Afternoon, all.
I've got an HTT 64/71/16ss that I've been running since 05. I sent it in to get checked in '11 or '12, it was good, but I had them rebuild it while they had it. I recently noticed a different pitch when the truck makes boost, so I checked the shaft and I've got anywhere from 1/16th to 1/8th of play back and forth (thrust bearing?). It's a daily driver, I'm not terribly hard on it, maybe 10-15 passes down the track.

Is this normal? Rebuilding the turbo every 4-5 years?

 

Nope, not normal. Could be a fluke though, I have never heard anything bad about HTT.

 

Me neither. I hope it is just one of those things. I did notice it after one of my injectors puked, so maybe the diesel in the oil had something to do with it.

Whatever... it's only money

 

What are you using for oil?

 

Rotella. I was going between T6 and T5, but I'm back to the regular dino now.

 

definitely not normal. My 99 has the same turbo it had at birth. No obvious endplay. I've used synthetic since I changed out the break in oil but I know people of equal age trucks that aren't on their second turbo much less their third.
Have you checked the oil flow to and from the turbo? I wonder if it isn't getting enough oil to keep it alive.
Also you don't regularly come off highway speed for hours and just shut er down do you? I don't sit and cool down intentionally but I can't think of a time where I didn't do side road stop and go for at least a few miles off the highway. Maybe you are cooking the bearings.

 

No, I will sit until the EGTs are at 300*...

I hope it's a fluke. I don't beat on it like a teenager. Whatever, it's only money...

 

Fuel in the diesel didn't help.

 

Well... fuel in the diesel does help...

I wonder if that is what it was. I've been seeing some high bearing wear in my oil reports, maybe the turbo was just taking a crap.

 

Depends on what the turbo bearings are made of compared to the ones in the engine. Don't know if they are different or not.