Turbo Problem

[Dukeinhaler]

Driving today on hiway 50 in Nevada. 2006 Fleetwood Revolution LE. (C-9 Cat Engine) Check engine light comes on and start losing power. Boost on the turbo goes to 0.0 Lasts about 10-15 seconds and light goes off and boost returns. 2 minutes later same thing but no boost lasts longer. Turn around and head back to Sparks/ Reno. After the 5-6 episodes the boost does not return and we limp into Sparks. All other perameters remain normal. Do you think it is a computer problem or a mechanical problem? Will call the Cat dealer in the morning. Just wondering what to expect.

Dukeinhaler

[Dixieray53]

When our turbo went it was a loss of power, then fine, then another, and then the
turbo's gone. Not a mechanic but sounds like the turbo's gone. Best of luck. D

[Mike Thomas]

Loss of boost can be caused by several things. Turbo is just an air pump that pumps air into the engine. The system starts with the turbo, then the air goes through rubber hoses through a 'charge air cooler" or CAC, that looks like a radiator, then more hoses, and then into the intake manifold.

You could have just had a hose clamp come loose, a hole in a hose, a hole in the charge air cooler, etc. Could be just a control that tells the turbo to start pumping air.

A turbo that breaks is usually the last thing to occur. All those other things usually happen first. A normal part of service is to pressure test the hoses and charge air cooler. We do it at every service interval on our semi trucks. I made the plugs with pressure gauges and valves out of 3 inch pvc piping, and do it myself.

[WayneC]

We had a turbo shutdown with our Cummins motor. We limped into Rocky Mountain Cummins in Reno and they found a clogged fuel filter causing the computer to shut off the turbo due to low fuel pressure. 3000+ miles later we have not had anymore turbo problems.

[Dukeinhaler]

Well.............we limped into the CAT dealer in Sparks, NV. The next morning they hooked up the computer to the coach and two codes were listed. Low coolant level and very low coolant level. Both of these codes derate the engine (turn off the turbo). I checked the tank and it was full??? I asked the tech if it could be the sensor in the tank. He said no, "they never go bad". He then spent 4 1/2 hours looking for another sensor (we don't even have a second sensor he was looking for!), looking at wiring, looking at the water pump, 3/4 the time on the computer. After repeated prods from me he canged the sensor and that was the problem. Took 5 minutes. I walked out with a bill for $752.00!!! Almost $600.00 labor!!! I was quite upset but no adjustment. Damn. Was at Wagner CAT in Pueblo, CO about 6 weeks ago. Had an oil and filter change, adjusted the valves, fuel filters changed, installed a new oil filler tube, updated the computer software, cleaned the radiator, installed new gauge to monitor the hydralic fluid pressue. $425.00 (took about 6 hours) Thats more like it.