Turbo Temperature

[Xylynx]

I have a Fabia 1.4 TDI (BNM engine) and I was wondering if there was any way of measuring the temperature of the Turbo charger?

I know I could fit an EGT sensor but this would require modification to the exhaust so would it be possible to fit something like a K-Type thermocouple to the housing and get a temperature that way? And if so what would be a safe / expected temperature?

 

I'd just like the point out I know its a totally pointless task on this engine but I'm just curious if it could be done. 

[sepulchrave]

You really want to measure the temperature of the exhaust gas stream as it enters the turbo, this means drilling a hole and fitting a bush and using a stainless shielded thermocouple, you could expect to see temperatures around 700C, you would notice the effect that EGR has on reducing EGT which helps the turbo live longer. There are many who map out their EGR who forget this.

[Xylynx]

Cheers for the info. And can someone confirm that this car does not have a EGT sensor from the factory (I know many new engines do but I'm pretty sure the MK1 doesn't?).

 

So realistically there wouldn't be a way of measuring the approx. bearing temperature or exhaust housing temperature by making a bracket to mount a sensor to the turbo itself?

 

Cheers

[sepulchrave]

The turbo bearings are plain bushes which rely on oil pressure to float the shaft, much like the crank bearings in the engine, so I wouldn't worry about it if I were you, the oil temperature will tell you the turbo bearing temperature!

[SuperbTWM]

Its pretty pointless to measure the temperature of the turbo bearings, when they fail you will know about it.

 

You could mount a thermocouple to the turbo housing but i'm not sure what you would gain from the data other than confirm that the turbo gets stinking hot.

Edited 20 August, 2017 by SuperbTWM

[KenONeill]

When they're boosting, turbos glow literally red hot, and sometimes "orange hot", but so what? They're designed to do this, and to live with the exhaust gas temperatures this implies.

 

The only time you need to know these temperatures is if you're building a big power Nissan RB26DETT, and since you're not asking about a Skyline I think we can safely rule that out!

[Xylynx]

Thanks for all the replies everyone, very useful as always! 

 

There was a thread I was reading on a ECU tuning forum about EGR delete and dynamic EGR (EGR control with coolant temperature) and a few people were mentioning that as the EGR lowers combustions temperatures and that disabling it would result in higher EGT's and possible turbo damage. 

 

But after reading your replies and doing my own research it seems the difference it makes would be negligible. 

 

Cheers

[sepulchrave]

7 hours ago, Xylynx said:

Thanks for all the replies everyone, very useful as always! 

 

There was a thread I was reading on a ECU tuning forum about EGR delete and dynamic EGR (EGR control with coolant temperature) and a few people were mentioning that as the EGR lowers combustions temperatures and that disabling it would result in higher EGT's and possible turbo damage. 

 

But after reading your replies and doing my own research it seems the difference it makes would be negligible. 

 

Cheers

 

Don't delete the EGR then, it's not rocket science, keep your EGR system clean and functioning well and you needn't worry about EGT at all. Deleting the EGR does nothing except raise EGT and emissions, I have literally no idea why so many people get so hung up about it.

[SuperbTWM]

On 22/08/2017 at 17:55, sepulchrave said:

 

Deleting the EGR does nothing except raise EGT and emissions

 

It stops you having to buy a new one if yours is broken 

[sepulchrave]

47 minutes ago, SuperbTWM said:

 

It stops you having to buy a new one if yours is broken 

 

Show us yer pants 

[FlipFlops]

Your best bet if to just get a hand held temp gun and point it at the Turbo, it will take a few seconds and your have a reading, very quick.

 

After being driven hard my Cupra R's turbo would glow red/orange, not sure on what temp it was though?

[KenONeill]

On 9/10/2017 at 13:36, FlipFlops said:

Your best bet if to just get a hand held temp gun and point it at the Turbo, it will take a few seconds and your have a reading, very quick.

 

After being driven hard my Cupra R's turbo would glow red/orange, not sure on what temp it was though?

I can't be entirely certain, but I'd guess at 600C to 700C.

[Xylynx]

On ‎10‎/‎09‎/‎2017 at 13:36, FlipFlops said:

Your best bet if to just get a hand held temp gun and point it at the Turbo, it will take a few seconds and your have a reading, very quick.

 

After being driven hard my Cupra R's turbo would glow red/orange, not sure on what temp it was though?

VCDS logging on a Octavia VRS Diesel shows EGT's from about 400C to 600C depending on conditions, so very hot! 

 

And the heat gun idea on the Fabia turbo gives about 250C on the housing and 200C on the pipe just before the flexi-joint in the exhaust. (That's after a few medium to hard accelerations).

 

EGR's are present and using standard mapping on both cars and it'll be staying that way thanks to all the input on here and the fact the valve shuts anyway as soon as you go near the throttle.

Edited 11 September, 2017 by Xylynx
More detail

[KenONeill]

@FlipFlops @Xylynx - My last was based on a petrol turbo; Xylynx sounds "about right" for a diesel given the lower exhaust temperatures.

[Xylynx]

12 hours ago, KenONeill said:

@FlipFlops @Xylynx - My last was based on a petrol turbo; Xylynx sounds "about right" for a diesel given the lower exhaust temperatures.

Yeah the turbo is quite hard to access on the 1.4 so my measurement was just done with MIN/MAX feature and just waving the thermometer about in the general area.