Navara NP300 Twin Turbo Problems
Navara NP300 Twin Turbo Problems: Repair or Replace the turbos?
Navara NP300 Twin Turbo problems, rebuild or replace? It’s a question we get asked every week at Brisbane Tuning & Turbo — “Do I really need to replace both turbos in my NP300?” Usually, that question comes after the owner’s been hit with a $6,000 -$8,000 quote from their mechanic or Nissan dealer, and they’re wondering if there’s a smarter option.
The short answer: probably. We have to take both of the turbos off to inspect. But that doesn’t mean you have to throw in two brand-new turbos straight away. The truth is, most Navara twin turbo failures can be repaired for significantly less — especially when the core of the problem is internal wear, not external damage. On top of it, typically only the smaller turbo dies, leaving the bigger turbo yet alive, but not for long.
Let’s break it down properly.
The $6,000 or more Shock: Why Twin Turbo Replacements Get Expensive?
If you’ve had your Navara scanned and it’s throwing low boost codes, actuator errors, or you’re hearing a metallic whistle from the engine bay, chances are the turbos are starting to go. What surprises most NP300 owners isn’t the diagnosis — it’s the quote.
Replacing both turbos with brand-new OEM Nissan units, including gaskets, oil lines, filters, and labour, usually lands somewhere between $5,800 to $6,200 and even more. That’s a serious chunk of change for a vehicle that’s often still under 200,000km.
So where’s all the cost coming from?
Turbo Removal: The Real Labour Killer
Unlike simpler setups (like the Prado or HiLux), the NP300 runs a compact twin turbo system — one low-pressure turbo mounted at the front, and one high-pressure unit tucked further back. Getting both out isn’t a straightforward job.
You’re looking at a 14 or more (subject to broken studs) hour labour process, just to extract the assembly, split it, and put everything back in place properly. Access is tight. Pipework is layered. There’s thermal shielding, subframes, and exhaust clearances to navigate. That labour alone adds over $1,700–$1,900 to the quote.
And here’s the kicker — in most cases, the actual turbo housings are still usable.
What’s Actually Failing in NP300 Twin Turbos?
The most common problems we see with NP300 turbos include:
Shaft play or bearing wear from oil starvation.
Nissan_Navara_NP300_Twin_turbo
Seized or sticky actuators.
Oil leaks into the intake or downpipe.
Boost lag or underboost conditions are flagged on scan tools.
These issues typically point to internal CHRA (centre housing rotating assembly) wear — not complete turbo destruction. And that opens the door to a much smarter option: CHRA replacement or turbo rebuild.
CHRA Replacement – The Midpoint Most Workshops Ignore
If the compressor and turbine housings are still in good condition (i.e. no cracks, no bent blade marks, no salt corrosion), a CHRA swap is a valid and reliable fix. Here’s how the numbers shake out:
New OEM turbos (x2) + labour: ~$6,000 plus -installed.
Aftermarket replacements (x2, e.g. Jrone (we are Jrone dealers in Australia) or equivalent) + labour: ~$4,200–$5,000 installed
Rebuild with new CHRAs + labour: ~$3,500 (approx) installed.
At Brisbane Tuning & Turbo, we often recommend this middle path — particularly when actuator function is intact and the turbo housing passes our inspection. We fit new high-quality CHRAs (balanced and tested), clean or replace oil lines, reassemble using upgraded seals and gaskets, and reinstall with fresh oil and filters. You get a fully operational twin-turbo setup — at nearly half the dealer price.
How It Compares: NP300 vs Prado Turbo Jobs
To give you a frame of reference, let’s look at the Toyota Prado 1KD. It’s a single VNT turbo setup. Turbo replacement on a Prado usually lands around $3,200. That’s for a complete turbo replacement, with less than half the labour of an NP300 job.
So while both engines are similar in size and use, the NP300’s twin turbo layout doubles the parts and nearly triples the labour — making rebuilds an even more valuable option in this platform.
When Rebuilds Make Sense (And When They Don’t)
A rebuild or CHRA replacement is ideal if:
Your turbos have got shaft play, minor oil leaks, or bearing noise.
Your turbo actuator is still functional (we’ll test it for you).
There’s no damage to the exhaust manifold or turbine housing.
You’re towing, touring, or just daily driving — not chasing performance peak power.
But sometimes, full turbo replacement really is necessary. We recommend it when:
The housings are cracked or warped.
The compressor or turbine wheels are damaged from debris.
There’s saltwater corrosion or pitting (common on beach rigs).
You want to upgrade to an aftermarket performance setup.
Navara NP300 Twin Turbo Mix Rebuild
At Brisbane Tuning & Turbo, we are proud of being able to save our customers money by using our knowledge, and we don’t like to throw new parts during repairs if there is a way of reusing the existing, good original part. If one turbo, for example, needs a full replacement, yet the other can be rebuilt to make the whole job cost less, we recommend this solution to our customers. If, however, the customer says – let’s just replace both, then we replace both, yet we always offer an educated option if there is one.
Why Dealers Always Push Full Replacement
It’s no secret — dealerships don’t rebuild. In fact they don’t have the skills, knowledge and most importantly, equipment as we have at Brisbane Tuning & Turbo. They follow fixed part replacement guidelines and rarely deviate. That’s not a dig; it’s just the model they operate under. But for you, the owner, it means less flexibility and zero effort made to salvage what’s still working. Which is why the default quote is always “two new turbos and six grand plus, mate.”
At Brisbane Tuning & Turbo, we take a different approach.
What Brisbane Tuning & Turbo Offers
We start every turbo job the same way: with a proper diagnostic. That means:
Full scan to log codes and actuator behaviour.
A smoke test – to eliminate ripped hoses.
Dyno test to check live boost curve and load response. This allows us to “clock” the actuator’s behaviour. (Often, a dead actuator can be the result of wrong turbocharger diagnostics.)
Visual inspection and leak-down if needed.
From there, we’ll show you whether you actually need a full replacement — or if a rebuild is a smarter option, yet this option can only be definitively confirmed once we take the turbochargers off. And we’ll give you pricing for both, upfront, so you’re not making decisions blind.
We don’t quote based on worst-case assumptions. We quote based on what we find and what we can fix.
Worried About Your Navara NP300 Twin Turbo Problems?
Don’t Guess.
If your Navara is down on power, smoking under load, or has thrown a boost-related fault code, don’t panic — and definitely don’t just hand over six or seven grand without getting it properly checked. Get a second opinion, even if it means you have to spend money on a tow truck.
Book your diagnostic scan + dyno session with Brisbane Tuning & Turbo today and get the real story behind your twin-turbo issue. You might be surprised at what can actually be saved — and how much you could avoid spending.
After all, if you really have a lot of money, you can always donate, mate, help real people, not the dealerships 😉
