Thread: TD5 Turbo Failure ?

Some of you may had read of the rebuild I just finished on my TD5 - to recap I bought the car with a suspected blown headgasket, stripped the engine, replaced three pistons, rebuilt with new rings, bolts and gaskets and went on my way...then I discovered the reason things had gone wrong was the failure of the oil cool -I replaced this, changed the oil and filter four times and continue to flush the water system with non foaming dishwasher powder which works a treat. Well it gets better, or worse depending on where you stand.

Having driven the 500 kms round trip to Brisbane and met a lovely chap from the forums who helped enable my electric seats and front fog lights with his Nanocom I was feeling very happy with the car except for a persistent knock, knock, knock sound like one valve out of adjustment. I swapped the hydraulic lifters for another set and no change, checked and re-checked the injector lash and determined that it was either an injector issue or a big end bearing failing. The trouble free big drive had me leaning toward the injector issue especially as I was down on power. Today I needed to take on another big drive, this time about 900 kms to Sydney. All was well until I started to loose power about 100 kms into the trip. I kept slowing on a long hill, then heard a strange whistling sound and pulled over. Opened the bonnet and the area around the turbo seemed smokey, couldn't see any obvious problem and could do nothing where I was so decided to press on. Two minutes later and nearly all power had gone, I pulled over and as soon as I put my foot on the clutch the engine started to rev up. I immediately turned the key but it kept revving so I quickly stalled it out in gear. No more than 5 seconds from beginning to end but a shock and a huge white grey smoke screen out the back. I checked the oil and it was slightly down from my previous check ten minutes earlier and I suspect the turbo has blown and was causing the engine to run on its own sump oil (new HPR5 yesterday of course). I know believe the turbo may have been causing the knock and lack of power so the car is traveling down to Sydney on a tow truck and I am trying to find a new one. I should say I have considered the issue of leaking injectors or cracked head but the injectors have new seals, there is no diesel in the oil and the head was checked before assembly. I could of course have a broken oil control ring but doubt one would make the engine rev up so much.

Does anyone know someone who is wrecking a TD5 and has a good second hand turbo I can buy?
I will place this note in the classified section as well.

What a journey !

You should remove and flush the intercooler.

You will not get all the oil out just running the engine
you may even find bits of blade.

Remove intercooler and hoses and pipes give them all a good
clean the engine will run better.