Author Topic: Is This Turbo Scrap? (Read 2765 times)

cyrus #1 · « **on:** September 21, 2008, 09:55:48 pm »

Good evening gents. A while back I purchased a '92 jetta that needed an engine transplant. Tonight I started digging into the donor lump and most of it looks pretty good so far.

The hot side of the turbo however has a crack inside. Does this render my turbo useless? It goes inside as far as I can see.

What do you make of this? A good excuse to do something crazy? :twisted: Or is it nothing to concern myself with?

Darkness_is_spreading · « **Reply #1 on:** September 22, 2008, 04:40:31 am »

It looks like an original flaw in the iron casting, if you had a megaflux unit you could inspect the crack to see it's actuall dept but for now you could maybe port and polish the exhaust housing to clean up the rouch area in the turbo.

myke_w · « **Reply #2 on:** September 22, 2008, 07:15:30 am »

Even if it is a crack it may not be a huge deal. Kind of depends on what you do with it. If you run it in stock configuration and don't get too crazy with the EGT's you will probably be fine. If you expect to turn the turbo into a glowing cherry every time you drive the car, then that's a different story.

I once purchased a Mitsubishi td05h-14b turbo for a project car.

It arrived with a big crack in the inlet side.. naturally I geeked.

Called the guy I bought it from, and asked about it. He said, "oh you didn't know? They all do that.. "

I looked it up and sure enough, they pretty much all crack in the inlets.

I think the thing to be cognizant of is whether the crack goes through to the outside, or into the wastegate area.

Magnafluxing as was previously mentioned isn't a bad idea...

zukgod1 · « **Reply #3 on:** September 22, 2008, 07:23:12 am »

Run it!!!

Not a big deal..

Mark(The Miser)UK · « **Reply #4 on:** September 22, 2008, 08:59:43 am »

Just looks like a birthmark to me :mrgreen:

cyrus #1 · « **Reply #5 on:** September 22, 2008, 04:43:38 pm »

Thanks guys. I will look into magnafluxing and continue as planned.

dillenger1 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 22, 2008, 06:51:54 pm »

weld it.

dieselweasel · « **Reply #7 on:** September 22, 2008, 09:02:22 pm »

Quote from: "myke_w"

I once purchased a Mitsubishi td05h-14b turbo for a project car.

It arrived with a big crack in the inlet side.. naturally I geeked.

Called the guy I bought it from, and asked about it. He said, "oh you didn't know? They all do that.. "

I looked it up and sure enough, they pretty much all crack in the inlets.

He's right...pretty much every turbo I've ever seen (hundreds) had small cracks/erosion inside the turbine housing. If the crack extends to the outside, into the wastegate, or to the flange then its no good. Believe it or not, brake clean does a good job of checking cracks. Spray the suspect area, and if its through the brake clean will seep through the other side.

cyrus #1 · « **Reply #8 on:** September 22, 2008, 09:25:43 pm »

Yup, I think I will tear it down for further inspection. I was planning on rebuilding it anyway. There is a bit of shaft play. I know that there should be basically zero axial play but how about radial? I've got about .040" - .050" radial play.

The crack doesn't go anywhere near the outside and appears to travel away from the wastegate. I would definitely be more concerned if it was on the compressor side.