AC00023R00H

Parts-Service Gram 4/13/2017

See Models Below

TO: DEALER PRINCIPALS, BRANCH MANAGERS, SERVICE MANAGERS,

PARTS MANAGERS and TRAINERS

SUBJECT: Overview of Turbochargers used in Diesel Engines.

MODELS AFFECTED: F001 (H030-040FT), L/N/P177 (H040-070FT), N/P/R/S/U005

(H080-120FT), D/E/F/G024 (S135-155FT), H/J/K/L006 (H135-155FT), A/B/C299
(H170-190FT)

DESCRIPTION:

Terminology of components used in a generic turbocharger for diesel engines:

Figure 1: Generic turbocharger terminology

This Parts-Service Gram is confidential and for use by Hyster-Yale Group employees and authorized Hyster® dealers only. Do not
copy or distribute to unauthorized parties. We reserve the right to change the design of our products without incurring an obligation
to modify previously manufactured products.
 AC00023R00H
Page 2 of 13

Turbocharger purpose:
The purpose of a turbocharger is to compress the air flowing into the diesel engine, this
lets the engine squeeze more air into a cylinder and more air means that more fuel can
be added. The engine burns air and fuel to create mechanical power, the more air and
fuel it can burn the more powerful it is.

Turbocharger components and functionality:

A turbocharger comprises of a turbine and a compressor connected by a common shaft
supported on a bearing system. The turbocharger converts waste energy from an
engine's exhaust gases into compressed air, which it pushes into the engine. This
allows the engine to burn more fuel producing more power and improves the overall
efficiency of the combustion process.

Figure 2: Flow of gases in turbocharger

The turbine consists of two components; the turbine wheel and the turbine housing. The
exhaust gas is guided into the turbine wheel by the housing. The energy in the exhaust
gas turns the turbine. Once the gas has passed through the blades of the wheel it
leaves the turbine housing via the exhaust outlet area.

Compressors are the opposite of turbines. They consist of two sections; the impeller or
compressor wheel and the compressor housing. The compressor wheel is connected to
the turbine by a steel shaft. As the compressor wheel spins, air is drawn in and is
compressed as the blades spin at a high velocity. The housing is designed to convert
the high velocity, low pressure air stream, into a high pressure low velocity air stream,
through a process called diffusion. In order to achieve this boost, the turbocharger uses
the exhaust flow from the engine to spin a turbine at speeds of up to 150,000 rotations
per minute (rpm). Since it is connected to the exhaust, the temperatures in the turbine
are very high.

Confidential - For use by Hyster-Yale Group employees and authorized dealers only.
Do not copy or redistribute to unauthorized parties.
 AC00023R00H
Page 3 of 13

Air enters the compressor at a temperature equivalent to atmosphere however, as

compression causes the temperature of the air to rise it leaves the compressor cover at
temperatures up to 392° F (200°C). The turbocharger bearing system is lubricated by oil
from the engine. The oil is fed under pressure into the bearing housing, through to the
journal bearings and thrust system. The oil also acts as a coolant taking away heat
generated by the turbine. The journal bearings are a free floating rotational type which
floats between a film of oil.

A wastegate is a valve that controls the flow of exhaust gas to the turbine of a
turbocharger. It diverts excess exhaust gases away from the turbine thus controlling the
speed of the turbine and preventing it from spinning too fast which in turn regulates the
boost pressure provided by the turbocharger. By preventing the boost pressure from
rising indefinitely, the wastegate protects the turbocharger and the engine from damage.
A wastegate valve is controlled by a pressure actuator linked to the boost pressure of
the turbo. The wastegate is held shut by a spring inside the actuator, but when the
boost pressure exceeds the pre-set maximum, it compresses this spring, progressively
opening the wastegate. This allows the exhaust gases through, so that they bypass the
turbine, regulating its speed.

Confidential - For use by Hyster-Yale Group employees and authorized dealers only.
Do not copy or redistribute to unauthorized parties.
 AC00023R00H
Page 4 of 13

Turbocharger failure modes:

Turbocharger failure occurs due to the following:

a. Inadequate lubrication or oil delay

b. Contaminated oil
c. Oil leakage at turbocharger
d. Foreign object damage
e. Damage due to excessive exhaust temperatures or hot shut down of engine
f. Overspeeding

a. Inadequate lubrication or oil delay:

Inadequate lubrication is one of the most frequent causes for turbochargers to
fail. If the turbocharger is not sufficiently supplied with oil, damage will occur
within a very short time. This is due to the very high speeds of the turbocharger.

Effects:

 The impeller and turbine wheel can strike the turbocharger housing on
account of bearing damage (Figure 3). This can be seen from wear
marks on the housing (Figure 4).

Figure 3: Compressor wheel after Figure 4: Contact marks in the

contact with housing compressor housing

 If the oil feed pipe is empty and the turbo is un-primed it may take several
seconds for the lubrication to reach the turbo, by which time the damage
has already been done. This is caused when the turbo is new, or the
engine has just been rebuilt, but if the engine is stood for a long time the
oil feed pipe can drain and cause the same problems (Figure 5).

Figure 5 Carbon build up and blue heat marks

Confidential - For use by Hyster-Yale Group employees and authorized dealers only.
Do not copy or redistribute to unauthorized parties.
 AC00023R00H
Page 5 of 13

 The shaft shank exhibits clear discoloration (Figure 6), which arises from
friction and the resultant high temperatures between the shaft and the
bearings. The cause of this is inadequate lubrication. If the temperature
exceeds a certain level, the bearing material will become deposited on the
shaft (Figure 7) or the bushing might even become completely fused to the
shaft.

Figure 6: Discoloration of the Figure 7: Bearing material fused onto

shaft shank the shaft

 A broken shaft shank (Figure 8) is the result of operating the turbocharger

for a prolonged time without enough oil. The shaft material can thus burn
out and break.

Figure 8: Broken shaft shank

 If bushings that are permanently incorporated in the bearing housing

become fused to the shaft, the bushings might turn out of position in the
bearing housing (Figure 9).

Figure 9: Twisted bushing

Confidential - For use by Hyster-Yale Group employees and authorized dealers only.
Do not copy or redistribute to unauthorized parties.
 AC00023R00H
Page 6 of 13

 The rotating assembly can exhibit a large imbalance owing to the contact
with the housing, which might result in the radial bearing breaking (Figure
10).

Figure 10: Broken radial bearing

b. Contaminated Oil:
Dirt, soot, fuel, water, combustion residues, or metal abrasion can contaminate
the oil. Even the smallest particles in the oil can cause serious damage to the
turbocharger due to its extremely high speeds.

Effects:

 The smallest foreign substances in the oil cause grooves in the bushings
(Figure 11). The piston rings in the turbocharger can undergo serious
wear. As worn piston rings can no longer adequately seal the
turbocharger, the oil enters the turbine side, which can be discerned by
increased oil consumption.

Figure 11: Grooves in the radial bearing

 The bearing play of the rotating assembly increases due to the worn
bushings. This leads to wobbling movements and causes the turbine
wheel or impeller to come into contact with the housing (Figure 12). The
shaft might subsequently break off.

Figure 12: Turbine wheel after contact with housing

Confidential - For use by Hyster-Yale Group employees and authorized dealers only.
Do not copy or redistribute to unauthorized parties.
 AC00023R00H
Page 7 of 13

 Due to a blocked oil return line, the oil in the turbocharger can no longer
flow off and is instead forced out to the compressor and turbine side. On
the turbine side, the oil might then burn onto the shaft and coke (Figure
13). Owing to the oil carbon layer, the bearing housing and the piston
rings might be significantly worn off as a consequence.

Figure 13: Carbonized oil on the turbine side

 The shaft of the turbocharger shows clear signs of wear at the bearing
points (Figure 14).

Figure 14: Clear signs of wear on the shaft at the bearing point

c. Oil leakage at turbocharger:

If the engine shows signs of increased oil consumption and emits blue smoke, it
is imperative that the turbocharger is included in the cause analysis. Oil is forced
out of the housing from a turbocharger only if divergent operating conditions
predominate in its environment.

Effects:

 If the oil return line of the turbocharger is clogged (Figure 15) or

constricted by a kink, the oil can no longer flow out of the turbocharger. A
possible cause for clogged oil return lines is the coking of the return line,
which might be due to missing heat shields, a poorly routed return line,
heat soak, inadequate oil quality, or the use of liquid sealants. As the
turbocharger is still supplied with oil from the engine circuit, the oil then
escapes to the turbine or compressor side.
 If the engine is supplied with too much oil, the oil can no longer flow back
out of the oil return line into the oil pan. The crankshaft also splashes up
the oil. This results in the oil foaming, which forms an additional barrier for
the returning oil from the turbocharger.

Confidential - For use by Hyster-Yale Group employees and authorized dealers only.
Do not copy or redistribute to unauthorized parties.
 AC00023R00H
Page 8 of 13

 If the pressure in the crankcase is too high either because of too high
blow-by or due to blocked crankcase ventilation, this pressure will also be
transferred to the oil return line of the turbocharger. The oil drainage from
the turbocharger is thus hindered, and the oil escapes from the turbine or
compressor side.

Figure 15: Carbonized oil return line

d. Foreign object damage:

If foreign substances, such as dust, sand, screws, parts of piston rings or valves,
and sediments, enter on the intake or exhaust side, this will usually lead to total
failure of the turbocharger due to the very high speeds. Damage to the charge air
cooler might also be the consequence.

Effects:

 Foreign substances in the intake air result in damage to the impeller

(Figure 16). The vanes might become completely worn as a result. It can
be caused by anything from dust entering the turbo through poor (or no)
air filters, right through to large pieces of debris in the air system from
previous failures. Anything that adversely affects the efficiency of the
compressor will result in poor performance, noise, and potential failure.

Figure 16: Impeller/compressor wheel damaged by foreign substances

Confidential - For use by Hyster-Yale Group employees and authorized dealers only.
Do not copy or redistribute to unauthorized parties.
 AC00023R00H
Page 9 of 13

 This is similar to compressor wheel impact damage but is caused by bits

coming from either the combustion chamber (lumps of carbon, injector
tips, bits of valve) or the manifold itself (rust flaking off old manifolds or bits
of weld on new manifolds). This debris enters the exhaust housing and is
smashed about by the spinning turbine shaft causing considerable
amounts of damage (Figure 17). The amount of damage caused is usually
linked to the size of the debris in question, but it can cause anything from
severe pitting, to knocking off all the turbine blades. The results will be a
noisy, inefficient turbo with a very short life.

Figure 17: Turbine wheel damaged by foreign substances

 The intake passage of the compressor housing might be damaged (Figure

18).

Figure 18: Foreign substance impact in the intake passage of the

compressor housing

Confidential - For use by Hyster-Yale Group employees and authorized dealers only.
Do not copy or redistribute to unauthorized parties.
 AC00023R00H
Page 10 of 13

e. Damage due to excessive exhaust temperatures or hot shut down of

engine:
Each turbocharger is designed for only a defined temperature range. If this range
is exceeded, the turbocharger can fail after just a few seconds. It is
recommended to idle the engine for two to three minutes to cool the bearing
system before shutting down. Turbine end heat soaks into the bearing
housing which results in oil carbonization and corrosion of the bearing
system.

Effects:

 Failure from excessive exhaust temperatures or hot shutdown of engine

results in carbon build-up (Figure 19)

Figure 19: Carbon build-up on shaft

 The main damage occurs to the shaft seal ring and grooves, turbine end
bearing (Figure 20) and bearing housing (Figure 21) oil drain cavity
blockage.

Figure 20: Bearing damage Figure 21: Crack in the turbine

due to hot shutdown housing

Confidential - For use by Hyster-Yale Group employees and authorized dealers only.
Do not copy or redistribute to unauthorized parties.
 AC00023R00H
Page 11 of 13

f. Overspeeding:
The parts installed in the turbocharger are designed for a defined speed range. If
this range is exceeded, major turbocharger damage can occur within seconds.

Effects:

 Small dents can be seen on the rear of the impeller (Figure 22). The
material has deformed permanently due to high centrifugal forces at
overspeeds. It begins to flow and the outer diameter increases.

Figure 22: Dents on the rear of the impeller

 If the speeds increase further, the impeller can come into contact with the
housing and/or break apart (Figure 23).

Figure 23: Broken apart impeller

Confidential - For use by Hyster-Yale Group employees and authorized dealers only.
Do not copy or redistribute to unauthorized parties.
 AC00023R00H
Page 12 of 13

Best practices to increase Turbocharger life:

Turbocharger failures can be avoided by following these best practices:

1. The engine must be warmed up and cooled down. The engine must always be
cooled down at moderate speeds after high stress, such as driving at full load.
2. The engine must be supplied with enough oil.
3. Engine oils specified (correct grade) by the OEM should be used.
4. Preventative maintenance intervals according to the OEM recommendations
should be complied with.
5. High-quality oil filters specified for the respective forklift should be installed.
6. The engine must only be filled to the specified maximum oil level.
7. The oil return line and the connections to the crankcase must be checked for
continuity.
8. The crankcase ventilation must be checked and replaced, if necessary.
9. The piston and piston rings must be checked for wear and replaced, if necessary.
10. Clean or replace oil inlet pipes to eliminate any carbon deposits or sludge that
could enter the turbo or restrict oil flow to the bearings
11. Ensure all air hoses are in good condition, intact and free from blockages or
loose items.
12. Always use new gaskets to create perfect seals and avoid gasket breakup.
13. Always fit the correct new air filter
14. Check there are no turbo or engine fragments in the system from the previous
failure, before fitting the replacement.
15. Ensure there are no blockages or restrictions in the air and oil systems.
16. Ensure there are no leaks in the exhaust system.
17. Do not use silicone on oil gaskets; it can easily become detached and block oil
passages.
18. Check the oil pressure and oil supply to the turbo.

Confidential - For use by Hyster-Yale Group employees and authorized dealers only.
Do not copy or redistribute to unauthorized parties.
 AC00023R00H
Page 13 of 13
Turbocharger failure diagnosis matrix:

EFFECT

Cyclic sound from the turbocharger

Oil leak from compressor seal

Oil leak from turbine seal

Poor transient response

High oil consumption

Black exhaust smoke

Blue exhaust smoke

Engine lacks power
Engine running hot

Turbocharger noisy
Smoke
TURBOCHARGER FAILURE DIAGNOSIS MATRIX

Dirty air cleaner

(Clean or replace element)
Restricted compressor intake duct
(Remove restriction or replace damaged parts)

Restricted air duct from compressor to intake manifold

(Replace seals, gaskets or tighten fasteners)
Restricted intake manifold
(Remove restriction)
Air leak in feed from air cleaner to compressor
(Replace seals, gaskets or tighten fasteners)
Air leak in feed from compressor to intake manifold
(Replace seals, gaskets or tighten fasteners)
Air leak between intake manifold and engine
(Replace gaskets or tighten fasteners)
Foreign object in exhaust manifold-from engine
(Remove obstruction)
Restricted exhaust system
(Remove restriction or replace damaged parts)
Exhaust manifold cracked, gaskets blown or missing
(Replace gaskets or damaged parts)
Gas leak at turbine inlet/exhaust manifold joint
CAUSE & (FIX)

(Replace gasket or tighten fasteners)

Gas leak in ducting after turbine outlet
(Repair leak)
Restricted turbocharger oil drain line
(Remove restriction or replace damaged parts)
Restricted engine crankcase breather
(Clear restriction)
Turbocharger bearing housing sludged or coked
(Change engine oil and oil filter, overhaul or replace
turbocharger)
Fuel injection pump or fuel injectors incorrectly set
(Replace or adjust faulty components)
Engine valve timing incorrect
(Correct settings and adjust)
Worn engine piston rings or liners
(Repair)
Burnt valves and/or pistons
(Repair)
Excessive dirt build-up on impeller and/or diffuser vanes
(Clean)
Turbocharger damaged
(Repair or replace turbocharger)
Failed diaphragm
(Replace)
Siezed valve
(Free valve/replace complete turbine housing sub-assembly)
Leaking hose
(Replace hose and clips)
Wastegate mechanism set incorrectly
(Set mechanism correctly)

Figure 4: Turbocharger failure diagnosis matrix

WARRANTY REIMBURSEMENT:
This Parts-Service Gram is for information purposes only.
Confidential - For use by Hyster-Yale Group employees and authorized dealers only.
Do not copy or redistribute to unauthorized parties.