Turbochargers 2:

With tighter fuel economy regulations in developed countries (we don't care about this in Nigeria), car makers use turbocharged engines in more and more cars. With a turbocharger, the vehicle can have a smaller engine and use less fuel when coasting, idling or in stop-and-go traffic. When needed, a turbocharger kicks in and provides extra power.

A turbocharged Audi engine

What does a turbocharger do in a car?

A turbocharger

A turbocharger is a power-boosting device attached to the vehicle exhaust manifold. A turbocharger has two separate ports, exhaust and intake. A turbocharger shaft has small turbines installed on both ends. One turbine is in the exhaust port (pink in the photo), another is in the intake port (blue in the photo). Hot exhaust gases rapidly exiting the engine spin the turbine inside the exhaust port. The shaft transfers the rotation to the intake turbine. The intake turbine pushes more air into the engine (boost). As more air enters the engine, the car computer adds more fuel, increasing engine power.

Do turbocharged engines require more maintenance?

Yes, they do. 

Adding a turbocharger to a smaller engine makes it work harder. A turbocharger increases the pressure and temperature inside the combustion chamber, which adds more strain on all internal components including pistons, valves, and the head gasket. The harder the engine works, the faster it wears out. Simple

Due to the design of a turbocharger: it has to work at extreme temperatures of hot exhaust gases, while the turbocharger shaft is lubricated by engine oil. This means there is more demand to the oil quality. The engine oil deteriorates faster under extreme heat. A turbocharged engine will not forgive low oil level, poor-quality oil or extended intervals between oil changes. Most turbocharged cars need high-quality synthetic oil and have shorter maintenance intervals. Some require premium gasoline. I cringe when I see Nigerian mechanics use cheap dinosaur oil. These oils cannot work effectively at these temperatures.

Are turbocharged engines reliable?

Cut out of a turbocharger

Turbo engines tend to have more problems in many cars, although there are turbocharged engines that are reliable. A turbocharged engine has more components than a naturally-aspirated (non-turbo) motor. These include an exhaust wastegate setup, intercooler, boost control system, vacuum pump and a more complicated crankcase ventilation (PCV). A turbocharger itself is not uncommon to fail. And then our mechanics  will "connect am direct, e go still work oga".

The more parts, the more can go wrong.

At higher mileage, as the cylinder walls and pistons rings wear out, higher combustion chamber pressure results in increased pressure inside the engine crankcase. This can result in oil leaks that pop up from many places and are difficult to fix. Most of these problems seem to have been taken care of in late models. However, the majority of Nigerians can only afford tokunbo.

That said, there are many turbo engines that can last long. Many of them are going well past 300000 kilometres with good maintenance. 

Pros and cons

To summarize: a turbocharger adds complexity to the engine, which means more possibility for something to go wrong. Turbocharged cars are more sensitive to poor maintenance. 

On the plus side a turbocharger adds power only when you need it, while allowing for a smaller more fuel-efficient engine.

What to look for when buying a used car with a turbo engine?

- As always, run whenever you see white smoke (not steam) from an exhaust. Otherwise, you may blame your village people sooner than later. It's more often than not a sign of an engine fluid going where it shouldn't.

White smoke from a car exhaust

- Check reliability ratings of the car you want to buy; some turbo cars are more reliable than others. Use the internet for something other than Facebook. Know what you're getting into.

- Some turbocharged engines are known to consume oil, and good oil isn't cheap here. Watch out for low oil level which might indicate higher oil consumption. 

- A failing turbocharger might produce a screeching or whining noise at certain boost stages. Your mechanic will say "oga na pulley".

- During the test drive, watch out for lack of power (boost) on acceleration. It's a sign the turbo is going or gone.

- Watch out for oil leaks. If you can, drive to a pit or a hydraulic lift jack and look carefully under the engine.

Read our earlier article on turbochargers to find out how they work.

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