{"id":11837,"date":"2021-07-16T13:21:57","date_gmt":"2021-07-16T11:21:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/?p=11837"},"modified":"2021-07-16T13:21:57","modified_gmt":"2021-07-16T11:21:57","slug":"turbocharger","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/2021\/07\/16\/turbocharger\/","title":{"rendered":"Avoiding turbocharger trouble"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"content-page-card__header-image-wrapper\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"content-page-card__header-body content-page-card__header-body--article\">\n<nav class=\"breadcrumbs breadcrumbs--content-page-card\" aria-label=\"breadcrumb\"><\/nav>\n<p class=\"content-page-card__content-teaser\" style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Completing regular preventive engine maintenance can prolong the life of turbochargers.<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"content-body-21216556\" class=\"page-contents__content-body\" style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">The concept of turbocharging is simple enough: Employing a turbocharger allows more air and fuel to enter the engine\u2019s cylinders to provide more power than a naturally aspirated engine, says Alex Miser, components communications manager at Cummins, a heavy duty diesel engine manufacturer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">This is accomplished using a compressor that draws in air, compresses it, and supplies it to the engine. The compressor is driven by a turbine which is powered by some of the engine\u2019s exhaust gas.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cIn turbocharged engines, the combustion air is already pre-compressed before being supplied to the engine,\u201d says Thom Miles, senior manager of turbo sales and marketing at automotive supplier BorgWarner. \u201cThe engine aspirates the same volume of air, but due to the higher pressure, more air mass is supplied into the combustion chamber. Consequently, more fuel can be burned so that the engine\u2019s power output increases related to the same speed and swept volume.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Turbochargers have been used to improve the performance of internal combustion engines since the early 1900s, but it was not until the 1950s that they began to see use in heavy duty commercial vehicles. Since then, turbocharger design has evolved to allow greater power output and efficiency from diesel engines.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Having more moving parts tends to lead to more fail points, however. While turbochargers have come a long way in terms of durability and longevity, it is still imperative to perform preventive engine maintenance as outlined by the manufacturer in order to maximize the life of the turbo.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Ensuring turbo longevity<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Turbochargers of the past had many common fail points, says Johan Agebrand, director of product marketing at heavy duty OEM Volvo Trucks North America.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cSince the fuel injection in today\u2019s engines is controlled electronically, this also means that turbos can be controlled indirectly with electronics,\u201d Agebrand says.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">The advances in engine technology mean fewer common fail points on modern turbochargers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Today, the turbocharger itself is also designed to last the life span of the engine, BorgWarner\u2019s Miles adds. It does not require any special maintenance, and periodic inspections are sufficient.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Bearing inspection<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">The frequency and type of inspection required can depend on the type of bearing the turbocharger uses. Turbochargers today spin at very high RPMs and require special bearing systems, Volvo\u2019s Agebrand says. They typically use one of two types of bearing systems: a full floating journal bearing system or a ball bearing system.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cThe journal bearing type allows the shaft to spin on the inside of the journal bearing, yet the bearing is free in the bearing housing, therefore the bearing spins inside the bearing housing too,\u201d Agebrand explains. \u201cIn general, the bearing spins at two-thirds of the turbo shaft speed. Since there are clearances on both sides of the journal bearings, a fair amount of shaft play can be felt when checking even a new turbocharger.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cOver time this clearance will grow as the bearings wear to a point where contact can start to occur of the turbine wheel or compressor wheel,\u201d he continues. \u201cAn experienced technician can typically recognize when the play is too excessive and may elect to change the turbo. Also, it is important to maintain good oil quality as oil coking in the turbine side bearing will lead to early failures.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">The ball bearing system design, on the other hand, utilizes specially designed high-speed ball bearings, according to Agebrand. These ball bearings offer the advantage of lower friction for faster spool up and mechanical efficiency. Additionally, since a ball bearing design does not allow the outer bearing to rotate in the bearing housing, it has less shaft play and therefore tighter turbine and compressor clearances can be maintained to improve overall efficiency.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Agebrand notes the ball bearing design does not wear as much over time and no periodic clearance check is recommended.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Engine maintenance<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Regardless of bearing type, the speeds at which turbos operate can generate an immense amount of heat which \u2013 without proper engine maintenance \u2013 can lead to bearing failure. Len Copeland, Detroit product marketing manager at heavy duty OEM Daimler Trucks North America, says this is one of the most common fail points of turbochargers today.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cToday\u2019s diesel turbos run at such high speeds, they must run at near zero friction levels to keep temperatures down,\u201d Copeland says. \u201cSo bearing cooling is critical as well as bearing lubrication.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Most diesel turbochargers today are cooled and lubricated by oil from the engine. Therefore, if the engine\u2019s oil is contaminated or run past its change interval, the turbo will also suffer from this lower quality oil, reducing lubrication and putting the bearing at risk.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cTo ensure that the turbocharger\u2019s lifetime corresponds to that of the engine, the vehicle owner must adhere to the engine manufacturer\u2019s service instructions,\u201d Miles says. \u201cOne of the most common causes of turbocharger damage is the lack of adequate lubrication of the turbo\u2019s rotor assembly and \u2026 bearings. Therefore, the vehicle owner must follow the engine manufacturer\u2019s recommended oil and filter change intervals.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Miles adds that inspection and maintenance of the engine\u2019s air filter system is also critical to turbocharger longevity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Poor air cleaner maintenance can lead not only to reduced fuel economy and engine performance, but a plugged air filter can also cause compressor stage oil pullover in the turbo, leading to lost lubrication of the bearing, Copeland says.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Additionally, foreign object debris can be catastrophic to a turbocharger. Agebrand notes this can be a common issue when servicing other parts of the truck such as air filters.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">\u201cForeign object debris are things that enter the air inlet such as a dropped bolt from a technician,\u201d he says. \u201cWe have also seen rags getting sucked into the air inlet. Many technicians use a rag to protect the air inlet from bolts and other items they might accidentally drop into the inlet pipe, but those rags are sometimes easily forgotten when they connect everything back. Once the engine is started, the rag gets sucked right into the engine.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Agebrand suggests a better practice for technicians to consider would be using shower caps, or something, similar that sit visibly on the outside of the inlet pipe, not jammed inside like a rag. This makes it much harder for the technician to forget to remove when reassembling the system.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Oil leaks<\/span><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Another example of a turbocharger fail point is oil leakage, which can lead to reduced performance, increased oil consumption, and emission non-compliance, says Cummins\u2019 Miser. Cummins\u2019 latest oil sealing technology is designed to reduce these risks through the development of a more robust sealing system.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">According to Miser, the new sealing technology for Holset turbochargers allows turbo downspeeding, downsizing, oil leakage prevention on two-stage systems, and enables CO2 and NOx reductions for other technologies. He says the technology has also improved thermal management and reliability of the turbocharger.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Advances in turbochargers over the last century have significantly reduced common fail points and improved efficiency and power output of engines. However, regular inspection and engine maintenance \u2013 especially oil changes and air intake maintenance \u2013 remains critical to turbo longevity.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"page-contents__content-sidebars\">\n<div class=\"page-contents__content-sidebar\">\n<h3 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Overcoming turbo lag<\/span><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Turbochargers have come a long way in terms of technological advancements, but the basic formula has remained mostly the same: Exhaust gas turns a turbine, which powers a compressor, which feeds compressed air to the engine. To continue to improve efficiency, power output, and longevity, manufacturers have designed variations of the classic turbocharger to meet specific needs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">According to Johan Agebrand, director of product marketing at Volvo Trucks North America, drawbacks to turbos have classically been how to regulate the air flow and how fast they can spin up.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">When a driver accelerates from a standstill at engine idle, it takes time for the turbo to spool up to full speed and create the proper compression. During this time, the engine is not creating as much power as it would be with the turbo creating full compression, leaving a hesitation in acceleration. This is known as turbo lag.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">There are multiple ways to overcome turbo lag, one of which is the twin-scroll turbocharger, largely used in gasoline engines. With a twin-scroll turbo, some cylinders feed one scroll, a spiral chamber, and alternating cylinders feed the other scroll, according to experts at BorgWarner. Individual nozzles are directed at the turbine \u2013 a smaller nozzle to provide low-end boost and a larger nozzle for high output requirements.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Another technology that helps overcome turbo lag is making its way into the heavy duty diesel market: The variable geometry turbocharger (VGT). The VGT works on the same principle as a twin-scroll \u2013 providing both low-end and high-end torque \u2013 but it uses vanes that can change in width to determine the flow range to allow for higher boost pressures at low engine speeds. It can also adjust to help with engine downspeeding while cruising at high speeds, improving fuel efficiency.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Cummins is preparing to launch the seventh generation Series 400 Variable Geometry Turbocharger, says Alex Miser, components communications manager.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">The future may see the use of other technologies to overcome turbo lag such as electric turbos, which use electric motors to spin up the turbine when sufficient exhaust gas is not present. There are multiple barriers to this technology developing quickly, however, says Len Copeland, Detroit product marketing manager at Daimler Trucks North America. One such hurdle is the fact that a 48V system is required to power such a turbo, so today\u2019s trucks are not up to the task.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>By <span class=\"page-attribution__content-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fleetmaintenance.com\/home\/contact\/20983128\/david-brierley\">David Brierley<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"posted-by\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.fleetmaintenance.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">https:\/\/www.fleetmaintenance.com<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"g-cols wpb_row type_default valign_top vc_inner  vc_custom_1585038969469\">\n<div class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column vc_column_container\">\n<div class=\"vc_column-inner\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"w-post-elm post_content\">\n<div class=\"g-cols wpb_row type_default valign_top vc_inner  vc_custom_1585038969469\">\n<div class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column vc_column_container\">\n<div class=\"vc_column-inner\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"w-post-elm post_content\">\n<div class=\"g-cols wpb_row type_default valign_top vc_inner  vc_custom_1585038969469\">\n<div class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column vc_column_container\">\n<div class=\"vc_column-inner\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"w-post-elm post_content\">\n<div class=\"g-cols wpb_row type_default valign_top vc_inner vc_custom_1585038969469\">\n<div class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column vc_column_container\">\n<div class=\"vc_column-inner\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"w-post-elm post_content\">\n<div class=\"g-cols wpb_row type_default valign_top vc_inner vc_custom_1585038969469\">\n<div class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column vc_column_container\">\n<div class=\"vc_column-inner\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"w-post-elm post_content\">\n<div class=\"g-cols wpb_row type_default valign_top vc_inner vc_custom_1585038969469\">\n<div class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column vc_column_container\">\n<div class=\"vc_column-inner\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"w-post-elm post_content\">\n<div class=\"g-cols wpb_row type_default valign_top vc_inner vc_custom_1585038969469\">\n<div class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column vc_column_container\">\n<div class=\"vc_column-inner\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"w-post-elm post_content\">\n<div class=\"g-cols wpb_row type_default valign_top vc_inner vc_custom_1585038969469\">\n<div class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column vc_column_container\">\n<div class=\"vc_column-inner\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"w-post-elm post_content\">\n<div class=\"g-cols wpb_row type_default valign_top vc_inner vc_custom_1585038969469\">\n<div class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column vc_column_container\">\n<div class=\"vc_column-inner\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"w-post-elm post_content\">\n<div class=\"g-cols wpb_row type_default valign_top vc_inner vc_custom_1585038969469\">\n<div class=\"vc_col-sm-12 wpb_column vc_column_container\">\n<div class=\"vc_column-inner\">\n<div class=\"wpb_wrapper\">\n<div class=\"w-post-elm post_content\">\n<h1 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/who-we-are\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>KNOW WHO WE ARE<\/strong><\/a><\/h1>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/who-we-are\/\"><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-11695\" src=\"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/07\/AFMC4000-300x150.jpg\" sizes=\"(max-width: 430px) 100vw, 430px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/07\/AFMC4000-300x150.jpg 300w, https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/07\/AFMC4000-1024x512.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/07\/AFMC4000-1536x768.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2021\/07\/AFMC4000-2048x1024.jpg 2048w\" alt=\"\" width=\"430\" height=\"215\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Completing regular preventive engine maintenance can prolong the life of turbochargers. The concept of turbocharging is simple enough: Employing a turbocharger allows more air and fuel to enter the engine\u2019s cylinders to provide more power than a naturally aspirated engine, says Alex Miser, components communications manager at Cummins, a heavy duty diesel engine manufacturer. This&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":11838,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18],"tags":[53],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11837"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11837"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11837\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11839,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11837\/revisions\/11839"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11838"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11837"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11837"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/advancedfleetmanagementconsulting.com\/eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11837"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}