Hey Folks...

I've had my Turbo II for about 3 weeks now and I've got a lot of the smaller problems cleared up. Fixed a coolant leak, a couple of smaller oil leaks, FCD problem, and a differential leak as well. EPA will probably send me a Christmas card this year.

I have a pretty nasty exhaust leak and I'm guessing its a cracked manifold, blown manifold gasket, or both. When cold, there is a "fluttering or knocking" leak sound coming from the turbo area. As it warms up, it goes away at idle, but returns during acceleration.

Do these symptoms sound like a manifold leak?

Is removing the turbo on my '87 any less of a pain in the '**** than on my '93? The '93 was about a 3 day R&R project the first time I did it and I'm hoping for something less involved on the '87.

The car has 112k miles on it and I'm pretty sure the turbo has never been out of the car.

Thanks,
Matt

'93 Touring
'87 Turbo II

 

Compared to a 3rd gen, removing the turbo on a 2nd gen is a walk in the park...Simply remove all the hoses, disconnect oil and water lines at the engine, then unbolt the turbo....Manifold comes off easily as well, as long as there isn't a rust problem....

Your "fluttering" problem does sound like an exhaust leak. Try starting the car cold and then holding your hand around the turbo area to feel for any gas leakage...Do this quickly, so the car doesn't warm up and you don't horribly burn yourself.

 

Thanks for the reply...

You are right, it doesn't look as difficult as the 3rd gen, so I should be able to pull it off in a day. It looks like most of the work can be done from below... is that how most people remove it or do they come at it from the top?

-Matt

 

I worked more from the top than below...I'm sure the whole thing could be done from the top without any trouble...

 

I do most of it from below.

 

Most likely it’ll be the turbo-manifold gasket, rather than the manifold-engine gasket. Make sure after you tighten the nuts up you bend the locking tabs back into place. These nuts love to loosen themselves off a couple of weeks after turbo reinstallation, resulting in another blown gasket!

 

when i did my turbo i worked at it from the top

 

hopefully your turbo/manifold doesnt have too many cracks in it. I almost crapped myself when I took mine all apart. Oh well, it still boosts.

 

Sounds like it will be the turbo/manifold gasket. I've had the same thing on mine. It really sounds like crap when it gets worse.

My locking tabs/keepers whatever you call them were trash and allowed the nuts to loosen up. I hear BMW exhaust nuts are the way to go.

When I pulled mine I worked from the top and the bottom but it eventually came out the top. The heat shields are the worst part and I didn't put them back because they were in *bad* shape.

Matt, let me know if you need some help. I might have a few gaskets left over from my ordeal.

 

Thanks Dan... If possible, I would like to get together just to check out your car. I'm free any night except Monday....

Let me know...

-Matt

 

It is a big mistake not to put the heat shields back on the turbo and manifold unless there is some reason to fry the the engine wiring harness.You need some heat protection in there.

 

I pulled my turbo last week. I did most of the work form underneath. It's not that bad of a job, mine was a pain in the *** cause I had a ton of nuts that were rusted and locked on, I had to cut a bunch off with the dremel. The price of the manifold to turbo gasket isnt that bad but the block to manifold was a kick in the nuts (at least it was up here). The heat shields are a pain as well. The only one I put back on was the one that surrounds the exhuast side, part of the wiring harness runs right up the side there so I decided it was a good idea.