Do you remember what it felt like the first time you were left with your own car? I remember just feeling so happy and free, and so I decided to try to help my own teenagers get a car of their own. However, after we found the right cars to buy, it was immediately clear that they needed to learn how to take care of their vehicles. In addition to talking with them about regular maintenance, I also started focusing with my kids to figure out a routine maintenance schedule that would help. They were great to work with, and now I can honestly say that their cars are beautiful inside and out.
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Diesel turbocharger systems are extremely complex. There is a myriad of components that can go faulty over time and allow air to leak out of the intake system. Below are the most common culprits for air leaks in the turbocharger system that you can diagnose in your own driveway.
If you don't find any issues after performing these diagnoses, but you're still experiencing the symptoms of a leak, the culprit may be something much more complicated like a faulty wastegate or faulty internal turbocharger components. In that case, you should take your truck to a reputable diesel mechanic to have the problem professionally diagnosed and repaired.
Vacuum Leaks
A vacuum leak can cause a number of issues. Depending on the severity of the leak you may experience inconsistent idling behavior, boost pressure surges under acceleration, and black exhaust smoke due to your engine running rich.
Open up the hood of your truck, and you'll see an intricate system of vacuum hoses hooked up to the various intake components. A lot of trucks even include a vacuum hose diagram in the owner's manual — that can be a valuable tool for diagnosing leaks, so check to see if your owner's manual includes one.
Check all of the vacuum hoses for damage. They're made of rubber, so they're prone to dry-rot and heat damage over time. If the hoses themselves aren't damaged, check all of the clamps that keep the ends of the hoses tight on their fittings. Replace any damaged clamps and tighten them all down to ensure they are airtight.
Boost Leaks
If your truck's vacuum system checks out, the culprit causing issues may be the intercooler system. Leaks in the intercooler system will let boost pressure seep out, leading to the same symptoms as a leaky vacuum system mentioned above.
Check all of your intercooler pipes for damage. Pay especially close attention to the welds that link bent sections of the piping together, as the welds are prone to cracking due to engine vibrations. Alternatively, some intercooler systems use rubber adapters to link the pipes together. Make sure all rubber adapters are free from damage and are bolted down airtight. Finally, move on to the intercooler radiator and check all of its welds for cracks.
Intake Manifold Leaks
If your truck's intercooler system is all airtight, the culprit may be a leaky intake manifold. As your turbocharger spools up, it shoves pressurized air straight into the intake manifold. That pressure, combined with heat stress from the engine, can lead to cracks in the manifold welds or a leaky manifold gasket.
Carefully inspect the entire intake manifold and make sure there are no cracks in the runners or welds. Then, rub baby powder all around the manifold gasket. Start your engine and have someone rev it while you examine the manifold. If the gasket has a leak, you'll see the baby powder poof away in the leaky sections. For more information, contact a company like Scotty's Automotive Center.
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