turbo re-build needed?
Turbo Mini Forums

Dropped my car down to a local mini mechanic last week, as it was cutting out as you slowed down, various things tried, but he rang me and said it was dead slow, which I know it's not the fastest turbo mini out there, (did a 16.2 at avon) so I'm thinking it is going to be pretty f**ing rapid when it's sorted, anyway wanted it back for the weekend, so picked it up Friday, then I realised what he meant, on tickover it sounds and feels lumpy, when I drove away it had no power, and when the turbo is kicking in, clouds of smoke out the back, just wanted to check with you guys before we pull the turbo off, that this is the problem, oil seals? or any ideas. It's a standard metro engine I bought earlier this year, I have fitted an intercooler, dump valve, fuel regulator, electric pump etc to make it work.

Turbo seals can cause masses of smoke, usually a very pretty blue/white combination, does it clear? Or is it constant smoke?

If it runs lumpy then that sounds a little more suspect, have you made sure the engine itself is mechanically sound? Compression test etc?

Edited by autosportnorth on 8th Aug, 2011.

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Official Specialist Components Dealer/Mapper for the North West UK!

Engine seems ok, compression test was fine, there is a bit of wear but I was hoping to leave a re-build till the end of the year, the smoke is as you described, it used to appear when you changed gear, and accelerated, then stop, it has got worse, on Friday it was throwing out loads of smoke when the turbo kicked in and the smoke seemed constant

Hmm ok, hopefully you'll be lucky and its just a turbo :) But if thats exactly how its smoking, then yes, I'd be taking the turbo off, is probably worn the oil seals out :)

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Official Specialist Components Dealer/Mapper for the North West UK!

Cheers for your help, where would you reccommend getting the parts from.

I wouldn't recommend doing it yourself, a turbocharger is a precision piece of engineering that needs to be balanced and setup correctly on specialist hardware.

Turbo parts are also legendarily hard to purchase so you'll likely end up having to go to a specialist anyway. Personally I recommend Turbo Dynamics, nice guys - but a full turbo rebuild is likely going to set you back at least a few hundred, so might be worth looking for a 2nd hand turbo.

-> http://www.turbodynamics.co.uk/

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Official Specialist Components Dealer/Mapper for the North West UK!

There's plenty of members on here who've rebuilt there turbo's at home, depending on what turbo your running im sure you'll find a rebuild kit for less than 100.
Provided you dont mind doing your own rebuild.

one day boost will be mine!

Oh it is doable, but I wouldn't recommend it, thats my angle. A component that spins at potentially 80,000 RPM can do a lot of damage if it isn't correctly balanced.

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Official Specialist Components Dealer/Mapper for the North West UK!

You are only replacing bearings and seals. if you mark everything carefully and reassembled it keeping everything as you marked it, then the balancing won't be effected.

Obviously it's going to cost whichever way I go, is it worth going all out and fitting a better turbo, currently it's a standard T3 any thoughts

There are lots of alternative turbo out there, but better is always subjective

Is this the correct turbo from a seller on ebay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/T3-T4-Turbocharg...=item588f3f308f

This one is down the road from me, is it the right spec? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/T3-T4-Turbocharg...=item2eb2ea72c5

they both look like chinese copies....

this is more like it, http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GARRETT-GENUINE-...9#ht_887wt_1139


but your have to check the size on the inlet and outlet, your be better of rebuilding yours than going for a chinese one

"Cars are a lifetime of pain"