Turbo backfire

[GHOST1750]

What does someone know about Turbo back fire. How common is it, what causes it and how dangerous is it. My Tradewinds is being towed into a shop in the morning and we are going home without it. 😞

[wolfe10]

Crushed slobber tube (aka crankcase breather) or crushed turbo oil drain return line??

Can't see how a crushed slobber tube would cause that, though it could sure do other engine damage, starting with blown seals.

[GHOST1750]

wolfe10 wrote:
Depends on how hot it is:

If you just climbed a long grade and pulled off at a "scenic overlook" 4-5 minutes.

Pulled off the highway, checked into a CG and pulled into your site-- immediately.

Thanks, I drove this thing 15 years before I had any major problems. They replaced the Turbo a year ago because it was retaining oil in the turbo. Said it was caused by a crushed slobber tube.

[wolfe10]

Depends on how hot it is:

If you just climbed a long grade and pulled off at a "scenic overlook" 4-5 minutes.

Pulled off the highway, checked into a CG and pulled into your site-- immediately.

[GHOST1750]

jplante4 wrote:
Letting the turbo cool has more to do with bearings than inlet temps.

We had a rig in the shop last month where the turbo outlet (exhaust) pipe came off the turbo and melted the batteries.

If that's not the case then I suspect the CAC is plugged up and the hot charge air is backing up into the airbox. Maybe your air filter disintegrated?

How long do you let it idle before shutting it down?

[jplante4]

Letting the turbo cool has more to do with bearings than inlet temps.

We had a rig in the shop last month where the turbo outlet (exhaust) pipe came off the turbo and melted the batteries.

If that's not the case then I suspect the CAC is plugged up and the hot charge air is backing up into the airbox. Maybe your air filter disintegrated?

[3oaks]

Can't help with your RV problem, but..............

"Beautiful machines but when you get my age you just don't buy a new anything unless it's a new bottle of pills"

I have the opposite attitude. I am probably near the same age as you. However, I don't hesitate to buy the new things that I put off buying years back when I was in a conservative mode and saving for the future was my goal. Now it's time to enjoy the new things I did without during my working years. 😉 🙂

[Bruce_Brown]

GHOST1750 wrote:


I WANT A NEW NEWMAR GASSER, You think this is a good excuse. Beautiful machines but when you get my age you just don't buy a new anything unless it's a new bottle of pills.:)

When we bought our first DP my nephew, a diesel mechanic by trade, said no matter what we do always let the turbo cool before shutting it down. I'm not saying that's what happened in your case, just a suggestion.

As to the Newmar comment, I once spoke to an elder man who had just bought a new MH. He said he financed it as long as they'd let him, and he insured the loan. He was making the smallest payment possible and figured he'd never pay it off, and the loan insurance would keep his family from having to pick up the pieces when he passed.

[Ivylog]

Not sure where the melted items are??? If you have a Cummins they are bad about cracking the exhaust manifold letting heat and some noise into the engine compartment.

[GHOST1750]

ScottG wrote:
I dont think any of that has anything to do with your turbo.

I hope you are right Scott and I tend to agree with you, going to be interesting.

[ScottG]

I dont think any of that has anything to do with your turbo.

[GHOST1750]

Only indication anything was wrong was a slight noise when accelerating and a smell like like wires and plastic burning. I pulled over, left engine running and walked around coach then slid underneath and checked for anything unusual, nothing, no noise, no leaks no smoke. when I pulled into the RV park I found my jacks doesn't work and the lights in the bedroom and televisions don't work. It was the next morning that I checked the air cleaner compartment and found a lot of melted plastic. My wife hears everything and she didn't know anything had happened until I told her something wasn't right when I heard a very quiet hum and then the smell. Never any loss of power, in fact it ran like a scared deer.

I WANT A NEW NEWMAR GASSER, You think this is a good excuse. Beautiful machines but when you get my age you just don't buy a new anything unless it's a new bottle of pills.:)

[11178adm]

what were the symptoms? if it was a loud pop followed by a loss of power it could be something as simple as a charge air cooler hose coming off or something a lot more serious like a sudden failure of the turbo (broken shaft or broken impeller) hope for the simple one
good luck

[ScottG]

It's not backfire, it's called "bark" and you want to avoid it at all cost although in some instances it can be hard to avoid. It can end up snapping the shaft if it happens enough.
Basically it's a sudden reversal of air pressure and direction when you lift your foot suddenly.