How To Make Your Modern Turbo Engine Last Longer | Are They Less Reliable?
A Master Automobile Technician Shares 5 Tips on Making Your Modern Turbo Engine More Reliable Long Term.
In this video I share with you 5 tips to prolong the life of your turbo engine and the turbo it has. These are simple easy things anyone can do to their modern turbo engine to make it last longer and not have any issues prematurely.
Also towards the end of the video I'll share my thoughts on Turbo engine reliability when compared to a non-turbo engine.
I hope this video helps car owners get the most use out of the turbo engines without having issues early.
TCCN Automotive Inc.
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#thecarcarenut #tccnautomotive #turbo #turboengine #toyota #lexus
0:00 Intro
0:29 What is a Turbo Engine?
2:41 Maintenance Have Never Been More Important
4:20 Warm It Up and Cool It Down
7:14 Let it Breathe
8:18 Drive Smart Not Hard
9:32 Don't F&F Your Highlander Turbo
13:38 Are Turbo Engines Less Reliable?
17:06 Obvious but Important to Know
You’re a gifted mechanic who’s gifted with the ability to impart your knowledge. A pleasure to listen to and learn.
I agree, I trust his video's and opinion along with Scotty Kilmer too.
100% right, my list also includes Chris fix, and i do cars, lewis here from Mumbai India@@ivannadler1789
I hope one Day most of the mechanics became half reliable like this guy
Guy is the messiah of car engine advice. Preach it!
Very gifted
1. Change your oil 2. Change your oil 3. Change your oil 4. Change your oil 5. Change your oil
At the 4k interval
Also don't forget to change your oil as well.
Did anyone mention, change your oil? 😁
... and don't forget to fill the blinker fluid reservoir.
You forget to change your oil
I owned many turbo cars. The most important thing is to do regular oil changes. I change the oil every 3000 miles or 5000km .
I am getting a Turbo Car (Diesel) soon. Could you advise me how long it takes to warm it up and cool it down? Thank you. I normally get my cars serviced at 5,000 km.
@@Mav_F I live in Australia so our climate is pretty warm . My car is also in a garage overnight. I usually warm it up for about 1-2 minutes than I drive it easy for the first 10 minutes. I only let it cool down for a 2 minutes if I have driven it hard, otherwise I just shut it off.
@@Slowrex123 I am in Australia too. SA. Okay, I never had a Turbo before. Thank you.
You ever consider teaching a MasterClass. Your very articulate, pleasant voice to listen to and you approach a topic with such finesse!
Each video posted is a Master Class!
At my age I bought my last 2 Lexus's with NA V6's and drive them till I croak. Oil changes every 6 months or 4k miles and everything else that needs maintenance with OE parts. Oil is cheap and engines are not. Great informative video!
Which Models??
Got 2 es350s 2013& 2018 .same sentiment as you 😊
RX & GS@@davidespinal4525
Have you actually looked and verified the quality of the oil and filter that THEY are using on your car?
I change my own oil with Toyota filters & Mobil 1 only and never had a problem. No one has ever changed the oil on any car I've owned except me. Approaching a 100k miles on my RX and zero issues so far.@@WiekingderViking
What I used to not know about modern turbo engines is that they don’t just allow a smaller engine to make more power, they make more torque at a low rpm’s. The few I have driven had great throttle response and move through traffic effortlessly, even if their all-out power is sometimes not so impressive. To have a torque peak at perhaps 1800 rpm’s is just what they do, and you don’t need to hammer them to move. I’ll use his recommendations on my new Tundra, see you back here in 5 years with my experience with it.
Your comments make sense, I have little/no experience driving a turbo engine. My buddy took me for a ride in his Subaru, and like you say, it had great mid range torque
What smaller engine cars are you referring to? What is a smaller, engine?
Mostly from newer technology but really because the turbos are smaller and more efficient.
@@johnnyblue4799 I drove a Chevrolet Equinox with the 1.5L turbo. (My assigned vehicle at work) it moved better at partial throttle than my 2018 Highlander with a V-6. Not full throttle of course, just normal slowing and accelerating through street traffic. I was very impressed, and surprised. I would have thought it would only move like that with lots of throttle and high rpm’s. I imagine those vehicles with turbocharged V-6 or V-8 engines are incredible.
1.3 Ford, 1.5 Honda, 1.6 Corolla, 1.6 Hyundai and Kia, they are all pretty small but pump out decent power. Just enough to move them well.
1987 Volvo 740 turbo. Purchased at 68k miles in 1991. Synthetic oil only at 7500 mile intervals. Always allowed warm up for both transmission and engine longevity. Driven off boost until oil temp is up a bit. Boost was adjusted via waste gate to almost 2x of stock but below 14 lb ignition safety cutoff. 60,000 mile trans fluid / filter changes. Original turbo, motor, trans no issues at 250,000 miles about 10 years of heavy commute use in terrible traffic. Oil consumption was about 1 qt every 10k miles at 250k ( down almost a quart at 7500 miles). When sold it was still basically mechanically fine (intercooler boost/vacuum leak at the plastic/aluminum seam ).
Glad to hear someone finally speaking out on these turbos, most people have no idea !
Yes!! I had no idea and this whole time I’m mistreating the turbo. Definitely taking more care for it.
I have owned 3 turbo vehicles and havent experienced any adverse engine issues. Just take care of your vehicle with regular maintenance.
The fact that “have owned them” is pretty telling.
lol@@michaelbassett5105
@@michaelbassett5105 I really like my turbo engine powered truck. Have lots of miles in it and still going strong now in other news I’ve seen other non-turbo engine power cars with engine issues that tells you something.
CCN is right about the maintenance on these turbo it’s crucial. Don’t get me wrong turbo is fun to drive when the turbo spools up. The instant power in electric is a blast also. NA are just boring. Looks like everything gonna go to hybrid or electric anyway. New Camry only gonna be hybrid.
This means nothing if you don't state what the years, the milage and how long you owned these cars for.
Bought my first turbocharged vehicle in 2000 anf never looked back. Torque is addicting. Maintenance is key!
Can agree more, love the torque at low rpms, right where you spend most of your time.
Non turbo people are just too lazy to keep the maintenance up. You don’t have to drive a turbo above 3k revs ever, you’ll have bottom end torque and engine longevity increases as redline is redline in both turbo & non turbo. Mileage is up on a turbo , premium also means better detergents as well. Leaving your subdivision or the first two miles on the road keep the revs at 2000 or so. Before shutting off the engine drive a few at 2k rpm’s a coupla miles b4 your destination. Pull up, put in park and idle for one minute every time. That single min idle will add up over the time of the engine. And often that sit will allow you to gather your phones empty water bottles.
@@omegalamda3145TRUTH ✅
@@omegalamda3145 You woulda hated driving my STI.
Modern Turbos can work as low as 500rpm, I've seen a guy get down to 100rpm
One big reason I bought a V6 Camry is that it makes power the old fashion way. Cylinders, Displacement, and a transmission that isn't a CVT.
Yes! My sentiments exactly! Have and much prefer an engine large enough to loaf! No turbo!!
Cannot thank you enough for your advice on these turbos charged engines. I will adhere to what you stated as faithfully as I can. Your instruction and advice are top notch, and I cannot thank you enough for putting this information out there for us regular guys.
From now on, I want to play this video to all my Volkswagen customers that come in to the dealer complaining about low oil level after 9000 miles. Thanks for a great video.
9,000 miles? lol
@@ThePilotGear Not that I wait nearly that long, but their recommendation is 10K miles.
Interesting opinion there buddy
The 10k oil intervals are IDIOTIC
I’ve owned 4 turbo cars - a Ford, an Acura and two VWs. All have been 100% reliable with respect to the turbo. This video was spot on - and I would also add the importance of using synthetic oil. From heat to LSPI to consumption, synthetic is safest for your turbo.
How often would you change your full synthetic oil?
@@doctorannoying The Ford and Acura every 6-7k miles. The VWs, every 10k, per the manual. Always using full synthetic meeting all manufacturer certifications.
@@kcav1255what about if you don’t drive those miles by then? At least when should one do a oil change if you drive low miles a year?
@@orlandosagemaster for a direct-injection turbo engine, I'd go with 3.000 - 6.000 miles depending if majority is city or highway driving. Change every 6 to 12 months regardless of miles traveled. As they say in the manual "Change engine oil every 8.000 miles or 12 months (for example) whichever comes first."
@@orlandosagemasterannual oil changes at a minimum for low mileage vehicles
You're channel, I feel, was one of my greatest finds on the Internet. Thank you for sharing your vast knowledge. Education is power for even us non-mechanics, in helping us make much more informed decisions and/or to simply serve as a reliable resource. Thank you!
I love how you just have a bullet point list and you elaborate on each thing in great detail. Your videos are much appreciated
I love this guy- we need more people like him working on cars. ❤
This is why I bought the 6mt 4cyl 2.0L Corolla. No CVT No Turbo Did my research before buying.
Smart choice I had the last gen 2.0 6mt civic loved it now I have the new si ,so turbo but I love it
Turbos are rarely an issue. I was telling someone else here that I know of a 2000s Peugeot with a 2.0 HDi (4 cylinder turbo diesel) with over 950,000km on it. Original engine, turbo and manual transmission. Keep timely fluid and filter changes and a turbo will not wear out any faster than the rest of the drive train.
The best video on turbo charged engine I must say. Really you're the car care nut👍
Those of us with turbo charged diesel trucks have long appreciated the need to monitor exhaust gas temps pre turbo. Especially when custom tuning has been applied. This is a very nice video that explains those same hazards as applied to gasoline engines. Thank you!
I still own a 2004 1.8t jetta with 217000 miles. The problem i have are the plastic components become brittle. Oring designs are prone to leak at some point. So, i've improved it by using a gasket maker on those leak prone areas. Now my daughter uses it in college and taught her to always check the oil level and add when needed.
I own a 2016 1.4t jetta it's got 57k clicks on the odometer I haven't experienced any oil burning.....yet, but I think that mostly has to do with the turbo being fluid cooled which keeps the turbo from cooking the oil.
All those vw's and Audi's have the problem with the plastic getting brittle that why those cars suck
@@DylanL69 Same with BMW. Rubbish.
@@labourlawact7826 volkswagons are worse
Sorry you have one of those. Theyre quite ugly
I so glad you mentioned warming it up and cooling it down. I drive a 6.7 Cummins and everyone in the car with me is like, what are you waiting for? Are we gonna go. And then, why aren’t you shutting off the engine? I always tell them their is a lot of oil to heat up and cool down.
Your presentation is outstanding. A great job of explaining the "turbo" engines to those of us who do not really know about them.
Always pleasure to listen, everything explained in a normal, polite way! No silly F words nor anything like that! Thumbs up👍
Make more such maintenance videos. We are learning a lot about car care. Most manufacturers don't mention these things in details even in manuals.
Sometimes I wonder if that's for a reason. Cars are designed anymore to use and kill and then replace. Planned obsolescence is real.
@@firingallcylinders2949 The primary reason we're seeing so many small turbocharged engines is because of corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards. Smaller engines use less fuel when they're under low boost. But from what I've seen, many manufacturers are programming for boost to come in early, which makes low end torque. That negates some of the benefit of the smaller engine. Since the vast majority of drivers never use the upper end of the rev range, they feel like their car is more powerful. CCN is 100% correct about turbocharged engines using more oil and creating more blowby past the piston rings. The oil in that blowby can gum up intake valves on direct injection engines and even cause sticking rings which will really increase the oil consumption. Turbos are also very hard on cooling systems. If your car has an electric coolant pump, expect it not to last as long as it would on a naturally aspirated engine of the same displacement.
They want it to break.
most manufactures don’t care because they want you to come back for more visits I guess like maintenance and repair issues.
@@dougrobinson8602 glad I got my naturally aspirated GS350 V6! I will be considering the V8 LC500 in the future as a second car!
I have been following your videos for quite some time and I do find these very educational especially for those who do not have technical background. This particular topic has been of great interest to me as I have been trying to create awareness in my two daughters, each of whom have bought Lexus NX350. My background has been 44 years as a Marine Engineer and have been exposed to very large turbochargers on massive Diesel Engines. There is a lot in common with the automotive turbochargers we have today. THANK YOU for such great contribution.
The Car Care Nut has become a favorite of mine. I want to share my thoughts about the review as the content is exceptionally informative and truly worth watching, setting it apart from the majority on KZhead. The reviewer exhibits profound knowledge, delivering information in a straightforward and no-nonsense manner. I highly value the quality of the content and extend my gratitude to The Car Care Nut for their dedicated efforts in publishing valuable reviews.
Lots of food for thought here. Just got my first turbo charged car and although I understood the basics of how they operate, this information will almost certainly help me keep it running reliably for years to come. Thanks!
another important note, its good not to floor your accelerator at low rpms with a turbo, as it causes the turbo to surge really hard, and puts a lot of stress on it. wait for your rpms to rise above 2k before accelerating hard and forcing high boost pressure.
and lspi risk
Min 3500 for WOT is my advice.
I found your KZhead channels about 3 months ago and am working my way through your videos. You are OUTSTANDING! Thank you.
Good info. I also have great confidence in both Honda & Toyota engineers in providing the best examples of modern turbo engines. That means every aspect of a turbo engine's design is to work as a whole, not just some engine with a turbo hung on it. Treated well, I have every confidence that an owner can enjoy long engine life.
Ahmed, great advice. Bought a new 22 Honda CR V 11/22 as of today has just under 9600 miles on it. Coming from a class 8 Diesel truck background, and we are now retired. So with all of the above in mind oil changes are done @ six month intervals. Oil and filter is way cheaper than engine. As always your insight and advice are spot on. Keep up the good work. Hope you , your channel and your shop will continue to prosper and grow.
Thanks for the tips. I' ve been driving a turbo charged car for quite some time and I appreciate to learn something new
When I had a turbo car (87 Grand National) I changed the oil every 3000 miles maximum. I also waited to turn the car off for a minute to be sure the turbo was not spinning high
I've just bought my brand new turbo engine car and found your video quite informative. Pleasure to listen to, thank you sir 🙏
Great video - thankyou. I learnt some very useful things to enhance the life of my turbo diesel and I am grateful that you share your knowledge.
Great video! Love your delivery. And I chuckle every time you plead with people not to do something, "please, please, please.". Thank you so much for your free videos! I learn so much every time. I am a gen 2 Sienna enthusiast but I watch all your videos. Thanks again.
Great info! I’m from the golden age of boosted imports (early 00s), with boost controllers and blow-off valves- we accepted the high maintenance that goes along with them. I don’t think most people who buy these modern turbo cars have any idea what they’re getting themselves into at the dealership.
Yep, that is why putting the, in trucks is new use cases. Tundras not doing well and neither are ecoboosts.
Used Hyundai and Kia prices prove the majority of turbo buyers have no idea what maintenance is. Lol
Love boosted engines, lots of fun!!
I love boosted engines, but they do have more maintenance...
I had no idea and I almost bought an Integra. They only come in Turbo.
I bought my first tubo car about a year ago. It has been consumig oil a bit. This video clarified things a bit. Thanks
Good video my dude. Love boosted engines, lots of fun and worth the extra maintenance!!
I just wish manufactures go the Honda route and make things easier to work on, especially the turbo. If I'm able to service my own turbo in my garage then I'd be much happier in adopting these turbocharged engines. Nothing lasts forever and easy of service makes for a much more pleasant ownership experience.
On the 1.5 Liter Honda Turbo engine the exhaust manifold is not separate from the cylinder head it it all molded 1 piece into the cylinder head and is also water jacketed so coolant flows through the exhaust manifold also.
I bought a 2.5l twin turbo Soarer with 40k km, kept it 20 years and sold it with 140k kms and never had a turbo problem. The only problem I had was a radiator top tank leak and an a/c compressor failure. Best car I have or will ever own.
Just bought a 2 ltr turbo falcon...2012 model, 125,000 km's on the clock. Goes well. Scratching around on youtube concerning the ifs, buts and maybes of turbo engines...this 20 minute gem was all I needed to know
I find your content very technically educational, and it helped me make informed decisions when discussing maintenance issues with my mechanics at service centers. Keep up the good work Sir. I am based in Malaysia.
🇲🇾
The Lexus Dealership here in Edmonton kept telling me that my 2019 nx that I put 14,000 kms a year on, just needed 1 oil change a year! I've been doing it every 6 months and even another oil change if the winter is really cold and the car is running under more extreme conditions. SO I am glad your advice reinforces what I am doing! As, i felt that as soon as that oil gets really dark time for an oil change!
Agree 100%. 16,000km/1yr intervals are insanity.
Oil being dark is not an indication of time to change. Milage is the key
@@blueberry2846try not to go beyond a year without changing the oil though, i have a Mazda 3 2010 that just got to 100k miles last week, i barely drive it (around 2k miles a year) but i always change the oil at least once a year.
The topic of this video is super interesting, in our particular case in the workshops here we are witnessing a strange combination of effects in vehicles with turbocharged engines, defective engines where the turbo presents internal destruction of the turbines and oil leaks, beides catalytic exhausts completely clogged
Every video I've watched on this channel raises my automotive IQ. It's been a while since I've watched one of your videos, and I'm so glad I decided to watch this one. Even though I don't drive a turbo car, I knew that if I clicked on this video I would learn something. Brilliant advice about cooling down a car off the highway simply by letting it run at idle for 1-2 minutes so the oil circulates through the hottest parts of the engine and lets the temperatures equalize out before shutting it down. I knew that but gradually forgot its importance. Thank you!!!!
Hey Car Nut, your Turbo explanation video on the moded out turbo sports car, versus the daily driver Turbo car was spot on!!! Thanks for putting these videos in terms we can all understand. Thank you for this video!!
My wife has a 2019 Jeep Wrangler JL Sahara with the 2.0 Turbo 4 cylinder with the mild hybrid Etorque system. At 72K miles it has been great so far. It drives great and I am making sure to follow all of this advice. Thank you.
Thank you for posting this excellent video, I remember my uncle reporting that his turbochargers had failed on his pickup truck, which he used for towing a 14,000 pound recreational trailer. It was right around the 100,000 mile mark. Fortunately he had an extended warranty and the turbochargers were replaced at no cost to him. I think he takes wonderful care of his vehicle -- he is still using it.
Did he have combo turbos or are you talking about the Ford Ecoboost?
Well said. Especially the early oil changes
This is probably the best video from the CCNut. The many ways which a turbo can cause grief is clearly described with clear logic. I have been leaning towards letting my car go the recommended 10K miles between oil changes but this video makes a strong case for more frequent service stops. Thank you. P.S. I drive a 2017 BMW 340i with manual transmission.
Seems like great advice indeed. The little engine is working much harder with a turbo, so needs much more care to last...
Always great advice... would love to see a video about the proper way to clean the engine compartment (as was mentioned several videos back). 😇
Great Video👌Thanks for taking the time to make it! Highly important video!!💪
Pretty spot on. Well said. The only correction is the impeller and turbine rpm. 20,000 rpm is cruising 35 mph. Most waste gates open to bleed boost at around 120,000 rpm. My Cadillac hits max boost at 123,400 to 124,220 or so depending on atmospheric pressure and density.
Taking a moment to appreciate Jose’s camera work. It looks amazing. Well done.
I had a speed 3, everything this man said about how to take care of a turbo car is spot on especially the shorter, more frequent oil changes.
What happened to it?
@@tyronenur2373 Sold it, nothing wrong with it - just wanted a change. I still regret selling it.
My 2013 3.5L EcoBoost now makes 650Hp with the CAI, the EGR bypass, BOV, 3” downpipes, large EFR TURBOS, huge Intercooler, remote oil coolers, and 5star tune. Love it. 170,000 miles and just breaking in . Lots of plugs and oil along the way to keep it happy.
What kind of oil do you use in it?
The knowledge here makes sense. We're all car guys here, so naturally we are all on top of maintenance and monitoring. Therefore unless someone is slacking on their maintenance or is a tuner, dont pass up a good deal on a car just because it has a T in it. Think of it this way, this is going to be an everyday commuter car that already is pre-modded.
I absolutely love your videos. The cirrus sr-22 T has a 9 liter flat air cooled six cylinder engine with two 30lb turbo chargers on it. The earlier models required a 5 minute cooldown period to avoid cooking oil on the bearings in the turbos. Also it’s pretty consistent across all piston airplanes to require a 5-10 minute warmup period at a min and see oil temps get to operating levels before you can take off. These expensive continental turbo engines are notorious for failing early and I really think it’s because you have a lot of men flying them that aren’t car guys and they think they can treat these huge engines like they are a vacuum cleaner. On-off. Even the 60,000 hp jets I fly for work are the same way. It’s 5 minutes min time from cold to takeoff at a min and after you land it’s three minutes to shut them off otherwise you could thermally shock the engine. I think Toyota and Honda were smart in the 1980s and 1990s to release naturally aspirated low power engines that were somewhat impervious to these kinds of abuses and really think they are the best cars ever made for mass consumption.
awesome post, i'm also an aviation guy, what do you fly?
Well said! Any ICE engine requires a warm-up period-Aluminum block or not! I would change oil in turbo vehicles every *3K* miles, just like I did in my diesel cars and trucks.
You know the most modern turbos also need that cool down after driven hard (even if WATER & Oil cooled) but car makers removed this "rule" so they can meet emmisions requirements because a car idling for a few mins is not good for those stats. This is evident when looking at older subarus 99/00 Model (on the drivers door is a sticker saying to let it idle 2 minutes after heavy driving. 2001 model Subarus did not have this sticker but the same engine same turbo, so people stopped letting them cool down and killed turbos early. Allowed to warm up and cool down properly a tiny TD04 on a 99 WRX should last 350-500,000KM or basically 2 Engine Lifespans
Awesome video! This helped me solidify what I already thought. Maintenance has never been more important. And don't drive your car hard. I found the idea of letting the engine cool down very helpful. I'm glad you explained that.
“Don’t drive your car hard” Hard to follow that advice when you got a beast V6 turbo
Drive it however you want. It's stupid that people think modern turbos wear this easily. Even the turbos on problematic turbo cars like the ecoboost arnt known to go. It's either the wetbelt or a coolant leak.
I love these "last longer" videos. Would love a series of this for all the parts ❤
Lifelong self taught (partly) DIY mechanic here. I just inherited a 2018 Buick Regal TourX (European Opel made) with GMs excellent 2.0 4 cylinder LTG Turbo engine. Never owned / driven a Turbo gas engine before this, but I'm impressed with it's performance & economy. I'll watch & take notes lol !
I loved my 87 dodge Daytona Shelby Z and my 98 eclipse GSX. They never burned oil but that was back in the day when 3,000 mile oil changes were standard. I think they took 10w30 and I always used synthetic. Todays 5000 mile oil changes feel like extended ones to me. I can't imagine going 10,000 miles without changing the oil on a turbocharged car with 0w 20 oil.
0w8 in some Toyotas. Lubricity of acetone.
@@DisabilityExams Viscosity is not an indication of how well it lubes. Are those Toyota cars you speak of hybrids by any chance?
Nice! I had an '87 Sundance 2.2L Turbo I 5 spd. coupe and it went to 155K before I traded it with the original turbo before it started to burn some oil every 3K. It truly was a good car considering the punishment & abuse it had to take from the young angsty fella that I was. 😅
I cant believe how fast 174Hp with a 5 speed felt back in the day. I hammered mine too. My 225/50/15 tires felt wide back then and contributed to my cv joint problems. I had to put new axels in it 3 times in the 4 years I owned it. 17 year old me was an idiot behind the wheel for most of the 60K miles I put on it. My mechanic bought it from me with 135K. @@gwrider2146
Yes, the 0w 8 just seems crazy to me. actually 0w 16 seemed crazy. @@DisabilityExams
Thx for the knowledge I have heard scotty Kilmer say it best, (paraphrase) you want more power buy car with bigger engine. No replacement for displacement 😎
You nailed it. Especially the manual boost controller- had those - blew up a 91 mr2 turbo engine
Absolutely love the 5 cylinder turbo (T5) in my 2014 Volvo V40 Cross Country. Have owned the car since new and just pushed through 45,000km. Regular Engine Oil (0W 30) & Filter changes every 5,000km or 6 months. 95 Octane only. Great car. No plans to ever sell.
Excellent video! Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience! With how turbocharged cars are becoming the norm more and more, I would be glad if I can get 200k miles before needing serious repair.
Sage advice for owners of these cars that bought them new or with a full service history. Unfortunately, the vast majority of people who lease cars do virtually no maintenance unless they are forced to. I've looked at countless carfax reports on dealers sites listing these 3 year old lease returns and easily 80% do not even follow the manufacturers recommended oil change interval which is too high anyway. Lots of them will do no oil changes in 30k miles and the rest will do one oil change. Buyer beware!!
I'm thinking of getting a turbocharges manual car for my next vehicle, and I'm all about optimizing the longevity of my vehicles. I really appreciate this advice!
Very helpful. I tried to always stay away from turbos but the truck market is forcing us into it. So I’m glad I came across this video. I like my vehicles to last as long as I have them.
Keep the beard growing.... You look good with it ! And keep up the cool videos specially the review of cars ! It helps way more than you think for smart buyers who think beyond the look and marketing
I rented a bmw 3 series M, and wow, that thing is amazing. Turbo charged on that engine made me teleported through traffic in the blink of an eye. Are they fun to drive? Yes! Reliable? Probably not! That’s why I rented it!
Very professional analysis of the subject! Thank you!
Thank you so much for this dude, you're an absolute angel and I am so thankful you're sharing this information free of charge in such a polite and friendly manner, God bless you.
I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens to Tacoma reliability with the new standard turbos
Seems like it might not be bad with a robust cooling system of its own. Turbos really add levels of complexity, added heat,added moving parts on bearings that can wear out. Not sure how Toyota will deal with it. Will Toyota compromise on turbo cooling and bearing quality? I guess we shall see, just like you said.
I would be surprised if the turbo isn't also water cooled, then, as mentioned, what will they change in the maintenance program. Maybe they do like Mercedes... If the automatic gearbox crash in certain models that are ten years old, they can't sell you a new one because they don't have any! Maybe the car is only driven 100,000 miles, and according to Mercedes the car should have been written of (long ago).
@@leiflillandt1488 written of or written off?
The one’s in the new Tundra’s aren’t doing so well…
Small engine being pushed hard? I won't be finding out ever.
A couple issues. Oil is pumped by a positive displacement pump and absolutely has no issue flowing through the turbo on warmup. If the pump can move the oil, which is ensured by the winter rating, you will get adequate oil pressure at the turbo immediately. Also, almost every competently designed modern turbo engine has an electric water pump and will run the pump and fan after shutdown. Additionally, thick oil warms up marginally faster than thin oil due to greater frictional losses. Agree with your advice overall just nitpicking 😊.
I was thinking the same thing. I have a BMW with twin turbos and an electric waterpump. Plus. BMW gives you an oil temp gage vs.a coolant gage. So you can see when the oil moves off the cold mark to start driving "spiritedly." One of my turbos gave out at 148k miles. Just put 2 new ones in. Lubrication is extremely important. Good tips here. I agree.
I did experience this with my GR Supra after turning off the engine.
If we are nit picking them an engine displaces the same amount of air every 2 revolutions regardless of charging. The only difference is air density the throttle body & turbo can increase or decrease the oxygen content via density changes NOT change the volume in the engine. It’s a very important distinction that all good tuners and engineers understand.
Well said!!!! Thanks for the easy to understand information on modern vehicles
Well, excellent video for someone who has no idea what turbo do I’m sure after viewing this they know now, and the warm-up and the cool down that’s something new to most people. I hope they remember otherwise, they’ll remember when it’s time for a new turbo. Great video take care.
Great info! I knew a lot, but I also learned a lot! One of our cars is a turbo, and I change the oil every 4,000 mi; in fact I do that for both cars. It's a bit higher maintenance costs, but I'm convinced it's one of the most important things to increase the longevity of the car.
As a Technician (Retired) for a Major rental Car Co. I have seen 1st. Hand how Turbocharged vehicles could show signs of wear Sooner than later, just as you advise attentive Car Maintenance I too mention this to those who are in the Market or own a vehicle of this Nature, Great Video well explained.
Every 3k miles is better
@@xroda_ might as well make it every time you fill up gas lol. Every 400 miles is even better!
@@xroda_I did every 5k, switching to 3k.
100% agree about the oil change intervals. Part of the issue is Direct Injection and amount of fuel dilutes the oil. But I’ve never cared for 7500+ mile oil change intervals. Most cars with engine issues that I’ve worked on, the owner goes by the oil reminder or manufactures recommendations.
Of course...it brings back the business.
What is your recommendation for how often oil should be changed? Video says for turbo to change at 6 months regardless of how little you drove it. Who can change their oil every 6 months??!
@@myefone1536 well that’s only twice a year. Unless you drive some sort of exotic, most oil changes take 20min at most. Now if that car only sees 1k miles per year, I’d say you’re probably fine to change oil once a year.
@@cpftank09 Thanks for that input. I guess it is true that twice a year isn't that much even though I really don't drive a lot at all anymore. Since it sounds like you're well-versed, can I ask what your opinion is of Mazda CX-5's? As in, do you find a lot of issues of carbon buildup that I keep reading about? Probably people not taking good care of their cars right. It's a direct fuel inj.
@@myefone1536 Once a year is fine if you're within the mileage. Oil doesn't break down like it used to.
As the owner of a turbocharged Sonata N line this was really informative and helped me realize I need to do things a bit differently!
Great explanation. I had a turbo failure at 11 years., they said it wasn't the miles, it was years. It wasn't a Toyota, but, I appreciate your comments....yes, more complicated system.
Honda for its 1.5 Turbo in the 2023 and later Accord🚗 and CRV🚙 changed the fuel recommendation to 91+ premium. Probably would be a good idea to use 91+ for all Honda turbos no matter the year to avoid problems that are showing up.
I think Honda is a great company but I really hope Toyota does a much better job with their new turbos than Honda did with the 1.5T. I wonder if that engine is good now or if it still has oil dilution problems? The 1.5 T is the modern turbo engine that makes me worry most about turbocharging.
If the car is made for regular it won't matter.
@briankalagher6687 Yep, and for that reason I always recomend 3K to 4K oil change intervals for 1.5L turbo Honda owners.🤷
That's not a great sign. Shows that the engine is operating at a very thin tolerance I would think. I would much rather have a larger displacement and NA and give up a few MPG in exchange. It's a shame that you have that option less and less as time goes on and V6 is not even an option.. I bought a 2015 Camry recently because it had the 6 cylinder which is quite a nice and reliable engine which I don't worry about like I would if I had gotten the Honda 2.0 turbo or even the older Honda V6.
@@briankalagher66872.4 t Toyota has being use since 2015 16 with the Nx no issues unlike Honda 1.5 blowing head gaskets
Thanks for this. My brother had his turbo fail on his Ford Fusion around 100K. Knowing him, I can guarantee he barely kept up with the manual's suggestion of 10K oil changes let alone doing something more conservative like 5K/6M or for a turbo perhaps 3K/6M. I also would not have thought of letting the car idle after a long trip and cooling the turbo down, that makes sense when you explained it.
It's not the length of the trip, but how hard it's been driven. If you're coming off a hwy into a gas station, yes, let it idle 30 seconds, to cool down a little. If you've driven it all day long in town, no need... Here in Europe, where the engines are much smaller, many are with turbochargers. Nobody lets them cool. You also need to know your car. Some cars have pumps the maintain some coolant flow to cool the turbo, if it sees it necessary.
Back in the late 90's early 2000's they made aftermarket turbo timers so when you parked your car turned off the ignition and the engine would run for 5 minutes to allow the turbo to cool, I had on of those on a 95 Eclipse way back in The Fast and The Furious days
@@carlosnavarro921 wow ngl that's pretty dope
@@carlosnavarro921 i remember those, i even remember a brand 'Turbo Timer'
Some turbo cars like the VW Golf R I had had a oil pump that would run for a bit after the car is turned off to continue to cool the oil for the turbo.
Some very sound advice here. Thank you for your channel and knowledge.
Thank you as a new owner of a Turbo car your information on how to care for a Turbo has been very interesting. I enjoyed listening to your video. I have subscribed to your channel.
Another superlative video, production and presentation. I bought my turbocharged 2008 SAAB 9-5 new in 2013 as a leftover after GM cut SAAB. Paid $17,500 for a $38,000 car. Your advice is spot-on. Since new, I have never stressed the turbo. In fact, 95% of the time I barely engage it. I now have 135,000 miles, change the oil, oil filter and air filter every 3,500 miles. This 9-5 has the lauded Mitsubishi TD04 turbocharger. It's not a dual-scroll. I've always warmed up the car and let it cool down. It's extremely rare for the TD04 to fail...they routinely last 200,000+ miles. At the time I was car shopping, the Honda Accord, Toyota Avalon and Toyota Camry were on my list. All were $30,000+. A pre-owned Lexus ES350 was $25,000. I park on the streets of Manhattan, where theft of parts is common. Garage parking is $500+ per month. The SAAB was a no-brainer. I would never buy a new turbocharged car. But for what I paid and the reliability and luxury received, I'd do this kind of deal over again. One thing I do hate...paying for premium fuel.
i have a Stinger, and on my commute to work i jump on the interstate less than 5 minutes from starting the car. So while its tempting to romp on it as soon as im on the ramp,. i use a light foot and gradually increase speed. then when i am getting closer to work i take it easy and let it cool down as im pulling into the parking lot and sort of idle it along until i get to where i want to park.
100% agree on the oil change frequency....just did a change on my RX500h at 5000 miles. This was the second change (first one at 1,000 miles) and the oil was pretty dark compared to non-turbo cars I own.
I'm listening and learning . Your videos are so good . Thank you, Sir .
One of your best videos!! I had a 1980 Turbo Trans Am and it had a sticker under the hood that said you must change the oil every 3,000 miles or you will invalidate your engine warranty. Of course that was before synthetic oils for cars were on the market.
Mobil 1 synthetic oils were first released for sale in the USA in 1974. I remember seeing the tv ads for it at the time. It was released in Europe before the USA release. Synthetic greases were in use by the military during the 1960s.
I don’t think that car had an actual turbo?
@@joelandersonphotoYes it did.
My brand new 80 Pontiac Formula had a turbo on it for about 2 months before it spun a bearing. It got a 455 as a permanent replacement. I have recently changed my mind about turbo engines because I learned you just have to take a little more care of them and they have gotten really good.
80 and 81 Pontiac 301 turbos were dogs. Most were replaced with a 400 or 455 Pontiac engine swap. They bolted right in and trippled the hp and torque.
2016 VW Golf R owner here with 55k miles. No issues to date. I follow these recommendations except i used to go fast and furious because its built for it. But cooling it dowm amd warming it up is part of my routine and i think that helped tremendously. Also, there is an oil pump that continues to pump fluid through the turbo after it is shut off, you can hear it rhnning each time.
Thats a nice 'fail-safe' they got integrated in your car. In case, accidently someone switches off the engine after a long drive, only to realise the mistake one made. The 'fail-safe' feature comes to the rescue.
Have a ‘19 Golf R & want to go Stage 1 tune when the 6 year warranty is up. 🤔
Thanks a lot, MD. This is exactly what I needed to hear. We own two turbo-charged engine cars...
As a teacher I can tell you that you are an excellent one, your explanation is top notch
All of this is fantastic material that I have talked to my customers ad nauseam for years. On turbo motors I also recommend a cool down timer installed on turbo vehicles even though manufacturers don't have them from the factory. They are an inexpensive modification that will allow the engine to idle for a specified amount of time after you turn the ignition off allowing the turbo and oil to cool a bit.
*Sounds like you are describing the HKS Turbo Timer from the '80s. A true engine saver. Cheers!*
Do turbos need oil change every 6 months like the video says? Even if you only drive about 450km a month? The Mazda SUV I want has turbo and I'm becoming more concerned that maybe I shouldn't get it with all the special treatment it will need. 😢😢
@myefone1536 If you are only driving that amount in a month, if you have a very short commute, then yes. Engines, especially turbo engines, need to get up to normal operating temperature on a regular basis, and if you are driving a short distance, they do not. When a motor is cold, it naturally runs richer to idle and run properly and blow by happens especially now with vehicles with low tension rings and very thin oil. When you get fuel blowing by into your oil and your motor doesn't get warm, the fuel in your oil will dramatically reduce your oils' lubrication properties due to dilution. Turbo motors are even worse for this because of the higher pressure in the combustion chamber, increasing blow by. Changing your oil every six months or 4,000 miles is inexpensive when you take the cost of engine repairs into account. Driving short distances and not allowing a motor to get fully warmed up you want to change it even more. I own a shop and have done this for 34 years and I still change the oil in my families vehicles no further than 4,000 miles and only use full synthetic. Oil is cheap, repairs aren't.
@@stevenyoung3360 ok, thanks for the advice. I suppose turbo isn't the best option for my lifestyle. Given what the video says and your explanation, I might not have chosen the right vehicle. I can get oil changes done more often that's not a problem. But there are several other things that I need to always be concerned about with a turbo and really all I want to do is just get in and drive lol. Turbos just seem so sensitive and I don't know that I can truly appreciate/tolerate them.
I have had 3 cars with turbo engines and never had a problem. Ahmed's advice is spot on.
You're unlikely have problems with a new car. It's the second and third owners we're concerned about.
@@0HOON0nah. My turbo Accord with 160k miles has literally zero issues. If previous owners changed oil on time, zero issues. But same thing applies to N/A anyway. Number of owners doesn’t matter.
Thank you for all the knowledge brother 🙏
Wow. Thank you so much for putting out this video.