01-04.5 DURAMAX 6.6L TURBO (LB7)

A turbocharger is a supercharging system that uses a centrifugal turbine for starting a centrifugal compressor in order to compress gases. It increases the efficiency of an engine’s internal combustion and power output by forcing some extra air into the combustion chamber. This represents an improvement over naturally aspirated engines because a compressor is capable of adding more air (and proportionate more fuel) than atmospheric pressure into the combustion chamber. Turbochargers are usually used on alternative internal combustion engines, mostly on diesel engines. The reason they are mostly used on diesel engines is that before turbochargers this kind of engine was, besides heavy, expensive and noisy, not very powerful compared to gasoline engines. With the help of a turbocharger, their power increased by almost 30%.

Turbochargers were first used for airplanes: due to the high altitude, they started to lose power, and needed this kind of device for forcing the introduction of air with more pressure to the engines. Turbochargers began to be first used for automobiles during the 60’s.

Approximately 40% of current automobiles have a turbo engine, and the tendency is that this percentage will continue growing.

Those who are fortunate to own a vehicle that has turbochargers will ask the question whether or not they need more than the ordinary service. The answer is “Yes”.

Fortunately, most of the maintenance tasks that need to be done on a turbocharged engine are simple and can be quickly done by an expert or maybe you can even do it yourself. Changing the air filter on a regular basis is one of the most simple but important things that you should do. It keep debris from causing problems with the turbochargers. It is also very important to double check the new air filter for imperfections so that there is no way of tiny particles getting past through it and into the turbocharger. An OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) air filter is highly recommended for preventing any damage.

In most cases, the severity of the damage on a turbocharger can be reduced by developing an inspection routine during the usual maintenance of your vehicle. One of the main things that creates stress to your turbocharger is just starting the engine. Lots of things are happening within just a few seconds when your car is starting, with one of the most significant of them being the oil flow that comes from the oil pump and into the turbocharger. During the engine start, there is a very short delay until the oil that is being pumped from the engine’s oil pan gets to the turbocharger. During that short period, the turbocharger spins much faster than the engine. Since the oil is the only lubricant for the turbocharger, it is important to ensure a quick delivery to prevent damage on the turbocharger’s bearings.