I have a 10th AE with stock turbo. I have been been boosting 8-10 psi fine for the last few months. Yesterday I noticed that when I get into boost I can hear some scraping like sounds coming from the engine bay. I had also found oil in the turbo side of the intercooler last time I took it off.

I need to know if I the turbo is shot. So I can buy a new one. Thanks.

 

i'd say the seal's are blown in it.. have you been loosing alot of oil ? check the exhaust side , see if it been blowin both side's..


chris

 

Does the car smoke ever?

I've never heard a turbo make a scraping sound. I've heard a high-pitched whine that sounds like a bad bearing vibrating a few times when it's REAL cold out but for the most part turbos are silent aside from the WOOSH noises.

Can you describe the sound better? How much oil was in the I/C? A small amount is normal to find.

 

There was maybe a tablespoon of oil in the IC. It isn't necessarily a scraping sound, but it is hard to describe.

 

Take the intake off and wiggle the turbo shaft. If it doesn't feel tight then YOU need a BNR ugrade!

 

if there is a little side-to-side play, that's ok. any in-out play and the turbo is shot or almost shot. BNR does stock rebuilds, but I would do at least a stage 1 because they port the wastegate.

 

Yeah the BNR stage 2 or 3 was what I was looking to replace it with if it is bad. The sound has gotten quieter, but still very there. The turbo still boosts good though, holding 7-9psi to redline. The turbo only has ~40K miles on it, but was new in '96. Then the car sat for 12yrs until '08 when I got it. A lot of stuff had to be replaced so I guess this is just next on the list.

Would I have to upgrade my injectors or IC to run the BNR stage 2 or 3?

 

I had alot of oil on the intake side of my turbo when it blew up.
Pics of oil looking down into the compressor.

 

have a look at the compressor blades and make sure they are not putting scores around the inner housing, make sure all the blades are intact as well. Dont forget that if you upgrade a turbo and want a lot more from the engine then you will need more fuel in one way or another and something to control that extra fuel going in.

 

I know about needing more fuel. I am running 550 primaries and 720 secondaries, I also have an Rtek 2.1 to control it. I was wondering if my current setup could support the new turbo.

 

the only thing i could see you needing would be a larger fuel pump, other then that you seem like your car could handle the new turbo.

 

You'll want at least four 720cc injectors and a wideband to go with your rtek if you're going to start running a BNR.

 

Here is a pic of my turbo today. There wasn't any oil in the charge pipe and it looked very clean. It rotated smoothly with my fingers. I did notice I had a loose exhaust bolt on my downpipe, but after I tightened it I took it for a drive and there is a fat exhaust leak now. The buzzing/weird sound is still there also.

 

The nut on my downpipe used to backoff. So I put 2 on there. No problems since. If it was the bolts that backed off you could use some lock tight....maybe?

Where is the exhaust leak at?

 

I don't really know where it is at, sound like from the downpipe.

 

I am gonna go jack it up and look at the downpipe from underneath.

 

Ok all four nuts holding the turbo to the manifold were finger loose. Tightened them all back down now there is less exhaust leak and the buzzing/weird noise is gone I love but hate easy problems like that, damn unnecessary stress. Thanks to all.

 

How are you going to stop them from backing off again?

 

Probably threadlocker, or another nut like you mentioned.

 

I think it was Aaron Cake who recommended these copper locknuts for the downpipe:

http://www.atpturbo.com/Merchant2/me...egory_Code=FST

 

I HIGHLY recommend Nord-Lock washers. Search Nord-Lock and find your size. IDK what size the manifold-to-turbo washers are, but at about $0.62 each, it'll be the best product you'll ever spend $2.48+shipping on.