How much noise is a healthy turbo supposed to make? I notice that mine (original @ 140K) kind of "whines" a litle when I get to the top of a gear, right before I upshift. It's not real loud, so I haven't been too concerned. I don't mind the noise (actually, I rather I like it) but is this normal?

Any idea how much life is left in this thing? Is 140K "outrageously high" mileage for an original turbo? Paul S. posted something to the effect that the PO owner of his 245T had the turbo replaced two or three times in 200K. Yikes!! Any tips for a long life?

Thanks guys, for putting up with my endless (and pointless??) questions. ;)

Paul gives good advice. I have to report that I still have the original turbo at 260,000 miles and it does whine a little. This is no doubt caused by an imbalance caused by pitting of the blades.

Practically speaking, an extended idle is only necessary after hard driving, such as through the mountains and then having to make a pit stop. The turbo gets really hot and could still be spinning. If you are driving back home and driving through your neighborhood at the required 25 mph, hyour turbo is not working and the engine is not working hard at all. So idel home, sit in the driveway for a short time, less that 30 sec to a min and shit it off. If yours is water cooled, you will have no problems at all due to the water siphoning effect, the hot water in the turbo will rise replaced by cooler water.

The biggest problem would be coking of the oil return line, ie it gets blocked. Another would be the rubber inlet hose deteriorates due to the heat, a problem I currently have. Another problem, broken exhaust manifold studs if you try to remove them.

You also need to fix any oil leaks.

I hope this helps.

People have gone over 200K on original turbos...rare but possible.

I put (at least) the third turdbo in my 245Ti at about 170K right after I bought it. I say "at least" because the one I removed was water cooled...so it wasn't original. The old one spun ok and didn't blow much oil but the manifold and turbine housing had some nasty cracks. I'm now at 216,500 miles and doing great.

It really isn't that hard to make them last...but like most used cars I have bought, the PO had negative IQ's. I mean the instructions are in the glove box manual. (Really I'm the moron for buying cars from people with IQ's on par with small amphibians)

1) Always idle the the car down prior to shut down. A decent amount of time after hard drives....not as long required if you idle a few blocks putting into your neighborhood.

2) Always, always use synthetic oil. Ever notice the very short oil change interval recommended for turbos? This is because, even with idling down, turbos literally destroy petroleum based oils in short order. No thanks.

3) Never go into full boost until car is nicely warmed up.

4) Always pay attention to noises, and pop the hood at least twice a week to see that all your nice handy work is holding up. Don't wait to analyze a potential "problem".

Your whine may NOT be your turbo, but a turbo hose with a small hole howling under pressure. If you haven't yet, remove all hoses before and after the intercooler and inspect the under parts, especially where the hose clamps go....tip: look on the inside of the hose, if you suspect a crack, it is a crack under boost.

Your informative messages are a pleasure to read, Paul.

I am scratching ny head about this, though:

> 1) Always idle the the car down prior to shut down. A decent amount

> of time after hard drives....not as long required if you idle a few

> blocks putting into your neighborhood.

I understand. It's very clear. But what I DON'T understand is why Volvo did not build such wisdom into the car. Maybe it's asking too much. But they did build in headlights that know enough to turn themselves off when the ignition key is turned off, if you know what I mean. How long, in contrast, did it take U.S. manufacturers to come how far with such a basic feature?

While checking out sources of automotive/OEM/off-road equipment gauges on the Internet a few days ago I came across a few versions of an electronic device that idles a turbo engine until some pre-set temperature is reached (if I read it right), then shuts all off. The driver has, in the meantime, locked all doors and gone into the house, etc. Costs $200+. An attractive option for some people/some times? Clever, anyway!

Maybe this whole issue is like the knee exercises that I should be doing, and that my older daughter should be doing. We KNOW it helps. But we coast until pain appears, and only then resume. :-(

We do floss and brush nightly, though. :-)

How do you make turbo cooldown similar to flossing and brushing?

Volvo could for sure do it on newer turbos. Don't know why they don't, other than initial expense. The continued running type may have liability problems, pollution arguements, etc. The continued oil pump after engine shut down type would not cause more pollution, less because in theory idle down would not be required. I almost want to buy one of these but....

I'm, by nature a forgetful person, but somehow idle cooldown comes naturally.

Dear Pablisimo, thanks for the response. Could you fill me in, please? I think that your answer referred to two TYPES of turbo cooldown devices? Does Volvo the manufacturer implement either of them? Run-until-cool I can grasp. Is there another type that somehow PUMPS OIL through [which portion?] the engine/turbo until cool? Fascinating!

> I'm, by nature a forgetful person, but somehow idle cooldown comes

> naturally.

Forgetful. We are related in that. But also in remembering to care for the cars a bit. My new driver (16 years old) gets the drift, and now starts the car when she gets in, rather than immediately before she is ready to drive away. It's generally somewhere between 0 degrees F and freezing here in the winter, so it helps. She also catches on that the A/T appreciates a little run in before you bash your way through the ice-choked paths. Yea!

My wife, on the other hand, doesn't get it. Works by method, by routine... nearly unvarying. Which is great if you are making biscuits, but not if you are making... What is it you said you would do nearly anything to get?

There is another alternative and that is similar to an Acusump. An acusump

is used in racing as a reservoir for oil for when the oil sloshes away under high G forces and for instant oil pressure on startup. Places like Turbo City have a kit that uses the same kind of unit for your turbo. Basically it keeps oil going through the turbo for up to 2 minutes after you shut the motor off. The tank gets pressurized oil and has a check valve so it can't go in the wrong direction. When you shut off the motor the pressure is lost and the oil runs out to lube the bearings in the turbo. I haven't installed one but I would like to. Cost used to be around $100 for the basic kit.

Very cool, Dave. What will they think of next? Simple solution (in concept anyway) to get oil flowing past hot spot (turbo) for 2 minutes. I can see where it's a gadget you'd have your eye on. Thanks for the info!

"1) Always idle the the car down prior to shut down. A decent amount of time after hard drives....not as long required if you idle a few blocks putting into your neighborhood."

What is an acceptable duration? I've been letting her run for a minute or so in the driveway after cruising down the freeway. I have a crotchety old neighbor who insists that I am somehow "polluting" by allowing my car to idle. Can't say that I can see a difference in that regard between idling in the driveway and cruising at 70mph. Now I understand that a cold engine does tend to "pollute" more, but...

"2) Always, always use synthetic oil. Ever notice the very short oil change

interval recommended for turbos? This is because, even with idling down,

turbos literally destroy petroleum based oils in short order. No thanks."

The manual suggests 3500 miles for the turbo, 7500(!) for the n/a engine.

Nowhere does it recommend the use of synthetic oil. Isn't oil oil, afterall? Can't really blame me for thinking this way when synthetic costs 2-3x as much as dino...

"3) Never go into full boost until car is nicely warmed up."

Okay, so don't put my foot into until I've driven a few miles.

I'm also curious about your statement that the "instructions are in the glovebox manual." The book that came with my 242Ti does not appear to be turbo-specific. Says "DL GL Turbo" on the cover. It's green with a pic of a 244T on the front. Same thing you've got? I don't see any specific items related to the turbo, except to change the oil every 3500 mi. vs. 7500.

Thanks for the help. I really appreciate it, Paul.

Also in my 1985 manual on page 52 it does mention synthetic oil...didn't catch that before.

Oil is not oil. Synthetic oils are "engineered and manufactured" - ok buzzwords I know, but basically they are synthesized from basic smaller molecules to yield an almost pure base stock. These base stocks are typically polyolefins or diester oils. Amsoil uses both. These base stocks are then blended with the best antiwear additives, neutralizing agents, defoamers, detergents and dispersants (all in small amounts relative to the amount of base oil). Anyhow this oil package can withstand temperatures that destroy petroleum oil in a heartbeat.

Why? Refined petroleum oil is still a many component, nature made blend. All sorts of long and short chain oils. Some stable some not. Some volatile some not. When hot the volatile stuff boils off and the unstable molecules break. To make things worse along come the wide spread multi weight oils. 10W-40 and 20W-50....bad news for petroluem oils because they can't make this viscosity spread on their own. These oils need pour point agents to make them flow at low temps and viscosity enhancers to make them more viscous at high temps....the problem with these agents (solvents and thickeners) is that they are not stable either.

So what does this have to do with your turbo? Well the previous owner of my car always ran Castrol 20W-50. In fact he bragged about it. I wouldn't even use this oil in a putt-putt non turbo. That crap killed his turbos and he didn't even know it.

Jonathan is right, there was not much for consumers when it came to synthetic oil. Volvo didn't start recommending synthetic until the 1990's. (It's in my 1996 850 manual for example)

You must have a 1984 manual. In my 1985 manual on page 36 there is a "Turbo Caution" section: "Do not race engine when cold"....."let it idle a short time..to allow the compressor vanes to slow"...."After hard driving idle for a few minutes.....risk of heat damage and/or turbine seizure due to lack of lubrication".

Why? Because the turbine rides on an "oil bearing" - if the thing is still spinning at 100,000 rpm when the engine/oil pump/oil pressure stops the turbine bearing surfaces will litterally have nothing but metal to metal contact....WHOOPS!!!!!!!!!

I'm not hypeing the synthetic oil. You want your turbo to last. It's no joke.

Rob,

You are obviously concerned about the lifespan of your Turbo. All the evidence suggests that synthetic oil is vastly superior to dino oil in terms of high-temp protection and preventing premature breakdown. These are the two things that turbo motors tend to cause. So why not spend the 10 extra bucks for some Amsoil or Mobil 1? Practically free compared with a new turbo.

As for the manual not recommending synthetic, think about when the manual was written. The only synthetic produced in 1984, to my knowledge, was Amsoil, and it was not readily available then. Times have changed.

Your neighbor knows very little about emissions. The car is fully warm as you let it idle in the drive. Yes, it pollutes more than if you turned it off, but not any more (likley less) than if you drove it for the given time (2-3 min is fine)