turbo

[rodpaslow]

I have a relatively new VNT 17 that maybe has 1500-2000 kms on it and I took the cartridge off because the vanes were stiff & to clean it.

I checked the turbo itself and it does not turn freely anymore.  I have to use a small wrench to turn it, this is likely not normal - right?  The hot side is caked up a bit (I think I had a bit of oil going through it may have done this).  Is there anything I can do short of taking it apart to fix it? 

If I have to take it apart, how do you remove the nut (I think left had thead) without damaging either wheel?  Or is this better left to a turbo shop?

[R.O.R-2.0]

I have a relatively new VNT 17 that maybe has 1500-2000 kms on it and I took the cartridge off because the vanes were stiff & to clean it.

I checked the turbo itself and it does not turn freely anymore.  I have to use a small wrench to turn it, this is likely not normal - right?  The hot side is caked up a bit (I think I had a bit of oil going through it may have done this).  Is there anything I can do short of taking it apart to fix it? 

If I have to take it apart, how do you remove the nut (I think left had thead) without damaging either wheel?  Or is this better left to a turbo shop?

vnt should be normal threads..

[RabbitJockey]

The last couple t3 turbos i have taken apart have been regular thread I always thought they were left handed thread tho

[R.O.R-2.0]

The last couple t3 turbos i have taken apart have been regular thread I always thought they were left handed thread tho

when i took my VNT15 apart, it was regular threads.. it didnt spin free either. had to clean everything and oil it up..

only turbos that got backwards threads, actually spin backwards.

clockwise rotation = clockwise threads.

CCW rotation = CCW threads..

[libbydiesel]

If it didn't spin freely after 2000 kms then you have some issue causing that that needs to be addressed.  The most likely culprits would be an inadequate or poorly routed oil return, improperly clocked center section or blocked crank vent. 

[R.O.R-2.0]

If it didn't spin freely after 2000 kms then you have some issue causing that that needs to be addressed.  The most likely culprits would be an inadequate or poorly routed oil return, improperly clocked center section or blocked crank vent. 

im assuming that it DID spin alright before he stored it.

and now it does not spin as freely..

[rodpaslow]

Ror, That's right - make a long story short when my vnt 15 blew I pulled the head and got everything going, but as soon with this new turbo, I was burning or using oil and looks like it was going right through the turbo causing the issue at hand.  Engine only had about 20,000 km on it if that.  So, pulled the head again,  pulled all, honed cylinders, new rings, etc.  I have the head on - ready to put the turbo in and notice it was hard to turn.

the biggest problem is to fix it.

How do you take it apart, how do you get the nut off without hurting it?  I'm going to see a diesel place here and see if they can do something easy, but it sounds like it has to come apart.  Do you normally have to replace the seals when something like this happens?

[CRSMP5]

http://www.xsboostturbochargers.com/

i know your in canada and customs suck... but that place did a rebuild on my vnt-15 for 350+tax.. this included a new/rebuilt vnt section.. mine was seized.. new little finger thinngy that was also worn out and so on... i was lucky and got to see the place in person, only 75miles from home... as well their webpages suck.. i heard of the place by a vw forum in ohio..

theman just stopped there today to get some custom turbo upgrades.. he sounds happy with the discussions... but will not have his back to see in person till tomarrow.. so till that point his knowledge is just simple for now.. but he can describe his 1st impressions..

[745 turbogreasel]

pour a bit of oil in the feed hole, and pulse an impact on the nut?

[R.O.R-2.0]

pour a bit of oil in the feed hole, and pulse an impact on the nut?

i would be down with oiling the bearings, but i wouldnt touch it with an impact gun..

if you touch it with an impact gun, use it on the EXHAUST side of the turbine shaft, not on the compressor nut..

myself personally, when i store a turbo, i oil it, and seal it.

when i get a turbo from someone who is not me, and didnt oil and seal it previous to store, then i oil it, work the shaft around to get the oil moving around the bearings, just wiggling the shaft around. you can feel when the shaft/bearings start to get oil, the play in the shaft gets cut in roughly half from dry bearings to oiled bearings..

if you have to pull that turbo apart at all, i would just rebuild it, unless you get everything apart perfectly fine..

[rodpaslow]

The problem currently is there is no shaft wiggle at all.  Something is definitely tight.  I've been doing a bit of reading on other turbos, and the nut can't be that tight as I read one where it was only 18-20 in.lbs which is almost nothing.  I don't know if I have a torque wrench that can go that low...

I think after I take it to a turbo shop here and it will be more that a couple hundred to fix it, I think I might try and loosen it myself first, as the rebuilding part doesn't scare me.  I have an old vnt 15 I blew up I can take apart first, see how it all fits together and then do the 17.  It's only removing the nut that worries me a bit.

[rodpaslow]

I am adding three pictures after I got the nut loose and everything off:

-large shot of hot side open
-closer up, a tiny rubber seal at bottom corner of larger dia id of housing where shaft fits

Part of shaft with c-clip and part seals, at least I think.

[rodpaslow]

The tiny picture there, I must admit is hard to see, but there is a bowed / conical washer that was behind the hot side impeller.  when I loosed the nut off a big piece of crud fell off and out popped the shaft.

Unfortunately, it happened so fast I didn't pay attention to which way the washer was.

I don't know how to say - was the id of the washer against the impeller which would have the washer press against the housing, or was the id against the housing pressing against the impeller?

The other question I have is the picture 2 has a small seal in the bottom of the larger id.  I'm assuming the shaft has to go all the way into this large ID up against this seal?

The c-clip clicks into the large ID only part way, easily.  So I hit it pretty hard with a hammer and it didn't want to go in all the way.  Does it or is there a trick to getting it all the way back in.

What's good, seems like no damage to any of the surfaces!

Any help on this is much appreciated.  My car is dead in the water unless I can get it back together.

[rodpaslow]

I was hoping someone might know - do you have to take the c-clip off the shaft, install it in the housing and then install the shaft?

[rodpaslow]

Parts list and pics...