USED TURBO CONDITION - What to look for?

[DIDDY]

Hey I was just looking into buying a used turbo, and was wondering what i should look for before i buy one. I see alot of used turbos that state that shaft play is minimal, but how much can be expected? Also, some of them say that they spin freely. How free should it spin while it is at rest off of a car? I do know to look for cracks around the exhaust housing, and for bent blades on the compressor and turbine wheels.

Anyways any help on this subject would be much appreciated, probably not only me but others that may be wondering the same thing.

Cheers

Eric

 

[20psi_GST]

Shaft play is a big thing to look for. Just grab the wheel on the intake side and see if you can wiggle it. If u can move it up and down a little that is common, even my brand new turbo did it. But if you can pull it in and out that is something to stay away from. If you can move it in and out even just a little i would leave it alone.

 

[Turbo Talon 111]

also check that the blades haven't been scraping the inside of the housing. that is a good way to know if it has too much side to side play. it should not have much resistance when you turn it. you will know if its too much.

 

[1g_tsi_awd]

Honestly, you should save the extra 100 dollars and get a new turbo with a warranty or if not a warranty at least peace of mind that it is in proper working order...

 

[MyBeatGSX]

How freely it should spin is hard to say. If the turbo has been sitting off the car for awhile unused it may barely spin, but that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it. My friend bought a "seized" 14b from a junkyard for $20. We took it home, took it apart and cleaned and lubed it. It spun better than new after that with zero shaft play and he used it all summer with no problems.

Most people selling turbos just upgraded to something bigger and are selling perfectly good turbos. I wouldn't be too worried about getting a bad one. Just check for shaft play and blade condition like you said yourself.

 

[1g_tsi_awd]

Good point, I never can bring myself to buy used car parts? I am weird... Or just retarded.

 

[MyBeatGSX]

No you and I are just better than everyone else because we only buy new.

We're also dumber than everyone else because in the end we'll spend 5x the money to get the same power.

But then again they'll all be broken down a lot sooner too.

 

[DIDDY]

How freely it should spin is hard to say. If the turbo has been sitting off the car for awhile unused it may barely spin, but that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it. My friend bought a "seized" 14b from a junkyard for $20. We took it home, took it apart and cleaned and lubed it. It spun better than new after that with zero shaft play and he used it all summer with no problems.

Most people selling turbos just upgraded to something bigger and are selling perfectly good turbos. I wouldn't be too worried about getting a bad one. Just check for shaft play and blade condition like you said yourself.

Thanks to all that replied. Im curious as to what exactly you cleaned and what needs lubricated exactly in the turbo itself. I realize that it has journal bearings and not ball bearings but im afraid if i need to take it apart then would i have to have the turbo balanced?

 

[eclipse_20g]

Thanks to all that replied. Im curious as to what exactly you cleaned and what needs lubricated exactly in the turbo itself. I realize that it has journal bearings and not ball bearings but im afraid if i need to take it apart then would i have to have the turbo balanced?

Just curious since your listed car is N/A, what do you plan on doing with the turbo?

 

[DIDDY]

Sorry i havent updated my info in a long time. I have a 97 NT as a daily driver and a 95 Tsi AWD as a project car. The T25 let go and im going to get a 14b to replace it.

 

[boosted-dsm]

oh the shaft play it shouldnt move more then a few hunderds of the milameter*sp* and if it hits the walls of the housing DONT get it.. if you want. you can take it apart.. its only held on my like 5bolts and a C clamp ring. there very ez to put to gether.. on the 14b there is a clamp around the outside of the turbo that holds the compressor to the exhuast housing. unscrew it.. and unhook the wastegate actuator and it will pull right apart and on the compresoor side in the housing you will see a C clamp that runs all the way around the inside of the housing.. get a pair of plyers and squezze that ring together and it will come out. its sittin in a grove. and the hole middle section will come off.
if you take it apart you can check for cracks on the wheel plate and check the fins for cracks ro chipped on both compressor n exhaust side of the blades. also if you see some cracks around the wastegate flapper.. dont worrie its normal for there to be 2-3 cracks right there. every 14b ive seen had the same 3 cracks in the exact same spot. so its normal it wont leak boost so dont worrie. and just install everthing the way you took it apart. also check the ring on the outside of the compressor plate to see if its still in tack and not torn up.

 

[MyBeatGSX]

Thanks to all that replied. Im curious as to what exactly you cleaned and what needs lubricated exactly in the turbo itself. I realize that it has journal bearings and not ball bearings but im afraid if i need to take it apart then would i have to have the turbo balanced?

If you don't take apart the CHRA (take the wheels off), you won't need it rebalanced.

We sprayed an entire can of WD-40 in the oil feed and return holes, and cleaned all the oil/dirt/crap out of the housings and off the wheels. Worked perfectly after that.

 

[boosted-dsm]

If you don't take apart the CHRA (take the wheels off), you won't need it rebalanced.

We sprayed an entire can of WD-40 in the oil feed and return holes, and cleaned all the oil/dirt/crap out of the housings and off the wheels. Worked perfectly after that.

well i used a air comprosser*sp* and sprayed the crap out of it in the oil n water lines and use a rag and whipped down in compressor blade n plate and all over the compressor housing. i didnt really mess with the exhuast side so much because as soon as i fire the car up. its all gunna go black agian anywayz.

 

[DIDDY]

Thanks to everyone for all of your help.

Cheers

Eric

 

[baocoyyie]

Just a quick note to not overlook, if you plan on disassembling the turbo, use some white out or a paint marker to mark the compressor housing AND center cartridge for EXACT clock position on reassembly (ressambled mine without marking, got it close, but close means taking back apart again).