I have a huge problem! Blown engine? Blown turbo? HELP ME!

[m_eclipse_96]

Please take the time to read this thread, any and all help is very appreciated

Hey everyone, I really don’t know how to explain this or what could be causing this but I will try to explain this to the best of my knowledge.

Well I have a 96 eclipse GST with about 75 thousand miles on it and its been running just fine since I’ve had it, beside an oil leak that I still have. But I was on my way to work today and on the way there my car seemed to be running just fine, I have to get on a highway on my way to work so I was going about 65mph for about 15 min. but then once I got to work it seemed that my car didn’t have as much acceleration but it didn’t think much of it and parked my car and went in to work. I work a 7 hr day so my car had plenty of time to cool down so when I got in my car after I got off work I started it up and let it idle for about a minute be for I took off and it seemed to be fine so I put it to drive and started to drive out of the parking lot and once again my car seemed like it didn’t have much acceleration at all. So I kept one driving to see what the problem could be. One of the road that I turn onto leaving work has a 55 mph seed zone so I turned onto it and started to go and my car was really going slow at this point and was making a noise that sounded like something was grinding or knocking but it wasn’t very load at all. As I was still accelerating trying to get up to 55mph. I think I shifted in to either 2nd or 3rd gear ( not sure what gear because I have an automatic and wasn’t paying that much attention ) and it started to accelerate a lot better but once I got down the road about a 1/4mile, I pulled into a gas station I popped my hood and got out and my car was still running b/c of my turbo timer and as I looked at the back of my car all I could see was the biggest cloud of smoke I have ever seen coming out of my exhaust I hurried up and shut the car off and looked under the hood and everything seemed to be fine, I checked my oil and I was about a ½ qt low. I let my car sit for about again for about 15min and started it up and my car idles just fine but once I go to step on the gas it makes a grinding/knocking noise that’s not that load but noticeable. And when I do rev my engine up a huge cloud of smoke comes out of my exhaust. So I had a tow truck come and take my car to my house just to be on the safe side.

So anyone please leave a post if u have any idea what could be happening and/or any info you may have on how I can fix this problem.

Thank you, Jason

 

[4g63tc]

blown motor! now is the time for a 6 bolt build, or purchase of another motor (around 1500.00) or rebuild it yourself. i have one for sale.

 

[m_eclipse_96]

do u really think its blown??? it idles fine and everything but runs like s**t when i go to take off

 

[4g63tc]

then the turbo may be shot, take off the intake pipe, and look at the fins check it for shaft play, and see if it spins freely.

you may have, Dare I say it? Crankwalk!

if you do find it's the turbo, look into upgrading since you have an excuse too, for direct bolt on try a t-28 series turbocharger. (i recomend the FPbig28 www.forcedperformance.net)
although stock t-25's are easy to find, and relatively inexpensive.

 

[m_eclipse_96]

i really hope its the turbo that is blown so i can have a reason to upgrade.

and how would i know if i have crankwalk? i can still drive it and stiff but just not far and not fast, when i was driving the car from the tow truck to my drive way it mad it there fine besides that noise and the huge cloud of smoke out of the exhaust.

i got an of line from someone just now and they say that it could be a blown turbo and that the noise that i am hearing could be the bearings or the turbine rubbing and grinding.

and if the turbo was blown would it make a huge cloud of smoke like it does?

 

[4g63tc]

yes, it could be oil leaking into the exhaust side of the turbocharger.

 

[m_eclipse_96]

i see what u mean now, i will let u know more about it tomorrow when i can get a good look at everything and check my turbo

 

[mccurdy]

a bad turbo w ouldn't explain his knocking sound though....but black smoke from the tailpipe usually means a blown turbo. check around the turbo for oil leakage, check the oil and water return line. I had my t-25 die on me and it never made a different noise nor messed with performance like his does...i couldnt boost over 10 psi though =p mine died slowly

Check the turbo for sure, But im thinking its an engine problem, possible transmission or crankwalk

 

[m_eclipse_96]

alright guys, i just went out and checked my turbo, so i did what u guys said, i took of my intake pipe and checked the turbine, well the turbine spines freely and has play in every angle u can think of, it has play side to side, up and down and in and out

what do u guys think?

 

[honduraneclipse]

ok first of... what color was the smoke coming out of the exhaust if it was black this means you have blow by and you might have spun a bearing... i spun a bearing mine didnt idle fine like yours because i had a bad maf sensor and also ISC.... even though your car idles fine your piston rings are to worn out and you have to rebuild ..... i know that noise you are talking about it starts out slowly and then it gets much louder after about a couple of days... and your motor oil being a little empty means you do got some serious piston ring wear..


i highly doubt is the turbo because if it was it would not be able to boost at all.....

 

[91TSI505]

Sounds to me like a blown turbo.....trust me i had a very similar problem,you could have screwed some blades up on the exhaust wheel causing the grinding noise and thus leaking coolant out from the bent,broke or damaged exhaust wheel into your exhaust and causing the white smoke......This what happened to me.Just because your compressor wheel spins freely does not mean the turbo is ok,my wheel spun just fine but here is a pic of my exhaust turbine....

 

[4g63tc]

Originally posted by m_eclipse_96
well the turbine spines freely and has play in every angle u can think of, it has play side to side, up and down and in and out

what do u guys think?

Play is not a good thing! there isn't supposed to be any.
91TSI505 may be correct you could have busted exhaust wheel fins
is it knocking? or just a really loud vibration?

 

[DSMJim]

Sounds to me like the turbo is shot. Probablly the seals on the turbo and it's dumping oil into the exhaust. Get a loaner turbo from a buddy and slap it on and see what happens. Those same symptoms happened to my 1G and it was the turbo was shot.

 

[m_eclipse_96]

Originally posted by 4g63tc

is it knocking? or just a really loud vibration?

no i dont think its knoking at all i almost positive that its a loud vibration sound

but in any case i thank you all for posting and helping me out with this problem

jason

 

[nineD5_GS-T]

Is there a whining sound. Do you have an aftermarket boost guage? If so, what is the reading? My car whined when the turbo spooled up and after that it would only hit 7 pounds of boost. Sounds like your turbo is shot. If you want, you could do a compression test and see how your engine is doin.