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Overheard a kid at the parts counter say turbos are just 'fancy hair dryers'
I was picking up some oil filters at the Cummins dealer last Tuesday and this young guy maybe 19 or 20 was arguing with the counter guy. He said he didn't need a new turbo for his 7.3 because they're just 'fancy hair dryers that push air into the engine.' The old parts guy just stared at him for a solid 10 seconds then laughed. I had to bite my tongue because I've heard that joke before but he seemed dead serious. It got me thinking about how many guys actually understand what a turbo does versus just slapping one on because it sounds cool. Has anyone else run into customers or younger mechanics who completely miss how basic diesel engine systems work?
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daniel55227d ago
I've been turning wrenches for 22 years and had a guy last spring try to argue a VGT actuator was optional on his 6.7 because 'it runs fine without it.' He had no clue the vanes were stuck wide open and he was roasting his EGTs at highway speeds. The hair dryer thing is funny but sad because it shows they don't get that a turbo is a precision pump that needs proper oil supply, clean air, and supporting systems to work right. I usually tell these guys to pull the intake boot and check for shaft play before they drop $400 on a china turbo from Amazon. Most of them don't even have a boost gauge or pyrometer installed, they just slap it on and wonder why the head gasket blows. If you can't explain how a compressor map works or why a wastegate needs to hold boost you probably shouldn't be throwing parts at it.
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