twin-turbo pickup truck issues?
- Thread starter NH73
- Start date
What does "the turbos are underused" actually mean?
dnewton3
Staff member
Many modern turbos (regardless of engine format) will have long term issues such as the shaft bore wallowing out, causing codes due to positional misalignment. It's not an assurance on all of them, but it's certainly a cause of R/R on a fair amount of them with high miles. Also, many of today's turbos use coolant to manage the heat (in addition to oil flow), and they will develop coolant leaks at the supply tube junctions, o-rings, etc as those things age. None of the above really has anything to do with usage factors; it's more age/miles related simply due to things wearing out.
By writing dual turbos do you mean Ford Ecoboost? What years specifically?
I’m not sure about underusing turbos as much as a lightly driven engine failing to get up to temperature and having issues.
While I would probably want to avoid turbo on a lightly used engine, trying to save money, I would not avoid, not if resale value is important to me.
While I would probably want to avoid turbo on a lightly used engine, trying to save money, I would not avoid, not if resale value is important to me.
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2024
- Messages
- 780
Ford F150 with the EcoBoost engine, or the new 2025 RAM 1500 with the 3.0L Hurricane engine?
If you're thinking Toyota Tundra with the new twin-turbo engine, just don't.
4WD
$50 site donor 2024
Think it means I need to drive it on the weekend
I'm curious why?
My work truck was a 2011 F150 3.5 Ecoboost. When I retired, I had driven the thing 154,000 miles. Not one problem. Always M1 oil, 5000 mile oil changes and regular service. My last drive in the thing was my typical 1350 trip with cargo. Ran like a top. I kind of miss it. Loved the power! It ran like a champ on 93 octane, with both better MPG and tire spinning power. Made the more expensive fuel worth the expense by cost per mile.
Turbochargers all (water cooled or not) get hot enough to "coke up" the oil on the exhaust side of the shaft. More modern turbochargers are designed to accommodate this coke (carbon) buildup and still function. Older designs would fail with as little as a few thousandths of an inch buildup. HOWEVER, owners are far better off choosing an oil that does not coke up the turbo hot section.
One proven way is to simply use M1 oil and change at 5000 mile intervals. The turbos will never coke up and will provide excellent service.
Turbochargers all (water cooled or not) get hot enough to "coke up" the oil on the exhaust side of the shaft. More modern turbochargers are designed to accommodate this coke (carbon) buildup and still function. Older designs would fail with as little as a few thousandths of an inch buildup. HOWEVER, owners are far better off choosing an oil that does not coke up the turbo hot section.
One proven way is to simply use M1 oil and change at 5000 mile intervals. The turbos will never coke up and will provide excellent service.
Turbos are generally pretty simple devices. A new one may run $500, but so can a radiator, water pump, etc. Underused turbo wastegates have a tendency to stick and running with enough boost to open them fully every once in a while is useful. Other than that, there really isn't an issue.
What I was thinking of was that if you are not going to have a load most of the time.
Regardless of load - the turbos still spin. The rate at which they spin will vary with the boost/load, but they still spin. I wouldn't worry at all about "underused" - that just means that the engine won't see heavy use - which is desirable for longevity on any engine.
Wondering the same, because the Tundra is what I was considering.
Thanks. I just thought I heard that condensation could build up in them.
So 93 octane fuel gives better gas mileage?
I found this picture of minor to modest coking, of an older turbocharger design, online. To the left is the red hot turbine. The idea that a water cooled housing, cools this section is somewhat incorrect. At best, we can say that the water cooled housing is cooler, and therefore the oil discharge from the turbo is cooler. But the turbine section and first part of the shaft is as hot as it has ever been. Maybe even more so.
Oh and those are not "piston rings" they are metal ring seals.
Oh and those are not "piston rings" they are metal ring seals.
That would be one I am talking about, but Toyota has them now too.
In that 2011 Ecoboost, it improved highway MPG by at least 2.2 MPG. Sometimes more. There were times where I could get better than 21MPG highway, with 93. It depended on the time of year and location. To be more specific, 17MPG was solidly the norm with 87 octane, and 19.6 was common with 93 octane.
Being a very fast driver, my results may not match just about everyone else on the highway who tend to go slower and get better MPG.
Timing chain issues on the Fords, at least the early years, but you didn't mention new or used.
Even under light load they might spin 75k RPMs. Under heavy load, it could be 125k RPMs. Zero concern about "not getting used."