• + Aftermarket copy turbos are false economy
  • + Honeywell quality wins through

Original Turbos Prove Whole-life Benefit

Posted 08.12.2009

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Every single Honeywell Garrett turbocharger distributed through the global Aftermarket guarantees to meet the original specification demanded by car and truck manufacturers.

Same performance, same calibration and same whole-life advantages – with none of the risks associated with the poor-quality copy turbos that are sold around the world as supposed substitutes.

Original Turbos

“The risks associated with fitting copies of original Garrett turbochargers simply do not outweigh any superficial cost advantages,” says Ed Goodwin, Director of Global Aftermarket at Honeywell Turbo Technologies.

“The poor quality of components and the lack of attention to critical tolerances mean that some copy turbos fail literally within hours of installation – and the effects can be catastrophic, even leading to total engine write-off.”

Research shows that around 70 percent of copy turbos have faults with bearing systems, which can lead to serious failures.

While bearing problems are most common in copies, the quality of the bolts joining the turbine housing to the center housing can also be an issue. The bolts are known to ‘relax’, which can lead to gas leakage, mechanical damage and oil leakage that in turn can contaminate the catalytic converter or the DPF system.

“Virtually every copy turbo that we have tested has difficulty coping with the stresses and temperatures associated with modern passenger car and truck engines,” says Ed Goodwin. “And with the growing complexity of turbo technology linked to increasing demands for performance, fuel efficiency and emissions control, the problems associated with copy turbos can only get worse.”

Honeywell DAVNT TM Turbocharger

This complexity is exemplified by Honeywell’s Garrett® VNT™ turbos, which are engineered and calibrated to meet the exacting performance parameters of automotive manufacturers. For example, the process of setting the turbo’s minimum flow vane position takes account of the VNT’s intricately engineered composition and its performance-critical tolerances and involves using a highly accurate turbine flow bench to measure and compensate for any variation in gas flow.

Moreover, any attempt at remanufacture, using substitute parts, is fraught with difficulty because of these technical complexities and can lead to potentially serious problems, such as:
• Conflict with the engine management system
• Low flow/pressure, causing poor response, poor overall performance and increased emissions
• Over-rich diesel fuel/air mix, causing excessively high temperatures, damaging both the turbo and the engine
• High flow/pressure, leading to the over-speeding of the turbo, wheel bursting and damage to turbo and engine
• Excessive boost pressure, causing physical damage to the engine

In fact, not even an economic case can be made for using copies – industry analysis shows that Honeywell’s Garrett® turbos deliver around four times the whole-life value of copy turbos. That’s why Honeywell’s growing network of more than 100 authorized distributors in 46 countries will only supply original replacement units.