Repeated Turbo Failures

[Tmaj12k]

I bought a new turbo and actuator from a place named Turbo Solutions in South Jersey. (Pennsauken to be exact) back in July. They put a 1year warranty on it and already I have gone back 2 times. The turbo started pushing oil at the end of August due to a worn seal. A vague answer was given as to why it happened. Something along the lines of internal parts can have unexplained failures even when they’re new. There also could have been debris in my oil. They replaced both the turbo and actuator for me. The actuator also had an internal failure. On the 9th of this month the turbo started pushing oil again. I took it back, they rebuilt the turbo and gave it back. Apon taking it apart they saw that the seal had worn out again. This time they said it could’ve happened due to excessive back pressure or maybe crank case pressure. I have a Cummins ISX with 758k Miles. When I first bought the turbo back in July I also had my dpf filter baked. I do my pm’s every 10k miles. I’m keeping up with my maintenance. The engine is probably due for an overhaul soon but are they telling me the truth about back pressure or crank case pressure making the seals wear out? To me, that’s general language used to put the fault of the failures on me and the Truck and not their turbo.

Oh. Wanna hear a kicker to the story? I just got the rebuilt turbo installed last Thursday 1/18. I worked for a week. On 1/25 I see a little oil leaking from the turbo again.


   

   

[Signature620]

Is the engine de-mandated?

[Wiseman]

(01-27-2018 )Signature620 Wrote:  Is the engine de-mandated?

I guess not . He said dpf was baked back in July.....
Also maintenance @ 10k ml .
Don’t know what parts are they using to do repair ,but one I know for sure , there’s almost impossible to get genuine Holset parts . At least for he551v and ve series. Everything is knockoff or lookalikes.
Some are ok , but never even close to Genuine Holset. At least my experience of experimenting different things.
If turbo is in good working order , even with more than normal blow-by and crankcase pressure combined with negative to zero pressure on the intake side, there should not be any oil leaks . Very slight/insignificant slobber is the norm with RXs and aged virgins .

[JMBT]

Even with the good maintenance practices he stated above if the truck still has the mandate at 750+k it would be nearly impossible to keep the intake/exhaust systems happy outside of making the EGR tune up a weekly practice. An engine with those miles is going to have some blow by and maybe an internal weep here and there, and exhaust or boost leak, or something of that nature that is too small to be detected. Any of those things will play hell on the DPF and EGR systems and it will get progressively worse as it ages. Filling up the filter with ash and causing more exhaust pressure.
I would say you have two options: 1. A brand new holset turbo and a trip to Mr Hagg, for a demandate. Or 2. Buy the brand new Chinese knock off from AW turbos for about $700. And just plan on replacing it every year. They are cheap knock offs but you are going to kill any turbo you put on it at that point anyway.

Another thing to consider, if you have any oil leaking into exhaust manifold, like say from valve seals leaking. The oil combined with soot will quickly plug up the tiny tube that feeds the exhaust pressure sensor, causing a faulty reading and pop there goes your new turbo seals.

[Rawze]

(01-27-2018 )Tmaj12k Wrote:  I bought a new turbo and actuator from a place named Turbo Solutions in South Jersey. (Pennsauken to be exact) back in July. They put a 1year warranty on it and already I have gone back 2 times. The turbo started pushing oil at the end of August due to a worn seal. A vague answer was given as to why it happened. Something along the lines of internal parts can have unexplained failures even when they’re new. There also could have been debris in my oil. They replaced both the turbo and actuator for me. The actuator also had an internal failure. On the 9th of this month the turbo started pushing oil again. I took it back, they rebuilt the turbo and gave it back. Apon taking it apart they saw that the seal had worn out again. This time they said it could’ve happened due to excessive back pressure or maybe crank case pressure. I have a Cummins ISX with 758k Miles. When I first bought the turbo back in July I also had my dpf filter baked. I do my pm’s every 10k miles. I’m keeping up with my maintenance. The engine is probably due for an overhaul soon but are they telling me the truth about back pressure or crank case pressure making the seals wear out? To me, that’s general language used to put the fault of the failures on me and the Truck and not their turbo.

Oh. Wanna hear a kicker to the story? I just got the rebuilt turbo installed last Thursday 1/18. I worked for a week. On 1/25 I see a little oil leaking from the turbo again.

I would have stayed with OEM myself. Jumping over a dollar to save a dime on a component that can destroy the engine if not put together just right is a no-go in my book. Even so, sometimes the OEM turbos will seep when new.

maybe this info here helps...
http://rawze.com/forums/showthread.php?t...91#pid6591

[dhirocz]

Any chance the face seal is a driver replaceable component? I've also wondered if there is maybe a way to clean up the VG ring and whatnot so it lasts longer...keep it from getting that nasty step in it some of them like to get.

It would seem silly to me to go through this if it's avoidable. I know I avoid cummins dealers like the plague by doing as much as I can myself.

Im running on my spare turbo right now. Ive been planning on sending my original in for an overhaul, once I find a place I trust to do the work.

Apparently you can buy individual turbo components from the dealer. Makes me wonder if they are actual holset parts...I know I called holset and they basically told me to f$%k off (at least in a nice way) lol

[JMBT]

Dhirocz, yes you can service the face seal and quick serve has the instructions for taking the turbine housing off and cleaning the VG. You’ll have to cut off the v band if it is a new turbo and buy the replacement. They do not however show a torque value for the face seal bolts. I am looking for that right now myself, so if you find that please pass it along. Thanks

[Wiseman]

      

[Magard]

Food for thought. If you were going to start a reputable turbo shop would you pick New Jersey for your operation. With the internet you could open a turbo shop in a corn field and do business. Imagine there overhead. How could they sell a reputable product that cheap. Probably time to cut your losses before there turbo eats something more expensive.