- 10/30/2024
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The basic function of a turbocharger
Turbochargers used to be primitive and simple systems that provide less additional power than they are now, and Saab and Porsche were among the companies that contributed a lot to the popularization of the turbo in the automotive industry, so much so that they became very popular systems and most sports and ordinary cars are equipped with them because of their many benefits.
The main function of the turbo is to push more air into the engine, which increases the combustion power and generates more power, when it rotates, the outside air full of oxygen is compressed to supply it to the engine, and the richer the air-fuel mixture, the better the combustion and the better the engine's performance.
The turbo is characterized in the way it works that it does not need the power of the engine to operate it, as it rotates by the exhaust gases that come out of the engine after combustion, which were originally on their way out of the car through the exhaust pipes, and these gases come out at high speed from the engine and rotate the fan-like turbo blades to a very high speed of 280,000 rpm in some turbo types, and through this rotation the turbo draws clean air, then compresses it and then pushes it to the engine.
Read more: Symptoms of a bad turbocharger
What also distinguishes the turbo and makes it an ideal option for increasing engine power is that it does not work all the time, as it is only activated at certain engine speeds, and its working power and rotation increases with the increase in engine rotation speed, meaning that if you drive your car gently with the accelerator pedal quietly, the turbo will not work or will work at slow speeds that will not affect performance, which contributes to improving fuel consumption more than large-sized engines.
The turbo works at high pressures and temperatures, so it is usually equipped with its own cooling system to cool the compressed air as well as an oil cooler to cool the turbo oil and prevent it from overheating, and modern turbochargers contain complex systems that control how the gases move through them with extreme precision, providing higher performance and greater efficiency.
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Read more: What causes a supercharger to fail
What are the main causes of turbo damage in a car?
The following are the most important reasons that lead or contribute to turbo damage in the car, which are:
Oil contamination
More than 90% of the failures that affect the turbo in the car are due to oil, especially oil contamination, as oil contamination means the entry of parts, sediments and iron filings inside it, and during the oiling process, these sediments rub against the moving parts, causing many issues, including minor issues and issues that lead to complete damage to the turbo.
Insufficient or damaged oil
The turbo needs a continuous flow of clean, high-quality oil inside it to cool it and lubricate the moving parts, so if the amount of oil in the turbo decreases, or if the oil caliber is not suitable or the quality of the oil is poor, this will affect the performance of the turbo, and can cause significant damage to it, so make sure to choose the correct quality, caliber and quantity of oil in addition to replacing both the engine oil and oil filter at the recommended intervals from your car's manufacturer.
Read more: Bad supercharger symptoms
Damaged gaskets and seals
If the gaskets and seals in the turbo and between the turbo and the engine are damaged, worn or cracked, oil will leak into the exhaust system, and as a result, the turbo will work under additional pressure and greater effort to increase air pressure, which will eventually lead to reduced efficiency in power generation and air pressure and engine performance will decrease, and the turbo can be completely damaged if you do not pay attention to this issue as soon as possible.
Solid parts getting inside the turbo
An important and common cause of turbo damage is the ingress of solid parts such as dust particles, dirt, leaves and small stones, either through the air intake or even the exhaust outlet, these parts will often damage the turbine, or the efficiency of the turbo may decrease if the solid objects start to damage the compressor wheels or turbine blades.
Wear and tear
Turbo systems are designed to last for many years and also for great distances, sometimes up to 250,000 km, but during their lifetime they are subject to wear and tear due to weather conditions, aggressive driving style, or the high pressure and high temperatures they generate, so one of the reasons for turbo wear is that they age to the point where their internal parts are unable to generate enough air pressure and transfer it to the engine.
