Morris Minor Owners Club

No i haven`t got one on my moggy but i have got one on my taxi and my moggy is faster, so what i`d like to know is what stops happening exactly when your turbo packs up and is it easily fixable.

I know this isn`t moggy related but this is the only forum i go on so what am i supposed to do

Well, a turbo can pack up in different ways. If it's the actual unit itself that's seized then the car will still run but it's performance will be really poor. It will be running a low compression engine with a slight blockage in the intake! Mind you, I have known people run knackered turbo cars and it will get you from A to B.

If that's the case then it IS easily fixable but not cheaply. Basically you'll need a new (or 2nd hand) turbo unit.

Can you take it off and check if it's seized? Also check it's oil supply. I guess nowadays you might be able to get the parts from a scrapyard!

If it is a turbo diesel then don't drive it unless you can establish what exactly has failed. As Cam says a siezed turbo can be driven as air can still (usually) get into the engine but only through a tiny convuluted gap. If the turbo bearings are shot and oil is contaminating the cylinder head then it is potentially leathal. I have heard of turbo diesel engines reving out of control because they are being fed by the oil from the bearings. That scenario aside you are going to have a large bill for removal of the cylinder head and cleaning of the combustion chambers etc.

If it's petrol then don't worry as much, but I expect a taxi will be diesel (petrol turbo taxi seems unlikely )
There are a whole bunch of 'mail order' companies that will recondition your turbo and start off with quotes like £200, but usually when they get your turbo they say it is too bad to be reconned and you have to buy a new one. By this time you're stuck as your turbo is in a different part of the country and you can't look over their shoulder to double check their comments on the condition.
(as you can see - I've had a turbo failure... £200 quote turned into £560 for a replacement one. My car was petrol and ran ok for 6 months without the turbo and gave 45mpg although was only as fast as the Minor!). I managed to get 20mpg when I'd got a new turbo (and a new clutch )

None of this sounds very good, i was hoping you were going to say Ahhh don`t worry about it, your cars just become normally aspirated, keep on driving.

Would 209,000 miles maybe have the same effect ? and this car is only 3 years old now nobody can beat that.

Turbo on my Saab 9000 has just started to smoke heavily on tickover - thought it was the bus beside me when it happened.
I reckon it's because I put in fully synthetic oil at last oil change, and it's running through turbo seals.
Was going to change oil for something less runny today, but it's a monsoon outside. Still if this doesn't work, it's only £320 + vat for an exchange, and about a days work. Doesn't affect performance though!!

Have you torboed your v8 mog?