HTT Stage 3 trouble.

[Chris Rowe]

Hey guys!!!



Man am I upset!!!!



Let me start by saying that I am not bashing HTT in any way, b/c they were already closed yesterday when I callled so I have not talked with them yet.

Anyway, I recently bought their stage 3 kit. After spending 2 days trying to get the center section modified last week, (yes I do live a little off the beaten path ;-) ), I started putting the turbo back together and bent the piston ring seal. SO, I boxed it up and sent the center section to them last Friday next day air in hopes of having it back before the holidays were here. They recieved it Monday, and I called to see what was up. They told me that everything was OK, and that they were gonna replace the piston ring seal and reassemble the CHRA and send it back. So I paid for 2nd day air back.

In the meantime I am sitting here with a little time on my hands and break out the dremel and start polishing the compressor housing.

Yesterday when I saw the big brown truck pull in, I was STOKED---couldnt waite to get it back on the truck!!!

After putting the housings back on I bolted it up and ran some oil through it and fired up the truck and let her warm up for a few minutes and went for a little ride.

Man!!!! The turbo sounded great!!! I drove around for a mile or two to get the truck warmed up a little and started going about 1/4 throttle to check out how it spooled. Again I am VERY impressed!!! Spool up was better than my stocker!!! I then drove to the bottom of a nearby mountain that I drive daily and just drove back up EASY to check out my EGT's. They were down about 75* just being easy and not dogging or going over 1/4 throttle and the truck is running about 5 psi less boost(about25). By this time I am STOKED!!!



THEN disaster strikes!!!



I get almost back to the top of the mountain and am just driving along with this BIG grin on my face listening to the great new sound that is coming from under the hood, and the turbo makes this nasty little whirl!!! Not barking or anything, but just a nasty whirl. The boost bottoms out and and no more sound from the turbo at all!!!



I pull back in the driveway, shut the truck off and pull my megacannon off and take a peak inside. What I found almost made me cry!!!! The turbo had about 1/8 movement in it and the compressor wheel had hit the housing and chewed up the wheel AND the housing (which I had spent several hours starting to polish)!!!



:{



I cant figure it out!!! I DID NOT get over 25 easy psi and DID NOT dog it in any way!!!



Now let me say again that I came inside and tried to call HTT, but they were already gone. I am NOT bashing them in any way or want to steer anyone away from them. They were VERY nice and helpfull over the phone. I just hope they can help me out!!!

I guess I will have to try to call tomorrow and hope they are in to see what they say.





Guess I have been a bad boy this year!!! :{



Any ideas on what could have went wrong???





Thanks!!!

 

[Truckie]

Man all I can say is that bites dude, Id make sure I was on the phone first thing tomorrow morning and that I was the first call they received. As far as what went wrong it sounds like the seals went out of it already. I don't know why, but thats what it sounds like. .

MIKE

 

[Cooker]

I am just thinking out loud here. This may be a case why some of the performance turbo MFG's suggest rebalancing the turbo if you remove the wheel? Maybe the balance had nothing to do with it?

 

[Sticks]

Keep us posted Chris. I eventually plan on upgrading my Turbo, and HTT was my choice. I am very interested in how this turns out.

 

[Chris Rowe]

Truckie I dont think the seals had time to go, b/c I shut her down as soon as I heard it flutter. I know the bearings are gone though, b/c of all the play from side to side and u. p and down.





Cooker I dont know if balancing is the problem or not, but they had it in their hands and put it together. So I would think that if they thought that would have been a problem they could have checked it.



Sticks I am sitting here by the phone now waiting till 10(2 hour time delay) to try and call them. From the conversation I had with them the other day I think they may try and help me out, b/c they were VERY polite and helpful.





Thanks for the replies guys, and I will keep everyone posted.

 

[Chris Rowe]

OK guys here is an update.



I tried calling them Friday, but they were closed until today so I left a message. They open up at 8 and Steve called me at 8:15!!

I told him what had happened, and He said they would need the turbo back to look it over and determine what had happened. Then I told him how badly I needed the truck back on the road (I run a construction business) and he made me a deal on a new turbo, and said they would credit me back on it if it was something that they missed or something they had done.



Needless to say I really appreciate the cooperation from them, and I highly recommend them to anyone looking for a turbo upgrade!!!



I guess I will be looking for the big brown truck tomorrow!!!





Later!!!