Evo3 16g, worth a rebuild?

[Mr Peepers]

I got scammed and now have a (true)Evo3 16g turbo with a little up and down shaft play but about 1/32 to 1/16 inch of in and out play. Everything else looks good as far as I can tell. Am I correct that this is in need of a rebuild and is it worth sending it to a turbo shop or should I try to find another one? I spent $370 shipped for it. Could I get away with just a rebuild kit? Supposedly had less than 5,000 miles on it... but also stated no shaft play.

 

[Booztit]

Usually a brand new turbo does come with a little shaft play, my MHI evo 3 did anyway so 1/32 I think is perfectly normal
As long as the wheels dont touch you will be fine, if all looks fine i think it s worth a try, I mean put it on the car see how it pushed and you never know, might be better than expected

 

[DSMULATOR]

The same happened to me. I got a real MHI E3 and it had some shaft play. I sent it out to get rebuilt and it came back with some shaft play. It was a reputable shop so a little shaft play is normal. My used 14B that I got off a friend has absolutely no shaft play, that's why I sent the E3 out in the first place. Oh well, at least I got new bearings and it was rebalanced...

 

[95blackGsTurbo]

Install it and start the car and let it get some oil pressure in it and then recheck shaftplay. I bet it will have very little once you get some oil in the housing.

 

[PieEyedPiper]

Install it and start the car and let it get some oil pressure in it and then recheck shaftplay. I bet it will have very little once you get some oil in the housing.

Don't we want to prime the turbo first? Before we start the car? Could be the fast track to actually needing a rebuild.

 

[DSMULATOR]

I've got a rebuilt engine so i'll be running it with the fuel pump off to build oil pressure prior to actual start up. Is this enough to prime it?

 

[daren_p]

There are 2 different types of shaft play people are talking about, side to side which is normal as being a std thrust bearing you need some space for the oil to suspend the moving parts & prevent metal to metal contact. Then there is also in/out play, & there should be none. This is thrust bearing wear & would indicate the turbo needs to be rebuilt. When I sold my evoIII it had about 20k on it with zero in/out play & side to side play was the same as when it was new. Either the turbo you received had alot more miles on it or there was an install error.

To prime a new turbo, pull the engine fuse & crank the car over for about 10 seconds, wait abit & then repeat. I usually like to do this 4 or 5 times.

 

[chavez408]

i never knew you had to prime start a new turbo

 

[daren_p]

i never knew you had to prime start a new turbo

Well with a ball bearing turbo, it may not be such a big deal (though I did prime mine just to be on the safe side) but with a std thrust bearing you defently have to prime it. Metal to metal contact is never a good thing

 

[Mr Peepers]

I've always heard there should be no in and out shaft play. Would it be worth a try to see if it goes back into spec after its primed? I find it hard to believe it will make up the current in and out shaftplay, the small amount of up and down I wasn't worried about.

 

[daren_p]

I've always heard there should be no in and out shaft play. Would it be worth a try to see if it goes back into spec after its primed? I find it hard to believe it will make up the current in and out shaftplay, the small amount of up and down I wasn't worried about.

The side to side play that is normal is what is taken up when your actually running oil through the turbo. As far I know this will do nothing for in/out play.

 

[Mr Peepers]

I took the turbine and compressor housings off today after debating whether I should just run it or not. The compressor wheel was moving so far out that it was rubbing against the inside face of the housing leaving obvious wear marks, although it didn't feel/sound like it was scraping when I spun or pushed on it when it was assembled. Definitely in need of a rebuild. The condition of the rest of the internals makes me think that only 2k miles is accurate; what could make it wear so prematurely?

 

[Xeiros]

Don't we want to prime the turbo first? Before we start the car? Could be the fast track to actually needing a rebuild.

Maybe it's just my trusting nature, but I don't think he meant just throw it in there and start it up. I mean, he didn't say anything about adding oil or coolant either and that was fine, because we know it's needed.

If the OP has taken a turbo out of these cars before, and put it or another back in, he's likely primed the engine before. If he hasn't, he needs to read the vFAQ on how to do this, because there is obviously more than just whats been said in this thread.