Real Mechanics React to Turbo Disasters

Added: 2026-05-31

[00:00:00]Turbos are fun until they're not. Today we're reacting to insane turbo fails and breaking down what went wrong.

[00:00:09]So I'm like, okay, okay, okay. Well, that's what you're not supposed to do. Uh, so this would be like backyard water injection.

[00:00:28]Does that equate to anything the good?

[00:00:31]So, I mean there's a lot of controversy around water injection. Water injection, like sophisticated water injection, >> not this >> is supposed to help when you have like really high combustion temperatures, really high pressures. Um, super high performance stuff. It helps cool down the charge so you get less uh, you know, less prone to detonation or or pre-ignition. Um, but there's a fine amount that is supposed to be used. And doing this um is is I mean that did not look like a fine amount.

[00:01:03]>> It did.

[00:01:04]>> Here's the thing. I don't condone this.

[00:01:05]I'm just I'm just explaining backyard logic here. But it settles the water the most the bulk of it settles in the intercooler and then it supposed to get like you know misted into the engine that way. But again, completely unregulated. And I >> I cannot trust this. This is >> This is like when you're like, I'm going to go on a diet and then you eyeball your macro because that doesn't work out ever. I promise you.

[00:01:31]>> Too much risk for me.

[00:01:32]>> You do you. It's your turbo.

[00:01:34]>> You do you. Yeah. You do you. Live your best life.

[00:01:37]>> I personally would not make a stupid dumb decision like this.

[00:01:41]>> Idiot. Idiot.

[00:01:43]>> Idiot.

[00:01:45]>> All right, let's watch into that next clip. When was the last time you think this send on our trains are inter oil?

[00:01:52]Cuz that is some old >> Oh my god. So >> Jesus the Civic looked like that for a small period of time.

[00:02:02]>> It did it.

[00:02:02]>> Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So let me This can happen for uh I'd say two main reasons this can happen and then I'll explain which one of those was was mine.

[00:02:14]So you can have the oil seals inside of the turbo because many turbos are uh oil lubricated, right? If those seals go bad, then it's going to suck through the turbo, a bunch of oil and then of course going to make it into the intercooler and then it just builds up and builds up and uh kind of like the water one, right? Like where the water selling at the bottom of the intercooler. Well, the oil goes in there too. Now you've got some oil injection. So obviously that would be bad. You don't want that. Um, the other reason this can happen is because you get so much crankase pressure um that uh you end up getting oil sucked up through the PCV system and then that routes through the intake and then that will fill up your intercooler, which is exactly what happened on the Civic engine. And when I took the intercooler out, it >> it looked like that. I even tried to put I tried to put in a catch can, but the c the little catch can couldn't >> it couldn't keep up with the volume of oil that you're just sucking up into your oil so bad.

[00:03:09]>> Yeah, I mean like I've definitely seen this at a much lesser extent.

[00:03:14]>> Yeah, this is a little >> never seen your extender this. But um >> you just had to drain it every every so of >> you got to check it out. Drain it, you know. Um I feel like like everything you should just stay on top of your maintenance. Create your own little maintenance intervals of just checking your intercooler. Maybe getting a catch can to help out. Maybe a larger one when that one stops working.

[00:03:34]>> Yeah, this one looks like a catch can is not going to be enough like like my situation. But uh you know, sometimes you don't have the money to fix a problem. And listen, you just got to change your intercooler oil.

[00:03:46]>> And that's fine. I'm not I'm never going to blame anyone for being broke until I'm rich. But until then, if you you don't have to buy a catch can. Just drain your freaking intercooler oil.

[00:04:00]>> Life hack.

[00:04:01]>> Yeah, life hack. Just drain it out.

[00:04:03]>> Use your intercooler as a catch can.

[00:04:06]>> Let's spill into that next clip.

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[00:04:50]Wa! crazy. Woo.

[00:04:55]I usually put in about half a quart to probably 75% of a quart more than what the oil capacity rating is on the engine. But why exactly do I do that?

[00:05:04]Well, the LS guys told me to, and it makes sense for this reason. See, this turbocharger actually borrows to jump off feed line from the engine's oil pan.

[00:05:13]Very fair. That's valid. Turbo uses a one quart system. So that means it's taking one quart of oil from the engine's oil pan to function. And my friend who builds a lot of these LS engines and turbocharged applications with the LS told me that he always overfills all of the cars his shop builds because he doesn't want oil starvation to occur.

[00:05:32]>> I mean, it's a good point. Um the the turbo does require a little extra oil and so I do think that that in general is a good practice. I don't know if you'd say the same amount cuz not all turbochargers are the same size and they're not going to have the same capacity. And you also have to take into consideration uh your oil pan. You do want to make sure that it's not so overfilled where the crankshaft's going to be touching the oil. So, I'd say it's not one sizefits-all, but the general concept is >> Yeah. I mean, the logic behind it is very easy to understand. Um, >> makes sense.

[00:06:05]>> Yeah. And I mean, I feel like as with everything that you do in terms of cars and modifications, um, just do your own research. Figure out what size turbo you have, how much oil it takes, and then account for, okay, if I add this much more oil in my engine pan, will it touch my crank?

[00:06:22]>> Yeah. Will it will it, you know, like make sense for the application that I'm doing? But I mean I mean, sounds good to me. Like if I already only have like a three and a half quart system and I'm not like and a dinky little turbo, you'd probably not want to fill an overfill by a quart.

[00:06:37]>> You're probably going to be okay with your dinky little turbo.

[00:06:39]>> But I'd say even more importantly is probably upping your viscosity just because you're introducing boost now. Um lower viscosity engine oils do not provide the same amount of protection.

[00:06:52]you figure the extra pressure inside of the cylinder walls is going to push out all the lubrication from the cylinder walls out and you could end up scoring the cylinder walls. So, I'd say more importantly, let's maybe up the viscosity for that extra pressure and then if you want to add a little bit of extra oil in there, then that'll help.

[00:07:08]But definitely do your freaking oil changes more often. A lot of the reason why you take a lower viscosity oil is because of the EPA and because your manufacturer wants to meet emissions regulations. Yes.

[00:07:23]>> So do what you will with that information, but just want to put it out there.

[00:07:29]>> Yeah. Then that's a that's a great point because they don't care as long as your engine makes it past warranty.

[00:07:34]>> Exactly. Um, they just want you to get the best gas mileage possible and >> and low viscosity oil will help with emissions in that sense, but it will not help with the longevity and protection of your actual engine.

[00:07:46]>> Now you're an informed consumer. Make your own decisions.

[00:07:50]>> [ __ ] the EPA.

[00:07:53]>> You can leave it.

[00:07:53]>> That sounds like an NWA song.

[00:07:58]>> Nose clip.

[00:08:01]>> Oh, Turbo Civic is in failure.

[00:08:03]>> A Oh, I'd be so devastated.

[00:08:08]>> I'd be pissed. He Whoever I hope the clip recorded it was the owner, but he cuz he handled it like a champ.

[00:08:13]>> That's I know. That's a sad day. Was it okay? You can see where the turbo is.

[00:08:17]That looks like smoke coming out the bottom. Did it Did it blow off like It looks like Is that like an exhaust pipe that blew off or something maybe off of the turbo?

[00:08:27]>> Honestly, I have horrible eyesight. It's so hard to see.

[00:08:30]>> Hold up. I got something that can fix this. Walker.

[00:08:39]>> That looks like it's underneath the actual that pipe that you're seeing.

[00:08:42]>> Wait, wait, wait. Looks like >> look.

[00:08:49]Oh my god.

[00:08:51]Do you see what I'm saying? It looks like it's behind that.

[00:08:54]>> It kind of looks like it. Back to our regular scheduled programming.

[00:08:58]>> That was very up close and personal.

[00:09:00]That was like when you >> make sure you guys filter that there.

[00:09:03]>> That was like when you get to go to like a zoo and like you get to do like a giraffe eating experience and then and you're just so close to him and you're like whoa >> wow >> oh my gosh he has a lot of pores and ass.

[00:09:15]>> Okay. Well um yeah that's messed up and um I'd probably cry.

[00:09:20]>> I would also cry.

[00:09:21]>> I can't even tell you like what I Okay, I think the the logical umbrella of what it could be is just over boost.

[00:09:31]Yeah, maybe. Perhaps.

[00:09:32]>> Perhaps. And that's I feel like based off of what we have to discern an answer from. That is a very possible likelihood cuz in reality I can't I can't see anything. I can't tell you anything based on >> Yeah. Unless Yeah. It's It's hard to tell. Maybe you had some welds break.

[00:09:47]Maybe you had some We We don't know.

[00:09:50]>> Next time.

[00:09:51]>> Get Get better welds, buddy.

[00:09:53]>> Do better next time.

[00:09:54]>> Do better.

[00:09:56]>> All right, let's see the next clip.

[00:09:58]Supercharger and turbo together sounds nuts.

[00:10:03]>> Uh, Richard, >> what kind of car is that? Is that >> a big >> No, it's a Mitsubishi. How can I say that? Don't judge me, guys. Please don't hate me.

[00:10:14]>> I was I was >> I was Why didn't this look like >> But I didn't want to sound stupid as hell.

[00:10:19]>> And I That's okay. I sounded stupid as hell.

[00:10:22]>> Um, >> that sounds crazy.

[00:10:25]>> That is crazy. That is crazy. That sounds expensive.

[00:10:29]>> That also kind of sounds like those little like toy cars that you like roll back and they wind up and then they go a little bit a little bit to a lesser degree.

[00:10:36]>> It's got wind.

[00:10:38]>> It's got wind up energy.

[00:10:40]>> I mean, you must have all the boost from the low end and the top end.

[00:10:44]>> Yeah. Um Banks uh Banks has some setups I think that are like that. Um but like I've only seen on like big diesel big boy setups.

[00:10:54]It's expens everything in that realm is very expensive. You you decide to do both. Everything is has got to be beefy.

[00:11:01]The engine's got to be like incredibly beefy inside.

[00:11:04]>> 100%.

[00:11:05]>> Um but uh and I think that's honestly why most people don't do it cuz it's >> it's a lot of work. A lot of work. Lot of money.

[00:11:12]>> A lot of work and a lot of money.

[00:11:13]>> And then what? For you to go on a dyno and then blow your >> blow it up anyways. Yeah. I think that's what usually ends up happening is usually catastrophic failure. Eventually something's going to give. That's one of my biggest fears, but that's cuz I'm broke.

[00:11:26]I've seen it like one too many times happen where it's like someone goes boost and then they don't build their like they don't build their internals.

[00:11:34]So, they just stock engine that's already like 100k miles in. Yeah.

[00:11:39]>> Go boost and then it just blows up on the dyno and the you look at the uh the fool that's dynoing your car, the tuner, and he's looking at you like >> you signed the waiver.

[00:11:47]>> Get your my >> get your out. No. God, no. God, I want to be rich so bad.

[00:11:53]>> God, I hate the rich cuz I'm not a part of it. But if I'm in it, oh my gosh, I'd love it.

[00:12:00]>> It's eat the rich until I'm one of the rich, bro.

[00:12:04]>> Let's whine into that next clip.

[00:12:07]>> Electric. Oh my gosh.

[00:12:10]>> Is this Cletus?

[00:12:22]electric turbos.

[00:12:25]>> So, >> am I stupid? Explain this to me.

[00:12:28]>> No, this is Okay, this is super cool.

[00:12:31]However, technically they're not turbos.

[00:12:35]>> Controversial.

[00:12:37]>> Hot take.

[00:12:38]>> 2011. My Civic makes 217.

[00:12:41]Technically, those are not electric turbos. Those would be considered an electric supercharger, like an electric suburb supercharger. If it's just the compressor wheel that um like you can see, it's a three-phase with that connector there.

[00:12:55]>> It is considered a supercharger. So, it' be an E supercharger. There are such a thing as electric turbos. However, >> it's leviosa, not leviosa.

[00:13:10]>> Oh my god. No, it is uh an actual electric turbo. Has an anti-compressor wheel and it has the exhaust uh wheel as well. And it has the electric motor sandwich kind of like an I like a Honda AMA sandwich system. He actually has a compound setup here too. So he has one E supercharger uh feeding into another E what looks like an E supercharger. So you're actually getting like compound boost or one's going to build boost and then the next one's going to build boost off of that boost. So this is like hot boost on boost energy.

[00:13:42]>> You're so smart.

[00:13:44]>> If I was here, bro, I could not explain this. I'd be like, "Cool, >> cool, cool.

[00:13:51]>> Cool stuff.

[00:13:54]>> You suck."

[00:13:54]>> That's what the audience wants to hear.

[00:13:56]Right. Right.

[00:13:58]>> Right.

[00:13:58]>> Next clip.

[00:14:03]>> Oh my god.

[00:14:07]>> Okay. With the shaft looking like that, I would not be messing around like that.

[00:14:11]That's like, okay, you've established that.

[00:14:14]>> I feel like that's going to impale me, dude.

[00:14:16]>> That's what I mean. Like, when you when you do that with compressor and you get that sucker to spin so fast, like I wouldn't. And then the camera right there, like that's just going to out into my heart and I die.

[00:14:27]>> That's what That's what I feel like.

[00:14:29]>> That's how Stephanie dies.

[00:14:31]>> I can't help but sometimes think of the worst case scenario thing. as it is. I'd be like, "That is like any dude be like, "Stay in front of me, dude. Report it.

[00:14:39]>> Put your face in front of it."

[00:14:40]>> And then I'd be like, "Am I the freaking bless right now?" Cuz maybe we shouldn't do that and maybe we shouldn't die tonight.

[00:14:45]>> I do feel like I live in like Final Destination moments where I'll be like, >> "Oh my god, did anybody else just see that? Step away. Everybody stop.

[00:14:54]>> Stop, guys. We're all going to die right now.

[00:14:56]>> I've seen it." And everyone's like, "You're stupid. I'm going to keep you."

[00:15:00]And then they don't die and then I'd look like the crazy person.

[00:15:03]>> But it could have happened.

[00:15:04]>> It could have.

[00:15:07]>> The turbo's obviously bad.

[00:15:09]>> What is he doing? He's What is that?

[00:15:10]>> You can see the shaft like Yeah.

[00:15:12]>> What is he doing? Is he trying to >> He's just trying to show us. I think he >> has something in it. What did he have?

[00:15:18]>> No, it's that's just that chewed up, bro. Like >> that.

[00:15:21]>> Yeah, >> that little >> the fans. Like look at the fans cuz the shafts wobbling.

[00:15:26]>> No, but what did he pull out after? You see what I'm saying?

[00:15:28]>> Oh, that's a air nozzle. Oh, okay.

[00:15:30]>> That's how he's Yeah, >> that's a fat.

[00:15:32]>> I know, right?

[00:15:34]>> Big old donkey air nozzle.

[00:15:37]>> That's horrible, bro. If one of those blades just >> Yikes.

[00:15:42]>> Just like it's already bad. You can see how the fins are bent cuz that thing's been whacking around.

[00:15:49]>> Yeah, that's so crazy.

[00:15:51]>> So, put yourself in harm's way is such a guy thing.

[00:15:55]I do kind of feel like, >> yo, if you guys ever put yourself in harm's way, let us know in the comments right now.

[00:16:00]>> I I'm just curious. I want to know.

[00:16:02]>> Let's bin into the next clip.

[00:16:12]>> That sounds insane.

[00:16:14]>> First time you've ever heard a turbo?

[00:16:19]>> It is cool though.

[00:16:20]>> It is. It I listen. It's fun.

[00:16:24]I like modifications sound cool. I really like how excited he is, though.

[00:16:29]>> I love your setup.

[00:16:31]>> I I can't say I've ever seen a setup like this. It kind of feels like it's a trophy mount in the sense of like you're trying to like really show it off.

[00:16:39]>> It's rare. I mean, re the the biggest benefit of rare mounts is that they're just cheap and easy.

[00:16:45]>> And we broke the turbo.

[00:16:47]>> Oh, we cracked the fin.

[00:16:48]>> Too much boost.

[00:16:50]>> I don't think it was too much boost. I think that's just a piece of >> it doesn't. Yeah, it's all the the impeller blades are all the same exact color.

[00:16:58]>> No marking. This is probably like just like a cheap off market. I can't talk to Mac. Listen, I have two Chinese eBay turbos in my garage. At least, >> you know, it's a gamble. You know, sometimes you have good luck with them.

[00:17:12]Sometimes they blow the first.

[00:17:14]>> Also, I mean, yeah, it's it's Listen, it's a it's a fin that got cracked or broken. I don't think that was due to overboost, but >> No, I don't.

[00:17:23]>> I'm definitely like curious um what how much boost they were running. Just how >> I know. Yeah, me too. Me too. Especially I don't know if they're making jokes about it being too much boost. That just feels like poor manufacturing.

[00:17:35]>> Yeah. And look at the setup. I'm going to bet it's not a brand new turbo. And I'm going to bet that it was used to begin with. So, >> are you telling me this is class A crust?

[00:17:46]>> Yeah. I mean, you know, you know this good old saying, buy once, cry once. And I feel like you can get away with like cheaping out on like an exhaust, an intake, you know, a pipe, whatever. But especially when you start going boost, performance, really things that really matter and are expensive and the setup is not super easy. Yeah. Maybe opt out for the name brand reputable uh turbo.

[00:18:13]>> Yeah. Um, and if not, then you know you're you know you're taking a gamble.

[00:18:17]You know what game you're playing.

[00:18:18]>> Yeah.

[00:18:18]>> Yeah. But uh I'm sorry this happened to you. Sorry for your loss.

[00:18:23]>> Sorry. Sorry. Not sorry.

[00:18:26]>> Get another cheap turbo.

[00:18:28]>> That's really mean.

[00:18:29]>> Yeah. Just buy another cheap turbo.

[00:18:30]Throw it in there.

[00:18:31]>> Yeah.

[00:18:32]>> What is it like 200 bucks on eBay? If you want to see even more RMS videos, click somewhere in the vicinity here.

[00:18:41]And thank you so much for watching. And uh we love you. Bye. Have a beautiful time.

[00:18:48]>> All right, y'all. If you're a mechanic or an automotive industry professional and you think you got the chops to kick it with us right here in this studio, go ahead and fill out that link in the bio.