04 6.0 turbo question

[Chief118]

My 2004 only has 138,000+ miles on the motor. I am having performance problems at about 70-75 mph, truck bogs and feels like Im towing a trailer, and sometimes at acceleration from stop it sputters and you can hear the turbo is not kicking in. Blows white/gray smoke like a smoke screen then the truck takes off as the turbo kicks in.

Specnt about 500.00 changing this and that, and cleaning parts and relays, finally took it to Ford. Spent 145.00 for diagnostics and scanners only to have the mechanic tell me, "your turbo is bad, there is alot of play in the shaft bearings". Does this sound right??? Do turbos just "go bad"??

Guys Im a carpenter, I really dont know too much about enigines, everything I know I learned from guys like you telling me what to do and how to do it. I can take anything apart, and Ive learned if you do it enough times with the parts left over, I'll eventually have 2 of them. ANy help???

 

[DaveBen]

Like everything else on our trucks, the turbo can go out. It has bearings on the shaft that wear out and need to be replaced. YOU can have the turbo rebuilt if you have the time. OR try it your self. I have not looked at rebuilding mine, as it is OK for now. I was a carpenter when I worked, but retired now.

Dave

 

[tankerdude]

As DaveBen said, anything on that truck can wear out.

Does it sound right? Unfortunately, yes. 138k+ miles will do that, especially if regular maintenance wasn't so "regular". If the bearings are bad, there's a good chance you'll see evidence of oil getting past the cold side bearing and into the intercooler. This is in addition to the oil thats probably getting past the hot side bearing, resulting in most of the smoke you're seeing.

If you feel like doing some of the work, you can remove the turbo yourself... it's pretty simple. Just be sure to plug up the tubes that feed air to the turbo with a CLEAN rag so nothing strange gets in there. You don't need something getting sucked into a freshly rebuilt turbo.

Then, if it were me, I'd take it to someone who knows how to rebuild a turbo. Either your local Ford dealer or a local mechanic.
The chances of getting done right the first time are probably even, but I'd be looking for the oldest, most experienced guy in the either place to do the work. This is one area you don't need to have a trainee doing the work.

You do have other options since the thing has to come off. Like putting a overall better turbo on.... not necessarily "bigger", just "better". More expensive than a rebuild, of course.
There are also a few different turbine wheels that can be used... different geometry than can provide more/less boost, etc. I don't have any experience with stuff like that... I've just seen it for sale.


Please let us all know what the end result is!