turbo question

[MicroOutlawRacer]

When I was changing the housing (to 16cm) I noticed that there were streaks (as you can see) on the compressor outlet. Could these be oil streaks or... ? If so, how soon do I need to replace my turbo? I am planning on putting a PDR HX-35 in my truck sooner or later.



Thanks,

David

 

[tugboatphil]

Dave,



Have you tried cleaning a spot? Are these flush, or ridges? Doesn't look good, but I've never had an oil leak there either.

 

[MicroOutlawRacer]

They will come off with some 409 and a little work and no ridges just the stripes.



David

 

[BushWakr - RIP]

Hmmmmm... ... ... kinda looks like oil and or soot...

Not so good from the look of it... now it could be, if you have an aftermarket "oiled" filter, that it was over oiled and that is the result... but still that's alot of deposit.

Check your turbo shaft for play.

Grasp the nut/shaft at the inlet and move it side to side... it's ok to have just a bare hint of movement side to side... but it MUST not touch the sides. Next pull/push it forward and backward, here, there can be NO play at all. If it does go front/back then get it off and replace it as soon as you can and don't push it hard in the mean time... . BOOM!!!!



Last, if it is drawing oil into the compressor side from the center bearing area, you might just discover "run away"... . the engine will begin to feed/draw oil into the compressor side and the engine may not want to shut down. It is not very common but it can happen.

That's not good either... .



Bob.

 

[1stgen4evr]

[If it does go front/back then get it off and replace it as soon as you can and don't push it hard in the mean time... . BOOM!!!!]





Bushwhacker is dead on with that. And I can expand on it just a bit. I had a turbo fail on a John Deere. The engine can tollerate dust better than it can the aluminum that is shucked off the intake side when the turbo vanes scrub. You are looking at sudden death on the engine from ingested aluminum. You make aluminum oxide in the combustion and as you know, that is the stuff on some abrasive cloth.



Oil leak/streak, you can possibly live with. Don't forget the "runaway". Aluminum fragments, quit now or you will be wadeing deep poop.



1stgen4evr

James

 

[MicroOutlawRacer]

I tried moving the turbo wheel around today and it moves VERY slightly up and down but I cant' feel it move in and out at all. The turbo does not seem to be binding up at all either. I did a quick full boost run on it and it went straight up to 19 psi which correct me if I am wrong but normal for a 16cm and mild pump mods (afc cone at about 3/4 and star wheel 2 turns from the bottom) and a 4" Rip exaust.



Thanks for the help

David

 

[BushWakr - RIP]

Those numbers are in the ballpark based on your setup as you describe it...

You still need to isolate that staining though..... do you have an aftermarket, oiled filter??

Are you using any oil between changes? Does the truck "smoke" blue/black when warm?



More info would help here...



Bob.

 

[MicroOutlawRacer]

No as far as I know there has never been an oiled filter in it. As far as burning oil, yeah it uses a little, about 2 quarts every 6,000 miles (time between oil changes). There is no blue smoke when warm and not much when cold. You have to look pretty close to see a light blue haze and it only last's for about 3-4min if i let it idle and only smokes black when I lay on it hard at low RPM. The only other thing I can think of is when I took the hose running from the turbo to the intercooler off (to see if any thing has reached that far) there where only few streaks in it. If there is anything else you need to know I will be glad to answer it.



David

 

[cerberusiam]

FWIW, I saw the same results on my stock turbo\housing plus it oiled the tube all the way to the IC. I also had a noticeable high pitched whine in the exhaust that prompted me to start looking for the problem. I could find little or no end play in the turbo shaft but there was a definite problem. I don't know if it was the 250k or a heavy right foot that caused the problems but I had a lot of turbo bark shortly before it was noticed. Changed the turbo and housing and the problem was solved.