Although a diesel engine can last forever, other components often wear out. So it’s not uncommon to find yourself replacing things on a 10-year-old truck.
For Mike Anderson, owner of Anderson Curb and Landscape in Rigby, ID, when signs of turbo failure first started to appear in his 2006 Ford F350 work truck, he knew it was best to get it replaced before his business came to a grinding hault.
“This truck is what I pull my 16,000-pound curbing equipment trailer with,” he explained. “I also pull a 19,000-pound toy hauler around on weekends so I can’t afford to have my truck out of commission.
Anderson’s friend, Ned Hawkins at Hawkins A/C in Rigby, ID, was available to help (read do the work while Anderson held the wrenches) make a quick switch in turbos. Anderson got his replacement turbo from Alliant Power Turbo.
Although his stock turbo was still functioning, Anderson said the difference was apparent after replacing it. “I didn’t feel a huge change in the power or torque,” he said. “But I did notice immediately that the new turbo was much smoother and spooled up faster.” He also discovered another problem, a cracked exhaust pipe coming off the turbo, so he was able to solve that problem and make his engine run a little quieter.
But Anderson noted the biggest difference was in his own “peace of mind” knowing that his truck wouldn’t fail him for the foreseeable future.
Here’s a quick look at the install process.
1—Removing the coolant reservoir.
2—Removing the wire harness.
3—Removing the turbo lines.
4—Removing lines and shields from the turbo.
5—Now the turbo lines are removed.
6—Hawkins finds that you need a step up to reach the back part of the engine.
7—It was a bit tricky removing the downpipe clamp.
8—If you’re going to do the job right, you might just have to crawl on inside.
9—There was a loose bearing on the stock turbo inlet.
10—Now the turbo is ready to be twisted out of its location.
11—Turbos are quite heavy so Hawkins makes certain he has a good hold on it as he removes it from the engine area.
12—Notice the carbon buildup on the stock turbo.
13—Another problem found was an exhaust leak on the stock turbo clamp.
14—Now it’s time for the new turbo from Alliant Power Turbo.
15—The two turbos side-by-side really accentuate the wear of the stock turbo.
16—Nothing like installing new parts.
17—Hawkins makes certain the replacement turbo is properly aligned.
18—Now it’s time to get the clamps back on the turbo lines.
19—The red cap is a protective plug to keep anything from dropping into the turbo.
20—Now it’s time to make certain the replacement turbo is totally secure.
21—Hawkins is now re-installing the intercooler pipe.
22—Now comes the intake side of the intercooler pipe.
23—Finally, the replacement cooler is installed and everything is buttoned up.