Blown turbo...!

[ALFAitalia]

My made 97,000 miles... not great..... my old Alfa turbo was original at 175,000 miles. No way of knowing how it was treated in the past ... service history only tells part of the story... but it will be treated right from now on.

 

[DSM10000]

My made 97,000 miles... not great..... my old Alfa turbo was original at 175,000 miles. No way of knowing how it was treated in the past ... service history only tells part of the story... but it will be treated right from now on.

The turbo on my W211 320 CDI was still fine at 178,000 miles. Oil from Mercedes and changed at MB specified intervals

 

[ALFAitalia]

I'll be changing the oil annually.... and at the moment that only means about every 5 or 6 thousand miles.
My ALFA ran on whatever was cheapest at the time that met the correct viscosity and FIAT spec!

 

[ALFAitalia]

So... what's the easiest way to spin the OM642 over without it starting?... just so I can get the oil though the turbo (and around the top of the engine where its not tun for a few weeks but mainly the turbo). It's in the turbo fitting instructions so I will stick to them. Which relay or fuse will stop it firing without any ill effects? Fuel pump?

 

[BTB 500]

So... what's the easiest way to spin the OM642 over without it starting?... just so I can get the oil though the turbo (and around the top of the engine where its not tun for a few weeks but mainly the turbo). It's in the turbo fitting instructions so I will stick to them. Which relay or fuse will stop it firing without any ill effects? Fuel pump?

Unplugging the crankshaft position sensor would probably do it. I know when the CPS failed on my OM642 this prevented it from firing at all (which is why it was the subject of a safety recall for all MBs with OM642s built within a certain date range ... apart from those in W639s ).

 

[91dm]

Crankshaft sensor would be the best bet? I tried unplugging rail pressure sensor once and it still started.

 

[OneForTheRoad]

So... what's the easiest way to spin the OM642 over without it starting?... just so I can get the oil though the turbo (and around the top of the engine where its not tun for a few weeks but mainly the turbo). It's in the turbo fitting instructions so I will stick to them. Which relay or fuse will stop it firing without any ill effects? Fuel pump?

Put it in gear , jack up a rear wheel and turn it by hand .

 

[ALFAitalia]

It's an auto....

 

[ALFAitalia]

Well....what a disastrous day!....we not really.....but I'm very p****d off. Got the oil in, primed the turbo. They say to leave it ticking over for 15 minutes....so I fired her up and let her idle. I was looking under the bonnet when I heard a gurgling sound...i just thought it was air in the system......then it got worse....I was just going to turn the car of when a man walking past said that my car was leaking....he was not wrong....a very big puddle of oil under the car. Stopped her immediately....the under trays were dripping oil all over the place.....As you can imagine my wife was delighted with about 2 litres of oil on the block paving!!!. After Id cleaned up the worst and got the under trays off...again...... I could see that a lot of oil had run down the back of the engine....with a little coolant such a tiny amount that the level is still at the top in the header tank....but I could not see where it was from. Lots of looking from on top and underneath and I'm still none the wiser....The only oil way I had disturbed was the pedestal the the turbo sits on which doubles up as the oil feed. So my guess is that the new bottom seal has failed (I can see the top seal is dry) so I'm going to have to do the job again....bugger! The replacement gasket was paper....the original was steel.....but id read that they are now....looks like I'll be going back to steel!!!! That's assuming it is that....but I cant see what else it would be as I've not removed anything else. The only concern is the small a mount of coolant with the oil....these turbos are only oil cooled AFAIK.

AAAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHH!!!

 

[ChrisPDuck]

Oh no - really sorry to hear that. Chin up though - it’ll be easier the second time around!

 

[OneForTheRoad]

My 19 reg om642 still on steel gasket. Can't imagine a paper gasket lasting long in that heat and oil. Was it not just a packaging protection or something??

 

[ALFAitalia]

That's the top gasket, between the turbo and the pedestal.....its the bottom one that I think has failed....between the pedestal and the block.

 

[OneForTheRoad]

That's the top gasket, between the turbo and the pedestal.....its the bottom one that I think has failed....between the pedestal and the block.
View attachment 164686

Listed as metal .

Mercedes Benz Metal Seal A6421420681. £3.50​

 

[ALFAitalia]

Yep.......but lots are waxed card...inc the ones that came with my turbo!....ordered Genuine Merc upper and lower gaskets in steel today...will be here Tuesday.

 

[OneForTheRoad]

Yep.......but lots are waxed card...inc the ones that came with my turbo!....ordered Genuine Merc upper and lower gaskets in steel today...will be here Tuesday.

Yeah , I'm pretty sure one like that was inside my Lidl oil pump .

 

[Trickythemerc]

When I did my water pump all non MB pumps appeared to come with a non metal gasket. I prefer to replace like for like so bought the MB pump complete with the metal gasket, On inspecrion, I noticed the 8mm bore for the idler and one of the 6mm bores were not tapped. The idea being ro use the tri-lobular bolts to cut the threads, hence the two different torque values in WIS for tapped/un-tapped. The thermostat housing comes with no gasket, surely you wouldn't want to use the old rubber gasket.

 

[OneForTheRoad]

One reason why gaskets are metal on a turbo charger.

 

[ALFAitalia]

LOL....I think that might be running more/boost power than my 231 horses.
That said when I worked selling Audis, an old UR Quattro that we had been caning around MIRA all day had a faint cherry red glow to the turbo!!....poor thing!

 

[OneForTheRoad]

LOL....I think that might be running more/boost power than my 231 horses.
That said when I worked selling Audis, an old UR Quattro that we had been caning around MIRA all day had a faint cherry red glow to the turbo!!....poor thing!

Bit like your cheeks ,seeing all that oil on the drive and the Mrs looking disgusted

 

[ALFAitalia]

So...new steel gaskets fitted today....its a lot quicker the second time...turbo was out within an hour... and back on two hours later. It was the top pedastal gasket that was leaking.....The card gasket was pushed out a bit and the oil forced past it. Lesson learned. Can't tell how it runs though.... the oil that was promised for delivery on Tues or Weds is still not here!