Turbo Durability?

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I'm skeptical of relatively new stuff, turbo's for example. Looking online I find a number of vehicles I'd look at available only with turbo's. Being old school, and thinking of getting a new car or small SUV, I don't need lots of HP and prefer something simple as possible. Have turbo's been used long enough to prove relatively trouble free?
 
Turbo engines will wear faster than non turbo models. They simply are placed under more stress. There are plenty of very reliable turbos out there but it is like anything else, maintenance and driving habits. I make sure and warm up the engine before any significant loads, change oil at 5k with Mobil 1, generally baby my cars so i expect my turbos to live a long time.

You are signing up for an extra item to break, the turbo, and more stress on the engine internals. The tradeoff is you can have a very small efficient engine that makes great power when needed. I say its worth it.
 
The BITOG dilemma: I want a new car with all of the stuff I like about new cars (modern looks, interior and amenities) but none of the stuff I don't like about new cars (mechanical sophistication). If you want a simple car, buy an old one.

You can't have your cake and eat it, too. I've seen many of these threads, because anachronistic old codgers want a new car but don't trust turbos or DI.
 
Originally Posted by maxdustington
Originally Posted by tc1446
I'm skeptical of relatively new stuff, turbo's for example. Looking online I find a number of vehicles I'd look at available only with turbo's. Being old school, and thinking of getting a new car or small SUV, I don't need lots of HP and prefer something simple as possible. Have turbo's been used long enough to prove relatively trouble free?
The BITOG dilemma: I want a new car with all of the stuff I like about new cars (modern looks, interior and amenities) but none of the stuff I don't like about new cars (mechanical sophistication). If you want a simple car, buy an old one.

You can't have your cake and eat it, too. I've seen many of these threads, because anachronistic old codgers want a new car but don't trust turbos or DI.

Well I'm a old codger I guess and I don't mind these new advancements. There is a reason they don't make Fairmonts and Citations anymore. Thank goodness for that.
 
Originally Posted by maxdustington
The BITOG dilemma: I want a new car with all of the stuff I like about new cars (modern looks, interior and amenities) but none of the stuff I don't like about new cars (mechanical sophistication). If you want a simple car, buy an old one.

You can't have your cake and eat it, too. I've seen many of these threads, because anachronistic old codgers want a new car but don't trust turbos or DI.


I don't think you are understanding the concerns of many of us.

I don't care about modern looks (all the same, cross-training shoe meets transformer).

I don't care about newer interior. Ergonomics are gone and now we have faux-metal painted plastic that looks like **** as it wears.

I don't care about amenities. I don't need more cupholders, a warning there is a weight (child) left in the rear seat, self parking, lane assist, or a big touchscreen serving as light in my face while driving at night. I don't need a digital dash that costs $1500+ to replace, 30-way adjustments on my seat or for it to remember them all. I don't need my tailgate to open very slowly from sensing my leg, or my vehicle to start without a key in the ignition. I don't need it to shut down cylinders, or turn off when I stop. I have known how and when to shut a car off for a very long time.

I don't consider the engine changes to be mechanical sophistication. They would not have happened but for emissions mandates and fines so it is just another cost passed onto the consumer both at time of purchase and all along unless the owner drives a very high # of miles. It should specifically be these high mileage drivers that are penalized, not everyone else. It is mechanical inferiority to make something less fit for its purpose to do the same job. It is the Great Lie, that everyone cares about fuel economy yet vehicle size keeps creeping larger and people gravitate towards full sized trucks and SUVs.

Buying an old car does not address the primary concern which is longevity without repairs, and repairs that are less than the book value of the vehicle so it isn't effectively totalled out. It helps that repairs are often less expensive but no-repair is always cheaper than any-repair. Why opt to pay more for something that does not provide anything (subjectively) important in return? Why risk letting anyone touch your vehicle and screw up and gouge you on the bill? Many of us do ALL our own repairs, but lack the proprietary information to fix much of the newer tech.

A competent driver does not need additional "help" from their vehicle and shouldn't be burdened with it. Navigation and hands free calling are nice but given a constant power supply, a phone could do that without the vehicle.

The cost to do a very basic thing (travel by your own means) is increasing faster than inflation. That is not progress.
 
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When I purchased my 2017 Ford Fusion, 2 1/2 years ago, I only wanted it in the 2.5 NA engine.
 
Originally Posted by Donald
With a turbo pulling into a rest stop on highway you need to idle for a few minutes before turning engine off. That helps cool down turbo & engine.

Apparently not any longer. The normal progression of getting to that rest stop means slowing down for the exit and slipping into a parking spot is supposedly sufficient for most modern turbos to cool down.
 
Most turbos today have coolant pumps that run for several minutes after engine is shut down to help them stay cool.
 
I never understood why people fall all over themselves over the reliability of a turbo diesel, but are afraid of turbocharged gasoline engines. Especially since turbos are now cooled by coolant instead of just oil. Pretty much all of them have an aux water pump to circulate coolant after the engine is off, others use some sort of thermosiphoning to circulate coolant. Some even have aux. oil pumps to pump oil after shutdown!
 
Originally Posted by dbias
Most turbos today have coolant pumps that run for several minutes after engine is shut down to help them stay cool.


That's how mine is
 
I owned a 13' VW GTI and sold it to my brother with 166K on it. He's a pharmacist and doesn't wanna park his new Acura MDX at work.
My wife put a ton of company paid miles on it. It's on the original turbo.
The base Ford Fusion is rated 21 city, 31 highway with 175 HP and 175 LB at 4500 RPM.
The 2.0L EcoBoost Fusion is rated 21 city, 31 highway with 245 HP on premium, 231 HP on 87 octane and 275 LB at a lower 3000 RPM.
Same fuel economy vs the base Fusion with 100 more pounds of torque, give me the more powerful engine.
 
^ So you can wear out the tranny/axles/hubs and suspension faster? 175HP is plenty for that size vehicle on public roads.

I floor my vehicles so seldom that doing so would qualify as "an event". If I don't floor them, what did I need a more powerful engine for? Not on a car anyway, towing at highway speeds, grades and all, different story.
 
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Originally Posted by tc1446
I'm skeptical of relatively new stuff, turbo's for example. Looking online I find a number of vehicles I'd look at available only with turbo's. Being old school, and thinking of getting a new car or small SUV, I don't need lots of HP and prefer something simple as possible. Have turbo's been used long enough to prove relatively trouble free?


Buy another Soul.
Our 2020 Kia Soul 2.0 has neither turbo or GDI.

Our 2019 Hyundai Santa Fe 2.4 has only GDI.
 
Originally Posted by skyactiv
I owned a 13' VW GTI and sold it to my brother with 166K on it. He's a pharmacist and doesn't wanna park his new Acura MDX at work.
My wife put a ton of company paid miles on it. It's on the original turbo.
The base Ford Fusion is rated 21 city, 31 highway with 175 HP and 175 LB at 4500 RPM.
The 2.0L EcoBoost Fusion is rated 21 city, 31 highway with 245 HP on premium, 231 HP on 87 octane and 275 LB at a lower 3000 RPM.
Same fuel economy vs the base Fusion with 100 more pounds of torque, give me the more powerful engine.

Not exactly accurate. My 2017 Fusion with 2.5 NA engine gets several more MPG than that. Here is a pic of my dash after a 2900 mile trip to Maine and back. Notice the MPG which included 300 miles of slower driving while in Maine.
[Linked Image]
 
Turbos have actually been around for a good while now, and the manufacturers have had ample time to make them as good as they plan to, price-dependent. IMO, a big part of longevity rests in how you take care of them. The best oil you can afford, changed often, with good filters, and good driving habits (don't drag race a cop, and then immediately pull over and shut if off) will afford you more miles with a happy turbocharger.

I don't think the presence of a turbocharger should give you pause when deciding on a new car. But if you're a neglectful owner, you might plan on some repairs after the car crosses the warranty threshold.

The purpose of the turbo should also be taken into consideration, IMO. The turbo on my Mustang is all about performance; big rpms, high pressure. The turbo on my mom's 2018 Tuscon seems (to me) more about making up for less cubic inches, and not about blinding speed. How much stress it's under will dictate longevity, along with other factors.

There may be some debate over which oil you should use. I must admit I'm not completely up-to-date on the latest in conventional oils. There was a time where conventional oil would "coke" inside the turbo bearings, inhibiting flow, causing problems with performance and longevity. I don't know if that's still the case, since the oil companies have really closed the quality gap between conventional and synthetic.

My turbo only gets Pennzoil Platinum or Mobil 1 because of what I learned long ago, not necessarily because of what's true today. Just try to live with the mantra "if I take care of it, it'll take care of me". That's work with a lot of cars I've owned.
 
Originally Posted by Dave9
I don't think you are understanding the concerns of many of us.
It's a small minority of this board and an even smaller minority of the population who drive cars.
Originally Posted by Dave9
I don't care about modern looks (all the same, cross-training shoe meets transformer).

I don't care about newer interior. Ergonomics are gone and now we have faux-metal painted plastic that looks like **** as it wears.

I don't care about amenities. I don't need more cupholders, a warning there is a weight (child) left in the rear seat, self parking, lane assist, or a big touchscreen serving as light in my face while driving at night. I don't need a digital dash that costs $1500+ to replace, 30-way adjustments on my seat or for it to remember them all. I don't need my tailgate to open very slowly from sensing my leg, or my vehicle to start without a key in the ignition. I don't need it to shut down cylinders, or turn off when I stop. I have known how and when to shut a car off for a very long time.

I don't consider the engine changes to be mechanical sophistication. They would not have happened but for emissions mandates and fines so it is just another cost passed onto the consumer both at time of purchase and all along unless the owner drives a very high # of miles. It should specifically be these high mileage drivers that are penalized, not everyone else. It is mechanical inferiority to make something less fit for its purpose to do the same job. It is the Great Lie, that everyone cares about fuel economy yet vehicle size keeps creeping larger and people gravitate towards full sized trucks and SUVs.
New car rant, boo hoo. Save it for the "Why aren't simple, cheap trucks made that I wouldn't buy anyway" thread.
Originally Posted by Dave9
Buying an old car does not address the primary concern which is longevity without repairs, and repairs that are less than the book value of the vehicle so it isn't effectively totalled out. It helps that repairs are often less expensive but no-repair is always cheaper than any-repair. Why opt to pay more for something that does not provide anything (subjectively) important in return? Why risk letting anyone touch your vehicle and screw up and gouge you on the bill? Many of us do ALL our own repairs, but lack the proprietary information to fix much of the newer tech.
Cars don't get totaled out because they need mechanical repairs, and you do ALL your own work anyway so who cares about the cost? Buying a new car does not mean it won't need repairs even when it is under warranty.

If they made a 2020 Hyundai Sonata with a carbed SBC, the old dudes on this board would praise it and and then immediately buy something else.
 
Originally Posted by Miller88
I never understood why people fall all over themselves over the reliability of a turbo diesel, but are afraid of turbocharged gasoline engines. Especially since turbos are now cooled by coolant instead of just oil.


Exhaust gas temperature is vastly different between gas and diesel engines. Turbochargers that last seemingly forever on diesel engines, can fail very rapidly when used on a gasoline engine.

While every engine and application is different, it's not unusual to see 1100 deg F exhaust gas temperature on a modern diesel and 1650F on a modern gas turbocharger. The difference in temperature is one reason it took so long for gas engines to have reliable turbos.

But it's good to know that today's turbochargers are truly designed to hold up for the long haul. Use a quality synthetic oil and change it frequently. Reasons: Fuel in the oil causes coking, particulates in the oil wear out seals and bearings, and the longer ANY oil is used, the more likely it is to form coke deposits on turbocharger hot parts (synthetics are better with regard to coking, but not immune) It really is that simple.

[A little joke here, but it is necessary] Yes, I understand that we all know of Uncle Douglas who used WalMart oil changed every 25,000 miles and never had a failure. I promise you can't duplicate those results. As Uncle Douglas is a "special case". Use quality oil and the severe service schedule and the chances of various expensive problems are reduced to negligible levels.
 
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Originally Posted by tc1446
I'm skeptical of relatively new stuff, turbo's for example.


By new, you mean 30 years old?
 
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