Hi everyone, I'd like to replace the turbocharger on my 2018 Ford Fiesta MK8 ST-Line petrol.

On the Ford website, the original turbocharger is £996, but on eBay I found a non-original one for £165.

Question: Has anyone replaced a turbocharger and had problems with non-original parts? What's the difference?

 

 

The difference is that the original turbocharger is manufactured by a reputable European manufacturer and the cheap turbocharger is manufactured by an unknown Chinese manufacturer.

I would not touch these cheap unbranded Chinese Turbochargers. The quality, finish and specifications are, in most cases, far below standard. This cannot only result in power loss. When a crucial component such as a turbocharger fails, this can very quickly result in complete engine failure.

This does not mean that all turbochargers that are manufactured in China are bad. E&E Turbochargers for example is known to manufacture quite decent quality aftermarket turbochargers. These turbochargers are also offered by Pumaspeed as a cost-effective alternative for the original new and remanufactured turbochargers.


A turbocharger does usually not just fail. In most cases there is a different/external problem that causes a turbocharger to fail. Lack of lubrication for example is one of the most common causes. When replacing a turbocharger the actual problem should be solved first otherwise it is highly likely that the new turbocharger will also fail within a short period.

On a 1.0 EcoBoost a blocked strainer inside the engine block is one of the most common causes of turbocharger failure. This strainer is located inside the oil channel that leads to the turbocharger. The location of the strainer makes cleaning or replacement labor intensive. Because many mechanics do not even know about the strainer it is often forgotten.