Turbocharger Installation Instructions

Thanks for your purchase of a turbocharger for your diesel engine. Here are some handy tips that may help extend the life of your new turbo.

1. General
   1. When installing a turbocharger, be certain there are no foreign materials in the air cleaner or the ducting to the compressor inlet. Be sure to also check in the exhaust manifold for any debris or hardened carbon buildup. Even small or soft objects will cause extensive damage to turbocharger wheels.
   2. Take care to ensure that all clamps and sealing surfaces are in good condition to avoid future dirt and debris from getting into turbocharger down the line. This is especially important on stump grinders, wood chippers and concrete saw applications.
   3. The torque for the compressor and power wheel of the turbocharger has been set by the manufacturer and should not be adjusted in any way. However, if clocking of the turbo is needed for a specialty application, the turbocharger housing may be clocked and adjusted as long as it does not interfere with the wastegate, if your turbo has a wastegate.
   4. Consider doing an oil and oil filter change at the same time you are replacing your turbo. This will help to remove any wear metal debris that may have been produced from a prior turbo failure.
2. Installation and Pre-Oiling of Turbochargers

   1. 

      Remove old gasket from exhaust manifold mounting flange, inspect flange for erosion and flatness.
   2. Inspect oil supply and return lines for kinking, clogging, restrictions and other signs of deterioration. Clean all debris from the turbo area. This is particularly important on diesels used in concrete saws and wood chippers.
   3. Install turbocharger on engine using all new gaskets and O-rings, but do not connect the compressor inlet and oil supply line. Tighten the nuts or bolts that attach the turbocharger to the exhaust manifold. Using high temperature lubricant on these threads is recommended.
   4. Fill the oil inlet hole with clean engine oil and spin the compressor wheel several times to coat the bearings with oil. Refill the oil inlet hole and connect the oil supply line.

   5. 

      If the compressor wheel cannot be freely spun by hand or if there is any indication of rubbing or scraping, check the turbo before starting the engine. One cause of wheel rubbing is a cocked compressor or turbine housing. Connect the pipe or hose from the air filter outlet to the compressor inlet.
   6. Check all charge air boots, pipes, tubes, or charge air cooler or “CAC” (aka: intercooler) for any excess oil, dirt, contamination, or failed turbo parts such as impeller blades or metal shavings. If needed, it is best to send the CAC to a reputable radiator repair shop and have it steam cleaned and pressure tested.
3. Start Engine
   1. Before attempting to start the engine, crank the engine with the fuel shut off for 10 to 15 seconds or until the instruments show oil pressure build up.
   2. Start the engine and allow it to run at idle speed for 2 to 4 minutes before accelerating.
   3. Check oil leaks.

Operating and Maintenance

OPERATING

1. Starting
   1. The turbocharger should receive engine oil pressure within 3 seconds after the engine has started. If you believe there may be an issue with adequate oil pressure, check not, the turbocharger may be damaged due to the lack of lubricating oil.
   2. As a general rule, the engine should be run at idle speed for no less than 2 minutes after start up and increased depending on ambient temperatures. After that, the oil pressure and temperature should reach their normal values until the engine cools off again. The lower the surrounding temperature, the longer you will have to increase the idle time beyond the 2-minute rule.

   3. 

      If you engine has been sitting for an extended period of time, such as over the winter or multiple seasons, it is good practice to prime the turbo with fresh engine oil as you would if you were replacing it. This can be done by removing the oil feed line and pouring or injecting oil into the oil feed hole while manually turning the compressor wheel in the turbo by hand.
2. Working
   1. Always follow the 2-minute rule (i.e. 2-minute warm up before putting the machine to work and 2-minute cool down before turning your machine off at the end of each operation cycle, with this 2 minutes to be increased based on ambient temperatures).
   2. Inspect abnormal noise and vibration of the turbocharger immediately. This may look like a shudder (i.e. like the turbine while is slowing and speeding up again), or if you put your hand on the turbo it may feel like a pulse of vibrations every second or so.
   3. The lubricating oil pressure, temperature, air inlet temperature and the turbocharger speed should not be over the set value in specification. If it is, stop the engine and fix the problem.
3. Stop the Engine
   1. As stated previously, it can be extremely damaging to a turbo that is not allowed to cool down before the engine stops. Only in emergency situations should this be done and otherwise always allow a minimum of 2 minutes cool down before stopping the engine to allow for the turbo to reach a temperature that will not boil the oil and coke the bearings.

   2. 

Daily Maintenance

The turbocharger and turbo-system must be maintained constantly.

1. Check if the intake piping on both the intake and charge air side of the turbo are in good condition. If not, repair any problem promptly before operating the machine. If the air-intake side of the compressor is broken, the air entering the compressor will have dirt particles that could damage the impeller. If the charged air pipe system or cooler are broken there will not be enough air entering the cylinder. This can cause black smoke and excessive EGT (exhaust gas temperatures) that could cause turbocharger wear and if neglected long enough even melt a piston.
2. Verify that there are no oil leaks on either the oil feed or return lines. This is an easy way for a machine to catch fire or for dirt to get into the oil system causing other engine damage.
3. Tighten all bolts and nuts, especially the bolts of the inlet flange of the turbine housing. If they are loose, vibrations could damage the turbocharger.
4. If the noise of turbocharger is abnormal, the engine should be checked and not be started until the problem is solved.
5. Renew lubricating oil in a timely manner according to the engine user’s manual.

Working Requirements of Turbocharger with Waste Gate Valve

Some turbo chargers are equipped with a wastegate which helps to improve and regulate a turbocharger’s performance as the engine is operated in both high speed and low speed, loaded applications. The wastegate is essentially a valve that is positioned on the exhaust side of the turbocharger and opens and closes to regulate the pressure and therefore the turbo boost across the full rpm band by increasing and decreasing exhaust gas flow to the power wheel on the turbocharger. When the engine operates during low rpm, the waste gate valve is closed and all exhaust gas is used to drive the turbine creating boost. While in high rpm situations, the wastegate valve can open and allow exhaust gases to bypass the turbo and flow directly into the exhaust stream, dissipating excess heat faster. In concept, this allows a smaller turbo to do more while managing the extra stress of over-boosting or over-pressurizing under control.

Besides all mounting and operating requirements as above, the users should know the special demands that follow for a turbocharger with a waste-gate valve.

1. The manufacturer has adjusted the opening pressure of the turbocharger wastegate to the correct setting. Adjusting it is prohibited and can void all warranty.
2. The actuator and control hose on the wastegate valve and the compressor should be far away from the exhaust pipe and other hot sources.
3. Don’t adjust the length of the wastegate valve’s drawbar. It directly affects the opening pressure and is prohibited.
4. Don’t use the wastegate valve as a step or handle; Any movement can modify the opening or closing settings on the wastegate.
5. The rod of the actuator can’t support any weight; Don’t carry the turbocharger using it as a handle.
6. The wastegate valve can’t be repaired or replaced since these are set from the manufacturer. If damaged you will need to replace the whole turbocharger. This does not always apply to engines that have an electronic wastegate or variable vein actuator.

F)or more information on installing a turbocharger or questions on your engine, please don’t hesitate to e-mail us at info@foleyengines.com or give us a call at (866) 821-2468.