If a few years ago a turbo engine it was almost a novelty, mainly associated with high performance and Diesel, often serving as a marketing tool (who doesn't remember models that had the word “Turbo” in large letters on the bodywork?) today it is a component that is much more democratized.
In the search for an increase in the performance and efficiency of their engines and in an era where downsizing is almost king, many brands have turbos in their engines.
However, don't think that the turbo is a miraculous piece that when applied to engines only brings benefits. Despite the fact that its use has numerous advantages associated with it, there are some precautions you should take if you have a car with a turbo engine to ensure that it continues to work properly and to avoid expenses at the workshop.
If in the past it was the brands themselves giving tips on how to use and maintain a car equipped with a turbo, as a spokesman for BMW says, when stating “Historically, we used to give advice about cars equipped with a turbo”, today it is no longer just like that. It's just that brands think this is no longer necessary, as these technologies are tested to the limit.
Audi spokesperson"The turbocharged engines that Audi uses today no longer need the special precautions that older units required."
However, if the cars are changed, the reliability offered by modern engines dissipates, as noted by Ricardo Martinez-Botas, professor in the department of mechanical engineering at Imperial College in London. This states that “The management systems and design of current engines “take care of everything” (…) however, if we change a system, we are automatically changing its original design and taking risks, as the engines have not been tested taking into account account the changes made”.
Subscribe to our newsletter here
So, despite being more reliable today than in the past, we think it doesn't hurt to take some care with the turbos in our engines. Consult our list of tips so that you don't take unnecessary risks.
1. Let the engine warm up
This advice applies to any engine, but those equipped with a turbo are particularly sensitive to this factor. As you know, in order to function optimally, the engine must be running at a certain temperature that allows all the parts to move inside without effort or excessive friction.And don't think that you just look at the coolant temperature gauge and wait for it to indicate that it's at the ideal temperature. Thanks to the thermostat, the coolant and the engine block heat up faster than the oil, and the latter is the most important for the health of your turbo, as it ensures its lubrication.
So, our advice is that after the coolant has reached the ideal temperature, wait a few more minutes until you “pull” the car properly and take full advantage of the turbine's potential.
2. Don't turn off the engine right away
This advice applies to those who have a little older cars with a turbo engine (yes, we're talking to you Corsa owners with the famous 1.5 TD engine). Is that if modern engines guarantee that the oil supply system does not turn off immediately after the engine is turned off, the older ones do not have these “modernities”.
The oil, in addition to lubricating the turbo, helps to cool its components. If you switch off the engine right away, the turbo cooling will be borne by the ambient temperature.
Furthermore, you run the risk that the turbo is still rotating (something that happens by inertia), which can lead to premature wear of the turbo. For example, after a sportier driving section or a long stretch on the highway in which you decided to go halfway around the world and forced the turbo turbine to make a prolonged and intensive effort, don't turn off the car right away, let it work one more time. minute or two.
3. Don't go too slow with high gears
Once again this advice applies to all types of engines, but those equipped with turbos suffer a little more. It's just that whenever you accelerate too hard with a high gear on a turbo engine, you put too much stress on the turbo.The ideal in those cases where you are driving slowly and need to accelerate is that you use the gearbox, increasing the rotation and torque and reducing the effort to which the turbo is subjected.
4. Uses gasoline… great
For good gas, don't think we're sending you to the premium gas stations. What we are telling you is to use gasoline with the octane rating indicated by the manufacturer. It's true that most modern engines can use both 95 and 98 octane gasoline, but there are exceptions.
Before you make mistakes that can lead to expenses, find out what type of gasoline your car uses. If it's 98 octane, don't be stingy. The turbo's reliability may not even be affected, but the risk of auto-ignition (knocking or knocking of connecting rods) can seriously damage the engine.
5. Pay attention to the oil level
Okay. This advice applies to all cars. But as you may have noticed by the rest of the article turbos and oil have a very close relationship. This is due to the fact that the turbo requires a lot of lubrication given the revolutions it achieves.
Well, if your engine's oil level is low (and we're not talking about being below that indicated on the dipstick) the turbo may not be lubricated correctly. But be careful, too much oil is also bad! Therefore, do not top up over the maximum limit, as oil may end up in the turbo or inlet.
We hope that you follow these advices and that you can “squeeze” as many kilometers out of your turbo-charged car as possible. Remember that, in addition to these tips, you must also ensure that your car is properly maintained, carrying out the inspections on time and using the recommended oils.