Save a turbo...or two?

[h4tch3t]

Sup all,

My baby is in with the guys at Cedar Auto for an asthma problem.

I booked her in with some noises coming from the chassis. They diagnosed the problem to be the turbos. So three days in, they managed to pull it apart and found that both turbos have damage.

Any of the guys that know me would know I'm pretty anal about looking after my cars, and to be honest, I'm completely surprised at this...Car is bone stock and hasn't had any mods done.

Slow starts, only driving harder when she's warm and the obligatory cool off after drive for a minute or so didn't do much to save the turbos.

Despite the damage to the turbos, there are no signs of them dying...no hissing noises, no extra oil down any of the piping, no difference in power (butt-experience) and no fuel consumption issues...

The turbos are being replaced, and I plan on keeping my car well out of motorplan. So my question is what can one do above and beyond the tried and trusted efforts to make them last the next 100K kms?

She's a 2008 N54 LCI, with 89 000kms on the clock. Not sure if turbo issues should creep in at this point... Nonetheless, let the debate start...

 

[zaleonardz]

Turbo's are a serviceable item. Same as a clutch ect.

89 is a bit rare though.

Would be helpful if they could indicate why the turbo's failed, if its bearings/moveable bits then its poor oil...

 

[racing snake]

the most common cause from turbo noise ive found is as a result of the debris that get collected in the air box not being cleaned out properly, they need to seal off the maf sensor when they blow the dirt out or particles will end up in the induction pipe and they cause some pretty good damage when the collide with the compressor wheel.

 

[Riaan335]

Bad luck man.

My 2008 N54 has almost 131 000km on the odo. No turbo problem so far. I change oil every 10 000km, as well as airfilter. I take a vacuum cleaner an clean my airbox with the vacuum cleaner.

Do you perhaps know what failed and why?

At least you are still on motorplan, and you get brand new turbos now.

Try to go for better oil than the brand BMW uses. Liqui Moly is a good bet. every 10 000kms do oil and air and oil filter filter. Keep up with the cooldown after driving the car, and proper warm up before driving hard.

 

[h4tch3t]

Haven't had a chance to confirm reason for failure or what has failed yet. I'll only get access to ask questions once I head there to pick her up.

I'll start doing more frequent and higher grade oil services. One would assume that the MP would have catered for this regardless?

She should be out of MP end of November at which point I'll have to take over basic services anyways.

#meanwhile, please post some details on how I go about doing the oil and filters, and what exact brand of oil you would recommend.

Much appreciated.

 

[racing snake]

my advice would be that if you dont have the basic tools such as torque wrenches and the like to take the car to someone who does to get the services carried out.

 

[XMAX]

Bad luck bro.

Glad they're replacing your turbos. Sometimes u get a Friday car.


U should consider purchasing an aftermarket warranty on your car. Might set u back a little, but well worth the money. SA Warranties is a good warranty programme.


Also, service you car at good, BMW Specialists. Not sure where u r based, but Tunetech are excellent in JHB.

 

[phantom]

I have always maintained that the dealers and therefore the factory are happy enough if your car gets to the 100000km guarantee.Thereafter it is your baby.Look at it from a marketing point.If cars reliably went further there would be a loss in future sales.I think the spares markup is a lot more than the actual cars markup so for people keeping cars its a nice profit margin coming up in the future.For them its a win win.
Your BMW is good for at least 300000km as far as motor and turbo go as long as you put in decent oil and regularly change filters with new oil.I have an arrangement with my dealer that during the warranty i buy the extra oil and filters and they do the labour at an interval half of what diagnostics say it should be.
In other words on your car N54 BMW say service interval 20000km.At 10000km i would do the extra service and at 20000km regardless of what the car said the dealer would do that service as per schedule.
Is it not funny that in the old days you were forced by dealers to do service intervals every 5000km for the warranty but as soon as motorplans were introduced this interval skyrocketed.
People will argue that oils have improved,and i agree, but i have lab tested oil in the past and found that most have a limit of 12000km.
:idea:

 

[hoosain]

I have always maintained that the dealers and therefore the factory are happy enough if your car gets to the 100000km guarantee.Thereafter it is your baby.Look at it from a marketing point.If cars reliably went further there would be a loss in future sales.I think the spares markup is a lot more than the actual cars markup so for people keeping cars its a nice profit margin coming up in the future.For them its a win win.
Your BMW is good for at least 300000km as far as motor and turbo go as long as you put in decent oil and regularly change filters with new oil.I have an arrangement with my dealer that during the warranty i buy the extra oil and filters and they do the labour at an interval half of what diagnostics say it should be.
In other words on your car N54 BMW say service interval 20000km.At 10000km i would do the extra service and at 20000km regardless of what the car said the dealer would do that service as per schedule.
Is it not funny that in the old days you were forced by dealers to do service intervals every 5000km for the warranty but as soon as motorplans were introduced this interval skyrocketed.
People will argue that oils have improved,and i agree, but i have lab tested oil in the past and found that most have a limit of 12000km.
:idea:

i agree i do my oil changes every 8000kms

 

[RowenS]

My turbo's went at 3000km!

 

[h4tch3t]

Some feedback...
Car is back. All fixed and running awesome.
Thanks to Cedar Isle.

 

[Riaan335]

No man. We need details!

 

[h4tch3t]

BMW replaced turbos and gaskets according to the job sheet. I picked the car up yesterday morning and drove to work all of 20kms. Nothing wrong.

Yesterday on the way home however, in 6th gear pushing a bit hard to pass a truck for my turn off the engine light came on (amber) and I got power cut.

Thought HPFP had gone, as symptoms are similar. Took the car straight to Cedar isle, they prioritized my issue and ran diagnostics while I perved over some M's on the floor. (I'm waiting for figures...*grin*)

Initial fault codes read under boost...

Fitted new vacuum hoses, took a test drive and then the fault code said overboost...

So they reckoned there was a problem with some of the vacuum hoses or the boost pressure valves which caused a problem when trying to regulate pressure, which could have caused the death of the previous turbos.

They fitted a new regulator / valve and as I got picked up it came back from a test drive with no issues. So hopefully today the problem should be solved.

Once again, have to say thanks to Wayde and the guys at Cedar Isle, not only did he let me in to take some pics in the work area, their service and coffee was awesome too! :thumbs:

 

[Riaan335]

Shot, thanks. Glad your car is sorted.

 

[racing snake]

:thumbs: