When buying a Used turbo ?s

[RT-AWD]

Looking at a turbonetics 50-trim 60 mm external wastegate. Guy says it only has 4 pulls on a dyno and a few miles on it. It has a 12-15 lb spring and i'll be changing it to get a heavier duty one.

I'm wondering what should i look for, in determining the condition of the turbo? I know about shaft play and oil seals but thats it. what else should i look for so that i am not ripped off.

 

[cruisintalonawd]

Wear on the side walls to see if the compressor/turbine wheel(s) have hit the side. and if anything is loose or what not

 

[RT-AWD]

to check the side walls will i have to have him take it apart?

 

[lgoss5127]

look to see if the housing is in good condition.

 

[cruisintalonawd]

no just look in the inlet of it fir scratches. is a local sale or on ebay or here or what???

 

[RT-AWD]

It is a local sale, I'm also looking at one on sale that would be shipped.

 

[Aftershock13]

I'd also look for little chip/bent blades too, was anyone able to give you the mileage on these?

 

[VTEC_THIS]

If you buy one from the classifieds here or dsmsource classifieds, make sure they have a good buyer/seller rating. When I was selling my Big T28 a while ago, I had a few people contact me that wanted to make sure there wasn't shaft play, because they said they had a dead turbo sent to them, or with a lot of shaft play and never got their money back.

I think there's also some kind of ruler/measurment thing? (don't know what it's called but heard people refer to it) that they can use to measure shaft play in the turbo.

If you deal locally, take a good look at it. I wouldn't buy a turbo with higher miles, so if it's lower miles, the compressor housing should still be in excellent condition, it should look pretty clean, the blades should be pretty clean. The exhaust side shouldn't be completely black. Check the blades, make sure there's no nicks or anything. Obviously check for shaft play. If you look at it and something doesn't look right about it, it's probably because there is something wrong with it. Just follow your gut instinict.

 

[JusMX141]

All you need to know, by yours truly:

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/tur...-what-worry-about-when-buying-used-turbo.html

 

[RT-AWD]

will i be able to just buy a higher boost spring and install it into this turbo with a lower boost setting, with no problem? I don't know the miles i was told that the turbo has 4 dyno pulls on it and then the guy decided to go with a different setup.

 

[Aftershock13]

They might not be true, my bottom end has supposedly been rebuilt and I threw a rod bearing a week after driving the car (checking the oil every day, as you should driving any car you unfamiliar with)

If it's local it'd probably be worth inspecting in person, if it's away I'd get some high resolution pictures.

 

[RT-AWD]

what install accesories should i buy to ensure proper functionality? I won't be buy the turbo previously mentioned as it has an external waste gate and i have a ported 2g manifold (internal). Looking a a 50-trim or maybe just the evo 3

 

[RT-AWD]

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Ok how does this turbo look? I was told there is only 200 miles on it. Its a precision gt3255E. How could i go about cutting off the elbow piece as i do not need it?

 

[JusMX141]

Check for in/out shaft play on that GT3255E. All of the journal bearing GT's I've rebuilt suffered from excessive in/out play due to a failed thrust plate (Garrett doesn't offer a 360* replacement thrust plate for the GT turbos.)

 

[JusMX141]

They might not be true, my bottom end has supposedly been rebuilt and I threw a rod bearing a week after driving the car (checking the oil every day, as you should driving any car you unfamiliar with)

Sounds like somebody didn't know the proper torque spec for the rod caps.....


....the only rod failure that could be completely unrelated to an oiling issue.

 

[user21]

Definately take it to a reputable turbo shop and have it inspected.

 

[johnsonroda27]

yo where do u live.. i have a guy who can look at it locally..