The Problem with Holden Captiva Garrett Turbos

The Holden Captiva two litre diesel variant comes with an electric-actuated Garrett GTB1549v turbo.

And as with all turbochargers the GTB1549v turbo is sensitive to the quality and cleanliness of oil that it is being fed. So, the oil being fed into the turbo needs to be of a minimum standard (rating) recommended for the Diesel Captiva. It also needs to be 'clean,' meaning free from particulates that will cause excessive wear throughout the turbochargers internals. And, just as important, the correct, clean oil needs to be freely available to the turbo internals and working surfaces, when the turbo is in operation.

Dirty oil, low oil levels, and poor oil flow means poor turbo operation and short turbocharger life-span. And at worst, compromising the integrity of the thrust plate and journal bearing, leading to complete failure of the turbocharger.

By observing regular maintenance periods, you can help increase the turbocharger serviceability and increase the useful life-span. You can read further on the best ways to meet the serviceability requirements of a turbocharged vehicle here.

A Brief Summary on Servicing a Diesel Turbo Vehicle:

Servicing Intervals: Ideally you should do an oil and filter change service every 10,000 kilometers. The rule of thumb for a diesel turbo is the shorter the interval between oil changes, the better. Obviously the economics of labor and consumables costs, as well as the cost of having the vehicle off the road need to be considered. However, if you can afford it, and you plan on keeping the vehicle for a long time, service every 5,000 kilometers will keep the turbocharger in good condition for a long time.

Oil Quality: Take the recommended rating of the oil specified by the manufacturer as a minimum. Ideally, and if you can afford it, get the next rating up and use fully synthetic oil. It will provide the internal turbo working parts extra protection from wear, especially under extreme temperatures.

Specifics Relevant to the Captiva Turbocharger:

In addition to the above servicing recommendations, the Captiva has a specific issue that should be addressed to ensure a long life for the Garrett turbocharger. That issue relates to the original banjo bolts at the ends of the oil-feed line. These original fittings have a small oil flow hole. Because of this small diameter, they can easily become a bottle neck for oil flow. Any build-up of oil sludge inside these bolts means restricted flow of oil to the turbocharger.

This is much like plaque inside an artery restricting blood flow to the heart, eventually leading to a heart attack. And much like a 'stint' can be applied under surgery to open the artery to keep blood flowing to the heart, there is something we can do for the Holden Captiva. The fix is an obvious one. Replacing the current bolts that connect the oil feed line, with banjos of a larger diameter to allow greater oil flow. This also means that going forward, there will be a higher tolerance to sludge build-up in the oil. Should that build up occur, there will still be enough oil flow in the feed line for the turbo to operate.

What if you already have a Problem with Your Holden Captiva Garrett Turbo?

Are you are in the unfortunate position where it is too late, and your Captiva turbo is already damaged? In such case, it will need to be swapped out with a new turbocharger.

In swapping out to the new turbocharger, installers should follow Best Practice Steps for installing the turbo. These include doing a full service at install, including changing the air filter and cleaning out the manifold. The oil feed line should be ultrasonically cleaned at a minimum, but ideally replaced.

And if you are looking for a replacement to the original Garrett we have aftermarket replacement two Litre turbos to fit the diesel Holden Captiva.

And, the units we supply are upgrades with Ceramic Compressor Wheel / Ceramic Housings. See our affordable Upgrade Holden Captiva GTB1549v Turbo.