i think my turbo is blown. looking for help and advice!
 

my 87 TII has been sitting for a couple days because of a brake problem, but i took it for a drive today and a bigger problem has come up.

it had been progressively smoking a little more than usual each day BEFORE i parked it, and it would always go away after the engine finished warming up. now it smokes an absurd amount...here are the symptoms

-white/grey/a tinge bluish smoke. i was worried it was coolant at first but coolant level seems fine and it smells more like my regular catless fumes x100 than sweet
-has been going through more oil than usual lately
-idles and runs well like normal otherwise
-smokes almost nonstop, but most on deceleration and low rpm. i can't see it as much in my rearview when i'm wot or steady cruising above 4000 rpm, probably just because it has more air to be diluted by.
-noticed a bit of oil in my intake pipe before the intercooler a week ago. it also looks like oil has been leaking from the compressor side of the turbo, but i'm not positive


so, from other information i've gathered i need a new turbo or i need mine rebuilt. can anyone give input on this?

if i do need a new turbo, would i be able to run something like a TO4B 60-1 with the only related mods being a walbro 255 l/h fuel pump and fcd?

hope you can make it through the long post. thanks in advance.

also, its running really rich. i'm confused by this part

almost every time i step on the gas, even lightly, it backfires

Have you checked the charge pipes for oily residue?

i noticed a bit of oil in the pipe right before the intercooler like i said. i'll take another look more tomorrow when its light

And you wont be able to run that 60-1 with an FCD and the Walbro. Not even close..

is this a hybrid 60-1 or do you plan on a new manifold?

woops i should have specified hybrid
i'm mainly asking because i can't afford to upgrade the ecu, injectors, etc for a good while, but if i'm replacing my turbo i might as well upgrade now.
with the same turbo housing, a 60-1 wheel hybrid would push the same amount of air at the same pressure as before (stock), right? i need to research more...


but i'm still looking for confirmation or anything that might help me out with the smoking issue. i'm guessing the turbo has gone bad, but i want to rule out other possibilities. i'm gonna check the shaft play when i have time. anything else besides oil i should look for?

No, the flow will be increased (by alot!). Fair warning, you bolt that hybrid on and you are asking for trouble. Best bet is to find a used stock turbo until you are ready to take the plunge.

Man, the last thing we need is another ricer ruin a perfectly good engine block by slapping on a bigger turbo without upping the fuel. More air = more fuel needed!!! More fuel needed = a way to control that fuel. You can't just go and throw on a bigger turbo and call it a day, you MUST have the proper support mods or you are going to blow your engine! Sorry to be a dick, but it just irritates me. You gotta do it right! I know it sucks if your turbo is blown, but you are going to be left with more than just a blown turbo if you do what you are thinking of doing.... you MUST have bigger injectors if you up the boost (or will run SUPER lean during boost) you MUST have a way to control the fuel (be it a standalone or SAFC) you MUST have a way to control the boost (be it manual or electronic boost controller)! That's just the way it is!

thanks for the respect...
but i understand how you feel. of course, i don't want to do anything to my engine without thinking things through. i was guessing that if the airflow is the same, then same fuel would be needed, but thats not the case. i have an electronic boost controller i can control boost with.

so even though no one specifically addressed the original question, it sounds i'm right and my turbo is blown. so WHY would it be running so rich? with the smoke aside, i can't drive because it sounds like WWII..