How can you perform a quick check on your turbo

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  • OVERALL DIFFICULTY INDEX: 3/10
  • IF YOU HAVE NO TOOLS YOU SPEND $ 10 TO GET THEM FOR THIS JOB
  • IF YOU HAVE NO EXPERIENCE YOU SPEND 1 HOUR TO CARRY OUT THIS JOB
  • RISK OF BURNS, SEE BELOW​

BEFORE YOU START
  • Be careful not to touch any hot part of the engine especially this task is to be carried out engine running with bare hands for the leak check.
  • Be careful not to touch the cooling fan if such risk is possible in your vehicle.
  • See our button links at the bottom of page for further turbo inspections and tests. 
DISCLAIMER:
Our pictorials are of informative nature and do illustrate works carried out by ourselves at our own premises for our own use and satisfaction.
Readers who envisage to carry out similar works inspired by the below method shall do this at their own risks and liability.

Very first turbo check: making sure the turbo spins

You are suspecting a low turbo performance and would like to carry out some tests on it to eliminate some possible causes or further investigate the failure.

Start by removing the air hose that connects to the turbo inlet and make sure:
  1. No loose object is there like a nut or screw. You should just find a bit of oil.
  2. The turbo spins freely and silently for a few turns. Please use a screwdriver to turn the impeller as it will be very hot.
  3. The impeller of your turbo rotates smoothly without any hard point or "jerky" movements.
  4. No trace of the impeller touching the compressor's casing is there ​
Result of this quick turbo impeller spinning test:
> Impeller spins freely, no trace of the impeller touching the outer casing: your turbo is in good condition
> Impeller does not spin at all, must be pushed hard to rotate: defective bearings, turbo's cartridge must be replaced, or the entire turbo.
> Traces of the impeller touching the turbo's inlet body: defective bearings, damaged shaft, turbo's cartridge must be replaced, or the entire turbo.

Turbo lubrication visual inspection:

Take out the banjo bolt of lube oil supply tube of your turbo and make sure the bolt and its seat are free from any carbonized oil or solid material. You should only see liquid oil of dark brown color on the inner wall of the lube hose connector (last picture).
Do not proceed with the banjo bolt removal however prior to making sure you have spare copper ring seals:
Result of this quick turbo lubrication test:
> Motor oil is found on the banjo bolt and is liquid: all is fine
> No motor oil on the banjo bolt, it is dry: oil has carbonized inside the lubrication tube of the turbo, turbo must have been damaged and above impeller symptoms must be verified. The motor oil used for your engine is wrongly selected, you need to replace your turbo, its lube tubes and change the motor oil specifications.

Turbo air leaks check, testing for leaking turbo air hoses

With the engine running, put your hand around each air hose and feel if any air leak is there.
Be careful not to put your hand close to the radiator fan during this test!
Do not proceed if you're a beginner and not sure where the fan is.
Include the inter-cooler and try to pass your hand as much as possible on the three visible sides.
You will never be able to check its front side with your hand.
Result of this quick turbo air leak test:
> No air leaks are felt by hand: all could be fine, you will still have doubt on the intercooler tightness.
> Air leaks are felt by hand: you need to fix the leak by replacing the concerned intercooler hose, or simply tightening its clamp if the hose is found lose, or replace the intercooler if the leak is detected at its level.

Continue with more turbo diagnostics:

Check and buy your turbo parts from from our partners' stores...

​... or buy your new turbocharger for Peugeot or Mini (or other cars) from our partners' stores, make sure of the compatibility with your vehicle: