Turbo end play with newer turbo!

I installed a new DPS 62/68/12 turbo 1 1/2 years ago.
Truck is only driven once in a while, hauling firewood or empty, no towing.
Only put on around 2500-3000 miles a year.
I'm on my second year with this turbo. I noticed some excessive end play with the compressor wheel. In and out is real tight, but side to side was loose.
I sent it back to DPS (where I bought it from). They told me it is full of soot and the bearings are shot. Recommended to change oil more often. My reply is I change it every year before it goes into winter storage (salty Michigan roads)
DPS said from the soot buildup something is not right. Maybe I have a bad injector? Should I pull all the injectors and have them tested?
Truck gets 17.5-18.5 mpg city driving. Doesn't smoke at all with normal part throttle driving. Any suggestions what to look for why this happened? Was it just something wrong with the turbo or is something up with my engine?
Thanks.

They fed you that line because they don't know exactly what caused the excessive wear. You need a real failure analyst to look at it; someone who knows what the different types of wear are and what causes them.

mhuggler said:

They fed you that line because they don't know exactly what caused the excessive wear. You need a real failure analyst to look at it; someone who knows what the different types of wear are and what causes them.

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Thank you! That is what I was thinking too. I guess I'll just change the oil and run it again and hope for the best. I'm going to try not barking it either. That has happened more times then I like to admit.

Also do an oil sample. You can get them from any cat dealer. They will be able to tell you if the oil is the source.

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biggy238 said:

Also do an oil sample. You can get them from any cat dealer. They will be able to tell you if the oil is the source.

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Great idea. I have a Cat dealer right by the house. I'll stop on my way home.

Possible that the bearings got coked from hot shutdowns and then sitting a long time? You’re not driving that thing enough, man.

Anything is possible. I do try to idle it for a couple minutes to cool down the turbo before I shut it off.

Barking it sure isnt good for it....that may be where the problem is from.

Dart340w2 said:

I'm going to try not barking it either. That has happened more times then I like to admit.

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That bark is called a compressor stall in gas turbine engines and can do significant damage to the blades due to sudden stoppage of the assy. I've seen engines that have blades imbedded in the housing.

So I’m guessing I should look into a blow off valve? I’ve tried searching it before but there doesn't seem to be many guys running them on 12 valves. My buddy does has one on his common rail.

:umno:

Dart340w2 said:

So I’m guessing I should look into a blow off valve? I’ve tried searching it before but there doesn't seem to be many guys running them on 12 valves. My buddy does has one on his common rail.

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Cheapest and easiest way to avoid surge on an application like this is learn to roll your foot off the throttle. Don’t just jerk your foot up.

bracker8040 said:

Cheapest and easiest way to avoid surge on an application like this is learn to roll your foot off the throttle. Don’t just jerk your foot up.

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I do try and do this when possible. There are times when it just happens. For example, when I first installed my trans controller. I wasn’t into the throttle that hard, and it shifted into OD too early, and the turbo surged. But 99% of the time it is avoidable.

Barking the turbo typically beats out the thrust bearings, not the radial bearings. If your thrust is tight (the in and out play), then I'd bet your barking is not the cause. Can you measure the play? A few thou is normal on the thrust. Radial is harder to measure since you'll be getting a cumulative of both bearings and and overhung distance. But you should not be touching the housing at all. You can get some feeler blades and check the radial clearance between the housing and wheel.

Tate said:

Barking the turbo typically beats out the thrust bearings, not the radial bearings. If your thrust is tight (the in and out play), then I'd bet your barking is not the cause. Can you measure the play? A few thou is normal on the thrust. Radial is harder to measure since you'll be getting a cumulative of both bearings and and overhung distance. But you should not be touching the housing at all. You can get some feeler blades and check the radial clearance between the housing and wheel.

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Real good info. I already sent it back to get rebuilt. I’m supposed to get it back tomorrow. My thrust end play was real tight, couldn’t move it at all. But the side to side or up and down was excessive. I still can’t understand why this happens with only 5000 miles on this turbo.