How do you know when a turbo is still good?

 

Google it.

 

In general, you should check for shaft play - Try and move the turbine from side to side. Escessive shaft play is not good. Make sure the turbine spins freely with the touch of your finger. In regards to the turbo seals, the only way to tell is to take it apart and look, assume the person who sold it to you was telling the truth, or just wait until you put the kit on and if smoke starts pour out the exhaust or into your charge pipe you will know.

 

Couldn't you also do a boost leak test on it?

 

Maybe you could IDK - Just throwing in my .02

 

Thanks for the help I would check for that.

 

look into the oil return output, shine a flashlight inside of the turbo and see what color the shaft is. Brown=barbecued. Silver/Metallic=Good. Take off the housing on the charge side, and check the rim where the turbine would be, and see if there are any ridges or scrapes. If there is significant engravings, that means that the shaft is unbalanced. There is more than one direction a shaft can be unbalanced, so checking shaft play will only give you partial info.

 

a quick way i can tell good from bad is to grab the shaft (no homo) from the compressor side (cold side), pull in one direction and spin the shaft at the same time. if bearings are bad you will hear a scratching sound. If its good ill push in on the shaft and spin, also pull and spin.
If the bearings have gone bad so has the seals.

 

this is what a blown turbo looks like

shavings from the bearings


shaft


seal


thrust collar


comp wheel



comp housing


turbine wheel



bearings


On this turbo the bearings were being shaven down by the retaining clips causing excessive "in & out" shaft play. The wheels were being drivin into the housings causing them to grind down.

another example

center section w/thust bearing and thrust collar



bearings



thrust bearing and thrust collar


In this case there was a ton of oil cooking due to insufficient oil or running the turbo hard without allowing proper cool down. Notice the oil turned to carbon build up and clogged the oil passages. There was just enough shaft play that the wheels just made contact with the housings. Bearings were, well toast cause of improper oiling.

just for reference
parts diagram

 

Thanks everyone.

 

yikes!!!! that turbo is TOAST!!@!!!

 

Dude you got to change your oil more. There is tons of sludge in your motor. You need to call me so I can help you fix it right or you are just going to have another turbo failure. 231-830-5102 Dan is my name.

BTW we specialize in turbos and turbo cars.

 

thats not me...a customer of mine. It was fixed. the first turbo was given to me by a member on the forum.