How often does an engine shoot an apex seal through the turbo?
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Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Bay Area
How often does an engine shoot an apex seal through the turbo?
I'm wondering how often an apex seal will shoot through the stock twin turbos when the motor goes. I've heard stories that when this happens you will need to get new turbos as well. Can anyone shed some light on this subject?
Weird Cat Man
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: A pale blue dot
It just depends... Sometimes your apex seals only crack and nothing passes through the turbos.
Other times, a piece may break off and it will go through the turbo. Sometimes this causes damage, sometimes not. Just depends on your luck.
B
Other times, a piece may break off and it will go through the turbo. Sometimes this causes damage, sometimes not. Just depends on your luck.
B
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Hey, where did my $$$ go?
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From: Bimingham, AL
Originally posted by maxpesce
Only ONCE!
then you REBUILD IT
Only ONCE!
then you REBUILD IT
HaHa, thats pretty good
Man if the seal breaks your turbo is history, if it just cracks and none comes off your ok but that is kinda rare. Think about it, your turbine wheel is spining like 100K-150K rpms and its very thin metal. That seal is going to chew it like butter.
Also, 99% of the time you cant see the damage without taking the exhaust housing off the turbo so that you can see the entire turbine wheel instead of just its face.
STEPHEN
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Joined: May 2001
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From: Mississippi
Originally posted by SPOautos
HaHa, thats pretty good
Man if the seal breaks your turbo is history, if it just cracks and none comes off your ok but that is kinda rare. Think about it, your turbine wheel is spining like 100K-150K rpms and its very thin metal. That seal is going to chew it like butter.
Also, 99% of the time you cant see the damage without taking the exhaust housing off the turbo so that you can see the entire turbine wheel instead of just its face.
STEPHEN
HaHa, thats pretty good
Man if the seal breaks your turbo is history, if it just cracks and none comes off your ok but that is kinda rare. Think about it, your turbine wheel is spining like 100K-150K rpms and its very thin metal. That seal is going to chew it like butter.
Also, 99% of the time you cant see the damage without taking the exhaust housing off the turbo so that you can see the entire turbine wheel instead of just its face.
STEPHEN
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Joined: Nov 2001
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From: Santa Fe, NM
My '93 touring had a missing apex seal on the rear rotor and another was stuck when I bought it. Bruce Turrentine (East Coast Rotary, Raleigh, NC) did the rebuild on another 13B for me and checked the turbos when he reassembled the motor with the accessories. He said that there was no damage caused by the apex seal. So, I guess I was lucky. The turbos had 61k and I didn't feel like overhauling them just yet. Maybe you will be lucky. If you have a lot more milage on them, maybe it is time to rebuild anyway. If you need a good 13B rebuilder, I would recommend Bruce.
Steve Bradley
Steve Bradley
