Detroit diesel 12.7 series 60 turbo life expectancy?

Original turbo on original engine can go over a million

 

While they can and often do last 600k or more. I would call it more of a maintenance item. They're not expensive, but it if it blows seals or loses a bearing, it can get expensive quick.

My personal opinion, I'm gonna throw a new one on every 3-400k

 

I second that opinion.

I replaced mine around a million, because I had no record of it being done.

 

BW171702 and a one piece manifold like Full-Tilt , some new boots, and some nice BH Tubes - give the old girl a Christmas present.

You’re welcome - I spend other people’s money and charge only a nominal fee

 

Unrelated to the OP question, and I am not trying to hijack his thread here. But what would you say to someone replacing a turbo on a 12.7 Detroit 60 series who says: "there was a broken metal part, when we took the turbo off and we didn't have it so we removed the rest of the part and put the turbo on", whilst the engine still sounding just as it did with the old turbo after they put the new turbo on. The sounding being, as if air is escaping and hearing more air than you should. Sure seemed like that "broken metal part" was likely a gasket. Which was what needed replaced rather than the entire turbo.

 

I've gathered the life of a turbo with fixed geometry (no actuator) depends a lot on how much thrust it is put under over time. I've had one go 900k. It had life but replaced during an inframe. You can put a machinists dial indicator mounted on a magnetic base to the compressor and turbine shaft to see how much play is in the bearings. Detroit has specs in their manuals. I found a set of manuals in PDF on 2 disc's for $20 on the internet years ago. The key to turbo life (and engine life for that matter) is easing into to the manifold pressure-no jack rabbit starts.

 

I've gathered the life of a turbo with fixed geometry (no actuator) depends a lot on how much thrust it is put under over time. I've had one go 900k. It had life but replaced during an inframe. You can put a machinists dial indicator mounted on a magnetic base to the compressor and turbine shaft to see how much play is in the bearings. Detroit has specs in their manuals. I found a set of manuals in PDF on 2 disc's for $20 on the internet years ago. The key to turbo life (and engine life for that matter) is easing into to the manifold pressure-no jack rabbit starts.

 

I would ask to see the metal part, and old turbo to check the fins and play. It was probably a gasket.

 

You should not determine when to change something based on mileage, d60's turbos can last over 1mil. But can also fail in a few thousand, to determine if it's bad or going bad, look for oil in both sides intake and exhaust, grab the impeller and wiggle it up and down. A little movement is OK but if it's moving excessive or touching the housing then replace the turbo