T3/T04E Turbo Howl Noise. No Boost

[ForcedInduction]

I just finished my engine and have about 700 miles on it. I installed a NEW T3/T04E turbo during the buildup. It has a 7cm Mitsubishi exhaust housing with an internal wastegate.
For the first 500 miles I didnt even have a wastgate actuator bolted on. At 700 miles I decided to bolt the actuator on and see how it went. I pulled the car out on the highway and got on it. As I approached pressures above atmospheric I started to hear a loud howling noise. Sounds just like a dog howling and/or a commerical airline during take off. All this noise and No Boost. I babied it home without boosting. (About 20 miles)
I got home and pulled off my 3" intake and checked for shaft play. It has some, but minor. I looked at the compressor wheel and housing and look what I found (see pics)
The turbo spins freely by hand and spins at idle. This is my first garrett turbo. Only delt with Mitsubishi before this, and luckily I never had a failure with any of them.
I checked for boost leaks and bov proper operation. Everything was ok. There was no smoke associated with this noise. What do you guys think? Need any more info?

Thanks in advance.
-Derek

 

[99evo3gsx]

Do you have a warranty on the turbo? I would send it back and get another if it is covered by a warranty.

 

[Jehu]

Why are people still breaking in engines with their nice shiny new turbos? Even if you've been VERY careful about changing oil, filters, you still might get engine break-in wear particles into the sleeve bearing of the turbo. Bye bye bearing. It might help a little that you have the wastegate actuator disconnected, but the shafts will still be turning, albeit not fast enough to make boost.

You can try sending it in for warranty, but if they see the bearings destroyed due to particulate matter, they won't cover the turbo.

 

[1993eclipseGS]

It looks like the compressor wheel is scraping off of the housing. Is the compressor housing put on evenly? That happened to my buddies turbo, the turbine housing wasent on all the way even, Causing it to make a loud screechy howl at higher rpms.

 

[ForcedInduction]

No warranty. I bought it off another dsm member. I'll check the compressor housing for proper seating. Worst case scenerio, I'll tear it down myself and find out whats going on.
I checked for boost today with my gage connected. I am getting boost. But only about 4 psi
Also, is there always smoke associated with bearing failure?

 

[99evo3gsx]

I used to have a talon and 2 weeks after i sold it, the bearings went out in the turbo (T25). It was smoking pretty bad but the kid who bought it from me just kept driving it. It was smoking pretty bad. A couple days later it stopped spooling completely and the shaft and wheels were broken throughout the intercooler piping and he ceased the engine.

 

[98eclipseRS]

No warranty. I bought it off another dsm member. I'll check the compressor housing for proper seating. Worst case scenerio, I'll tear it down myself and find out whats going on.
I checked for boost today with my gage connected. I am getting boost. But only about 4 psi
Also, is there always smoke associated with bearing failure?

how did you check for boost? by driving the car or by hooking up an air compressor and checking for boost leaks? Check again for boost leaks and use a spray bottle with some water and a little bit of soap and spray on all intercooler couplers, throttle body(big leaking point), and BISS screw. Second that compressor wheel looks dangerously close to the intake of the turbo, too close as it looks like it is scraping the compressor housing. Sounds like a rebuild might be in order.

A couple days later it stopped spooling completely and the shaft and wheels were shot through the intercooler piping and ceased the engine.

ummm.....NO

 

[99evo3gsx]

sorry, HE ceased the engine. not the turbo ceased the engine. This kid beat the shit out of the car. The wheels were in pieces. After the bearings went out, he tried to drive it home about 30 miles from the town i live in.
I changed it that's what i meant by what i said.

 

[98eclipseRS]

I was about to say the wheels would have had to practically have dissintagrated(sp?) to go throughout the intercooler piping and through the smic to get int the engine.

 

[Jehu]

Second that compressor wheel looks dangerously close to the intake of the turbo, too close as it looks like it is scraping the compressor housing. Sounds like a rebuild might be in order.

Take a closer look! The blades ARE touching the housing. The edges have even rolled over due to contact with the housing. This turbo is GONE. Bearing failures will smoke only if the failure in turns takes out the seal.

 

[98eclipseRS]

Take a closer look! The blades ARE touching the housing. The edges have even rolled over due to contact with the housing. This turbo is GONE. Bearing failures will smoke only if the failure in turns takes out the seal.

look at the last sentence of my post and you will see that I infact stated that the blades were touching the housing.

 

[sweet97]

When new where did the turbo come from? Mark

 

[ITSME4G63]

When new where did the turbo come from? Mark

my guess would be bullseye?

 

[ForcedInduction]

I used an air compressor regulated to 15-20 psi. I made the tester out of pvc pipe and a schrader valve from a tire. I also used the tester with a smoke machine we have at work for testing evap systems. I did find some small leaks and fixed them.
I'm trying to locate where this was built. I only paid $500 for it and $250 of that was money I earned selling parts off the old motor that came in this car. So I only have about $250 of my hard earned money into it, so I'm not that upset. Or suprized.