How do I know whether the turbocharger working or not?

[Boater On Thames]

Volvo Penta TAMD61A engine. The turbocharger gauge seems not working well. How do I know if the tube charger working ok or not? Thanks.

 

[julians]

you'll need an accurate boost pressure gauge to understand whether it is making the correct boost.

You could maybe take a guess at whether it is doing something by listening for the turbo whistle, but this is a prettyblunt way of checking. Also if the engines dont make the rated WOT revs that could indicate a problem with the turbo - but it also could be problems with many other areas

 

[DavidJ]

Is the engine behaving as normal?
With my KAD 43’s a poor behaving turbo really showed.

 

[Boater On Thames]

The engine behaves normally. I just suddenly realised that I never thought about the turbocharger working or not as the gauge not working at all.

 

[kashurst]

You can tell by the boats behaviour. Assuming everything else is sorted and the hull is clean, watch how the boat accelerates. Both engines should pick up rpms at the same rate. If one is lagging could be something wrong. But check everything else out first.

 

[QBhoy]

Hi. Is there a chance that the gauge has been an after thought by a previous owner ? Any boat I’ve known, powered by this engine, doesn’t have a boost gauge. I’d strongly suspect it wouldn’t be an original fit perhaps. If it is original or should it be an after market fit…and it’s fitted properly…you may or may not be aware, that in order for it to show boost of any significance, you’ll need to have the engine under load in gear and underway, to see any positive boost shown really. At idle, you should see negative on the gauge, as in a vacuum indicating. Any pics of the gauge ? Can’t imagine such a thing featuring on the standard VP instrumentation console, that I’ve known. Could be wrong. Other than that…when the turbo isn’t working on these things…you know all about it for sure.

 

[Boater On Thames]

It's originally fitted. The problem is I am on the inland water. I can only drive the boat around idle speed, or a maximum of up to 750 rpm because I am on the River Thames and it has 8 miles per hour speed limitation here. It takes 9 hours or more to get out to the coastal area to do a full-speed tasting. So maybe next season then.

 

[QBhoy]

It's originally fitted. The problem is I am on the inland water. I can only drive the boat around idle speed, or a maximum of up to 750 rpm because I am on the River Thames and it has 8 miles per hour speed limitation here. It takes 9 hours or more to get out to the coastal area to do a full-speed tasting. So maybe next season then.

Understand your situation now. I’d maybe say that you don’t have the usual VP gauge console there, that normally comes with these engines. Not the usual factory fit arrangement perhaps. Is this a custom or self finish or install, like a colvic or similar often are ? Does the gauge show anything at all when running ? Do you know where the gauge sender is plumbed into ?

 

[rafiki_]

You should be able to hear the turbo spool up if you slowly rev the engine in neutral.

 

[jointventureII]

You should be able to hear the turbo spool up if you slowly rev the engine in neutral.

Precisely, the whine will be quite apparent

 

[vas]

and as mentioned above, don't forget that the value on the gauge will be a nice square zero at 8 knots no matter what!
you could try tied up V WELL in a pontoon to engage both engines and accelerate to 2000rpm ? - DONT!
that would make the gauge move, but many other things may happen, so best if you leave it for next season.
Must be a sender for it in the inlet plenum, wires to the dash, the lot unless it's a vacuum one which I very much doubt. So check cabling as well.

 

[Plum]

Precisely, the whine will be quite apparent

Maybe, but not on my VP engine! I know my turbo is working as the engine reaches full revs when under max load and the boat achieves the manufacturer's speed spec. with the manufacturer's original prop. Even with the engine cover up, still can't detect a turbo noise.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[DavidJ]

Maybe, but not on my VP engine! I know my turbo is working as the engine reaches full revs when under max load and the boat achieves the manufacturer's speed spec. with the manufacturer's original prop. Even with the engine cover up, still can't detect a turbo noise.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

Nor me
Not to be confused with the super charger which howls like a banshee.

 

[Portofino]

The bigger engines MTU and especially MAN s with there massive KKK turbos with a filter bolted on very close to the intake , means you do hear a whistle.
The sound is subjective , some call it a “ whine “ , others like me a call it a whistle , a pleasant confirmatory whistle .
I can always tell if a air filters drops off ( 14 mm bolt + clamp ) as the the whistle gets louder seeing as the paper element kinda acts somewhat like a muffler .


You can rev em up in N if you want . There’s no limiter .
Boost really starts from approximately 1400 rpm .

 

[vas]

Porto,

in N, revving it up to your hearts content is fine, on an analogue gauge though noone is going to see it passing vacuum and producing 0.001bar at 2k rpm

This thread is completely pointless unless OP takes the trip to the sea and pushes the boat properly, so please lets all allow it to die gracefully...

 

[Boater On Thames]

This sounds good news to me. That means my turbo and its gauge maybe no problems at all. Okay, will need to check it out at the sea next season.

 

[Portofino]

Porto,

in N, revving it up to your hearts content is fine, on an analogue gauge though noone is going to see it passing vacuum and producing 0.001bar at 2k rpm

This thread is completely pointless unless OP takes the trip to the sea and pushes the boat properly, so please lets all allow it to die gracefully...

Yes not contradicting that , just adding a bit of background on the” whistle “.As some say they hear it , some mostly Volvo guys say they don’t.It more likely to be heard obviously with a bigger turbo and no supercharger whine adding in later which has been pointed out ^^^ .Realise the OP s motors have no SC btw , just discussing turbo noises .You know shooting the breeze , in forum .
If he opens a ER hatch and revs up in N he might be able to hear something be it described as a whine or whistle, saves his long trip to sea .

Btw in N on my boat I do see boost pressure building on one of the four pages of the MMDS screens , so can and do compare the two .Additionally we have “ sensor error “ functionality so if a sensor fails it tells us .
Having said that it’s not often I do rev them up in N anyhow.The MAN engineer likes to do it though as he flicks through the pages of data .
But you hear a whistle esp with the ER hatch s open .
If you are a car guy and like all things mechanical it’s music to the ears .As said subjective .


^ tick over 600 rpm


1.72 bar boost …..but you can hear it .You don’t really need a confirmatory screen to know the things have spooled up under your feet !

Esp with a hatch open .

 

[jms28]

Hi there,

I have VP TAMD61A engines as well and would like to retrofit turbo pressure gauges. Q: where would the pressure sensors go and do I rightfully assume that there are none fitted in a 1990er model if there is no pressure gauge in the cockpit?

Thank you

 

[PCUK]

If you're only running at idle speed the turbo won't be doing anything and nothing will show on the boost gauge.

 

[Alicatt]

I have different engines and thought the turbo gauges were disconnected as is done on a number of Ocean 37s however when I finally got the chance to open up the engines a few weeks ago the gauges did read but only when you got the RPM up and put the engines under load, they show no sign of movement under light load even blipping the throttles out of gear gives no boost reading.

Even at 50 years old the boat still makes the builder's quoted speed for the engines.