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Can I drive with a blown turbo?

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707GSX

15+ Year Contributor
61
0
Feb 24, 2008
Santa Rosa, California
So I'm pretty sure my stock turbo went out today. Smoke is coming out of the exhaust and I can hear a funny noise in the turbo when it goes to spool up. The turbo has about 135k miles on it. I'm in the middle of a 2.4 build and I left the stock turbo on (for 2k miles) until I had enough cash to get the gt35r (month out).

Question. Can I drive the car like this 50 miles to my house to store it and then 50 miles back to my buddies shop when I get the money for the new turbo?
 
This is an easy one: unhook the linkage from the WG activator, then use a wire to hold the linkage to keep the WG open in this temp situation.

This will disable the turbo so you can still drive the vehicle - but easy on the throttle (granny drive it for a while and don't race any Hondas!) since the exhaust through the WG can't handle full exhaust pressure as if when you smash down on the pedal.

Good luck in your finds. - DSM
 
I would take the intake off from the turbo and check your shaft play to be for sure that it blew up. If it is pouring smoke I'm assuming its done for. I would say it would be fine to drive on if you <b>have</b> to but if not push it outside your buddies shop and throw a cover over it till you get the new turbo.
 
Thx guys. Would you say 135k miles on a stock t25 with a few ruff miles is about the time it would die? Its no surprise to me. I knew it would happen anyday now. I can't wait to get a real turbo now:D
 
My friend has 160k miles on his 97 talon, stock t25, and its still running strong. :thumb:
But to your question, yes it will be just fine. Just baby the car.
 
Question. Can I drive the car like this 50 miles to my house to store it and then 50 miles back to my buddies shop when I get the money for the new turbo?
Yes, but be careful. A T25 with excessive shaft play has been known to break journal bearings and thrust plates, sending a heap of goodies southbound into your oil pan.

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If there is huge shaft play then i would advise not to drive it. The fins break really easily and just like jusmx141 pic shows, you dont want those being sucked in your engine. So whats next? bIg 16g?
 
Why don't you start out with a cheap used 16g, see how that feels then move on to much bigger turbo's. Trust me my 18g is more than I ever thought I would need but my hunger will grow.
 
dont even run the car or your going to get metal dust in the engine from the turbos busted parts grinding...safe your self the headache and just dont move it if you can.
same thing happend to my gst stock t25 with 145000 on turbo and i did the WG mod just to drive it to my frinds 5miles and when i took everything apart all cover with metal dust.
:talon:
 
jusmx141 said:
Yes, but be careful. A T25 with excessive shaft play has been known to break journal bearings and thrust plates, sending a heap of goodies southbound into your oil pan.







I thought it a bit odd to find the full bearing (albeit shattered into 3 pieces) still inside the CHRA of my original T25. Probably not unusual, though. Mine still boosted. The smell was really great. And the clouds in the rear were the cherry on top.
 
Your car is going to hate life until you get that turbo replaced.

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Mine. A little shaft play, I think.
 
^ I definitely didn't experience that, but drove the car around for at least 4 months. "Spirited driving" included.
 
^^mine went that far, plus more. and like justin said, my oil pan, radiator, and motor filled with a mixture of a big oily gunky coolant mess...
 
Yes, but be careful. A T25 with excessive shaft play has been known to break journal bearings and thrust plates, sending a heap of goodies southbound into your oil pan.

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At least someone mentioned it
 
I drove my car with a blown turbo for 6 months, the car actually ran better once the turbo completly quit spinning--ie., no more smoking, etc. The turbo froze (probably coked up bearings) so there was little chance of it exploding.
 
I drove my car with a blown turbo for 6 months, the car actually ran better once the turbo completly quit spinning--ie., no more smoking, etc. The turbo froze (probably coked up bearings) so there was little chance of it exploding.

6months? I could see like a week or two and even that would be further than i would go with it. A used 14b or t25 can be found for as cheap as $30
 
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