Why I Advise Against Re-Kitting Perkins 1100 Series Turbochargers
A firm turbocharger spindle does not always mean the turbocharger is healthy.
This is one lesson my experience working on Perkins 1100 Series engines has taught me the hard way.
I have encountered two separate Perkins 1103 engines with massive engine oil consumption where the turbocharger spindle felt firm. There was no obvious excessive wobbling, so the turbocharger was re-kitted.
But the problem remained.
The engines continued consuming engine oil massively.
Eventually, I replaced the complete turbocharger—and the excessive oil consumption was solved.
That experience changed the way I look at turbocharger diagnosis.
The Problem With the “Firm Spindle” Test
One of the first things many technicians do when inspecting a turbocharger is to hold the shaft and check for excessive movement.
If the spindle feels firm and there is little or no wobbling, the immediate conclusion may be:
“The turbocharger is okay.”
But is it really?
A turbocharger doesn't operate at the speed at which we inspect it by hand.
During engine operation, the turbocharger is subjected to extremely high rotational speeds, temperatures, oil pressure and continuous loading.
Therefore, a turbocharger can feel acceptable during a simple manual inspection and still have a problem that becomes evident when it is operating.
That's where I believe technicians need to be careful.
My Experience With Two Perkins 1103 Engines
On two different occasions, I worked on Perkins 1103 engines suffering from massive engine oil consumption.
The turbochargers were inspected.
The spindle felt firm.
There was no obvious alarming shaft wobble.
Instead of immediately replacing the complete turbocharger, the turbochargers were re-kitted.
The expectation was that replacing the worn internal components would restore the turbocharger and solve the oil consumption problem.
Unfortunately, it didn't.
After the re-kitting, the engines continued consuming engine oil heavily.
At that point, continuing to blame the piston rings or liners would have been an easy mistake to make.
Instead, the turbocharger became the focus again.
The complete turbocharger was replaced.
And the massive oil consumption stopped.
That happened to me twice.
For me, that was more than enough practical evidence to reconsider the idea that a firm turbo spindle automatically means a turbocharger is good.
Why Can Re-Kitting Fail?
Re-kitting a turbocharger isn't necessarily a bad repair.
A properly rebuilt turbocharger, using the correct quality components and correct procedures, can work very well.
The problem is assuming that replacing a few internal components automatically restores the entire turbocharger to its original condition.
A turbocharger is a precision assembly.
There can be wear or defects involving components such as:
- Shaft
- Bearings
- Thrust components
- Seal rings
- Compressor wheel
- Turbine wheel
- Bearing housing
- Compressor housing
- Turbine housing
Replacing bearings and seals does not automatically eliminate every possible problem.
There is also the issue of correct clearances, assembly and balancing.
A turbocharger may look fine during a basic inspection but behave differently when spinning at operating speed.
This is perhaps the most important point.
When you hold a turbocharger spindle with your fingers, you are checking it under static conditions.
But when the engine is running, the turbocharger is operating under completely different conditions.
It is spinning at very high speed while exposed to heat and continuous oil flow.
That means a simple hand test has limitations.
Firm spindle = good sign.
But:
Firm spindle ≠ guaranteed healthy turbocharger.
That distinction is important.
When a Perkins 1103 starts consuming excessive engine oil, the first suspects can often be piston rings, cylinder liners or valve seals.
Those components absolutely need to be considered.
But the turbocharger should also be properly investigated.
Depending on the engine and turbocharger configuration, turbocharger-related oil problems can contribute to oil entering the intake or exhaust system.
That's why I don't believe in opening an engine immediately without properly eliminating other possible causes.
Imagine spending money on:
- New liners
- New piston rings
- Engine overhaul
- New gaskets
- Labour
- Engine oil and filters
Only to discover that the real problem was somewhere else.
That is an expensive diagnostic mistake.
Don't Blame the Liners and Rings Too Quickly
This is where proper troubleshooting becomes important.
Massive oil consumption does not automatically mean:
“The engine needs an overhaul.”
Before condemning the engine, investigate the possible causes systematically.
Depending on the symptoms, consider:
- Turbocharger condition
- Turbocharger oil seals and internal condition
- Turbocharger oil drain
- Crankcase breather
- Valve stem seals
- Piston rings
- Cylinder liners
- Engine oil level
- Correct engine oil specification
- External oil leaks
- Intake system
- Exhaust system
The objective should be to identify the actual source of the oil consumption rather than replacing expensive components based on assumptions.
So, Should Every Perkins Turbocharger Be Re-Kitted?
No.
I'm not saying every re-kitted turbocharger will fail.
There are properly rebuilt turbochargers that work perfectly well.
My argument is different.
Based on my experience with the two Perkins 1103 cases, I would be very cautious about re-kitting a turbocharger when an engine is suffering from massive oil consumption, especially when the turbocharger has significant operating hours.
If the turbocharger has already accumulated many hours and there is uncertainty about its internal condition, replacing the complete turbocharger may be the more sensible option.
In some situations, a quality cartridge/CHRA may also be considered, provided it is the correct specification and the rest of the turbocharger assembly is suitable.
The decision should be based on proper diagnosis, condition, quality of replacement parts and cost—not simply on whether the spindle feels firm.
What About High-Hour Perkins 1100 Engines?
This is another area where I believe technicians should think carefully.
A turbocharger that has been operating for thousands upon thousands of hours has experienced an enormous amount of heat cycles and rotational stress.
Even if the spindle still feels reasonably firm, that doesn't tell you the complete history or condition of every internal component.
When an engine has very high operating hours, and the turbocharger is already being suspected in an oil-consumption problem, I would seriously consider complete turbocharger replacement rather than repeatedly investing in uncertain repairs.
The cost of replacing the turbocharger may seem high.
But compare that with repeatedly dismantling the turbo, buying repair components, paying labour and still having the engine consume oil.
Sometimes the cheaper repair becomes the more expensive repair.
Don't Turn This Into “Turbocharger or Engine Overhaul”
There is another important lesson here.
I'm not saying:
“Every Perkins 1103 consuming oil needs a new turbocharger.”
Absolutely not.
That would be another form of poor diagnosis.
I'm saying:
Don't condemn the engine before properly investigating the turbocharger.
And equally:
Don't condemn the turbocharger without properly investigating the engine.
Good troubleshooting requires eliminating possibilities.
My Personal Rule After These Experiences
After experiencing this problem twice, my approach has changed.
If I have a Perkins 1103 with massive engine oil consumption, and the turbocharger is suspected, I will not consider a firm spindle alone sufficient evidence that the turbocharger is healthy.
If the turbocharger has high operating hours and there is reasonable suspicion that it may be contributing to the oil consumption, I would rather replace it with a suitable quality complete turbocharger—or an appropriate quality cartridge where justified—than repeatedly re-kit a questionable unit.
Why?
Because I have already seen what happened when I went down the re-kitting route.
Twice.
And both times, the problem continued until the turbocharger was replaced.
The Lesson I Took From It
Working on diesel engines teaches you something that textbooks sometimes don't:
A component can pass a basic inspection and still fail under operating conditions.
The turbocharger spindle being firm is useful information.
But it is not the entire diagnosis.
If a Perkins 1100 Series engine is consuming engine oil massively, don't stop troubleshooting simply because the turbo spindle doesn't wobble.
Look at the complete picture.
And before you dismantle an otherwise healthy-looking engine, make sure you have properly eliminated the turbocharger and other possible causes.
Now I Want to Hear From Other Technicians
Have you ever encountered a Perkins 1100 Series turbocharger where:
The spindle was firm.
There was little or no wobble.
The turbo was re-kitted.
But the engine continued consuming oil?
What happened when you eventually replaced the turbocharger?
Would you re-kit, install a cartridge, or replace the complete turbocharger on a high-hour Perkins 1103?
Let's hear your experience in the comments.
Sometimes the best troubleshooting lessons come from the repairs that didn't work the first time.
Comments