Driving a turbo diesel with a broken turbo

[sunbeam alpine]

I've got a Daihatsu Fourtrak turbo diesel with a broken turbo. It still drives ok (I hadn't noticed that the turbo was broken until a friend borrowed it today, and he mentioned that the turbo light didn't come on). It's a bit slower than normal (think 2nd class post).

Am I doing it any further harm by driving it?

[twazzock]

Depends how it's broken exactly. I'm not an expert on this but I THINK if certain oil seals are goosed the engine can start running on its own oil (rather diesel) which is potentially rather fatal. I think...

[N Dentressangle]

sunbeam alpine said:

I've got a Daihatsu Fourtrak turbo diesel with a broken turbo. It still drives ok (I hadn't noticed that the turbo was broken until a friend borrowed it today, and he mentioned that the turbo light didn't come on). It's a bit slower than normal (think 2nd class post).

Am I doing it any further harm by driving it?

Has it got a catalytic converter or intercooler? You run the risk of gubbing these if you carry on. Presumably it's puthering smoke out the back of it?

[R12HCO]

Type in runaway diesel on youtube.

[nelly1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4fxjKnuI4Y

[sunbeam alpine]

It's 26 years old, with 480,000 km on the clock. I've only been running it out of bloody-mindedness (want to get it to 500,000). It's my messy jobs/going to the dump car.

I can't remember the last time I saw the turbo light come on, so it's probably run for a couple of months without the turbo. It's sightly slower than a real non-turbo version (got one of those as well, and took it for a run today to compare performance). I've got a crashed one with a good engine if the worst comes to the worst.

ETA: No more smoke out the back than usual.

[N Dentressangle]

I'd drive it then - not a lot to lose!

[cahami]

If there is no more smoke than normal, could it be an actuator problem? even as simple as a vacuum hose.

[J4CKO]

If a 335D (mapped) did this running on its own oil, would it be bad, like crossing the streams ?

"Try to imagine all life as you know it stopping instantaneously and every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light"

[NiceCupOfTea]

What's a "turbo light"?

[freakynessless]

J4CKO said:

If a 335D (mapped) did this running on its own oil, would it be bad, like crossing the streams ?

"Try to imagine all life as you know it stopping instantaneously and every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light"

[sunbeam alpine]

NiceCupOfTea said:

What's a "turbo light"?

It's a big green light with the word "Turbo" on it, in the middle of the rev counter. It used to come on at about 1500 revs. It still comes on when you turn the key to start the car, then goes out when it starts, so it isn't just that the bulb has blown.

It's pretty much the only way you would know that the turbo has kicked in - it isn't exactly fast.

I've noticed this morning that there's a sort of piston which is very shiny - as though it should be moving, but it doesn't now. I think there lay be some kind of pressure leak as cahami suggested.

Edited by sunbeam alpine on Wednesday 28th September 07:35

[mnkiboy]

sunbeam alpine said:

It's a big green light with the word "Turbo" on it, in the middle of the rev counter. It used to come on at about 1500 revs. It still comes on when you turn the key to start the car, then goes out when it starts, so it isn't just that the bulb has blown.

I thought such lights only existed in 1980's computer games, i'm delighted to find they actually exist in the real world!
In fact, I want one on my diesel.

[redgriff500]

It'll be fine if its the same fault as my mate's Brava.

It was reasonable to drive when he got it but about 3yrs and 60k ago (its on 170k now) the turbo stopped working.

He's had 2 mechanics look at it who couldn't fix it but as he's happy to sit at 60mph he's not bothered.

I think the turbo blocking the exhaust and not providing boost must affect mpg but he still gets 50ish albeit driving like a granny.

[ZesPak]

mnkiboy said:

I thought such lights only existed in 1980's computer games, i'm delighted to find they actually exist in the real world!
In fact, I want one on my diesel.

The leftmost (or rightmost, depending on LHD/RHD) clock in the 159 is a "turbo meter":

Op: it's not a real problem, as long as you're sure there's no exhaust gasses escaping under the hood, as that could fry electric wires and the like.

[Le TVR]

Could be something simple like the wastegate is stuck slightly open or the wastegate capsule has corroded through and leaks?

[sunbeam alpine]

Update: It was a split hose - replaced the hose and it's back to a throbbing 2.8 litres of turbo-diesel power!

Passed the MOT yesterday aq well!