Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Cleaning veins of turbo?

[rotohead]

Can't believe how dirty the inside of my turbo is. Have been running a AMSOIL oil bath type filter for many miles. May have to look for something different.

Is there a safe way to wash/clean the inside of the turbo, preferably on the truck? I know we used to clean compressor sections in helicopter engines with a solution sprayed into the intake while motoring the engine. Can something similar be done here? I did a search but came up with nothing.

Chuck

 

[bmoeller]

Sounds like the filter has been over-oiled. I'd suggest a BHAF. No oiling or cleaning required. Maybe even an Outerwears water proof cover.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

the BHAF is a good filter, but it's too restrictive and too quiet for my taste...



honestly? I wouldn't worry about it, but if you don't want to see the dirty impeller blades, with the engine NOT running, just hose it down w/ some brake cleaner or carb cleaner... don't fire the engine up at least overnight to allow the solvent to evaporate...

 

[jwilliams3]

The only thing I have found that will clean oil off of the aluminum blades is Simple Green. Q tips work great to apply and cleanse.

 

[rotohead]

Have used this AMSOIL filter on my Airbulldog hood for six or seven years now and always watchd it very closely. This is the first time it hasn't passed the white glove test. I have always put the recommended amount of AMSOIL filter oil (can't remember the amount off the top of my head) every time... in a large plastic bag and work it into the filter, then let it sit overnite. Never seen this kind of problem with it.

BHAF's don't work on a Airbulldg setup because it uses the factory square filter.

I like Simple Green so I'll try that. I would think accumulated dirt on the blades can lead to inefficent airflow just as it does in any turbine and result in hotter than normal temps.

Chuck

 

[NoSeeUm]

Any chance your bearing oil seal is leaking?



Jim

 

[rotohead]

Any chance your bearing oil seal is leaking?



Jim

That's what I'm looking into right now. I think that is what is happening.

Thanks

Chuck

 

[NoSeeUm]

The only thing I have found that will clean oil off of the aluminum blades is Simple Green. Q tips work great to apply and cleanse.

Ever try this with the truck idling?



Jim

 

[jwilliams3]

Yeah just make sure you get the angle right on the q tips!:-laf

 

[NoSeeUm]

Yeah just make sure you get the angle right on the q tips!:-laf

LOL



As dumb as it sounds, actually my question was serious. Anyone ever tried just spraying a non-flamable solvent on the compressor blades with the engine idling?



Jim

 

[rotohead]

LOL



As dumb as it sounds, actually my question was serious. Anyone ever tried just spraying a non-flamable solvent on the compressor blades with the engine idling?



Jim

I know with small turbine engines used in helicopters we would motor (without fuel/igniter) the engine over and spray a solvent into the intake. Most effective cleaning, in my experience, happened when you kept the rpm down low during the cleaning process. Higher rpm's would not show very good results. Engines operated in fire fighting work would suck in an incredible amount of smoke which is full of all sorts of stuff that loves to stick to turbine blades. The stuff that would drain out was always shocking to me.



Chuck

 

[BTowler]

Switch to the Amsoil Ea series air filters, no oil and they work great!

 

[JOdell]

Switch to the Amsoil Ea series air filters, no oil and they work great!

I was going to suggest that. The EAau4510 fits real nice in the second gen trucks. -Jason

 

[Mundgyver]

I would not spray simple green into the turbo or any other cleaning agent in there. A jet engine does not have pistion and yes you can clean them with a good solvent wash or powdered walnut shells with no problem. This won't work with a turbo as you will wind up killing the pistons and pistion walls.



Your best method of cleaning is to remove the turbo and use Iso-propol Acohol to cut the oil film from the turn blades. Then you can air dry with a compressor and reinstall. This will also allow you to examin the blades on both side for wear, play and possible cracks and fatigue.

 

[rotohead]

I would not spray simple green into the turbo or any other cleaning agent in there. A jet engine does not have pistion and yes you can clean them with a good solvent wash or powdered walnut shells with no problem. This won't work with a turbo as you will wind up killing the pistons and pistion walls.



Your best method of cleaning is to remove the turbo and use Iso-propol Acohol to cut the oil film from the turn blades. Then you can air dry with a compressor and reinstall. This will also allow you to examin the blades on both side for wear, play and possible cracks and fatigue.

I wasn't suggesting or contimplating spraying anything into a running turbo on a CTD. I would only clean the viens one at a time (shut down) with simple green as I've already done and wipe everything dry so that I can run it for a trial period with a stock paper air filter so I can assess where this dirt accumulation is coming from. I was just commenting on the fact that spraying cleaning solution into a spinning turbo of any kind has to be done at very low rpm's to have any effectiveness at all. I think spraying anything into a turbo on our trucks is not only a fruitless effort at cleaning viens but, as you state could cause problems downstream of unknown consquences. I would love to be able to remove the turbo for a complete cleaning but I just might be doing that anyway if the bearing seal is bad and only what to do that chore one time.

So far I've only been able to run a few miles after cleaning since I'm in the middle of a vacuum/ps pump overhaul, coolant/water pump replace, and psc steering box replacement. Hate taking on more than that at one bite in the event I have a noise of unknown origin... it get's tougher to troubleshoot.

Chuck

 

[aviatorman]

I cleaned my compressor blades with truck idling and used a spray bottle with isopropal alchohol. You'll notice a slight increase in rpm when spraying, but not to worry, doesn't mean a thing. I noticed that my amsoil filter was leaving a slight residue on the blades after 25K miles, so I switched to the new dry series amsoil high flow filter and the dirty blades are no more.

 

[NoSeeUm]

I cleaned my compressor blades with truck idling and used a spray bottle with isopropal alchohol. You'll notice a slight increase in rpm when spraying, but not to worry, doesn't mean a thing. I noticed that my amsoil filter was leaving a slight residue on the blades after 25K miles, so I switched to the new dry series amsoil high flow filter and the dirty blades are no more.

Hm... . Thanks



I had not really thought of doing it with out disconnecting the compressor outlet from the intercooler pipe. Guess it works OK.



Jim

 

[aviatorman]

Aviatorman here: I failed to mention in my previous post that all you have to do when using the spray bottle with isopropal is disconnect the inlet hose coming from the filter box to the turbo inlet. Start the truck and at idle rpm spray the blades and watch all the oil film disapear. I've made this an annual event and the inlet with the amsoil dry filter is basically pristene clean.