How to identify a turbo fault | fault finding
Fault Finding Checklist
Click on the fault that you are experiencing to see possible causes:
Excessive Blue smoke
Excessive Black smoke
Boost pressure too highCompressor/turbine wheel impact damage
High oil consumption
Insufficient power/boost pressure too low
Oil leaking from compressor housing
Oil leaking from turbine
Whistling/Cyclic Noise from Engine Compartment under load
Excessive Blue Smoke Excessive Black Smoke
- Dirty air filter system
- Suction and pressure line distorted or leaking
- Excessive flow resistance in exhaust system/ leakage upstream of turbine
- Fuel system/injection feed system defective or incorrectly adjusted
- Valve guide, piston rings, engine or cylinder liners worn/increased blow by
- Dirty compressor or charge air cooler
- Boost pressure control swing valve/poppet valve does not close
- Foreign body damage to compressor or turbine wheel
- Insufficient oil supply to turbocharger
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Boost pressure too high
- Fuel system/injection feed system defective or incorrectly adjusted
- Boost pressure control swing valve/poppet valve seized in closed position
- Boost pressure sensing pipe split or incorrectly fitted
- Wastegate actuator diaphragm split
- Wastegate actuator calibration incorrect
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Compressor/Turbine Wheel Impact Damage
- Turbocharger bearing damage
- Defective air filter piping/system
- Foreign body from engine damage entering turbine inlet
- Excessive boost pressure
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High Oil Consumption
- Dirty air filter system
- Excessive flow resistance in exhaust system/big bore exhaust
- Oil drain pipe clogged
- Crankcase breather clogged/piping restricted
- Sludge in turbocharger center housing
- Valve guide, piston rings, engine or cylinder liners worn/increased blow by
- Dirty compressor or charge air cooler
- Piston ring sealing defective
- Excessive turbocharger bearing clearances
- Engine oil level too high
- Gasket sealer used on oil drain gasket
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Insufficient Power/Boost Pressure Too Low
- Dirty air filter system
- Induction and intercooler pipes collapsing
- Excessive flow resistance in exhaust system/ leakage upstream of turbine
- Fuel system/injection feed system defective or incorrectly adjusted
- Valve guide, piston rings, engine or cylinder liners worn/increased blow by
- Restricted intercooler or charge air cooler
- Boost pressure control swing valve/poppet valve seized in the open position
- Pipes to actuator and boost control valves incorrectly fitted
- Turbocharger bearing damage
- Foreign body damage on compressor or turbine
- Turbine housing/flap damaged
- Insufficient oil supply to turbocharger
- Engine valve timing incorrect
- Accelerator cable maladjusted
- Insufficient fuel flow/pressure
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Oil Leaking from Compressor Housing
- Dirty air filter system
- Excessive flow resistance in exhaust system
- Oil drain lines clogged, leaking or distorted
- Crankcase ventilation clogged and restricted
- Coke and sludge in turbocharger center housing
- Valve guide, piston rings, engine or cylinder liners worn/increased blow by
- Dirty compressor or charge air cooler
- Piston ring sealing defective
- Turbocharger bearing damage
- Engine oil level high
- Excessive oil pressure
- High mileage engine
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Oil Leaking from Turbine
- Excessive flow resistance in exhaust system/big bore exhaust
- Oil drain lines clogged, leaking or distorted
- Crankcase ventilation clogged and restricted
- Coke and sludge in turbocharger center housing
- Valve guide, piston rings, engine or cylinder liners worn/increased blow by
- Dirty compressor or charge air cooler
- Piston ring sealing defective
- Turbocharger bearing damage
- Engine oil level high
- Excessive oil pressure
- High mileage engine
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Whistling/Cyclic Noise from Engine Compartment under load
- Inlet manifold gasket leaking or incorrectly fitted
- Intercooler piping split/intercooler damaged
- Exhaust manifold gasket leaking
- Exhaust system corroded
- Turbine housing mounting flange gasket leaking
- Exhaust gas leakage between turbine outlet and exhaust pipe
- EGR valve not seating correctly
- EGR valve piping broken
- Turbocharger bearings worn
- Restricted air filter
- Imbalanced turbocharger rotating assembly
- Damage to compressor wheel inducer blades
- Damage to turbine wheel assembly
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