Turbo Refurbishment: Everything You Need to Know

 Although quite a new pump, as it was first thought of in 1905 but only introduced in 1962, turbochargers are now fitted as a matter of course to the vast majority of modern vehicles as they allow you to squeeze more power out of your engine in an incredibly efficient way by pumping more air into the internal burning chamber. Turbochargers will inevitably break down over time due to the high temperatures, friction, and wear that everyone except supercars face. When this happens, refurbishing the turbocharger can be an extremely cost-effective fix, and in this article, we’ll be taking a look at just what turbo refurbishment entails and how you know that you need it.

What is Turbo Refurbishment?

 Turbo refurbishment is a process in which a used or damaged turbocharger is reconditioned back to an ‘as good as new’ state. Rather than replacing a failed turbo with a new one, the refurbishment process involves fully dismantling it, checking it for damage, replacing worn parts where necessary, and reassembling it.

 This less expensive process is usually also a greener option since it results in less waste, even though the refurbished unit won’t provide customers with the same sensation of getting something new as a direct purchase would. Service costs more upfront but allows the customer to ‘own’ the car longer, leading to a lasting relationship. Buying a new turbo means that the customer will likely sell or exchange the same car at some point, a re-purchasing experience that will most likely not involve the use of an authorised workshop.

Signs Your Turbo Needs Refurbishment

 A fundamental symptom of an ageing turbocharger is what can be done to prevent further degradation. Here are the common symptoms:

 Loss Of Power: If your car isn’t performing as it used to – things feel sluggish, even with plenty of time between your foot and the pedal – your turbo could be wearing out. It will show itself by a bit of lag, or a lessening of boost pressure.

 Too Much Exhaust Smoke: You might notice too much black smoke pouring out of a failing turbo’s exhaust system, especially when pushing the pedal. Along with smoke, the turbo is also expected to release water as steam. The presence of black smoke under acceleration can point to this problem.

 Unusual Noises: A turbocharger should make little noise when functioning. Start worrying if you hear a whine, grind or whistling of any kind, as it means that there could be damage within the turbo parts, or that they’re wearing and in need of refurbishment.

 Check Engine Light: Many cars will light up a check engine light as a sign that something is wrong with the turbocharger. This light can mean so many different things, but it’s still a strong indicator that part of the system (likely the turbo) needs to be looked at. 

 Higher Oil Consumption: With higher oil consumption, oil will seep into the system if your turbo fails. If you need to top off your oil more often, your turbo may need servicing. 

The Turbo Refurbishment Process

 Today I am going to describe the process of refurbishment of a turbocharger. It will help you to trust your car and understand what particular operations should be undertaken with your turbocharger for safe driving.

The workshop starts with disassembling the unit. The technician carefully removes the compressor in order to examine the surfaces of the turbine wheel. After that, the blade is polished and the compressor disk is checked to ensure it runs smoothly. The next step is to place the dismantled turbo wheel into a special box containing liquid with metal powder and grains. The mixture is heated up to high temperature, depending on the material of the turbo wheel. In the case of difficult debris adhere to the outer surface, the technician has to use ultrasound prior to taking the turbo element out of the box. This is the final operation before the next stage, at which the wheel is mounted into a machine.

All the processes are performed in order to ensure safe and smooth work of turbochipper.

 Initial inspection: first look for mechanical damage. Check for cracks in the housing, wear to the turbine blades, and problems with the bearings or seals.

Disassemble: The turbo is now disassembled. Component by component, from the compressor wheel to the bearings, everything is studied for damage and wear.

 Cleaning: This is the initial step that involves cleaning all the parts to eliminate carbon deposits, oil residue and other contaminants. This ensures the turbo works optimally after refurbishing.

 Component Replacement: worn parts, like bearings, seals, and occasionally compressor wheels, are replaced with new, quality components.

 Reassembly And Balancing; 1. After installed the replacement parts, The turbo need to assemble 2. Among the reassembly procedure, The technical needs to pay more attention to the balance process, That is the different part for a regular repairman to do a professional repaired. 3. The reason for the balance is to make the turbo runs well after it repaired. It will make the turbo not be allowed to vibrate that will the damage this repaired turbo again. 4. It is important for the balance and it is also one most important step for professional repairing.

 Testing: The rebuilt turbo is finally tested for it is or it is not functioning properly. This might be done under simulated driving conditions to check for leaks, boost pressure and other characteristic measurements. 

Benefits of Turbo Refurbishment

Refurbishing a turbocharger offers several advantages over purchasing a brand-new unit:

 Cost-effective: Rebuilding a turbo allows you to do so at drastically lower cost than if you were to purchase a new one, which is particularly true for high-performance or hard-to-find models.

 Environmentally friendly: Turbo refurbishment helps protect the environment by reusing the housing of the turbo in question, as well as other undamaged components of the overall system. 

 Fast Turnaround: Even components needing technically-advanced ‘refurbishment’, as opposed to a mere ‘refurb’, will often be ready for delivery in a matter of weeks – a fraction of the wait required for a bespoke new item to be ordered and installed (ie, waiting for a brand new turbo). 

Conclusion

 So make sure to pay heed to the signs of a failing turbo. If it really seems that a replacement is needed, turbo refurbishment is a much more cost-effective, environmentally friendly way to restore your vehicle’s performance than buying a replacement turbocharger.