2003/12/01 Prevent the Possibility of Contamination in order to Ensure Longer Life of Turbochargers {1052} Caterpillar

Turbocharger failures that are the result of contamination can be prevented by using the proper procedures in order to control contamination. The proper service procedures and maintenance practices will prevent contamination of the turbocharger bearings by debris that is present in the lubricating oil. When you are replacing a turbocharger, perform the following steps in order to reduce the possibility of this contamination.

1. Eliminate contamination during the repair.

   During removal of the turbocharger from the engine, protect the oil lines from becoming contaminated by covering open ends upon removal. Before assembling the lines to the new unit, flush the oil lines with a CLEAN solvent. Solvent that has been filtered to ISO 16/13 is recommended. During the repair, do not allow grit from sanding or grinding equipment to enter any open cavities in the engine.

2. Eliminate contamination that may bypass the engine oil filter.

   Inspect and clean the oil filter bypass valve in order to ensure that the valve is working properly. Replace the valve if any abnormal wear is noted. Refer to your Disassembly and Assembly manual for the location and removal instructions of the oil filter bypass valve for your particular application.

3. Reduce contamination from poor maintenance and deteriorated oil.

   Review the service records for the engine and ensure that scheduled maintenance is current. If the maintenance schedule is unknown AVSpare highly recommends an oil change. At a minimum, the engine oil filter should be replaced when a turbocharger is replaced.

   AVSpare now offers high efficiency engine oil filters. These filters increase the cleanliness of the oil system over the standard engine oil filters by removing contaminants of smaller size. This increase in the cleanliness of the lubricating oil offers increased protection from contamination for turbochargers and other critical engine components. For complete information on the new high efficiency engine oil filters, see Information Release Memo, PELJ0265.

   Engine oil that is beyond the change interval can contaminate the turbocharger by carrying debris. The oil contamination may cause a chemical reaction. S·O·S sampling is recommended as deterioration of oil condition can be monitored with regular S·O·S monitoring. If S·O·S monitoring is not available and the oil has any unusual odor, change the engine oil.

4. Complete the repair.

   Replace the failed turbocharger with the recommended new turbocharger or a remanufactured turbocharger.