the job right the first time. When the part number tag is corroded off, painted over, or the previous “repair” left you with a nameless core, the casting numbers stamped into the
How to Match a Turbocharger Replacement Using Cast Numbers When the Part Number Is Gone Read More »
Knowing How to Decode a Garrett Turbocharger Part Number is one of the most valuable skills a diesel mechanic or fleet manager can have, because that string of digits stamped on the compressor housing or CHRA tells you exactly what you’re holding and what will bolt back on. Order the wrong number and you’re staring
How to Decode a Garrett Turbocharger Part Number: Full Reference Guide Read More »
Learning How to Decode a Holset Turbocharger Part Number is one of the most useful skills a diesel mechanic or fleet manager can pick up, because the numbers stamped on that housing tell you exactly what you’re working with before you ever pull the unit off the engine. Holset, now owned by Cummins Turbo Technologies,
How to Decode a Holset Turbocharger Part Number: Full Reference Guide Read More »
Knowing how to inspect a used or remanufactured turbocharger before it goes on the engine is the difference between a repair that lasts 200,000 miles and one that grenades in a week. At PT Turbo, we’ve been rebuilding and testing turbochargers since 1978, and we’ve seen too many good engines killed by a bad unit
How to Inspect a Used or Remanufactured Turbocharger Before Installing It Read More »
Learning How to Clean Turbocharger Carbon Deposits from the intake system is one of the most valuable maintenance skills a diesel tech or owner-operator can have, because carbon buildup silently strangles airflow long before it throws a code. Every diesel engine produces soot, and thanks to EGR systems recirculating exhaust gas back into the intake,
How to Clean Turbocharger Carbon Deposits from the Intake System Read More »
Knowing how to flush the turbo oil system after a turbocharger failure is the single most important step between installing a new unit and watching it grenade in under 5,000 miles. When a turbo fails, it doesn’t fail quietly. Metal fragments, carbonized oil, and coked-up debris get pushed through the oil feed and drain lines,
How to Flush the Turbo Oil System After a Turbocharger Failure Read More »
