I picked up a used TO4E a while ago for my car. After getting it i noticed it has ALOT of shaft play. it moves about 1/8th an inch back and forth.. although the wheel doesn't seem to contact the compressor housing. I am guessing this turbo needs rebuilt before i should run it..



Any ideas on cost to rebuild this turbo? what is probably wrong with it.. should i just junk it and cut my losses?



Why does everyone try to screw people. they guy i bought it from said it was just taken off a car, and was good..


Thanks,
-Zach

 

I do beleive the maximum is about .017-.023 or something like that.. I can tell you from experience it costs about 250 bucks Canadian...Max

 

hmm, 250 huh?


Thats not too bad.. BTW .0170-.023 what? inches mm???


Thanks,
-Zach

 

You got a POS... my turbo just dies on me and mine has play back and forth as well.

Here's what happens... when you are on throttle and making boost all seems well... then you lift throttle and oil (that is supposed to be ONLY under and around the shaft) pours into the DP. Talk about a smoke screen!!!

As for the cost of a rebuild... it's hard to say. If the wheels are ok and haven't been scraping up against the housing... $300 is a good guess. If you need new wheels and a shaft... you're lookin at a grand.

Sorry man. That sucks...

 

I just bought a used turbo that was rebuilt by Bryan at BNRsupercars and it seems to have alot of shaft play also. I can move the compressor "up" and "down" quite a bit but it doesn't touch the compressor housing so I'm guessing it's ok. Shoot bryan a e-mail and ask him what is acceptable.

 

hmm, so on some turbos shaft play is normal? seems kinda odd to me.


I already emailed bryan about rebuilding the turbo, and he told me that it would be at least 500, and i didn't tell him anything about the turbo, so i don't think i would send a turbo to him.


So if it doesn't rub the housing, it might be safe to try running and see how it goes?


I will probably just buy a brand new turbo, but i don't have a grand right now for that. Maybe i will just run NA for a little while..


Thanks,
-Zach

 

the measurements were in inches, some play is normal, for 250 I had the housing machined as well, as it was done incorrectly when the turbo was built, you can buy rebuild kits for turbo's from turbonetics, and then do it yourself if the shaft is not to worn, just replace the floating bearings and the seal, it will probably tighten it up a bit..Max

 

Turbos should have VERY little play. Think about it.. it spins at over 100,000 rpms... do you think that something moving that fast should be slopping around?

I bet if you put that turbo on it will do just what my turbo did... smoke like a bitch.

Mine is a Turbonetics... I've heard lots of bad things about Turbonetics... but it's too late.

I've heard very good things about Innovative Turbo ..

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

 

Wiggling the shaft up and down and the wheel not touching is not a good test You need to go in to an oil hole with a dial indicator and lift both ends of the shaft at once and measure that movement . Lifting only one end multiplies the distance by four. Also if you rebuild one your self how do you balance the rotating mass with out the proper machine

 

Personally I think you can get a pretty good idea by wiggling the shaft by hand. If you wiggle it with your hand and there is no motion then IMO your safe, if the shaft play is that minut that you cant notice it with your hands, chances are the turbo will last a while still.

 

Hollywood you are correct if the person has experience ,I have seen Garfinkle guess at clearences and then measure and be very close if not right on,40 plus years working on this stuff does that for you.

 

Well, i guess i will try running it just to see what happens.. just hope it doesn't blow up and take out my new engine.. it is smaller then i wanted anyways, i plan on getting a TO4E with a 60-1.


Maybe the guy wasn't lying and this is normal wear?


BTW this is a turbo from HKS... but is marked as a greddy.



Thanks,
-Zach

 

you people give alot of conflicting answers BTW

 

Run the turbo at your own risk.

Wiggling the shaft and noting that it doesn't hit the compressor housing doesn't mean squat. You're not spinnning the compressor wheel at 30,000 rpms or higher with loading on the compressor wheel.

My brand new turbos from Garrett had a very small bit of play (very minute). However, my worn out 62-1 Turbonetics turbo had a decent amount of play (noticeable). At first glance (my friend was with me), you won't see the compressor wheel hitting the housing. However, under load and boost, it'll DEFINITELY hit the housing. I have pics on the forum that'll show you the scarring on the housing and the chips on the compressor wheel.

So, not only may you see more oil blow-by, but you risk of having small chips of metal in your intake which ultimately go into your engine.

If you're going to do the single turbo installation, do it right the first time. Rebuild it for a few hundred bucks. It's hard to exact cost because if you're wheels need replacement or your thrust bear is completely shot, it'll add up.

Check with your local turbo shop and stop listening to us idiots!

J

 

Sounds like good advice Ajatx..


Now the big problem is if i buy a new one, then what to do with the old one.. I don't want to just screw someone over the same way i was...


How much does a T04E with wastegate and manifold go for? that needs rebuilt? and will do about 350RWHP MAX?


Thanks,
-Zach

 

Oh, the maifold is actually a tubular header made of mild steel..


-Zach

 

Local turbo shop, thats a good one!

I think there is a place in town that works on semis, does that count?

 

I don't see why someone who builds turbos for semis is unqualified to work on smaller turbos. I don't know about you but I'd love to have a turbo that lasts a few hundred thousand miles and is in boost damn near all the time!

 

Alot of deisel turbos last over a million miles. Some of those new big thumpers put down 600hp no problem!
Yeah...It would be great running insane boost for near a million miles would'nt it?? CJ

 

I should HOPE tractor diesel turbos last a long time Gotta be the best environment for a turbo... no worries about compressor surge on upshifts since there's no throttle blades, the engine is rarely shut down and restarted and most of its miles are under fairly constant load...

 

If all you are doing is a bearing and seal, as long as you are not all thumbs when it comes to reassembly, re balancing is not neccesary..
I have a garrett technical guide in which it states, with the compressor housing, off load a dial indicator on the compressor wheel nut, push the wheel all the way one way, set the dial indicator to zero, then push it towards the dial indicator, take that reading twice average it, and divide it by 2 that is your radial shaft play, use the same overal procedure on the shaft end for axial.
After playing with various turbo's my rule of thumb quickcheck is that with the wheel pushed towards the housing, you should be able to slide a peice of standard white paper between the wheel and the housing.
Also you have to some room, remember there has to be space for shaft expansion and oil..Max

 

i took the turbo from an 87 to a local turbo shop. it had lots of play and the wheels almost touched the housings. one of the guys looked at it said it was seemed alright and that the play didnt seem too bad, only way i would know if it was good or not was to put it one the car. i thought it was toast. in the shop there were what looked like thousands of turbos so I trust his opinion

 

Guys, I was just joking about the Semi shop. There isn't even one of those in town. I should hope that a diesel turbo repair shop would be able to rebuild a typical turbo... about the only option we have around here is to either drive to Chicago, Indianapolis or St Louis, or ship the thing off.

 

I know of a place in Chicago that will take care of it for you.

Call Sound Performance... my car is there now getting a new turbo. Lar (the shop owner) has a guy who does his turbo work for him... I'm sure he could get it fixed up for you. I was quoted roughly $300 for my Turbonetics (piece of ****!) which needed seals and thrust bearing.

You can check out a few of the 9 second Supras while you're there

Anyway... good luck. www.sound-performance.com

 

Thanks jim,

I think i will try to sell it before putting more money into it. If i can't get enough out of it then i will look into that.


-Zach