Mahle Aftermarket look at why particulate build-up can lead to poor turbo performance.
Among the specialist areas that MAHLE Aftermarket’s expertise covers is turbochargers and the way in which they function to maintain the engine’s optimum efficiency. This experience has enabled the company to notice simple, but easily overlooked mistakes that are made when fitting new turbochargers.
Check the DPF
When technicians are fitting a new turbocharger, there needs to be a thorough check of the DPF as there could be a build-up
of extremely fine soot particulates that occur with combustion, which may lead to the component breaking. This could also be the reason for performance issues to continue after a new turbocharger is fitted or if the new turbocharger fails immediately.
The particulate filter has a limited uptake capacity and must be regenerated or replaced at specific intervals. If this isn’t done and the DPF exceeds its loading limit, the differential pressure rises. This can result in a loss of performance and malfunctions during driving and can even lead to the turbocharger completely failing.
Exhaust gases are continuously being filtered and if there is a build-up of particulates, due to the excessive counter-pressure, the exhaust gases will no longer be able to pass through the DPF unobstructed, which can
A broken rotor shaft
“The particulate filter has a limited uptake capacity and must be regenerated or replaced at specific intervals.”
lead to a penetration of the bearing house, stripping the oil film from the radial bearings.
This results in increased wear and may even lead to calcination and subsequent breakage of the rotor shaft. Coked residue in the oil return line to the oil sump is a clear indication of this damage scenario.
Simple routine
This clearly shows the importance of checking the DPF before fitting a new turbocharger, as a lack of this simple routine could lead to poor engine performance and dissatisfied customers.
