What would cause the turbine blade to looked like this? (Pics)

[Jdiddy2k4]

Pulled this big28 from a talon that we are fixing up and I was finally able to get the turbine housing off the see the full wheel and all I can say is wow the previous owner could not maintain a turbo at all. It has major in and out shaft play. My question is about what I uncovered on the exhaust wheel.

What would cause the wheel to be covered in this white substance? And I am assuming the little boot portion right under the wheel is supposed to have some sort of seal to prevent the shaft from moving correct? Also this same substance in on a slight portion of the turbine housing. Can I just sand it off and reuse the turbine housing on another turbo as besides the white residue the housing is fine? Same question for the compressor housing since the center section is probably shot.

Pictures

[phillabaum03]

thats definately showing the seals were leaking at one point and the turbo was baking the oil. The fins look to be quite tore up, like they were hitting the sides of the housing. I wouldnt reuse it IMO. If you sand/grind some of the fins you will unbalance it.

[Jdiddy2k4]

okay thanks I wasn't referring to the sanding the fins I was referring to sanding the residue off the housing that is pictured. Would I be able to reuse it or should I just scrap the whole turbo?

[StealthXtreme4]

The whole thing is fine. That's what happens when you use leaded gas... You get that...

[97GSTAUTO]

Yep.. My old t25 looked exactly the same when I opened it up to check it out before selling it. Its normal. Esp if someone liked to use octane boosters and the like.

[ndsti]

It's cheaper to just buy a new turbo than waste the time and money on a rebuild. Contact Blouch Turbo and they will tell you the same.

[No_Skillz]

You should be able to clean up the housings and reuse them. Be careful about the amount of material you choose to remove. Those fins, however, look like they ate something. Or maybe it's just camera angle?

[jusmx141]

Originally Posted by Jdiddy2k4

It has major in and out shaft play.

Common on ALL T25 / T28 turbos with 270* thrust plates. It's the reason that your stock T25 died in the first place...poor design and / or lack of lubrication to the thrust plate.

Originally Posted by Jdiddy2k4

My question is about what I uncovered on the exhaust wheel...What would cause the wheel to be covered in this white substance?

What you are seeing is carbon left behind by exhaust when it reaches 1600*f. If your turbine WASN'T white, I'd be worried....it would mean your car is poorly tuned. This is a good sign that proper combustion was occurring.

Originally Posted by Jdiddy2k4

And I am assuming the little boot portion right under the wheel is supposed to have some sort of seal to prevent the shaft from moving correct?

If the shaft has ANY in / out movement, the turbine seal is junk. The turbine seal is meant to fit tightly in the center housing, and allow the shaft to turn inside it. When the shaft develops in / out movement, it will wear the turbine seal as thin as a razor....causing it to lose tension and let oil into the turbine housing.

Originally Posted by Jdiddy2k4

Can I just sand it off and reuse the turbine housing on another turbo as besides the white residue the housing is fine? Same question for the compressor housing since the center section is probably shot.

Again, the white residue is burnt carbon. By sanding it off, it will quickly be replaced with more. That's alot of man hours wasted for no reason. On turbos I rebuild, I remove the carbon with a media-blaster, which takes about 38 seconds.

Why are you assuming the center housing is junk? If the turbo has a little shaft play, a rebuild kit should make it as tight as a new one unless the wheels have contacted the housings in some way.