typically how much does it cost to get a turbo rebuilt at a shop? and, on average, how are rebuilt turbos compared to new ones? how long do they last, it quality etc.?

 

A lot depends on how you do it. I was quoted $2,000 to have the shop pull the turbos and rebuild them. I could also take them off myself and send them to a place that will do it in one day for $650, then I would put them back on. If you buy another set, you still have to either put them on yourself or pay someone else to do it.

As for comparisons, stock turbos don't have cracks that have been repaired, but the bearings and everything will be the same. Comparing new to rebuilt is really a money issue.

 

Id say its a money issue....rebuilt turbos are worthless junk. simple as that.

I had two different shops do rebuilds on mine (mine had no cracks and no excessive wear at the time). the first set leaked almost immediately...and not just a little. I was losing a quart of oil every two hundred miles. the second set leaked and sounded like a dentist drill.

All in all I wasted three thousand dollars...and now I had to buy the m2 upgrade which I should have done in the first place....go single..go new..or go with the upgraded larger units to replace the flawed units.

ask around...most rebuilt turbos just dont hold up...save the money or waste it..its up to you...either way youre going to have to go with a new turbo eventually..why waste the dough.

jason

 

Whats up. I actually build turbos for a living and specialize in hybrid turbocharger upgrades. There are many steps in building turbos. The HT12's (93-current rx7 turbos), are very, very typical on how they are put together. Since they are carbon seal they will blow a little oil, but not over excessive like you were talking(Jason). There are certain steps you go through in installing the carbon seal to keep it from leaking oil excessivly. For certain you HAVE to replace the carbon seal, journal bearings, and piston rings. All piston ring gaps and ring grooves HAVE to be checked. The backing plate also has to be installed in a certain way to keep from tilting and hitting compressor wheel (which what happened to you the time your turbos made that screetching noise). Also the turbine shafts HAVE to be checked for straitness or else the turbo(s) are junk. If all of the unwear idems are inspected correctly, and the turbocharger rebuilds are done in the right steps, a normal rebuild can save you thousands of dollars and give you many thousands of miles of reliability.

Bryan
www.bnrsupercars.com
(under heavy construction)