Maintenance of a turbo

[kc1983]

1st post!

I am looking at a 2005 PT Cruiser Touring - it has the low compression turbo 2.4 (180hp) and its a 4 speed auto. Mileage is great at only 50,000kms.

I plan on having this car for around 4-6 years. I've never owned a turbocharged car before. Are they a lot more expensive to maintain?

[quicksilverdon]

Welcome.
My first turbo, but from all the forums, no real issues..., and I have about 80,000 miles on mine now - problems? one ABS sensor had to be replaced.
What you need to do - USE SYNTHETIC OIL - and change it 5,000 miles or sooner.
For the Auto - get it FLUSHED (not just drain and fill) every 50,000 miles or sooner and be sure they use ATF +4.

[bobdole369]

USE SYNTHETIC OIL

seconded.

No more maintenance than any other car, nothing special to maintain. There are a few more components, but they are built solidly. Turbo's rarely fail on these cars.

[Chromenut]

Originally Posted by bobdole369

seconded.

No more maintenance than any other car, nothing special to maintain. There are a few more components, but they are built solidly. Turbo's rarely fail on these cars.

I'll back that up, just keep out of boost in overdrive and you'll be okay. You don't have to worry about the manual clutch, that's the only performance item that's gone bad on mine and that's from running on the track and then wide open throttle on the dyno, so my bad, but the clutch on the manual tranny wasn't make to take the kind of torque the engine is putting out after modifications. Yours will be just fine....

[PT_Cuda]

He's running the 41te Auto trans..

That my friend will be your weak spot, not the turbo, though a few had failed, turbo's though are plentiful low miles on the used market. The SRT4(neon) uses the same turbo and those guys yank them off in miliseconds after getting the car so used = cheap. Synth oil and the tubo will be rock solid.

The trans however is not so cheap plentiful but you can save yourself or extend your life by doing a trans service at 30K and this is the important one.

When you are in cruising on the freeway say 65-70mph and you want to pass, do not just stomp the go pedal. Manually shift the car down to 3rd so you engage all of your trans clutches, this spreads out the load. Where if you don't downshift it you have 2 of them engaged and they tend to burn out since they just can't handle the torque these cars chuck out.

Around town not needed as much, but if you know you are going to stomp the go pedal help your trans out..

Some people never have a problem, but if you have a leaded right foot, its good advice.. This has been learned from those of us who are with feet of lead and power hungry.. No way meant to scare you off from the PT its a great car but we found a weak spot and a way to make it not so bad.

Good luck to you

[Turbo Tommy]

Originally Posted by PT_Cuda

When you are in cruising on the freeway say 65-70mph and you want to pass, do not just stomp the go pedal. Manually shift the car down to 3rd so you engage all of your trans clutches, this spreads out the load. Where if you don't downshift it you have 2 of them engaged and they tend to burn out since they just can't handle the torque these cars chuck out.
)

Standing on the gas to downshift or using the auto stick will do the same thing. Unlock the torque converter, downshift to 3rd from overdrive.

I'm not sure what your talking about with spreading the load to all your clutches. Each clutch pack is in relation to particular gear, and you can't change that.

The trans is totally controlled by the computer, and only the clutch packs needed to engage a certain gear are used at a time. The computer is going to control clutch pack engagement and line pressure and you have no manual control over that....other than throttle position, which will cause later firmer shifts.

And for what it's worth slow soft shifts are worse than firm fast shifts, less heat and clutch slippage.

The 41TE is not the sturdiest, but has come along way from it's A604 Days. Change the fluid with atf+4 every 30k, and enjoy it.

[bobdole369]

Standing on the gas to downshift or using the auto stick will do the same thing. Unlock the torque converter, downshift to 3rd from overdrive.

I think PT Cuda means drop it to 3rd prior to stomping it. Yup the tranny will do it for you, but whilst stomping it, your RPM and torque ARE going up, and as OD is the weakest clutch pack - it can take the least torque. No idea if it actually helps anything, but I used to do that in my camaro just because I had that thing apart and I know exactly why some folks say to do that.

I'm not sure what your talking about with spreading the load to all your clutches. Each clutch pack is in relation to particular gear, and you can't change that.

There are less clutches in OD than the other gears. Having 100 ft lbs of torque / 2 clutches is worse on them than having 100 ft lbs of torque / 3 clutches. Add that the trans is disengaging 4th and slamming it into 3rd at the same time - and there is a potential issue.

just keep out of boost in overdrive

Totally conceivable that you could be boosting while the trans hasn't finished downshifting. Torque comes up quick as soon as boost starts up. Here is where turbo lag is your friend.

[PT_Cuda]

Originally Posted by bobdole369

I think PT Cuda means drop it to 3rd prior to stomping it. Yup the tranny will do it for you, but whilst stomping it, your RPM and torque ARE going up, and as OD is the weakest clutch pack - it can take the least torque. No idea if it actually helps anything, but I used to do that in my camaro just because I had that thing apart and I know exactly why some folks say to do that.



There are less clutches in OD than the other gears. Having 100 ft lbs of torque / 2 clutches is worse on them than having 100 ft lbs of torque / 3 clutches. Add that the trans is disengaging 4th and slamming it into 3rd at the same time - and there is a potential issue.



Totally conceivable that you could be boosting while the trans hasn't finished downshifting. Torque comes up quick as soon as boost starts up. Here is where turbo lag is your friend.

ding ding! Dude you got it.. I've seen so many people tear the 41te to shreds that its the first thing I tell people, the boost will happen before the computer can swap the cogs around in the trans = burning up the clutches..

It was the main reason I hunted for months for a Getrag PT..