Reconditioned Turbos — Diesel Turbocharger Supply & Exchange
Reconditioned and new turbochargers for commercial vehicles, plant, tractors, generators and boats. Give us the engine code and we'll confirm the right unit, the price and when it can be with you.
When a turbo goes, the machine stops earning. A lorry drops into limp mode, a telehandler sits on site blowing blue smoke, a tractor won't pull. A reconditioned turbo is usually the quickest and cheapest way back to full boost, as long as it's the right unit and the reason the old one failed has been dealt with.
Commercial Engines supplies reconditioned turbochargers for commercial diesel engines: HGVs and vans, plant and construction machinery, agricultural equipment, generators and marine engines. We cover Garrett, Holset, Borg Warner, IHI and Mitsubishi units, with new turbos as an alternative where a recon isn't available or isn't the right call. Most common types are available on exchange, so returning your old turbo as a core brings the price down.
Getting the Right Turbo First Time
A wrong turbo costs you twice: once in the time it takes to send it back, and again in the days the machine stays off the road. The same engine family can carry several turbo variants depending on power rating, emissions stage and what the engine is fitted to, and part numbers get superseded over the years.
So we work from the engine, not just a part number. Send us the engine code, the vehicle or machine it's in, and a photo of the ID tag on the turbo's compressor housing if you can get to it. We check the variant, trace any superseded numbers, and tell you before despatch if anything doesn't add up.
- Engine code and application checked before we quote
- Turbo ID tag and superseded part numbers traced
- Wastegate, VGT and actuator type confirmed
- Marine and land-based versions kept separate
What Is a Reconditioned Turbo?
A reconditioned turbo is a used turbocharger that has been stripped, cleaned, inspected and rebuilt with new wear parts, then balanced and tested before it goes back into service. You'll also see recon turbo, refurbished turbo and remanufactured turbo used for much the same thing. The words matter less than what was actually replaced. On a properly rebuilt unit the core assembly, the bearing housing with shaft and wheels known as the CHRA, is rebuilt and balanced, and the housings are inspected for cracks and erosion.
- Recon or refurbished: your type of turbo rebuilt with new bearings, seals and thrust parts
- Remanufactured: usually means rebuilt to a factory specification, often with a new or remanufactured CHRA
- New: the most expensive option, sensible where no good core exists or for newer emissions-stage engines
- Second-hand off a breaker: cheapest, but the condition is unknown and you're the one taking the risk
Why Turbos Fail, and Why the Next One Will Too If the Cause Isn't Fixed
Most turbo failures start somewhere else on the engine. Fit a fresh turbo without finding the cause and you'll be back where you started, often within weeks. Before a replacement goes on, check the things that killed the last one:
- Oil starvation: a blocked or kinked oil feed pipe, low oil level or a tired oil pump
- Dirty oil: overdue services or a failing filter wear the bearings fast
- Restricted oil drain: a crushed drain pipe or high crankcase pressure pushes oil past the seals
- Foreign objects: a split intake hose or bits of the old turbo will chew up the new compressor wheel
- Exhaust restriction: a blocked DPF or exhaust raises back pressure and heat on the turbine side
- Hot shutdowns: switching off straight after hard work cooks oil in the bearing housing
How the Turbo Exchange Works
Exchange keeps the price down. You buy the reconditioned turbo and return your old one as a core, which gets rebuilt for the next customer. We'll confirm the exchange terms with your quote, before you order, so there are no surprises when your old turbo comes back to us. Ask about exchange on any common Garrett, Holset, Borg Warner, IHI or Mitsubishi type.
Stock, Despatch and Honest Lead Times
Stocked turbos ordered before 12pm go out the same day, with next-day delivery to most of the UK. If the unit you need has to be sourced, we tell you the real lead time and a fixed price before you commit.
Lines are open Monday to Friday 8am to 5:30pm and Saturday 9am to 1pm. Call with the engine code and we'll give you a straight answer on stock and price.
- Same-day despatch on stocked turbos ordered before 12pm
- Next-day delivery to most of the UK
- Firm lead time and price on sourced units
- Fitting advice included with every turbo
Reconditioned Turbo Price: What Changes the Cost
There isn't one price, because the units vary so much. A simple wastegated turbo off a small plant engine costs far less than a variable geometry unit with an electronic actuator off a modern truck engine. The main things that move the price:
- Turbo type: wastegated units cost less than variable geometry (VGT) turbos
- Actuator: electronic actuators add cost, and some need setting up or calibrating
- Exchange: returning a usable core reduces the price
- Availability: common types are quicker and cheaper than rare or obsolete units
- Recon or new: we'll quote both where both exist, so you can choose
Turbocharger Reconditioning: What a Proper Job Includes
Whoever you buy from, ask what the turbocharger reconditioning actually involved. A cleaned-up second-hand unit with new paint isn't a recon. A proper rebuild should cover the following, and a good supplier will tell you without hesitating:
- Full strip-down, clean and inspection of every component
- New journal bearings, thrust bearing, seals and piston rings
- Shaft and wheels checked, and replaced if damaged or worn
- Core assembly balanced at speed
- Wastegate or VGT mechanism and actuator set to the correct specification
- Housings checked for cracks, warping and erosion
Reconditioned, New or Second-Hand?
The right choice depends on the engine, the budget and how long you need the machine to keep running.
| Option | Relative Cost | Condition Known? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reconditioned (exchange) | Lower | Yes, rebuilt and tested | Most commercial, plant, farm and marine engines |
| New | Highest | Yes | Newer engines, or where no good core exists |
| Second-hand / breaker | Lowest | No | Short-term fixes where you accept the risk |
*We'll tell you which option makes sense for your engine and explain the trade-offs honestly.
Engine Brands We Supply
We stock and supply engines from the world's leading diesel manufacturers. Call with a make, model, or engine code and we'll confirm availability and give you a fixed price.
Garrett
Fitted across a wide range of commercial vehicle, agricultural and industrial diesels. Reconditioned and new units supplied.
Holset
The turbo brand of Cummins, found on Cummins engines in trucks, buses, plant and marine applications.
Borg Warner
Common on European truck, plant and agricultural engines. Reconditioned and exchange units available on common types.
IHI
Turbos from Japanese manufacturer IHI, found on many light commercial, compact plant and industrial engines.
Mitsubishi
Widely fitted to light commercial, compact plant and industrial diesels. Supplied reconditioned or new.
Not Sure?
Send us a photo of the ID tag on the turbo, or the engine code, and we'll identify it for you.
Applications & Use Cases
Wherever a diesel engine is critical to operations — on the road, on the water, in the field, or in a plant room — we have the right engine for the job.
HGV & Van Turbos
Turbos for fleet trucks and vans, matched to engine code and emissions stage.
Plant & Construction
Diesel turbochargers for excavators, telehandlers, dumpers and loaders, despatched to the yard or the site.
Tractors & Farm Machinery
Turbos for tractors, combines and loaders. Worth sorting before the busy season starts.
Marine Engines
Workboat, fishing vessel and leisure marine turbos. Marine variants checked separately from road versions.
Generators
Turbos for standby and prime power gensets, for planned overhauls or urgent repairs.
Workshops & Trade
Garages and fitters buying turbos for their own customers' engines.