Scare on Case-IH MX-270 Magnum

[Hay Dude]

While operating my Magnum last year it was blowing oil out of the breather tube when the turbo was spooled and making max pressure, max RPM and max load (like pulling a heavy square baler up a hill at road speed).

I thought I had a cracked piston or ring, but after performing some tests, we found it was just bad turbo seals.
It had no smoke, but massive blow by from the breather tube. Something I had never seen before to this extent.

Turns out the turbo seals were leaking air, not oil as I had thought. The leaking air was blowing through the turbo drain line into the crank case and acting like a compressor, filling the crankcase up with excessive air pressure. This forced air pressurized oil out of the breather tube.

Also, the muffler atop the engine was partially collapsed, creating back pressure.

I never thought I’d be relieved at having to spend $3,000 for a turbo and muffler, but compared to a $15,000 in frame (actually it’s out of frame) overhaul, I feel somewhat relieved.

 

[groundcover]

Good catch ! Good thing the seal wasn't in front of the turbo to let the engine run away on engine oil, that can get Exciting! Should see a big power increase and fuel decrease as well .

 

[Hay Dude]

Yes! The stories on filling up the intercooler with oil are some of the scariest you’ll ever hear in operating equipment. There’s no shutting it off, unless you have a CO2 fire extinguisher nearby!

 

[Hay Dude]

Good catch ! Good thing the seal wasn't in front of the turbo to let the engine run away on engine oil, that can get Exciting! Should see a big power increase and fuel decrease as well .

What’s interesting is the dyno showed normal power output. It also never seemed to lack power, even pulling my 38,000lb baler.
It was still making 245HP at the PTO stub. When I bought it, it was making 270 at the stub. I attributed the difference to 2 different dynos. 245 is at the lower end of acceptable and 270 is above normal.

 

[Hay Dude]

New turbo installed. Had leaking seals.

New Muffler installed. Was clogged up and pretty well shot and creating back pressure.

Parts are getting crazy expensive.

 

[tacticalturnip]

The price of things, well, hurts; still, better a couple grand than $15k. Of course, with the price of these machines, even $15k is a drop in the bucket compared to a new machine.

Insanity.