Questions before undertaking Turbo rebuild...
 

I'll be installing a Turbo Rebuild Kit on my Primary Turbo this week-end. Are there any tips you guys can offer on taking Turbo(S) off the engine and taking Turbo apart so that the rebuild goes smooth. It's the first time I undertake such a task. All comments and advise is much appreciated. Thanks. -Jimmy

I think the most important thing is to mark everything to be sure that it goes back in properly. It's easy to get the housings and snails out of rotation. I learned this the hard way.

Also, mark the compressor wheel so that it will remain balanced when you put them back together.

Be careful with the carbon seals when installing. They are pretty easy to crack.

Gook Luck!

Also,

Just curious why you are doing one turbo. After going through all of the work to get them off and clean them up, it would probably be a good idea to just do both.

I just want to make sure I can do it, and do it right. If I don't run into any major problems with the Primary rebuild, I'll more than likely order another kit for the Secondary Turbo. But, as I mentioned previously, the secondary turbo is a boosting mo-fo!! Thanks for your reply and help. -Jimmy

Take pics and do a nice write up for the rest of us newbs who've never done turbo rebuilds :bigthumb:

Will do!. Thanks.

Don't forget to prime the turbos just before you put them back, (oiling them./put oil in lines,etc.). Also do a search, some here have already successfully and unsuccessfully completed this meticulous task.....

PS. Good luck.... You're gonna need it....

Just got my Turbo Rebuild Kit delivered. I'll post a few photos of the components in the next hour..

Photo of the front of the box........

https://www.rx7club.com/forum/attach...chmentid=60585

Photo of the back of the box....

https://www.rx7club.com/forum/attach...1&d=1182183550

Photo of the sheet of Instructions provided with the Kit....

https://www.rx7club.com/forum/attach...1&d=1182183579

Photo of the components as they were shipped/packaged...

https://www.rx7club.com/forum/attach...1&d=1182183614

And finally, a photo illustrating the individual components...

https://www.rx7club.com/forum/attach...1&d=1182183641

...Hopefully, photos of me kicking the shit out of the Turbo because of my inability to perform the rebuild, will not surface on the Forum. :) Wish me luck.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!

I will be doing the sam in about a week. Please do a nice write up along w/ plenty of pics. I appreciate your help.

Also are you using a glass beed blaster?

No bead blaster. I'll have to see how bad the internal housing is. If I can't get it cleaned with over-the-counter cleaning chemicals and a little elbow grease, I'll take it to a shop and have it blasted. Good luck to you as well. Check for PMs in case I need to compare the rebuild process with you. Thanks. -Jimmy

What I learned whem I rebuilded my turbos was that the stock Thrust Bearing (the big C shapped brass one) has 2 holes (bigger) and the Turbo City's has 3 smaller diametter holes, which is much more likely to clogg up compare to stock ones.

I took my turbo out twice after the rebuilt, and ened up using the stock ones for that reason.
The thrust bearing has no efect realy on the performance of the turbo exept for alowing oil through for lube purposes, and I think the stock one is just perfect, most importantly the Thrust Bearing can never go bad anyway b/c there is no physical contact with the shaft and cannot be worn out.

Also do both of them at the same time, is just a pita, nothing to worry, make sure you mark stuff up precisely and you'll be OK and make sure to clean and keep things extra clean.

Good luck.

Thanks for the heads-up. I'll take it into consideration.

AGREED!!!

Oh believe me!.,.. I'm gonna document the S#!t out of this rebuild (with video). So posting digital photos won't be a problem. Thanks.

woohoo!, i've been looking for pics of a rebuild, thanks arexseven :) :bigthumb:

I sure wouldn't mind a copy of that video! Perhaps you can zip it and send it via AIM????

Well..w here do I know those parts from???

Just a question, i also did a turbo rebuild with such a kit and it's fairly easy onces the turbo is open.
Just one thing... You'll need to have the turbo balanced before putting it back. due to the wear of the propellor shaft there may be some intolerance with the new bearings, still causing oil to leak and so on...

Be sure to do that. it'll cost you more than the rebuld kit, that's for sure

While the thrust bearing doesn't contact the shaft, it does keep the turbine shaft located axially. That's what a thrust bearing/plate does. :) There should be no reason for those holes to plug just because they are smaller either.

There is a small crome ring (I can't remeber the name) that is placed into the thrust bearing and that ring actualy has contact with the shaft which is replacet with new one on turbo city reb. kit.

I just think is a common sense that such little holes are way easyer to clogg up than the biger ones, don't you think?

It happen to me twice and I just don't wish to anyone have the same problem as I did, if is possible to avoid!

How much $ to balance the propeler? Im thinking about rebuilding myself 'cuse I have some play in the primary

I won't have a problem making copies of the (rebuild) video, just provide a videocassette (Mini DV or VHS) and I'll duplicate it for you. Hell, if the video footage and commentary comes out okay, I might even put it on CD-Rom or DVD.

BUT,....the "mountain" has to be conquered first!!. :)

So did you actually start the rebuilt yet?
I'm very interested in seeing how it turns out. Pics would be a plus :)

No. I didn't recieve the Rebuild Kit till today. And today I was given instructions to fly to Houston on Saturday for an inspection I have to document. So it seems that I won't have a chance to start the rebuild till Sunday.

But if I get a chance during the week, I'll start the process of taking off the Turbos/Manifold.

Uuuh... yes, the thrust bearing can most definitely be worn. Take a look at the pads and look for any discoloration. If you see scoring or discoloration then definitely swap it out. Yes, the smaller holes can get clogged easier than the big ones (makes sense). Keep fresh oil in your car and a good filter and you should be okay. Give your turbos a chance to cool before you shut the car off and that's the best thing you can do to ward off cooling.

If I had to guess, I'd say that the turbos are first balanced individually and then balanced as an assembly. Definitely mark your wheels so that they go back on the same, relative to each other. Otherwise it looks to be fairly straightforward.

How much for the rebuild kit?

$150.00 per Turbo. Check it out at: www.turbocity.com Kit #300-050.

You're making no sense about the TB being worn out, and keeping fresh oil in you car is not gonna prevent 100% the little holes from being clogged.
Answer me this:
Why would you whanna increase the chance of the thrust bearing oil passages getting clogged easyer anyway, when it's already proven that they will clogg up?

I agree with Stan94Gt. The TB will wear...replace it. IIRC, mine actually had very small fractures in it.

Signs of the thrust bearing being worn out. Check the pads (that's the small area that sits up off the majority of the thrust bearing, the pad area). If they're scuffed, then they're worn. If they're discolored, then the bearings have overheated. Either way, if you see those signs then definitely replace it. If you've got a brand new thrust bearing sitting there next to your used unit... change it.

Sure, the new thrust bearing has smaller oil passages meaning it might be easier to clog up. How do you prevent buildup from accumulating in this area? Make sure to run clean oil. Change your oil often. Any FD owner should be changing their oil at 3k intervals MAX anyway. Hell, my FD goes through about a quart every 1000-1500 miles so my oil's almost always fresh when I change it out at 3k anyway! Make sure you're running a high quality filter to keep particulates from clogging any of your oil feed passages (including those on the thrust bearing). Take care of your oil, make sure you give the turbos a chance to cool down so they don't coke, and you won't have any problems with the smaller oil feed passages on the new thrust bearing.

If your previous oil feed passages on the thrust bearing have already clogged up;
- your oil is getting contaminated.
- you're not changing your oil often enough.
- your filter doesn't work well enough.
- you didn't let the turbos cool down and you're experiencing coking.

Take your pick, any of the above has the potential to clog your oil feed passages.

re-reading my initial post... it should have read "and that's the best thing you can do to ward off COKING", not cooling :)

I will send you a video as soon as you can make me a copy. I think I'll wait for my rebuild until I can watch yours. If your using video maybe it may be faster if you upload it to your comp. and send it to me via aol instant messenger. ( that is if its not too much trouble. either way will be fine).

also i see a lot of people here talking about balancing and i wondering if you are going to take your turbos to get balanced.

Well men, It's time to "get it on". I'M GOING UNDER!. It's 9:40 a.m. I'll post follow-ups this afternoon.

Here is a site that may come in useful in your rebuild Quest....lol It has been one of the most helpful pages I have ever used.

http://www.fd3s.net/how-to_turbos.html

Please post pics of everything you do, Including taking off turbos and stuff. I'll be doing this too very soon. I need all the tips and help i can get.

Thanks

Sorry for not posting an update yesterday. Had other matters pending and I got busy.

It took me 5.5 hours to remove the Turbos. This included a few trips to the local AutoZone to buy a few items. Not sure if the proper way to remove them was from the bottom or the top, so I took them out from the top. Much to my dismay, It seems that the Secondary Turbo is the one leaking oil, (I originally suspected the Primary) as the Primary Turbo looks pretty clean as you look down the Turbo funnel (the part that attaches to the Y-Pipe). I didn't get a chance to start the rebuild. I just took them off and cleaned the assembly externally. I'll probably start the rebuild tonight. I'll document the process thoroughly and post photos.

I've decided to order another Kit. I'll order it this morning with the hope it arrives late this week.

DOH!! We told you to rebuild them both. :)

Yeah,..Yeah,..Yeah. :)

I want you guys to take a look at this photo. Tell me if the Crack in the Manifold (the crack that's located in the portion that separates the exhaust ports) will present a problem. It seems to have cracked all the way through. Can it be repaired?? J-B weld??..

https://www.rx7club.com/forum/attach...1&d=1182183791

One that bad is best thrown away. JB Weld won't live long inside a turbo exhaust manifold and the cracks are much to bad to bother trying to weld IMO :o:

Looking at the part (center divider) a little closer demonstarates that it really doesn't separate exhaust flow. So welding/repairing it doesn't really "fix" anything as far as Manifold funtioning properly. But replacing it as you have suggested is probably a good thing. I'll look into it. Thanks.

I don't know how can you replace that unless you get another set of twins. By the way, those are really big cracks :(

No need to get another set of Twins,..just need to buy another Manifold and swap.

so is the rebuilt still on it's way though? Any progress pics yet?

I think I'll start the rebuild tonight. I'll be rebuilding the Secondary Turbo as it demonstrates evidence of oil seal failure. The Primary Turbo looks pretty clean with no signs of oil leakage, but I've decided to rebuild it too. Photos will probably be posted sometime tomorrow.

Thanks. That's one article of only a few that gives instructions and advise for FD Turbo removal/rebuild. For now, it's my Turbo Rebuild Bible :)

I intend to install ALL the new parts shipped in the Kit. I'll do a photo comparison with the old and new components to illustrate any and all wear.