Should turbos be avoided for longevity?

[PF52]

B/c that rating is 100% related to the DCT trans. That's it and it was a train wreck of a trans. I have a 2013, NA GDI 2.0 Focus 5 speed. 125K/10 years bought new. Without a doubt the lowest cost/most reliable vehicle that I've ever owned. Son is driving it now. I beg to differ with you here. The NA manual Focus may be the most reliable car on the planet AHHAHAHA

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I always liked those in hatchback form. I was looking for a late-model Focus for a daily driver, but it had to be a) a 5-speed and b) a hatch. Most importantly, not a DCT. But I never did find one that pushed all the right buttons for me.

I did briefly consider a Focus ST, but it had a lot of miles on it....

 

[TiGeo]

I always liked those in hatchback form. I was looking for a late-model Focus for a daily driver, but it had to be a) a 5-speed and b) a hatch. Most importantly, not a DCT. But I never did find one that pushed all the right buttons for me.

I did briefly consider a Focus ST, but it had a lot of miles on it....

I bought this one new in '13 so just hit 10 years old last month. Had to really dig around to find a loaded SE so all possible options but with the 5 speed. It' really a good little car. My son loves it and actually is going to start autocrossing it this year...it's got springs/dampers, rear sway bar, and a tune (just lets you get some power from running 93).

 

[Hall]

My bigger concern is will it depreciate worse than an NA engine car? It probably would unless it is a Corolla or Camry.

Using one anecdotal example.... my wife's '14 Fusion. I used KBB and kept everything identical except the engine options (private sale value):

1.5L Ecoboost
$9910

2.5L NA
$9356

The general public, dealers, etc make no distinction between NA, turbo, GDI, and so on.... Is it ignorance ? Nope, it's the bigger picture and the grand scheme of things.

 

[TiGeo]

Using one anecdotal example.... my wife's '14 Fusion. I used KBB and kept everything identical except the engine options (private sale value):

1.5L Ecoboost
$9910

2.5L NA
$9356

The general public, dealers, etc make no distinction between NA, turbo, GDI, and so on.... Is it ignorance ? Nope, it's the bigger picture and the grand scheme of things.

Normal folks just don't care here - it's a car, you drive it. I'm trying to think of folks I know that keeps vehicles a long time and have turbos.....here are a few:

Buddy's wife with a current generation Volvo XC90 SUV. Turbo went around 60K. Was expensive due to the type of turbo...dual setup with a supercharger feeding a turbo as I understand it.

Buddy with a turbo-4 2013 Fusion. Drove it into the ground over 200K. No turbo issues.

 

[Hall]

Normal folks just don't care here

At another website/forum, I had a signature that said something like "Members here are not 'normal' users..." and tried to make the point that what members considered a huge flaw probably wasn't even noticed by 97% of regular people.

 

[TomYoung]

B/c that rating is 100% related to the DCT trans. That's it and it was a train wreck of a trans. I have a 2013, NA GDI 2.0 Focus 5 speed. 125K/10 years bought new. Without a doubt the lowest cost/most reliable vehicle that I've ever owned. Son is driving it now. I beg to differ with you here. The NA manual Focus may be the most reliable car on the planet AHHAHAHA

View attachment 155542

It is not 100% related to the transmission. These cars wear tires prematurely, have software problems, steering system failures, suspension failures, strut tower failures. Additionally, the dealers often fail to repair at first opportunity, Toward the end the word was out and they were selling below invoice here on the East Coast.

 

[TomYoung]

Back to the original question: a turbo is not going to lessen a car's longevity - at least as far as the modern cars go. I suppose there is a possibility of a catastrophic failure sending turbo fragments back to the block... but the flip side is that if a turbo starts to make new noises, it should be replaced, like a timing belt as one person commented. Nothing to shy away from imo.

 

[TiGeo]

It is not 100% related to the transmission. These cars wear tires prematurely, have software problems, steering system failures, suspension failures, strut tower failures. Additionally, the dealers often fail to repair at first opportunity, Toward the end the word was out and they were selling below invoice here on the East Coast.

News to me. Mine has been no drama. Son's buddy has a 15 manual...no drama.

 

[Tim_S]

On a turbocharged gasoline engine, reasonable cool down time before shut off is key. Some turbocharged gas engines have water cooled central bearings which help reduce the cool down time, but most don't. If one stops after a hard run, like right off a fast road or highway and immediately shut the engine off, the oil pressure drops to zero, and the turbocharger is still spinning at very high rpm. Do this enough times, and the oil remaining in that bearing will begin to coke and eventually a new turbo will be needed.
Modern synthetic oils will help in this regard, but not eliminate the need to idle the engine a bit before shutdown. Some auto makers equip their turbocharged vehicles with a special pressurized oil reservoir that continues to supply pressurized oil to the turbocharger after engine shutdown, but usually only on high end luxury marques. I've idled down every turbocharged vehicle I've owned and never had an issue with a turbocharger. Turbo Saab, Two Subaru's, an F150 ecoboost, new model Ford Bronco for the gas engines, and two cummins equipped Ram pickups, both driven to well over 150K miles. Some will say they never have done that and never had an issue, to which I'd say fine you've had great luck. It's still a wise practice IMO.

 

[PimTac]

“To the OP, how many miles will you put on this vehicle in a year?”

Around 27,000 to 30,000 a year.

Thanks for the answer. The reality is that in the ten to fifteen years to reach your longevity target the chances of other things happening are greater than the turbo blowing up. Accidents, theft, or just plain deterioration of the body etc.

 

[MSCH]

Did we time warp back to the 80s ? Your buddy is probably wrong.... and just repeating something he heard.


Again, this isn't the 80s. The automakers have this under control. I doubt my wife's Fusion with a 1.5L turbocharged engine is any type of revolutionary tech but when it's shut off, something continues running for up to 30 seconds and I'm 99% positive it's related to the turbo.

yeah... but there is a slight difference in turbo speed when you turn off the engine if the engine has been idling for a few seconds or you come flying in somewhere hard on the throttle, slam it in park and shut her down.. of course no one actually drives like this, do they?

 

[Hall]

or you come flying in somewhere hard on the throttle, slam it in park and shut her down..

Irrelevant in modern cars. No doubt the turbo has sensors and the car's systems will cool it as needed, if needed, based on any scenario.

 

[gathermewool]

Turbo. Cool down. Time.

When you pull into the parking spot, take a moment to gather your things, check your pockets, or do whatever... then shut the engine off.
This is really really important when you've been driving on the highway for a long time and pull off at a rest stop.

Or, install a turbo timer.

Ultimate Turbo Timer Guide

Turbo timers are a simple, affordable gadget that ensure the optimal life span from your turbocharger. Here are our personal favorites.

www.drifted.com

Or just turn the engine off. Let that baby natural circ instead of worsening heat soak of everything else by idling needlessly.

 

[gathermewool]

yeah... but there is a slight difference in turbo speed when you turn off the engine if the engine has been idling for a few seconds or you come flying in somewhere hard on the throttle, slam it in park and shut her down.. of course no one actually drives like this, do they?

How long does a turbo take to spool down? How long does it take you to park?

 

[brages]

Some turbocharged gas engines have water cooled central bearings which help reduce the cool down time, but most don't.

I think most anything from the last 25 years is water-cooled. Any counterexamples?

 

[Klarque420]

Did we time warp back to the 80s ? Your buddy is probably wrong.... and just repeating something he heard.


Again, this isn't the 80s. The automakers have this under control. I doubt my wife's Fusion with a 1.5L turbocharged engine is any type of revolutionary tech but when it's shut off, something continues running for up to 30 seconds and I'm 99% positive it's related to the turbo.

That sound you're hearing is the coolant pump for the circuit that runs through the air-to-water cooler mounted to the intake, the radiator for the turbo and intake-mounted intercooler. It runs for approximately 3-1/2 minutes. You can see this pump if you change the oil in this vehicle, right next to the oil pan.

 

[brianl703]

Additionally, the dealers often fail to repair at first opportunity

For over 20 years I've thought that the local Ford dealer's unofficial motto is, "If it doesn't come as a 4x4 we can't fix it and don't care to learn how".

 

[TiGeo]

Not many people are going from 6K RPM to zero. Your turbo winds down as you slow down approaching where you live and the coolant pump that runs after handles all of this. This is 2023, not 1985.

 

[Revving2Redline]

Who owns a vehicle to 400K and doens't need to spend several thousand in repairs?

I'm going to be funny and sarcastic and take you up on that challenge! I mean we've got one Honda Accord at 530,000 mi and another at 255,000 mi. jokes aside onto a more serious note, it's usually noted that if you can get your car to 2 to 300,000 mi without a bunch of issues it's lived a generally good life and that the owner should be happy and content. an automobile is like a wife, is they get older more parts start to break and things have to be removed or repaired

 

[Klarque420]

Not many people are going from 6K RPM to zero. Your turbo winds down as you slow down approaching where you live and the coolant pump that runs after handles all of this. This is 2023, not 1985.

Not all turbo cars have a separate coolant pump or "aux" coolant pump. I have two Ford Fusions, '14(1.5T) & '20(2.0T gen2), the '14 has an aux and the '20 does not have an aux pump. Nothing is operating at immediate shut down on my '20. But I do agree with you on your last statement.