The car turbocharger can increase engine power, but it is not without its drawbacks. If you have installed in your vehicle, you should be aware of the symptoms of a bad or failing turbocharger so that you can address issues before they worsen.
In this article, we will dive deeply into the symptoms of a faulty turbo. We also tell you whether it’s saved to with a blown turbocharger and how much it might cost to replace it.
What are the Symptoms of a Failing turbocharger?
Here are 7 signs of a failing turbocharger.
- Power Reduction
- Check Engine Light
- Excessive Exhaust smoke
- Reduced Fuel Economy
- Burning/Leaking Oil
- Change in sound
- Incorrect Boost Reading
1) Power Reduction
The turbocharger’s primary function is to private power to the engine. When the turbocharger begins to fail, power and acceleration will suffer. You may notice a minor loss of power at first, but a blown turbo will result in a significant drop.
While the car’s power will be affected, there should be no other handing issues. The turbocharger has no influence on steering or braking. If these conditions occur in conjunction with the power outage, something else may be wrong.
2) Check Engine Light
The check engine light can come on for a few causes. Still if you are experiencing other bad turbocharger symptoms when the light comes on, you can connect the dots. You can pinpoint the exact problem using your cod scanner. If you notice anything other than turbo codes, you fix those first to avoid replacing unnecessary parts.
3) Excessive Exhaust Smoke
As more oil enters the exhaust. You can expect more smoke. This smoke may appear grey or blue, whereas normal exhaust usually colorless. There may also be a strange odor emanating from the exhaust smoke.
However, there are numerous mechanical failures that can result this kind of issue, many of which are unrelated to the turbocharger. Smoke can also be caused by a blown head gasket, leaking value seals, or internal failure.
4) Reduced Fuel Economy
When the engine is optimized and running properly, you should be able to achieve normal fuel economy. However, any time the engine is running rough or fails in some way, the fuel economy will suffer.
The same is true when the turbocharge fails. Because the turbo is failing, air cannot pass through as efficiently as it should. The existing exhaust will also not adequately power the turbo. As a result, you will notice a decrease in fuel economy numbers.
Read More: How to Check Fuel Fill inlet |What Does it Mean and How to resolve?
5) Burning/ Leaking Oil
There will be oil leaking from the system as the turbocharger fails. The turbo, like the engine, requires oil to function. A worm turbo, on the other hand, may have a cracked gasket or seal. Furthermore, the turbo can crack, resulting in an oil leak.
The oil leaking from the turbo will be burned. This dripping oil may not be visible on a visual inspection, but it can be burned up through the exhaust system, resulting in excessive smoke.
More Information: Burning Smell from Car (Causes and Solution)
6) Change in Sound
The turbocharger will make some noise during normal operation. The noise should be soft and barely audible. As the turbo starts up, you may hear a soft whistling sound or a whooshing noise.
If the sound begins to change, you may have a turbocharger problem. something is wrong if its starts humming or ratting. You want it checked out before the program worsens.
Incorrect Boost Reading
You might not have a boost gauge in your vehicle. These are aftermarkets parts that are typically installed on sportier vehicles. However, if you have one, it will provide you with a wealth of information regarding the turbo boost isn’t holding or building properly, you know there’s an issue.
If you do not already have one, it might be worth installing one just for this.
What are Cost of Turbocharger Replacement?
A faulty turbocharger can cost between 10 hundred and 45 hundred dollars to replace. The size of the vehicle and the cost of labor are two factors that influence the cost same models far more user-friendly than others. If the mechanic has to remove serval parts to get to the turbocharger, the repairs will be more expensive.
A standard turbocharger should last the life of the vehicle. With proper maintenance, you should be able to 100,000 to 150,000 miles out of the turbocharger.
Can I Drive with a Bad Turbocharger?
The short answer is Yes. It is possible to drive your vehicle even if the turbo is damaged or blown. That doesn’t mean you should keep driving. If the turbo impeller becomes damaged, it will be sucked into the engine, causing serious engine damage.
If you drive with a blown turbo for long road the more likely it is engine will require repairs. It will already be costly to repair the turbocharger you do not need to add engine repair to that bill. You will notice a decrease in power while driving. That’s another reason we recommend stopping driving once you notice a problem and taking the vehicle to mechanic.