How do I to tell if my turbo is going out???

[JRoX85]

Just as my post states.. How do I tell if my turbo is going out? When I pulled off my intake there was quite a bit of shaft play as well as oil in there.... I am installing a catch can this weekend, and either thinking of getting the car painted or putting a whole new setup from the manifold back on her.. FP is letting there race mani's go for 175 right now and that price really has my attention... Here is the setup I am thinkin about running if I don't get her painted... My car already has a dp back exhaust as well as a fmic, but I don't know what kind and would like to do my own thing ..

1) FP coated race manifold
2) CXR complete dp w/ 02 housing built in
3) Thermal R&D CB
4) Big 16g turbo or evo 3 16g (thats what I have now it was on the car when i bought it)
5) CXR FMIC kit

if I went with this setup should I externally gate it or no? I don't want to run over 16 to 18lbs of boost it is my daily and I would like to be able to trust it

 

[darkstar5456]

form what your telling me.it sounds that turbo is going on its last leg.if there is a bunch of shaft play and oil in there.you would know if it was blown be blowing smoke all over.but till you get a rebuild i would stay off the boost.casue the worst thing is to be driving with a blown turbo

 

[90moneypit]

You've got a lot of question there and it sounds like what you want is a setup guide! You say you have a lot of play in the turbo but is it side-side or in-out and how much is 'a lot'? You have a journal bearing turbo so there's going to be a little bit of play since oil has to fit between the shaft and the bearing. The oil in the intake isn't a good sign but if the seals were blown you'd be seeing black smoke in your exhaust from burning oil. For 16-18psi an internal WG would be fine but an external would be more stable. The trade off is that you'll be paying a lot more for a good external WG that you probably won't need, just invest in a high quality boost controller and you should be fine.

 

[JRoX85]

the shaft play is side-side.. My intake tract is clean oil was in the turbo on the turbine wheel.. It only smokes for like 5-10 minutes after start up then goes away...

 

[90moneypit]

I guess you mean compressor side. Turbine side is the exhaust side. You may have blown out a seal but unless the side to side play was really excessive you could replace the seal after finding out why it blew. Did you remove the balance shafts or run the feed from the oil filter housing vs off the head?

 

[JRoX85]

I dunno I bought the car this way ... Balance shafts are removed

 

[90moneypit]

Okay, if the balance shafts are removed you may be having high oil pressure issues. First thing I'd do is get a high quality oil pressure sensor on there and see what kind of pressure you're looking at. Too high and you'll just blow the seals on whatever turbo you put on there. You should aim for aprox 10psi of oil pressure for every 1000 rpms so 10-80psi from 1k-8k rpms. If you're seeing more that that you may end up blowing the seals in your engine as well! Get a gauge on there ASAP and measure at the oil feed first and then the oil filter housing. Depending on what readings you get will determine what the next options will be.

 

[JRoX85]

I would if I could but my oil preasure gauge on my dash isn't working . I replaced the sending unit and still no working ....

ok well I drove the car today and last night, I am still becoming accustomed to the prosport boost gauge (the freakin needle in daytime is dim as hell eyes are finally adjusted to it) and I am holding 17psi to redline with my evo3 16g is this ok for a stock block to handle? I have an fpr and a wally 255 as well as some supporting mos and a chipped computer??? I think I am just worrying to far into things bc I have almost got all my problems resolved!!!
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[90moneypit]

All that and you never bought a QUALITY (not factory wandering/wondering stick) oil pressure gauge? Fork out for one already! Oil is to the engine like tires are to your paint job. Too little of either and somethings getting too close to something else it doesn't want to. Don't be one of the guys that spends a small fortune on parts, installs them, then blows up because he didn't buy one little thing! Just make sure you get a good electrical oil pressure gauge not a mechanical one unless you want to risk a hot oil bath inside your car. Hell, they're so inexpensive you could run both! One mechanical to mount inside your engine bay (they almost never wear out/fail) for checking oil pressure at the head feed and the electrical at the OFH. But get one, you're playing with your engines life!!!