Tractor turbocharger

We have a CIH 7150 that is acting a
little weak compared to what it was
a couple years ago. The fuel filters
and fuel system have been recently
replaced or rebuilt. The engine was
also totally overhauled by the
dealer within the last 1500 hrs. I'm
not sure if the turbo was replaced
then or not. Once it gets wound up
its mostly ok power wise but still
questionable. At mid range and lower
RPMs it's doggish. It is also hesitant to accelerate with a load..There is a slight
oil dampness that always remains
around the turbo. No other visible
oil leaks can be seen anywhere on
the engine. Is this a sign the turbo
is on the way out ? I've never had
to replace one so this is new
territory for me.

Is it wet around the end of the exit pipe,you should put on a gauge, and see how much boost pressure you have, but it should be on a dyno for that !!

Pull the intake pipe between the turbo and engine and see if it has oil on it, that is the most common tell. That sort of issue can also be timing, has it been that way since the overhaul? It's possible the pump was installed wrong. One other thing I've come across was a tractor that was terribly gutless. Was that way for years and overhauled twice and still was bad. Ran good otherwise. Tur Ed out the dampened pulley had turned where the rubber was and so it was out of time because the timing marks are on the pulley. A new pulley and properly timed and it runs good now.

I've never had a turbo on a car or tractor.
I've been told by a few who have turbos on a truck and they cost a lot to replace.
Read an article that turbos on 4 cylinder cars are not reliable and expensive to replace.
Some cars are replacing the V6 with a turbo 4 cylinder may get 1 or 2 mpg better.
Is a turbo worth it on tractors?

Does it smoke alot? Excess black smoke is a sign of lack of air. Have you checked the air filter?

More black smoke than before?

(quoted from post at 08:06:54 02/10/23) I've never had a turbo on a car or tractor.
I've been told by a few who have turbos on a truck and they cost a lot to replace.
Read an article that turbos on 4 cylinder cars are not reliable and expensive to replace.
Some cars are replacing the V6 with a turbo 4 cylinder may get 1 or 2 mpg better.
Is a turbo worth it on tractors?

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Tractors have come equipped with turbos since the mid 1960's. The technology is very mature and refined. They increase the power output and fuel efficiency, and last a very long time. The tractor in question here is about 35 years old with its original turbo so they are very robust and reliable.

Without a turbo a tractor's engine would have to be much larger to make the same horsepower, would use much more fuel to make that horsepower.

Your statements about 4 cylinder cars are by and large inaccurate, cherry picked from some article written by someone with some kind of agenda.

I have that 8.3 engine in my F-800
Take the air intake pipe off the turbo then see if you can wiggle the shaft up and down or in and out
It should have a small amount of up and down for bearing clearance but no in and out, more the 1/8 inch up and down indicates a worn shaft or bearing which would allow the fan blades to rub against the housings
Check the hoses and their connections for holes or loose clamps the would allow boost pressure to escape
Does it have a water cooled after cooler or air to air, if air to air check it for damage to the
And exhaust leak will reduce drive pressure needed to get max boost from the turbo, but these can normally be heard

Adding a boost gage will let you know how the turbo is performing, I use a boost gage to tell me when it s time to change fuel filters
If the air filter or intake is restricted you should be getting excessive smoke under load

I'll post this here to answer everyone's questions. A little background on this particular tractor...we bought this tractor used approximately 10 years ago from the neighbor that purchased it new. It was they're big tractor at the time.At 5k hrs on the clock, he wasn't satisfied with the oil consumption, so he had our local dealer completly overhaul the engine. In the meantime he had to purchase an equivalent of it to use as the overhaul ran into planting time. He continued to use this 7150 for another 150-200 hrs until we bought it after having to rent it from them while our big tractor at the time had a massive breakdown. This 7150 from New till the last couple of years has been a man to the point it would seriously bend Cat 3 hitch pins on the equipment it pulled,which had to be replaced yearly. Currently it still has power, but nothing like it did. The air filters are new,less than 40 hrs on a complete oil and filter service. It used to not blow any black smoke but does some now when a load is applied. It is however not at a steam locomotive smoke status. The oil residue that I see is on the engine side of the turbo, which is making me a bit nervous as some of the horror stories that I have heard of turbos letting go. It will average about 1 qt of oil usage per day under medium to lighter loads. Heavy loads it will run in the 2 to 3 qt per day range, yet there is zero engine blowby,nor blue exhaust smoke typically found on an oil burner engine.

1qt of oil a day is so little that there would not be any discernable blue smoke from the exhaust.

Even if you were only running the tractor 8 hours a day that's only 4oz of oil an hour, 1oz every 15 minutes, .07oz per minute. With the volume of exhaust coming out of that 8.3L, no way you'd see any blue.

With the increased oil usage it sounds little the shaft seal on the turbo is leaking
Rarely do you notice increased blow your when this happens
Pull in air intake pipe off the turbo and check for loosness

(quoted from post at 15:24:46 02/10/23) With the increased oil usage it sounds little the shaft seal on the turbo is leaking
Rarely do you notice increased blow your when this happens
Pull in air intake pipe off the turbo and check for loosness

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Beware of the potential for a runaway condition should the turbo seal really let go and provide a lot of uncontrolled fuel to the engine.

Make sure the entire air system is clear. I've seen bird and mouse nests plugging the intake. But if there is oil in the intake yu likely need a turbo. It's not a bad job, the worst will be getting the bolts that hold it to the manifold loose. Otherwise it's not a bad job.

Youre talking about two completely different scenarios. Modern farm tractors could not exist with out a turbo

That would be engine oil not fuel

The 7150 had a waste gate, the 7140 didn't, you might want to see if that is closed, especially if you here exhaust escaping under the hood !

kidding or serious ?

Thank you everyone for the replies. Sounds like I need to investigate this issue further and do as Destroked and Jon F said during our upcoming projected wet spell. I haven't thought of the waste gate,but will check it out also.

I agree with the other fellow your reading something that is just not true. Turbos today are more refined and almost to the point of trouble free. Out of little over 800 tractors sold by the dealerships last no warranty on turbos. Ford eco boost v6 twin turbos and I am on my 4th no turbo problems. Turbo is cheap energy on any engine.

I'm serious.