I get boost... eventually

[Squidbait]

you cant watch the actuator move unless its got enough boost to make it work.. how are you building boost and watching your wastegate actuator? or unless you move it yourself, witch might not make it act like it does under operation..

With the car in neutral and parking brake set, if I rev the engine with the throttle linkage at the pump, I can watch the wastegate lever move.

and i never suggested you should install a T3 or K24, i was just comparing the 2..

you get the spool up times of a much bigger turbo, with a little tiny one..

I'm not disputing the advantages of swapping turbos... by all accounts the K03 isn't much by comparison.  That said, a functional K03 is much better than the slug I've got sitting in my car...

and yes, the turbo shaft should spin freely, and have a little bit of play..

So either mine is coked up or seized up... either way it should come out.

[R.O.R-2.0]

what should come out? your turbo?

[Squidbait]

what should come out? your turbo?

Come out in the sense that it needs to be rebuilt/replaced.  If I can find a K03, that would be the quickest, since it would be a drop-in replacement. 

Then I'd actually have some boost (versus the no-boost I have now), and then I could actually start to set about tuning the car so it runs better.

[R.O.R-2.0]

do you even have a gauge yet? or made any diagnostics besides "theres something wrong with my turbo?"

have you checked your air and fuel filters yet? checked for exhaust leaks? these diesels are LOUD.. a small exhaust leak may be almost impossible to hear..

[Squidbait]

do you even have a gauge yet? or made any diagnostics besides "theres something wrong with my turbo?"

have you checked your air and fuel filters yet? checked for exhaust leaks? these diesels are LOUD.. a small exhaust leak may be almost impossible to hear..

I replaced all the filters as soon as I got the car (about a month ago).  I've been around the engine as best I can with my hand and with a piece of paper and can't see or feel any leaks. 

I'm sorry... I thought the parts where I mentioned "does not spin freely" and "very stiff to move" and "no play in the shaft" were indicative of a turbo needing repairing/replacing.

As it sits the car runs fine.  It's just a little sluggish.  I'm not desperate to do any major surgery, but it bugs me when things aren't working properly.

[R.O.R-2.0]

so, your turbo compressor wheel is not easy to turn with your fingers? any shaft play? check for side-to-side play, and in-and-out play.

[Squidbait]

so, your turbo compressor wheel is not easy to turn with your fingers? any shaft play? check for side-to-side play, and in-and-out play.

Very hard to turn with my fingers - barely moved.  No play in either direction.

[nathan_b]

It the compressor is really "very hard to turn" I would take that thing off IMMEDIATELY, DO NOT run your engine like that. Could be shredding its self and throwing metal into your motor.

[R.O.R-2.0]

It the compressor is really "very hard to turn" I would take that thing off IMMEDIATELY, DO NOT run your engine like that. Could be shredding its self and throwing metal into your motor.

yea, basically what he said.. but most likely just bad coked up bearings..

should be effortless to spin by hand..

[Squidbait]

OK, went out and checked again. 

I was paranoid the little movement I sensed was frozen/slipping fingers.  This time I put the rubber-coated handles of a small pair of pliers in and twisted (more grip). Nothing moved.  I didn't reef or anything, but I'm pretty sure now the turbo is seized. 

This is my daily driver, and I've been driving for a month with no noise (and apparently no boost).  I guess what I've been feeling is the engine hitting its HP peak.

I'm now scouring the local wreckers for an AAZ with a serviceable turbo attached. 

[R.O.R-2.0]

if i were you, i would take the time to find a K24 or a T3 setup off a 1.6TD..

[8v-of-fury]

For huge power gains ultimately the K24 or T3 would be ideal.. However if you can find a k03 i'd say stick with that. Having max boost 7-900 rpms later will make this a completely different beast to drive. I have driven a 1.6 with the T3 and a 1.9 with the K03.. having boost starting at  1500 and peaking at 1900 is amazing for torque.. max peak at 2500-2700 is still AWESOME just it makes its torque in the range a gasser would.. near 3 grand.

k03's are completely 100% efficient and reliable up to 16psi.. couple that with a efficient way of cooling the charge.. and 16psi is all you'll ever need. Anything over 20 is pretty much counterproductive and a waste of time. A properly cooled 16psi will out perform an improperly cooled (ie. HOT) 25-30psi all day long. Plus with the smaller turbo and basically zero lag, you can stand for a bigger InterCooler .. which will produce some lag, but will hardly be noticeable if your spooling at 15-1700

[Squidbait]

I'll see what I can find, but right now I'm on a tight budget. Next year, when things settle down for me and the Missus, I'll have some room to play.

Ideally I'd get a K03/04 hybrid from Gpopshop, but that's out of the snack bracket at the moment.  If I can find a K03 reasonably cheap and in good shape, I'll get a rebuild kit and throw it in.  At this time I'd rather avoid a full manifold replacement, since if I get into that, then I might as well pull the intake and clean it too.

And like I said, at this stage, I'm not looking for hotrod performance, just something close to or slightly better than stock.

[R.O.R-2.0]

just find a decent used K03 from someone on this forum, and run it. unless you can rebuild it yourself.. but if you can do that, why not rebuild what you already have?

[Squidbait]

just find a decent used K03 from someone on this forum, and run it. unless you can rebuild it yourself.. but if you can do that, why not rebuild what you already have?

Well, I'll post here after I find out about one near me.  Got a lead that says there's a wrecker here that's got one.

If not, I'll see if anyone's got one they're willing to part with.

I'd rather have one ready to drop in, so that I can take my time with the rebuild.  Never having done one before, I know what's involved from reading lots of threads, but not so much how long it would take... or more specifically, how long it would take me.