Pulling turbo out, how to inspect it???
 

I am getting the turbos pulled to fix a LIM leak. How will I know if the turbos are good? Can you actually touch the blade inside to see if it has any play? Also, would it be okay to soak it with carb cleaner to clean it up?

I don't want to spend $600-1k on a rebuilt if it doesn't need it. I am taking it to Ivan (a rotary god from I've hear). He said he can comment on the manifold and housing condition but I want to know if it's possible to determine condition of the turbo inside and how to do that.

Thanks guys!

Inspect the blade for chips, pull/push on the compressor shafts to feel for play, and see how freely it spins.

So you can touch the blade and feel the shaft without opening the turbo housing?

Also, if the turbo housing or manifold has cracks, can that be welded or would a new turbo be required?

Thx!!

also...any moisture..oils..at all inside the turbos and they r in need of a rebuild. tis the sign of a bad seal.

put your finger in the snail. if its dry...your ok.

the other guys are right too..

j

Cracks are bad and really you shouldn't repair them. Take the two turbos apart from one another and inspect that way ... you can check the wastegate for cracks ... and also check the turbines.

Yea it will be real obvious if the blades are chewed off that the turbos are shot. Any cracks that come within about a quarter an inch of the gasket would be reason in my book for repair/replace.

You will be able to touch the compressor (intake side) blades, but you will not be able to inspect the turbine blades (exhaust side) without cracking the turbos apart. You do not have to take the turbine housings off. You just have to seperate the two turbos. Look for some pics of the twins and you will see what I mean.

It depends how big the cracks are.

Almost all turbos that come off an FD will have cracks. They just can't be huge...like over 1mm wide (.039") wide.

You also don't want them to bride across the wastegate opening.

Also, there will be some side to side play on the turbine. Make it is not excessive. It feels like a lot, but probably isn't. If you can push it to hit the wall...that is BAD. Axial (in and out of the turbos) is bad. It should be pretty solid that way.

Later,
Patrick

I hear ya, Patrick. When someone says "crack" I think "crack" (bad, not repairable) and not "hairline fracture" (passable, usual). Sorry, too much sports medicine! :) Good advice, though.