Symptoms of a dying turbo?

Top Dog

Need help from the mechanically knowledgeable of you.

Our Shogun has started acting strange in the last week and a half. Sometimes it'll pull cleanly, developing full boost, seems absolutely fine. But other times it struggles to make boost, boost can be seen fluctuating on the boost gauge, if I put my foot to the floor it stops making boost altogether and there's a lovely oily blue cloud out the back.

I've had it in with a mechanic and he says all signs point to the turbo on the way out, but for some reason I'm hesitant to believe him. If the turbo was truely on the way out then could it still make full boost now and again? Would it not be always acting up? I got it back yesterday and decided to test it out - hooked the caravan on the back (about 1400kg) and did a 30 mile drive with it. Drove fine for about 95% of the journey, only doing its boost fluctuation thing once. Then did 100 miles solo today and it acted up properly 3 times - twice while pressing on to overtake a truck. I'd say 80% of the journey was normal driving behaviour from it, with only occasional surging here and there.

Fuel consumption doesn't seem affected. Its burning a bit more oil alright, but its only noticable when I have the foot down. There's no whining out of the turbo or other noises out of the ordinary.

So what do folks think? Is the turbo really on the way out or could it be something else?

Greyfoot

What mileage? Turbo alright, oil seal shot, good luck

Top Dog

As near as makes no difference to 140k miles on it.

Good luck meaning drive away and get it fixed when I can?

I'm basically trying to figure out whether or not to take the gamble on driving it to Dublin this weekend which is 180 miles each way.

Greyfoot

Keep her off boost until checked out properly, no local mechanic around?

Bejubby

Answer
When u go to switch off the engine and it keeps running on until it blows up.