Like you many are interested in knowing if you should change the complete turbo or only the cartridge.
I have once asked this question to myself, but now I got the answer which I will share below with you.
The cartridge is the main element or component that works in the turbo, the rest is a housing. So there are two housings that make up a turbo; the housing attached to the exhaust and the housing attached to the intake or the air filter housing.
To understand this scenario, you need to compare the turbo to an engine. You can decided to overhaul an engine by replacing only the worn components such as piston rings, pistons, head gasket etc. At that point you only replace the engine components not the entire engine. So replacing the entire engine will be too expensive compare to replacing only the worn components or simply put overhauling.
After engine overhauling, you expect the engine to be efficient as replacing entire engine, because all the vital components have been replaced.
But sometimes, before overhauling, during the engine inspection, if you discovered that the engine block is damaged due to overheating or tear and wear, then you cannot only change the components but the entire engine. Conclusively, you replace only the engine components because it is cheaper than replacing the complete engine, and because the engine block is still good.
Now let’s go back to the turbo. It is cheaper to replace only the cartridge than replacing the complete turbo. Since the cartridge is the major component not the housing, you can replace only the cartridge and your turbo will serve you better. If the housing is good, you don’t need to replace the entire turbo.
However, you are to replace the entire turbo if the turbo housing has worn. A worn turbo housing causes too much clearance between the turbo and the cartridge, make the turbo to lose it’s efficiency.
So if you notice that the turbo housing is bad, then you need to replace the entire turbo.
Another factor you also need to consider is the cost. Check the price of the turbo and the price of the cartridge.
For example if the cartridge price is $10, and the complete turbo is $20, then to save cost, you can buy only the cartridge since it is cheaper.
But consider another example, if the cartridge is $10, and the complete turbo is $12, then it will be wise to buy the complete turbo because the gap between the the prices is too close. As buying a new turbo will also save you time. ProDieselParts will offer you the best prices for your turbo needs.
You also need to consider the labor cost. Are you to replace the cartridge yourself or someone is to do that for you? If you are paying a professional to fix the cartridge, then you also need to consider the labor fee, so that you can make your decision whether to replace the cartridge or the entire turbo.
Hope the aforementioned point above can really help you to make a wise decision whether to replace the turbo completely, or only the cartridge.
At ProDieselParts we supply both the complete turbo and their components. Let us help you with your engine turbo needs! Caterpillar, Detroit Diesel, Cummins, are just some of many brands we supply turbos. Let us know which diesel engine you carry to find the correct turbo.
