Industrial Turbo Rebuild Service

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Nationwide mail-in service. 12-month unlimited mileage warranty. In-house CIMAT VSR balancing on every rebuild.

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Applications
Common Symptoms
Real Failures We See
FAQ
Warranty
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PT Turbo rebuilds and remanufactures Industrial turbochargers in-house at our San Bernardino, CA shop. Every unit goes through a full teardown, OEM-spec or better parts replacement, CIMAT VSR balancing, and final quality inspection before it ships back — backed by a 12-month unlimited mileage warranty and nationwide mail-in service.

Best For

Standby and prime power generators
Construction and agricultural equipment
Oil field and compressor station engines
Pump and irrigation diesel engines

Shop Industrial turbochargers in stock at PT Turbo →

About Industrial Turbocharger Rebuilds

PT Turbo rebuilds industrial turbochargers for the diesel engines that run when downtime is not an option: standby and prime power gensets, off-road construction iron, farm equipment, oil field and compressor station prime movers, and irrigation pump engines. These units run long duty cycles at steady load, and that constant heat and hour accumulation kills bearings, seals, and variable geometry hardware in ways a passenger diesel never sees. We disassemble to the bare housing, inspect every component, and rebuild to OEM clearances so the unit goes back to making rated boost.

For most industrial operators, a rebuild is the smarter call. A new OEM turbo for a Tier engine or a discontinued genset can run two to four times the cost of a rebuild, often with a lead time you cannot afford when a station or pump is down. As long as the center housing, compressor housing, and turbine housing are not cracked or eroded through, we can restore the unit to factory spec and have it back to you fast.

Common Industrial Applications

Power Generation

Standby generator sets for hospitals, data centers, and municipal facilities
Prime power gensets on continuous duty in off-grid and remote sites
Rental and portable diesel generator packages
Cummins, Caterpillar, John Deere, and Perkins genset engines

Construction and Agricultural Equipment

Excavators, loaders, dozers, and motor graders
Tractors, combines, and self-propelled harvesters
Skid steers, telehandlers, and off-road haul equipment
Tier 3 and Tier 4 engines with VGT and wastegated turbos

Oil Field and Gas Compression

Compressor station prime movers and gas lift engines
Drilling rig power units and well service pump engines
Stationary and skid-mounted diesel drive packages

Pump and Irrigation

Agricultural irrigation pump diesels
Fire and flood control pump engines
Continuous-duty water transfer and dewatering units

Common Industrial Turbocharger Symptoms

Audible shaft play or a rattle on shutdown, indicating worn journal or thrust bearings from long continuous-duty hours
Oil in the charge piping or intercooler, pointing to failed piston ring seals on the compressor side
A high-pitched whine or siren that climbs with load, signaling bearing wear or a damaged compressor wheel
VGT or actuator that sticks, hunts, or throws a fault code from soot-bound vanes on Tier 4 engines
Low boost and sluggish response under full genset or pump load with visible black smoke
Overboost spikes and engine derate from a stuck-closed wastegate or VGT mechanism
Blue or gray smoke at sustained load as worn seals pass oil into the exhaust
Visible oil leaking from the center housing drain or seal areas after extended runtime

Real Industrial Failures We See in Our Shop

On Holset HX and HE-series turbos off Cummins genset and compressor engines, we frequently see the sliding nozzle and VGT actuator seize from baked-on soot and carbon when the unit idles or runs steady load for long stretches without ever clearing out. The mechanism gets lacquered solid and the actuator strips trying to move it.
On Garrett and Caterpillar VGT units in Tier 4 construction and ag equipment, we see vane carbon lock where exhaust soot packs the unison ring and vane posts. The engine throws a turbo response fault, derates, and the operator thinks the turbo is dead when the core is fine and just needs a full strip and clean.
On continuous-duty prime power and pump engines, the most common kill is oil-related. We pull units where the bearings are wiped from coked oil, a marginal drain line, or oil starvation at startup. Long run hours mean the bearing system never gets a break, and contaminated or breaking-down oil takes the thrust bearing out first.
On older mechanical genset and irrigation turbos, we see compressor wheel rub and erosion from ingested dust where the air filtration was neglected. Field and ag environments load the intake with grit that machines the wheel tips and opens up the clearances until boost falls off.
We regularly find turbine wheel and shaft damage from overspeed on engines that have been turned up or run past rated load. The thrust load exceeds what the bearing was designed for, and the wheel contacts the housing or the shaft snaps.
On oil field and compressor units, we see heat-soak cracking in turbine housings and warped wheels from sustained high exhaust temperatures, especially where the package runs hot and shuts down without a cool-down cycle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can my industrial turbocharger be rebuilt?

In most cases yes, as long as the housings are not cracked through or eroded past spec. We rebuild Holset, Garrett, BorgWarner, Caterpillar, and most OEM industrial units back to factory clearances.

Do you need the whole unit or just the core?

Send us the complete turbo including the actuator and any sensors so we can test the full assembly and match clearances. If you only have the center core we can still work with it, but the complete unit gives the best result.

Is a rebuild cheaper than replacement?

Almost always. A rebuild typically runs a fraction of a new OEM turbo and avoids the long lead times that come with replacing units for Tier engines or discontinued gensets.

Do you balance the turbo?

Yes. Every rebuild is balanced, and rotating assemblies are checked on a VSR balancer at operating speed to eliminate vibration and protect the new bearings.

Do you accept nationwide mail-in turbos?

We do. Operators across the country ship us units, and we turn them around fast to get your genset, pump, or equipment back online.

What if the damage is too severe to rebuild?

If a housing or wheel is beyond saving, we will tell you up front and source a replacement housing or recommend a replacement unit rather than charge you for a rebuild that will not hold.

What is the difference between a Holset HX and HE-series turbo on my Cummins genset?

The HX series is a fixed-geometry wastegated turbo while the HE series uses variable geometry with a sliding nozzle and electronic actuator. The HE units need more attention to the VGT mechanism and actuator calibration during a rebuild.

Why does my Tier 4 VGT keep throwing a turbo response fault?

That fault is almost always soot-bound vanes or a sticking unison ring restricting the geometry from moving freely. A full teardown, clean, and actuator recalibration clears it without replacing the whole turbo.

How long should a rebuilt industrial turbo last?

On a properly maintained continuous-duty engine with clean oil and good air filtration, a quality rebuild matches OEM service life. Most failures we see come from oil contamination or neglected air filters, not the rebuild itself.

How to Identify Your Industrial Turbo

The identification tag is typically located on the compressor housing, bearing housing, or center section of the turbocharger. It usually lists the model number, assembly number, and serial number. If you’re not sure which Industrial model you have, send PT Turbo a photo of the tag and we’ll help identify it before you ship anything.

PT Turbo Warranty

12-month, unlimited mileage warranty against defects in parts and workmanship
Final quality inspection on every rebuild: leak test, visual inspection, actuator or wastegate function check
In-house CIMAT VSR balancing with a balance report included
Nationwide mail-in service — you don’t need to be local

Why Customers Choose PT Turbo

Rebuilding turbochargers, including Industrial, since 1978
In-house CIMAT VSR balancing on every unit, not outsourced
Full housing sandblasting and OEM-spec or better parts replacement
Inspect first, quote before work begins — no surprise charges
Nationwide mail-in service from our San Bernardino, CA shop

PT Turbo Inspection Process

Every turbocharger goes through the same evaluation before any work begins:

Initial evaluationcompressor wheel, turbine wheel, shaft, bearing housing, VGT assembly (if equipped), actuator, and seal surfaces are checked first.
Complete disassemblythe turbocharger is fully torn down and every major component is inspected individually.
Cleaningcomponents are cleaned to remove carbon, oil residue, rust, and contamination.
Measurementcritical tolerances are measured against OEM specification.
Reassemblyrebuilt using new wear components matched to your specific model.
CIMAT VSR balancingthe rotating assembly is balanced in-house, with a balance report included.
Final inspectionleak test, visual inspection, and actuator or wastegate function check before shipment.

No work begins without your approval. You receive a quote after inspection, not before.

Pricing

Most rebuilds require inspection before final pricing. Standard rebuild pricing depends on the turbo model, parts availability, wheel condition, shaft condition, housing damage, and whether upgrades are requested. PT Turbo inspects every turbo and sends a quote before any work begins — no surprise charges.

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