turbo rebuild
Turbo Mini Forums

start with this:







And turn it into this...

Edited by iain on 12th May, 2004.

nice job mate, one thing i will point out for future reference for peeps is the carbon seals are extremely delicate. i work for n.g.l. which build garret cold air turbos for aircraft use so i know all to well how easy it is to break them. Also before removing the compressor fan mark it's position on the turbine shaft to maintain it's balance. Otherwise a total rebalance on a V.S.R is needed.

Yep, marked it all with tippex! Found it easier to mark both ends to the casing then re-aline them at the end, think i would of found it hard to do it any other way.

Yeah its easy to get those carbon seals off, very tricky get them back on, gentlely does it!

How do they seal? is it on diameter? i know they are loose in the groove so assume gravity does the rest? Or do they seal axially?

when the turbine shaft is reassembled into it's housing the split in the seal closes so it will seal on it's O.D. Also a check using a micrometer or vernier should be made on the turbine shaft where the journal bearings sit. In your picture some wear can be seen. If it is excessively worn it's a new turbine shaft or special bearings with a smaller I.D. and gettig the shaft reground to suit. I'd go for a new shaft every time.

Shaft looks worn to me too... not cheap either, but thats the problem with poor maintance and turbochargers!

Alex

AlexF

anyone wonna build me a turbo? looks well to complicated for me

it may b small but it purfectly formed
http://photobucket.com/albums/v340/1976_mi...roject%20turbo/

It must be really difficult with turbochargers, what is the main reason for shaft wear instead of bearing wear?

Is it due to premature turning off of the engine and not allowing the oil to sufficiently cool the turbocharger?

shaft had very little wear at all, it looks worn but thats more due to the discolouration between the surfaces on and off the bearing. If somebody could get me the sizes then i could check

New shaft means balancing and i dont know anywhere to do that cheaply!

It was worth a shot for the price of the kit!

you dont need a new shaft.... just measure the shaft on a un-worn area and then on where the bearings run and compaire.

alex

AlexF

yeah good point, just wondered what the allowable difference was.

Iain, would you do a step-by-step guide for us turbo rebuild virgins please, oh and where do i get a kit from.

Kit comes from me

Err let me try it first, im no expert. It really was a case of take it to pieces slowly and put it back together again in reverse order!!!!

Just use common sense and you should be fine

Ian,
sorry I'm not ok with your turbo rebuild,
your turbo isn't anymore balanced, and need a vsr, as you can see on the comp wheel the balancing had been done on the comp itself but also on the nut ;you are now using a new one, compromising the balancing, the shaft doesn't seem worn, but really need a micrometer to check,
the coke on the turbine and shaft, it also certainly have a lot too in the main hsg hot side, and this need to be cleaned as new,generally it need ultrasound cleaning if you are not doing this the turbo will smoke.
cheers
fab

I agree with Fab... there is a reason why Turbotechnics charge over 300 quid for a rebuild!!!!

alex

AlexF

Alex agreeing with me??????
I certainly wrote something wrong!

funnily enough I thought the same fab...

so I re read Lol

Contary to popular belief I don't just agree/disagree with people for the help of it LOL

AlexF

well considering the kit cost me ?0 then i thought i would give it a bash. Turbo cost the same amount as the kit too

As i said, i can but try and then see the results, i do appreciate and take on board what you are all saying.

AET turbos in wakefield charge ?150 plus the VAT for a rebuild

at least your giving it a go mate

Team Racing

that being said I'm just using a old unknow turbo

still it boosts without too much smoke!!!


alex

AlexF

Yeah its all a learning curve!! Even if we can rebuild them to only need a balance then that saves a lot of money!!

Ultrasonic cleaning is no problem, got that at work

and TT probably charge ?300, co theyve 15 peoples wages to pay, a building to rent, insurance and a bit of profit to make !

9 valves, 4 wheel drive, 3 cylinders, 1 turbo, which got nicked

the fact is that a turbo is easy to rebuild,
as posted there is some time I'll post an how to topic on how to rebuild a turbo,
it's easy to do, with the correct tools and also some patience, the only thing really important is how is your turbo before the rebuild,
if a lot are charging 250/300 for a turbo , it's because when they have to change parts this cost a fortune, but when it's only needing a fresh up , it cost a lot less, and they uniformis the cost on all turbo rebuild, so it give a middle cost.
about you and a home rebuild, it's interessant to do, when your turbo is actually in a good shape and only smoke or , because you know that it h&ave some milage and, that it's time to rebuimld it before it brake, because when it will have too much play , the wheels will hurt the housings abd then, will have too much space between the hsg and the wheel, even if you rebuils it, it's too late, it need new wheels (???).
allways start your rebuild procees by a acurate cleaning of each parts, wheels , hsgs etc, tehn look at an eventual shaft wear , if ok and without any coke in thye hsg and on the turbine shat seal, you can start the rebuild process, the vsr is an obligation as your wheel have worked and so need a balance. This last point is only to equal a profesionnal build if you are just align as they was you'll have the balance as before the rebuild (not perfect but not so bad, it will work) about the comp wheel nut I allways reuse the genuine one (not the new one as it is opftenly balanced on it and it helmp to exactmly retorque the nut as it was (not too much not too loose).
hope I'll have some time in the next mounth to make one,
is anyone need a good t3 rebuilt ( I furnish the unit, and the rebuild kit, you pay them about 150?) so I'll can make the pics and the small article early)
cheers
fab

can anyone explain what vsr means, at the risk of sounding stupid!

v.s.r. stands for Vibration Sortment Rig. It is a test rig for balancing the compressor wheel to the turbine shaft and the turbine wheel itself.

yeah, the turbo's rate in 1000's of bhp not 100's!

Hmm tempted to have another quick look at mine... oh well it spins very nicely and virtually no play so ill rsik it for now. Sure it will be fine!

Might put it on the van with low boost next weekend just to see what difference it makes.