just4kicks said:
@Kish and Netercol, thanks for the info guys, wow this is something I didnt find in research, re the difference in the turbos between pre and post facelift models. So, from the info above, its a choice between having a reliable turbo and an expensive and problematic distributor pump or an overall reliable engine and surrounds but with the troublesome turbo and swirl flap issue...
A quick question related to the troublesome turbo, is it troublesome due to swirlflap issue or just due to the design of the turbo and is it more expensive to replace the turbo or the distro pump?
The swirl flaps have nothing to do with the turbo. The flaps are in your intake manifold and close during idling to change the length of the intake ports to apparently lower emissions. The problems come about when a flap vibrates loose and the engine ingests the screws that hold the flaps onto the pivot essentially destroying the engine.
The flaps are pretty easy to remove though, and as a preventative maintenance plan and some piece of mind they are worth removing.
The main culprits of a blown turbo on these cars appear to be:
A) Crank case breather valve. They get blocked and affect the oil supply to the turbo because of increased pressures in the crank case. This is also easily sorted by replacing the crank case breather foam filter (loo roll filter) every third service or rather swapping it out for a vortex design which never needs to be replaced. +- R500 for the part
B) EGR - Exhaust gas recirculation valve - This recycles some of the exhaust gasses in an effort to lower emissions. You can either replace this with a blanking plate, or just make sure that you clean it occasionally.
This thing gets blocked and causes the turbo to overheat.
C) Cat converters - Another charming device for reducing harmful emissions that causes more crap than its worth. These also get blocked after around 150000kms and due to restricted flow at the turbo outlet can cause the turbo to run around 100 degrees hotter than it should. These can also be removed without any adverse effects to the running of the car. Its about R900 - R1400 to remove depending where you go.
D) Oil services. Rather service the car more frequently than the service books require, it really is not that expensive and can only help.
E) Driving style - Probably more important than the others. Never ever boost the car when it is cold and if you have been driving hard never switch the car off right away.
If you thrash the car and switch it off right away the heat build up in the turbo bearings can actually cause the oil to turn to vapor and push the oil out of the turbos bearings. The next time you start the car you are essentially starting it with no oil on your turbo bearings.
These are the main things that seem to be the cause of turbo failure. Some people have done all of these mods and still land up having the turbo pack up. You don't know what has happened to the car you bought it and a lot of damage may have already been done to the turbo before you get it.
For my part. I absolutely love the drive that you get from this car. I have a 2002 F/L 320d and for extra piece of mind I bought a R6000 aftermarket warranty and top up cover on the car for two years which covers the turbo for R4500 and the top up pays an extra R11000 on top of that on any other mechanical repairs.
After the warranty is up I will decide what to do with the car but for now, she is not going anywhere. Any car you buy can land up costing you R10k in repairs on any number of things that were not even considered at the time of buying the vehicle but those faults never get commented on.
The 320d seems to be the devil because it seems to blow turbos fairly frequently but when you look how many 320d`s are on the road I wonder how many have never suffered with turbo issues.
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