Turbocharger maintenance

It's essential to have an understanding of what causes problems for a turbocharger. There are generally three main causes for turbocharger problems.

1. Oil problems – This can be caused by a lack of lubrication, or contaminated oil
2. Foreign objects finding their way into the turbo
3. Over-speeding – when the turbo has to work harder than it should

Regular servicing

Not getting your car serviced is the easiest way to reduce the lifespan of your turbo, therefore make sure you keep on top of keeping it clean and have your car serviced regularly, by a trusted mechanic.

Oil

Parts of your turbocharger move around quite a lot, therefore they need to be kept well lubricated at all times to minimise the possibility of any friction and wear, you should always make sure that your oil lever are maintained.
Make sure you use high-grade oil that's suitable for your engine. If you don't know what oil to use, it will say in your vehicle handbook, it will also let you know the correct API quality specifications for your engine.

Low-grade oil won't adequately give your turbocharger protection from wear, carbon build up or damage and using it can cause problems and also reduce the life of your turbo.

Driving tips

How you drive your vehicle has a huge impact on your turbo, and following a few simple tips will help to maximise its lifespan.
When you start your car, don't set off straight away, but wait 10 seconds or so. The reason for this is because it takes around 5 to 10 seconds for the oil to reach your turbocharger once you've started it. Making sure that you do this when you start up your engine will make sure that you don't get any unnecessary wear.

We're not saying go really slow but It's best to let your engine warm up before you start raising the revs too high. Avoiding the red lining, accelerating steadily, and don't push your car to its top speed before it has warmed up this will reduce the