Turbocharger repair is a hot topic in the aftermarket at present, with more and more cars appearing in Irish garages with turbo issues. This makes it a fast growing market, but it is also an area where many garage operators are unsure of the best options.

As a leading supplier of replacement turbocharger parts to the aftermarket, Melett Ltd has great expertise in the turbo sector and business owner Ian Warhurst stresses that quality is key when it comes to turbo repairs. He says, "A turbocharger is a precision engineered product and turbo repair is a highly skilled job, requiring the use of specialist equipment and precision engineered repair parts. Garages must make sure they choose a turbo repair specialist that has access to the correct equipment and knowledge, use only high quality parts and have a full understanding of the complete turbo assembly.” He adds, "One thing is for sure, with turbochargers and turbocharger repair, you do get what you pay for.”

Ian explains that turbo repair dates back to CV turbo specialists in the 1960’s, but that it was the explosion of common rail turbo diesels in the late 1990’s that has snowballed demand. Continued engine downsizing, means more and more vehicles now have turbos, so the turbo aftermarket will continue to grow fast.

When it comes to turbo repair, there are some well established businesses with experience and expertise, but rising demand also means that many relatively new turbo repair operations have recently been established. Ian believes that while some work to very high standards, others have mixed skills and perhaps lack the proper equipment. He also says the use of questionable quality parts is also a serious issue.

To understand the importance of quality in turbo repair, Ian believes you need to have some knowledge of what is inside. He says, "A turbocharger has a centre housing rotating assembly (CHRA) and often a nozzle vane assembly, encased in a compressor and turbine housing, with the addition of an actuator. Turbo remanufacturer’s traditionally strip the complete turbocharger and CHRA, examine all the individual components, replacing these where necessary, and install brand new bearings and seals. The CHRA typically reaches speeds of up to 230,000rpm, and hence the level of precision of balance is extremely high and must be carried out on specialist balancing equipment. Failure to balance the CHRA properly will result in a whistling noise and a breakdown of the oil film, causing premature failure of the bearings.” 

Ian says that parts precision in the manufacturing is also vital, with bearings and seals made to tolerances as low as 2 microns. Using lower quality repair parts, which cannot withstand the intense conditions in which the turbocharger must operate, can also lead to premature failure and also potential damage to the engine. Accurate calibration of the actuator using specialist equipment is also essential when repairing a variable nozzle turbo.

Ian also points out that turbochargers used on smaller modern engines are now more fragile and when they fail in service, this can often lead to damage beyond economical repair, with all major parts needing to be replaced.  As a result, the demand has grown for parts manufacturers to produce new complete balanced CHRA's as a boxed product.

Ian comments, "The availability of the pre-balanced CHRA and the increased demand for turbochargers has led to many new companies setting up turbo repair workshops. Some of these companies do not have access to the correct equipment or necessary experience in working with turbos, and hence this can lead to poorly performing turbos. An incorrect rebuild or setting of the turbo, can cause premature turbo failure and can also have an impact on the engine performance.”

Ian’s advice to garages searching for good turbo repair specialist is to check on their equipment specification, their skills and experience and the quality of spare parts they use.

Melett supplies replacement turbocharger repair kits, complete balanced CHRA/Core Assemblies and individual turbo components to the professional turbo repair industry, all with a firm emphasis on quality. It is a highly experienced supplier with a global customer base, ranging from small turbo workshops through to volume turbo remanufacturing facilities. The company’s comprehensive range allows turbo reconditioning, remanufacturing and repair of turbo models originally manufactured by Garrett, Holset (Cummins Turbo Technologies), Borg Warner (Schwitzer & 3K), MHI (Mitsubishi), Komatsu, Toyota, IHI & Hitachi.