“98% of cars have turbos.” It was the statement of Mikel, a mechanic, collected by his colleagues Motorpassion To explain why we should be careful with this material.
Homer Simpson said that “people make up statistics to prove something and 14% of people know it.” But whatever that 98% more or less precise estimate is, the truth is that most cars on the market have turbos.
This is because manufacturers are forced to reduce engine displacement and size to reduce pollutant emissions but at the same time, turbos give them extra support for a maintenance. power Competitive in the market. Also, we’re used to driving cars that have a lot of punch from the bottom (from diesel engines to turbo petrols… and turbo diesels), so a naturally aspirated car can feel very sluggish.
But turbos, which seem great for quick power gains and engine fill at low revs, also have their downsides. Or, at least, it can have a negative side if we don’t treat it with affection.
A very expensive breakdown
What a turbo, quite simply, does is it recycles the exhaust gases by compressing them and reintroducing them into the cylinders. This way, the combustion that takes place inside is enriched, so you get more energy.
The point is that the system has, as we say, two turbines. One to collect the gas and send the other to increase the pressure in the cylinder. Both operate at very high speeds and hence, reach very high temperatures. To avoid further problems, the turbos are lubricated with oil that helps keep temperatures down and are constantly renewed.
Obviously, the more work we demand from the engine, the more work the turbo does and the more trouble we run into. This is why oil temperature monitoring is important (although few cars now maintain specific turbo monitoring data) and the car lacks it.
The mechanic with whom we started the article in the video spoke, it was indicated that the turbo should be serviced after 10,000 km. Recommendations, of course, are not entirely wrong because in this case it is better to err on the side of excess than error. However, in Xataka We recommend something simple: perform turbo maintenance as needed, no more, no less.
that “When the Time Comes” We will find it in the service book of the car. It is true that if you use the car regularly for sports driving, it does not hurt to shorten the inspection time to avoid problems. And, depending on its complexity, the Turbo is a breakdown that can easily exceed 1,000 euros. Cheaper ones and much more expensive ones but it’s not usually a cheap breakdown.
Furthermore, practicing a few small tricks is just as important as keeping maintenance up to date. If we have made a long trip and above all, we drive at high speed, it is worth letting the car idle for a few minutes before turning it off completely.
And if we reach a service station after traveling many kilometers at full power and we suddenly stop the engine, the heat from the turbo will be maintained but the oil will not be renewed. This can cause lubricant degradation and make turbines easier to break over time.
Picture | Joseph Abangile Doludla
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