Keeping Turbo Chargers Working at Peak Efficiency
Learn what you need to know about turbos, and how to look after them and save your fleet money.
Episode 71: Brad Moss is the Product Manager at BBB Industries. In this episode we discuss the most important things we need to know about turbo chargers, how to ensure they operate at peak efficiency, and some of the most common causes of turbo failure.
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Show Notes
Question 1: What are the three most important things we need to know about turbos?
They take wasted energy and turn it into power output, increase fuel efficiency, and also that turbo chargers are made to last the life of the engine if treated properly.
Question 2: What can a fleet or an independent repair shop do to ensure that the turbos on the trucks they maintain operate at peak efficiency?
It’s important to maintain your trucks and service them at the manufacturer’s recommended frequency. Along with that, you want to make sure they are properly lubricated, and to extend their life, let the truck idle for two minutes after a hard day of work.
Question 3: What are the common causes of turbo failure?
Turbos generally don’t fail on their own but fail because of other parts of the system. However, foreign object damage on the turbocharger, or in other words chipping or pitting can wear out your turbo. Another cause of failure is caused by a lack of lubrication or oil contamination. Starving a turbo of oil for 5 seconds is like starving an engine of oil for 5 minutes. It’s catastrophic.
Question 4: How do we sell high-quality turbos at a higher purchase price?
The average cost of a turbo replacement is $560-$800 in labor, plus the cost of a part, which can be anywhere from $500-$10,000. Not only that, but all of that downtime can cost you even more. So, it’s a job you only want to have done once. Saving money on a lower quality turbo charger can save you money in the short term, but in the long term can cost you far more.
Question 5: What are some of the benefits of using remanufactured turbos?
In remanufacturing, you take a broken component, take it completely apart, see what’s wrong, and then improve it for better reliability, all for a cheaper price than buying new.
Remanufacturing also not only meets OE specs but can even exceed them.
Question 6: If there is one thing that you want people to take away from this interview, what is that one thing?
BBB Industries set the expectation of meeting, or exceeding OE specifiactaions in their remanufacturing process. They started out as a family business, so they care foremost about the people. They will not compromise their integrity with poor workmanship or products.
Disclaimer: This podcast and description may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, The Heavy-Duty Parts Report may receive a small commission.
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