525D Blown Turbo

[Mista_V]

Morning,

I bought an 02 plate 525D about 3 weeks ago which was all fine an dandy until about a week ago when bluey/white smoke decided to pour out of the exhaust everytime I started the thing, on inspection it was revealed that the turbo was about to let go and needed replacing, so 3 weeks and £1000 pounds down I'm left wondering how I might stop this happening in future?

I have been told by 3 BMW specialists that its a "common fault" and that the turbos on the 525 and 530d have been known to be troublesome and let go easily which apparently is down to a faulty breather valve?

Does this sound right? and if so what must I do in future to make sure my car doesn't just start blowing turbos like they were bubbles?

Cheers for any info!

[mustard]

Cant be any help, but one of the main reasons we went 'petrol'

1500-2000 more on the purchase price, coupled with more mechanical parts (which are known to fail) for the benefit of an extra 10-15mpg for someone doing 10000miles pa and the sums just didnt add up.

An unexpected 1000 bill for a turbo, intercoolers etc buys a fair bit of fuel so it was a no brainer as far as I was concerned

Edited by mustard on Wednesday 25th April 10:04

[blackspider]

Hate to tell you this but it may be that the crank case filter was blocked-gives the same symptoms as a turbo-dumps oil in front of it and blows into the engine.
Turbos generally just let go without warning.

This filter is now part of a 3 oil service we do loads of them for the same problem.Doesnt mean to say that your turbo hadnt gone but hopefully they did a good diagnosis for you and not fleece you....it happens

Was it a dealer repair?

[Mista_V]

It was done by a BMW specialist (independant) which was recommended to me by my uncle, he said the bearings had gone on the turbo.

So really then I gotta make sure this car is serviced often and that this breather is checked?

I'm also now wishing I'd gone petrol...

[olf]

blackspider said:

Hate to tell you this but it may be that the crank case filter was blocked-gives the same symptoms as a turbo-dumps oil in front of it and blows into the engine.
Turbos generally just let go without warning.

This filter is now part of a 3 oil service we do loads of them for the same problem.Doesnt mean to say that your turbo hadnt gone but hopefully they did a good diagnosis for you and not fleece you....it happens

Was it a dealer repair?

<hijack>

Hi Blackspider. You've really helped me with your advice on my 320d, so thanks for that. I also have a 320d which is suffering a power flatspot between about 2300 and 2700 revs, really where the turbo should be working best. The turbo starts to come in properly about 2k, you feel the beginning of the surge and then it dies off again until 2.7k.

There is no smoke and the turbo doesn't sound 'wrong'.

Any ideas?

</hijack>

[blackspider]

Have the vacuum pipe from the turbo all the way back to the inlet manifold check-they perish and implode,this will restrict the turbo vane operation.
Also there is a tiny filter in a black housing(about 20mm long x 10mm) on the valve that opeates the turbo(the vac pipe attaches to this unit(called an epdw valve)).

[billy5]

hiya all,
i was told that wen you start a deisel with a turbo
do it with no peddal [ accelerator], just on tickover,
and wait for about 20 secs to get oil up to the turbo
before moving, makes sense, am i right. billy

[E38]

billy5 said:

hiya all,
i was told that wen you start a deisel with a turbo
do it with no peddal [ accelerator], just on tickover,
and wait for about 20 secs to get oil up to the turbo
before moving, makes sense, am i right. billy

Never heard that....

If you want to do the very best for the engine, park it so you don't have to reverse to start the journey, start it up (having waited patiently for the plugs to warm if required), of course not touching the throttle (like ANY car of ANY fuel). Set off almost straight away and wait plenty of time before using any boost. Near end of journey, don't use any boost for the last few miles and/or sit at idle for 30 secs for the turbo to cool before turning off (or buy a turbo timer).

[Mista_V]

E38 said:

billy5 said:

hiya all,
i was told that wen you start a deisel with a turbo
do it with no peddal [ accelerator], just on tickover,
and wait for about 20 secs to get oil up to the turbo
before moving, makes sense, am i right. billy

Never heard that....

If you want to do the very best for the engine, park it so you don't have to reverse to start the journey, start it up (having waited patiently for the plugs to warm if required), of course not touching the throttle (like ANY car of ANY fuel). Set off almost straight away and wait plenty of time before using any boost. Near end of journey, don't use any boost for the last few miles and/or sit at idle for 30 secs for the turbo to cool before turning off (or buy a turbo timer).

Is there any difference between fitting a turbo timer to a petrol turbo and turbo diesel?, never heard of one on a turbo diesel thats all.

[mat205125]

mustard said:

Cant be any help, but one of the main reasons we went 'petrol'

1500-2000 more on the purchase price, coupled with more mechanical parts (which are known to fail) for the benefit of an extra 10-15mpg for someone doing 10000miles pa and the sums just didnt add up.

An unexpected 1000 bill for a turbo, intercoolers etc buys a fair bit of fuel so it was a no brainer as far as I was concerned

Edited by mustard on Wednesday 25th April 10:04

Can't argue with your maths

Even as a 20k plus driver I must admit that I am being drawn towards a petrol 330ci or 530sport. Same money gets a lower mileage car too.

[olf]

Well BM looked at my car and found... nothing wrong. Which in some ways is a relief but still I have never driven a turboed diesel car that has a noticeable drop off in the charaterisitic turbo surge/power delivery right at the point when the engine should be pulling hardest... 2.5k revs.

I'm starting to wonder if this might be a variable vane turbo thing but then I've driven a few turboed diesels and not experienced it before.

And it cost me 60 quid for them to find nothing worng!

[blackspider]

olf said:

Well BM looked at my car and found... nothing wrong. Which in some ways is a relief but still I have never driven a turboed diesel car that has a noticeable drop off in the charaterisitic turbo surge/power delivery right at the point when the engine should be pulling hardest... 2.5k revs.

I'm starting to wonder if this might be a variable vane turbo thing but then I've driven a few turboed diesels and not experienced it before.

And it cost me 60 quid for them to find nothing worng!

Still reckon its the vacuum pipe...Did tey just carry out a quick test and road test?
This pipe wont log a fault-it needs a visual check and is hidden under the covers

[olf]

blackspider said:

olf said:

Well BM looked at my car and found... nothing wrong. Which in some ways is a relief but still I have never driven a turboed diesel car that has a noticeable drop off in the charaterisitic turbo surge/power delivery right at the point when the engine should be pulling hardest... 2.5k revs.

I'm starting to wonder if this might be a variable vane turbo thing but then I've driven a few turboed diesels and not experienced it before.

And it cost me 60 quid for them to find nothing worng!

Still reckon its the vacuum pipe...Did tey just carry out a quick test and road test?
This pipe wont log a fault-it needs a visual check and is hidden under the covers

Hi Blackspider. Yes they wrote up a sheet saying that they roadtested, removed the engine cover checked the pipe and other stuff and found it all working perfectly. No fault codes logged either.

On of the best ways I can describe the sensation I experience in the car is that the turbo surge starts to come in and then you find yourself sitting forward in the seat willing the car forward as the boost seems to die off!

Maybe I'm just spoilt by the torque blitzkrieg 204bhp 330d!

[blackspider]

possible air mass meter then if they say they have checked it all-you can try it disconnected but it will log a fault which needs to be cleared after

[Mista_V]

OI!! would you two stop hijacking my thread before I get special forces in here!







....don't worry i'm not that sad BUT if your gonna be on my thread do you know the answer to my question above to do with turbo timers on a diesel car?

[olf]

Mista_V said:

OI!! would you two stop hijacking my thread before I get special forces in here!







....don't worry i'm not that sad BUT if your gonna be on my thread do you know the answer to my question above to do with turbo timers on a diesel car?

Check this out... http://tdiclub.com/TDIFAQ/TDiFAQ-6.ht

[blackspider]

I wouldnt worry about going down that route.
The main problem with turbos is when the engine is turned off and the bearings being starved of oil,causing them to sieze and over time explode.
The best thing you can do to prolong their life is to allow the engine to warm slightly,get the oil warm in the turbo.And then after a journey wait for a few minutes at idle to let the turbo come down from 30,000 rpm to a coast,this will help cool the turbo and it will stop quicker.

[Mista_V]

Duly noted, cheers people