Turbo destroyed

[martyn williams]

Had a call to a 3300hp loco yesterday that made a very loud bang under full load. Photos show turbo in bits,its a brand new one fitted a day or so ago
Martyn

[Jeremy Rowland]

That's one hell of an expensive repair; now a full engine strip down required!

Jeremy

[martyn williams]

The loco had just been fitted with a new turbo and just had a major overhaul,its first trip out The turbo's on these work in conjunction with a blower. could be a warranty job. That damage is on the air inlet side of the blower the casing is about a yard in diameter and was blown to bits bending quarter inch thick steel plate just above it.
The driver told me there are some grey bits of metal in the engine room but could not see where it come from. it made such a loud bang he thought he was off the road He was on notch 7 pulling a heavy ballast train
Martyn

[FOWLER MAN]

Hi Martyn,
Wowww
What caused that to break up Did the bearings go first

Only time I've known new turbos to blow like that is if there's someting left in an oil gallery after overhaul, which then lodges in the turbo oil feed.

Thats why Cat and others always supplied a temporary gauze strainer for the oil feed, (which is removed after running up), every time they supplied a new turbo or turbo cartridge.

Fred

[tctractors]

Fred, CAT did a modification on the Turbo oil feed by fitting a gauze mesh filter into the oil feed line, after upteen Turbo's running dry this mod was scrapped, the Turbo damage on this engine will tell the tail after the unit is stripped, hot wheel or compressor wheel damage will pin-point the cause of failing, to fit a new Turbo after a failed one is not a good trick to pull without finding out the reason leading upto the inital fault, I could rattle on some here but would need to know more detail on the history, Trains with their large engine oil capacity and supply filtering are somewhat different to a normal engine with its 3 or 4 gallons floating about the sump, but it looks like something nasty has hit the compressor wheel sending bits into
the interafter? cooler or engine, shaft failing through oil faults usualy cause a Steam Engine effect out of the Exhaust.

[martyn williams]

Hello Fred and Tony
There is a big investigation on this job as it also caused delays to trains from the midlands southbound. I expected to see some oil within this damaged turbo,but it was spotless and dry.Maybe it did not get its oil feed, will find out the outcome of the strip down and inspection. A very expensive job to put right.
Martyn