At the beginning of the year, all boat owners deal with repairs and labor interventions necessary to ensure the upcoming summer season can pass as peacefully as possible, avoiding unpleasant surprises at sea and keeping marine turbo killers at bay.

Among the various maintenance and inspections, turbocharger maintenance is particularly important: salt water is a real killer for the turbocharger’s exhaust manifold, causing wear due to rust formation and the resulting weakening and corrosion of the cast iron. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that these are seawater-cooled exhaust manifolds, so the corrosive effect is especially evident on boats that are left idle for extended periods, where the condensation-salt mix becomes truly lethal.

A modicum of prevention can be achieved through cleaning cycles with fresh water, which softens the aggressive action of the salt. However, since this practice is not performed regularly and the consequences become apparent very gradually, any intervention proves too late compared to an already compromised situation. In fact, the driver is unlikely to notice the drop in performance until it is too late. The clearance between the exhaust manifold and the turbine wheel will progressively increase until the turbine is no longer able to deliver the right amount of air to the compressor for proper combustion. Anomalous smoke and high temperatures will be the natural consequences, increasing the risk of damage to the cylinder head and/or valves. Therefore, the later the intervention, the greater the risk of serious damage (and, obviously, the cost of repair).

Turbine overhaul and maintenance are crucial to prevent any chain reaction, and Depros-Marine comes to the rescue. The company supplies new exhaust manifolds and repairs to old ones to eliminate wear. Alternatively, complete new and original reconditioned turbochargers are available upon request. The company uses top-notch equipment for balancing and final testing, and offers a one-year comprehensive warranty included in the price.

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