Volvo D3 possible turbo issues?

[iowspence]

Hi,
I don’t know if anyone would be able to help or give some assistance then I would be very grateful.

my friend who I fish with has a Volvo D3 engine which has had some running issues.

we initially thought it was the turbo (which it is renowned for).

we removed the turbo. Cleaned it and all looks fine with no play.

Two errors coming up on pc, one of which was boost sensor. Replaced both of these. Run tonight. Got to 2700rpm which is cruise speed. Turbo drops out. Hear a whirring sound and then Black smoke.

Drop back revs. Runs normally until gets to high enough revs where turbo cuts in and then does the same.

speaking to another boat owner when we got in he had a similar problem with his car which was diagnosed as an egr fault but the D3 hasn’t got an egr valve.

Is anyone aware of something similar which would cause this type of issue to happen?

the turbo is only 18 months old? Although they have a tendency to break…

local Volvo dealer not interested so after somw help if anyone has any ideas?

Maybe it is the turbo??

Many thanks for your time.
Spence

 

[jrudge]

A turbo does not “ drop out “. It either gets stuck or the waste gate opens

 

[iowspence]

My apologies for my terminology. I’m not a mechanic nor mechanically minded but just trying to help a good friend who is at his wits end and not pc literate.

I will try and cut a section of the turbo stopping? Which I assume you would describe as the waste gate opens?

We are now confident it’s the actual turbo which has failed again, as they have a tendency to do!

 

[iowspence]

I cannot attach a piece of film - sorry I didn’t realise that.

 

[SaltIre]

I think you need to upload your video to a host server, in one of the formats below, then link to it in your post.

 

[jrudge]

It will stop if bearings worn or the oil stops. The waste gate will usually be controlled by pressure but some may have electronic control but beyond my pay grade

 

[Frederick911]

Hi, what year is the d3 and hp ?

 

[iowspence]

I hope this works?

 

[iowspence]

Hi, what year is the d3 and hp ?

it’s a 160hp and think it’s 2013.

 

[spannerman]

The turbo has a VNT Variable Nozzle Turbine system, there is an actuator operating a rod which moves a ring on the turbo which in turn moves vanes inside the turbine housing, these tend to rust and stick so the turbo doesn’t alter its boost as engine speed increases.check the linkage moves freely, and that the air pipe which operates a diagphragm that moves the linkage is connected at both ends.

 

[iowspence]

We took the turbo off at the weekend. We needed to release the bolts from the actuator to get the 3rd bolt off (which is on the underside). We were looking at the possibility of it being the VNT tonight as I was writing this post.

After the film was shot we were trying to establish the cause. The actuator was moving when the turbo was cutting in (when we got to a certain rpm) but obviously the turbo was then cutting out and the black smoke appearing, so dropped the throttle back and made our way slowly back into the harbour and the mooring.

 

[volvopaul]

A turbo does not “ drop out “. It either gets stuck or the waste gate opens

D3 is VVT it doesn’t have a wastegate the boost control is by a vacuum pump controlled by a valve from the ECU .

OP. Check the short piece of rubber hose on the intercooler and the 3 clips sounds like you are loosing boost pressure .

 

[Skylark]

A turbocharger does not "cut in and out". Exhaust gas flows over the turbine wheel (the hot end) so the device always spins. Depending upon the size of the turbo, exhaust gas flow at engine idle would keep the wheels rotating at low tens of thousands rpm and at engine full speed and load the turbo will spin at around 150,000 rpm (a small passenger diesel turbo can spin above 200,000 rpm).

From a few posts, it appears to be a variable geometry turbo. This means that there are a number of vanes inside the turbine housing and their purpose is to direct, effectively either speeding up or slowing down the exhaust gas flow over the turbine wheel. At lower speeds and loads, the vanes will be set to speed-up gas flow to create more boost pressure from the compressor side (the cold side). At higher loads and speeds, there is generally plenty of energy available from the exhaust gas so the vanes are allowed to open to reduce back-pressure/pumping losses.

The engine computer employs an algorithm to set the vanes across the entire load/speed curve.

Hopefully, if you now have a better understanding of how the turbo is working, it will help with fault finding.

Black smoke usually means incomplete combustion. This is either too much fuel or not enough air.

If you can move the rod from the actuator to its connection on the turbine housing, it's therefore unlikely that the mechanism has seized. From the OP description, it does not sound like a turbo issue.

 

[burgundyben]

Hi Spence

Your not having much luck this year

Esk Lady is fine.