1st Feb 2023

What Are Reman Turbos and Are They Worth It?

Have you been experiencing turbo failure recently? Some of the signs of a damaged turbo include loss of power, a noisier engine despite slower acceleration, blue/grey smoke coming out of your exhaust, and, of course, if your check engine light is showing.

If you notice that any of these symptoms are present, then it might be time to bring your vehicle into the shop before the damage grows and affects other parts of your vehicle.

What Are the Causes of Turbo Failure?

One of the most common causes of turbo break down is a lack of oil, contaminated oil, or impact damage. In fact, warranty inspections have revealed that less than 1% of turbo failure is due to the turbo itself being faulty.

To better understand and prevent future turbocharger failure, then, let's go through each of the most common factors:

1. Oil Starvation

How often do you replace or add to the oil supply in your engine and turbocharger? Your turbocharger is an integral part of your engine and vehicle, and requires a lot of heat to be able to perform at its best. This means, then, that it also needs proper lubrication. An insufficient supply of oil to your turbocharger could lead to irreparable damage.

Oil starvation, though, can be caused by a number of different things, and not simply a lack of oil supplied. It could be that there is a blockage in your oil feed pipe, oil filter, or oil inlet gasket. If you're planning on having your turbocharger repaired, then, make sure to have the mechanic thoroughly check each of these parts for damage or blockages.

2. Foreign Object Contamination

Constantly driving about means that there will always be a chance that some debris like dust, stones, or other forms of debris might get sucked into your turbo. These foreign contaminants will have an adverse effect on your turbocharger and lower its efficiency. Worse, they can definitely cause damage to your turbo over time.

Adding a filter is one way to protect your turbo from dirt and debris, but it's always good to have a regular maintenance check as well to ensure that everything is clean and running smoothly.

3. Overspeeding

Turbos are designed to push your vehicle to greater speeds. However, constantly pushing your engine's performance and overspeeding forces gas through your seals and pipes and can even damage your compressor and turbine wheels. So while it's great to be able to clock in at higher speeds from time to time, make sure that you operate at your turbochargers defined speeds as much as possible.

Now, once you've confirmed that there's definitely something wrong with your turbocharger, you have a choice to either buy a new turbo, a reman turbo, or simply have your existing turbo repaired.

Reman Turbos

What Are Reman Turbos?

Reman or remanufactured turbos refer to the turbochargers that have been dismantled and remanufactured to be as close to brand new as possible. This usually means that the housing of the turbo is thoroughly cleaned and the parts inside are replaced and retrofitted with new ones.

Of course, remanufactured turbos should contain replacement parts that have been thoroughly inspected and tested. This check is performed to make sure that each replacement part meets manufacturer specifications and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) standards for quality and durability.

What is the Difference Between Remanufactured And Repaired Turbos?

If reman turbos are turbos that are taken apart and put back together with new parts, then repaired turbos, on the other hand, refers to the cleaning, inspecting, and replacing the worn and broken parts of a turbocharger. This means that there may still be other parts of the turbocharger that are considered old but are still functional and serviceable.

One thing you should take into account, then, when choosing between repairs and a reman turbo is the fact that your repaired turbo could just as easily break or wear out shortly down the road. Its existing older parts might give way in a couple of months due to some issues that might not exactly be visible to the human eye, such as heat stress and cracks.

A reman turbo, on the other hand, ensures that it will take some time before you begin to see some wear and tear. In the end, then, choosing between repairing your current turbocharger or replacing it with a remanufactured one all depends on your budget and preferences.

Benefits of Reman Turbos

If you find yourself already leaning towards getting a remanufactured turbo, but aren't completely sold on it just yet, then allow us to list a couple of benefits you can experience with reman turbos.

1. They're Affordable

Repairing your turbo may seem cheaper in the short run, but if you're thinking long term, then a reman turbo is actually the best choice. Reman turbos are about 40% cheaper compared to brand new turbos, with the main difference between the two being the housing. After all, all the interior components of your reman turbo are virtually new in and of themselves. This means that in terms of longevity, remanufactured turbos are an incredibly worthwhile investment.

2. They Perform Excellently

Compared to repaired turbos, you don't have to worry about remans breaking down all of a sudden right after you replace the old one. Because they're practically brand new, you can expect them to perform as such, ensuring that you'll be able to get the same level of power and acceleration you previously did when you first purchased your vehicle.

3. They're More Sustainable

Because reman turbos recycle old turbo housings, this means that there's less wastage. Additionally, remanufacturing only uses up about 15% of the energy that's required to build a brand new turbo. You not only save energy by choosing a reman turbo, but you also contribute less waste to the environment.