Jump to content

Turbo Failures

Rate this topic


Recommended Posts

Well I never thought much of it until today. Took a 2011 F-550 for a spin thats making some pretty obvious turbo noises. 145k on the clock, one of the higher mileage 6.7s I've seen. This thing is pretty heavy, crosses the scales at 16k lbs all day long, probably its entire life.

 

Then I get to talk to the customer and get the whole story from oasis. This truck has had 5 turbos and 2 engines. (4 turbos and 1 engine under warranty). The most recent engine and turbo were only 20k miles ago.

 

Normal maintenance from what I can tell and only 3300 hours on it. This thing is on the road constantly. I've gotta put front rotors, calipers and pads on it too, caliper pistons and rotors are cracked from heat

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 70
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Are we thinking that having that turbo tucked down in the valley is not letting it disapate enough of the heat on loaded trucks. The only 2 turbos I have done were on F550's with full service bodies on them, that like your's are constantly loaded.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

These guys were out of town so I slammed a turbo in this thing, put some brakes on and let it roll.

 

Someone left a small pocket screwdriver laying down behind the turbo in the valley. All I found was a blade, magnet and one melted glob of plastic with a metal pocket clip sticking out.

 

Also noticed that the oil feed tube and coolant feed tube both had melted the plastic retainers still attached.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Are we thinking that having that turbo tucked down in the valley is not letting it disapate enough of the heat on loaded trucks.

There mught be something to that. If we look at the location of the turbo and what is in front of it blocking air from the fan this might be a valid concern.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just got a turbo sent back by WPEC. The compressor wheel was damaged, not the turbine wheel as stated in the FSA. Prior to replacing the turbo, I contacted hotline, told them the the details of the failure, and that I was unsure if any foreign matter had passed through the turbo. Hotline said compressor wheels can also fail, and to continue with replacing the turbo under the FSA, providing the the air intake was properly assembled and the air filter and such were intact, as they were. WPEC did not agree, and sent it back, denying the claim.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...

I took some pictures before I packed the core into the box and I just looked at them. I didn't look very close at it and probably might have still missed what the camera brought to life... so to speak. I saw the damage on the compressor side but not the turbine side.

 

6-7Turbo-2.jpg

 

6-7Turbo-1.jpg

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I finished mine today, 2012 F-550.  If I remember tomorrow I'll snap a few pics.  The bearing was completely gone but suprisingly none of the turbine blades were missing.  The shaft still spun with your fingers but you couldn't help but laugh when you did.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ha! I've dissassembled more than a few 6.0 turbos and cobbled them back together.  Knock on wood no charged back cores yet.

 

They did call back the 6.7 one I did last week.  Actually I think they've called back all my 6.7 turbos

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It was a Barney job, and no core - customer opted for "NEW".

 

Like $2000 more than reman.

 

They probably don't want us taking them apart so they can do failure analysis.

 

Does anyone else remember when they'd want the super duty brake caliper, bracket, and pads all as one assembly when they'd seize up? This is probably the same idea.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

We had another towed in late Friday... same old funky noise from the turbo and no boost. After re-reading this topic and reading a few others on the public forums I am convinced it's a design issue. This is a turbo that has good oil flow and is also cooled with engine coolant so you might think that heat is not an issue but maybe it is. We have sited it's location and lack of external airflow and close proximity to the exhaust manifolds. The inverted cylinder head design with shorter inlet pipes also means higher exhaust gas temperatures at the turbocharger. Combine that with vehicle usage, meaning higher load, and engine calibration we have many factors to consider. I would also bet that most  of the drivers of these trucks do  not let the engine idle and cool down before shutting down.

 

 

In all cases we have discussed all of these turbo failures have been bearing related. The turbochargers on the 6.7L are the sleeve type according to the WSM also known as a journal bearing in the industry. As I research this I have discovered that, journal type turbo bearings are more prone to heat and lubrication related failure versus ball-bearing cartridge bearings. Could this be the design change needed here?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

During the ECOBOOST course we were discussing turbo cool-down, the ECOBOOST turbo is designed to draw coolant after the engine is shut down by way of thermal siphoning and slowly cools the turbo. We asked if the 6.7L turbo is designed to do the same thing. They told us it wasn't but will still do it. So this takes out the cool down idle period theory I would think.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 We asked if the 6.7L turbo is designed to do the same thing. They told us it wasn't but will still do it. So this takes out the cool down idle period theory I would think.  

 

In my 6.7 course, we were also told the turbo will thermal siphon. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When you think about EGTs and how oil flow abruptly stops at engine shut down it's not hard to figure out why turbo bearings coke up like they do.  I really don't think post shutdown coolant flow is going to help a whole lot, most of the damage is probably done right as soon as that oil stops flowing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

These trucks should be built with a factory turbo timer. Make it not immediately shut down the engine at key off if the egt is above predetermined level. Could make it cancelable thru the IC for emergency situations. People are too impatient to sit in the truck and let the truck idle too cool/ slow the turbo for 3 to 5 minutes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

These trucks should be built with a factory turbo timer. Make it not immediately shut down the engine at key off if the egt is above predetermined level. Could make it cancelable thru the IC for emergency situations. People are too impatient to sit in the truck and let the truck idle too cool/ slow the turbo for 3 to 5 minutes.

I can't believe it hasn't been done yet. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...