Turbo Troubles :(

[SilveR316]

On my way home this evening, my turbo (18/22 by KermaTDI from a few years ago, when I think they were still partnered with StreetToys) seems to have developed a bit of a whine (more so than usual). During spool up/down around 2-6 psi, the whine sounds like a police siren, and it definitely didn't sound like that before.

Anyways, I've got my car parked right now without the turbo exploding.

Any ideas on what to do next? I live in downtown Toronto, and the nearest place I can get my hands on a garage with tools is in Georgetown where my parents live. I'm not sure I will make it that far...

Is it wise to rebuild a turbo like this? Or is it cheaper to replace it entirely? I think the closest available turbo to what I have right now is the 17/22 from idparts.com.

Also, can anyone recommend any mechanics around the area that can take a look at something like this and actually know what they're doing? All the mods on my car were done by me a few years ago, but I don't really have the time or place to do them or fix things these days.

 

[LNXGUY]

Pop the inlet pipe off and give the shaft a wiggle. It will move a tiny bit without any oil pressure, but we are talking a few mm's here. If it moves more then that, it's time for a new turbo.

 

[auto_tech]

when you wiggle the shaft, you want to make sure the blades NEVER touch the housing. Also a good time to make sure the blades are still sharp and straight.

 

[Wingnut]

The noise could simply be a boost leak somewhere also. Not necessarily a sign of impending disaster. Inspect all the tubing & connections and give anything rubber a good squeeze to see if a split opens up. A good way to find a boost leak is to look for oily residue as the oil vapors from the CCV can seep through the leaks and help locate it.

Do you still have the original intercooler? I have seem MANY that get holes worn in them from the plastic air duct/shroud. It rubs from the vibration and makes holes in the intercooler tubes. Pop off your front side grill and shine a light into the intake. This is what an intercooler look slike that has been worn through:

Read this post for more pictures: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showpost.php?p=2936785&postcount=13

 

[SilveR316]

Thanks for the insights. I got the car towed back to my parent's garage today (yay for free TD Auto Club towing), so I'll have time to inspect it tomorrow.

I'm going to check Wingnut's suggestion first as it seems the easiest. Failing that, I guess Ill start ripping apart the rest of the intake connections to check for leaks and also check for shaft play.

 

[SilveR316]

Well... I took the intake off today and peaked inside. The cold side looks good to me. There is a tiny bit of shaft play (less than 1mm) sideways, and no shaft play at all in/out.

I also popped off the front and had a look at the intercooler. There is a groove where Wingnut suggested to look, but it doesn't appear to be worn all the way through. I'll put some JB Weld on it anyways, and put a buffer in between to prevent any further damage.

Im posting a few pics of what the turbo looks like. The only thing I'm concerned about is the clean/sanded look of the housing under the blades. Is this anything to worry about? It almost seems like the blades do in fact touch the housing.

I'm going to take apart the rest of the intake and check for leaks. Other than that, any ideas on what to look for next?

And the intercooler...

 

[SilveR316]

I'm going to add that I can hear the turbo whine during spool down too, always around 1800-2000 rpm. Is there a possibility that this could be an exhaust leak at the turbo/downpipe seal? The downpipe seal looked to be in pretty bad shape when I looked at it.

 

[OmegaRenegade]

pull the downpipe off and look at the exhaust side turbine - when i blew my turbos both times it was the hot side that got damaged.

 

[SilveR316]

pull the downpipe off and look at the exhaust side turbine - when i blew my turbos both times it was the hot side that got damaged.

There was no evidence of any damage on the cold side either time?

I'm going to pull the downpipe and replace the gasket tomorrow anyways, so I guess we'll see.

 

[Wingnut]

If you do infact need a turbo and looking for a new Garrett 17/22 I sell them here in Ontario no need for customs ,duty . so email me only about 45 min from Georgetown. call for pricing. 519-343-3333, www.tristarauto.ca

If you have not done so already, you will need to register as a vendor to offer items for sale. Please have a look at the vendor registration thread here: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=214572

Thanks for your cooperation & understanding.

 

[OmegaRenegade]

There was no evidence of any damage on the cold side either time?

I'm going to pull the downpipe and replace the gasket tomorrow anyways, so I guess we'll see.

there was a bit of shaft play but my fingers couldnt tell if it was excessive or not. Both times the turbo changed pitched and both times turbo still made boost. Cold side looked fine both times. When i finally did take off the downpipe though i could see chipped/missing blades.

 

[SilveR316]

Pulled the downpipe, and the hot side looks good too. No warped or damaged blades that I can see. The lighter parts where the soot rubbed off was me touching the blade. Unless there is some problem with the turbo that isn't visible, the turbo looks to be in good shape.

The gasket on the other hand... hah, no idea *** happened to it. The new one I got from the stealership is 3 layered pieces of metal without any pitting, so I have no idea what the white stuff is on this one. Still, I'm not sure it was actually leaking. I guess the search continues...