Turbo not coming apart!

[mecha-worm-odyssey]

I want to clean out my turbo vanes, but the bolts that keep the housing in are STUCK. like, not moving with a 3 foot pipe levering on the wrench stuck.

Should I just try to spray some oven cleaner in there? Do I need better penetrant? The turbo worked fine before TB failure, but it's definitely old & I'd like it to last as long as it can!

 

[csstevej]

Use a torch and penetration oil .
Use the torch to heat the bolts up then try removing them.... if they still won’t budge then apply the penetrant oil and repeat.
When you do finally get the bolts out.... your gonna have to really apply heat to the casting to split the center rotating housing from the exhaust manifold....

 

[snakeye]

No, people don't realize this but spraying water in there will also free the vanes, but it's a very temporary fix that is more or less useless.

You need to scrape away any rust around the bolts, apply a ton of heat and hammer away at them pretty damn hard before trying to loosen them. You can usually just hammer a socket that fits on bolts directly, but those don't have an flange, so you'll need a punch or something. I found using a freezing penetrant like Gumout freeze-out helps as well.

I'd also alternate between applying loosening and tightening force on the bolts until they un-seize. It takes patience, and if they don't move, more heat and hammering until they do.

 

[fatmobile]

You will probably have to run a torch around the whole manifold edge anyway.
Because the cartridge won't come out of the exhaust and if you hammer on the cartridge to get it out
you can crack the cartridge
I just use a cutting torch, turn it red but don't hit the cutter.

Oh, csstevej already said basically the same thing.

 

[MukGyver]

The method I use after if the above doesn't work is smack a cape chisel at an angle on the head in the ccw direction until the chisel bites good in one spot and then hammer blow the chisel there. . gives shock and directional force at once. works almost every time.

 

[DivineChaos]

I want to clean out my turbo vanes, but the bolts that keep the housing in are STUCK. like, not moving with a 3 foot pipe levering on the wrench stuck.

Should I just try to spray some oven cleaner in there? Do I need better penetrant? The turbo worked fine before TB failure, but it's definitely old & I'd like it to last as long as it can!

And I managed to snap one with a wrench... What you have to put heat on it?. Localisrled heat where the bolt goes in the housing.

 

[Mongler98]

Lots of hwat on bolt. Work ot till it moves a big back and forth. Take your time.
1:1 acetone and atf is king for penitrating rusted threads

 

[mittzlepick]

I use a torch i got from lowes a Lincoln setup oxy acty. Tiny tip heat not the bolts but the cast to glow red if it wont come loose easy douse it in atf go on to the next one do laps till they are free and yes wire wheel the hell out of them before. If you cook the bolts you could weeken the then yer screwed when they snap they are stainless after all

 

[Mongler98]

a MAP torche from lows is more than enough and way less $ than the O2 tanks from lowes etc...
just keep it on till its glowing a bit... ITS A TURBO>>>>> your not going to hurt it with fire!

 

[jmodge]

And I managed to snap one with a wrench... What you have to put heat on it?. Localisrled heat where the bolt goes in the housing.

Heat the head of the bolt glowing red hot being careful not to melt it. Then let it cool. Don't try to remove it while it's hot because it is expanded. They will come out like butter. To get the cartridge out I heat half the circumference of the manifold with a rosebud tip. It takes a lot of heat to get cast iron hot enough to expand. The cartridge will cool before the iron. Turn it upside down and the cartridge drops out.

 

[fatmobile]

A little water sprayed on the cartridge will help keep it cool too.
I broke a bolt off on one.
I was heating what was left with the cutting torch (no cutter), hoping to soften it for a drill bit.
The bolt turned molten but not the cast, never did soften up enough for a drill.
I'm pretty sure I could have just hit the cutter quick and blew it out.
Next time I have the torch out I'll try it.