Series 60 Turbochargers

Rev. Date 11-17-03

Detroit Diesel has established an initiative to review warranty concerns at the distributor and dealership level in order to provide a better product to the customer and to control costs. This is being done because business conditions have changed. In 1997, the Environmental Protection Agency forced a Consent Decree with the major North American Heavy Duty diesel manufacturers as a result of a change in the way they enforce the emissions regulations on these companies. With this change, the manufacturers introduced new technology for the 1998 model year. These releases were done with limited time for validation because the EPA shortened the implementation horizon. The products in 1998 caused a number of warranty issues. In the year 2000, the truck market collapsed and manufacturers were producing approximately half the volume they had produced in earlier years. Coming with that was a reduction in sales at dealerships. This change in the business structure resulted in repairing outlets examining the way they do business and concentrating more on warranty work. With this concentration, there was a move to volume increases in order to ensure employment and continue a revenue stream to compensate for lost revenue from lost truck sales. At the same time warranty activity was increasing in the field, the manufacturers were reducing headcount which could examine failed material. This left the horizon open for questionable activity with minimal failure analysis and review. Upon examination of the situation, Detroit Diesel determined that material analysis is a significant point of control as well as development of expertise at the repairing outlets. At the same time, items which are not warranty can only be controlled through material analysis. For this reason, there has been a change in the way Detroit Diesel looks at warranty to ensure proper diagnosis and repair as well as to control costs. A number of issues have had significant concern as a result of this; we want to make sure everyone understands those items which will be covered by warranty and those items which are customer responsibility. We have a specific approach to these.

Turbocharger
One of the initiatives Detroit Diesel has pursued in recent months is the establishment of material review at the remanufacturing centers. Prior to this, failure analysis could not be performed and there was minimal feedback to the repairing outlet as to what is and is not covered. In the review process in recent months, it has been determined which items are DDC responsibility and which ones are customer responsibility.

Compressor Wheel Burst

Primary causes of CWB is cycle fatigue or casting defect. The wheel will split through the center. This condition will be reimbursable under warranty during the coverage period.

Back Disc Failure

When a portion of the wheel near the larger diameter breaks away it is called a back disc failure. This is usually the result of a casting defect. This condition will be reimbursable under warranty during the coverage period.

Foreign Object Compressor

There are a number of failure modes which are customer responsibility. As an example, foreign object damage in the compressor is the most predominant cause of failure attributable to the customer or the installation. Typical FOC from a hard object digested by the turbo and from the air inlet. In this case, the leading edges of the blades will be damaged. This is a customer responsibility.

Foreign Object Compressor

FOC damage from sand will look as if the blades were sand blasted and the blades will appear to be notched. This is a customer responsibility.

Foreign Object Compressor

FOC from a large object will remove the entire blades from the compressor wheel. This is a customer responsibility.

Altered by Customer
Tampering with the turbocharger in any way is not acceptable. This is a tiewrap used to block the wastegate hose. Which will result in overspeed. This is customer responsibility.

Cocked Housing or Clamp Mis-alignment.

The clamp was not positioned properly. This will result in leakage and blade to housing contact. This is customer responsibility.

Splitter Blade Failure

Splitter blade failure is a fatigue failure of the secondary compressor wheel blade. This type of failure is considered to be OEM responsibility. It will usually be a single blade broken away from near the root of the wheel, imbalance will follow and usually break the shaft.

Cocked Compressor Housing on VNT Turbochargers

Turbocharger efficiency was increased with the VNT turbo by having less clearance between the compressor wheel and the compressor housing. Therefore greater care is needed when removing and replacing or indexing the compressor housing to avoid bending the blades. This damage is considered to be OEM if found at first time inspection, and customer is found after several service interval.

Other customer responsibility issues are oil starvation and contaminated oil resulting in bearing failure. Excessive side movement of the compressor wheel is the first indicator of bearing wear. This movement will allow the compressor to touch the compressor housing with little side pressure from your hand. When the bearings are worn-out the compressor wheel will make contact with the compressor housing all 360 degrees around the inside diameter of the compressor housing. Also look for the machining back of the compressor wheel blades.

Charge Air Cooler

Charge air coolers are not the responsibility of DDC as a rule. Major turbocharger failure will contaminate the CAC with oil and compressor wheel debris. After a major turbocharger failure, inspection and cleaning of the CAC is required, and the cleaning process is covered by DDC during the warranty period. Follow the recommendations in TS letter (00-TS-27)

Inside of a typical CAC

Oil contamination in the CAC will cause leaks in the CAC to show. The CAC should be cleaned and pressure checked to determine if it is still within the leak down specification. Leaks in the CAC may result in lost of engine performance, poor fuel economy, and shorten cylinder kit life. It is the customers responsibility to maintain the CAC.

Structural damage to the CAC from road hazards or mounting vibration is another area that is not a DDC responsibility.

Road Salt Ingestion

During the winter months of the year, there is a possibility of ingesting road salt into the air intake system. While operating a truck in areas that use road salt and during inclement weather, snow, water, and road spray may enter the air intake system and saturate the air cleaner element. The air filter stops the dirt and mud; however, the liquefied salt passes through the filter media with the water and then crystallizes on the other side. The result could be caked salt deposits, leading to restricted air system components, as well as abrasive and corrosive distress to internal engine components. If left undetected, loss of performance and engine life could occur. The recommendation is for more frequent than normal inspections of the air system on equipment operating under these conditions. For engines found to have salt deposits, the recommendation is to dissolve the salt by washing the turbocharger inlet with water flushes. Avoid water ingestion into the blade area as much as possible. If compressor blades are damaged, the turbocharger should be replaced for maximum engine performance and durability. Check all air inlet ducts for condition and integrity. Engines with heavy compressor housing salt deposits will probably have internal charge-air-cooler deposits. The CAC may require flushing with hot water and drained dry. The engine lubricating oil should be changed as soon as possible on affected units because salt ingested into an engine could cause dusting of cylinder kits and bearing distress from corrosion. Typical signs of unacceptable salt deposits are shown in the following photos.