BRM Turbo Death Whine?

Hello guys just looking for a opinion on if indeed this turbo is on its last legs and should be replaced ASAP. I'm pretty confident its toast but I just looking for any reason it might not be I guess. Back ground on the car 2006 BRM with 180,000kms/112,00miles on the clock. I have recently replaced the cam and timing belt service with all new parts at 170k as well as put in a malone stage 1.5 tune. Any reason that any of these would lead to premature turbo failure? Could the 1.5 tune put that much stress on a turbo in 10,000km to blow it? Could metal/cam material from cam break in cause the CHRA to go out that easily?

From the below videos and pictures I have gathered that there is no apparent physical damage to the turbine or compressor wheels that I can see with my scope. Axial play is basically zero, radial looks like is some in the video you can see but it doesn't contact the housing at all. Compressor spins freely, I even side loaded the compressor wheel and spun it to see if I could get it to touch the housing and nothing.

The one thing that I did notice that on the compressor outlet recently there has been alot more oil dripping out of it and onto the transmission like a good slick/top of tranny had little puddles. Is this CHRA failure and oil is passing? Can prolonged idling at cold (minus 40 degrees Celsius) start cause
that much blow by?

Any way let me know what you guys think, car is parked until I either decide to order a new turbo or limp this one along if it is good for another while. The sounds in the video aren't that loud but when you actually drive and load on the boost it sounds very high pitched and loud, almost like a really bad alternator.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGfv0G-QmVA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMRoe6qUC4Q













https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eaJjdgfLII&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgXJHt8OdrM&feature=youtu.be

The compressor is obviously touching (that band next to the blades doesn't belong there)
but the increase in oil seeping is the greater worry.
I drove my ALH for several months with the same noise minus the oil dripping but
you are definitely on borrowed time.

flee said:

The compressor is obviously touching (that band next to the blades doesn't belong there)
but the increase in oil seeping is the greater worry.
I drove my ALH for several months with the same noise minus the oil dripping but
you are definitely on borrowed time.

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Good call I didn’t even notice that in my initial observation I was more focused on the actual blades. You can see where it’s contacting for sure.

The KP39s on these are temperamental at best, typically if the cam needs done the turbo is about ready to follow. Best to step up to a 40 weight and swap to a pd140. Wouldn't use a stock replacement unless you're comfortable swapping them yourself and can get one for a couple hundred bucks, don't have to go flat out on the pd140, but it is a better turbo all around with a lot more top end if you want it.

These turbos often don't follow what the ECU requests them to do, not uncommon to see them fail by 100k miles. It's best to log boost request vs actual, even if it's stock, because they can peg the map sensor and over-boost into the 20s at altitude and during spool up (stock boost is ~15, tuned is 18). Adding a tune will only amplify existing problems. This is probably the worst turbo fitted to a vw diesel in terms of reliability, mine made it to 295k km though before it decided to start eating the compressor housing.

I always data log these turbos and quiz owners before tuning them. I'd say I send about 1/5 away without installing a tune because the turbos aren't performing properly. At this age a lot of BRMs are due for some heavy maintenance unfortunately.

Owain@malonetuning said:

The KP39s on these are temperamental at best, typically if the cam needs done the turbo is about ready to follow. Best to step up to a 40 weight and swap to a pd140. Wouldn't use a stock replacement unless you're comfortable swapping them yourself and can get one for a couple hundred bucks, don't have to go flat out on the pd140, but it is a better turbo all around with a lot more top end if you want it.

These turbos often don't follow what the ECU requests them to do, not uncommon to see them fail by 100k miles. It's best to log boost request vs actual, even if it's stock, because they can peg the map sensor and over-boost into the 20s at altitude and during spool up (stock boost is ~15, tuned is 18). Adding a tune will only amplify existing problems. This is probably the worst turbo fitted to a vw diesel in terms of reliability, mine made it to 295k km though before it decided to start eating the compressor housing.

I always data log these turbos and quiz owners before tuning them. I'd say I send about 1/5 away without installing a tune because the turbos aren't performing properly. At this age a lot of BRMs are due for some heavy maintenance unfortunately.

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The pd140 worth all the extra exspense thoigh? Honestly if I put in another brand new stock turbo if t makes it another 100k miles then I’m ok with that we will be done with the car then anyway.

They're about the same price, PD140 will also have resale value and outlast a kp39. Believe mec evo has them in Quebec for around a grand.

Owain@malonetuning said:

They're about the same price, PD140 will also have resale value and outlast a kp39. Believe mec evo has them in Quebec for around a grand.

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But what supporting mods would I need? Also have to retune so pd140 would be more in the end no?