just pull the hard plastic hose out of the intake boot in front of the
turbo.
I believe mine is bad, due to the amount of oil consumption (too high for
the front seal leak to account for) and blue smoke on startup (new head
about 60,000 miles ago, although quality of that job is unknown).
To check, take the intake boot off with the engine stopped and rotate the
turbo by hand. It must turn very smoothly and have zero axial play. There
will be barely detectable side play as it has floating bearings. It must
turn very easily, although it will not spin freely without oil pressure,
and must not bind anywhere in rotation. Rough, tight, or gritty sensations
while rotating it indicate wiped bearings.
Last turbo cartridge I got was $400 for the job, rush basis with
overnight shipping since I was in a hurry. Car ran MUCH better (it was my
old Volvo TD).
If you have used Mobil 1 for the entire time of operation, the turbo may
indeed never wear out, but dino oil and interstate rest stops kill them
fast -- you pull off the highway and shut it off with the turbine red hot,
and the oil cokes in the bearings. Not too much later, the bearings have
been eroded by the carbon buildup, and it starts to run slow and leak oil
out both ends.
A big leak out the back will make huge clouds of blue smoke, out the
front you get excessive oil consumption.
If you have oil traveling out the crossover while idling, you definitely
have a leaking seal, and usually that means the bearings are gone.
Peter
On Mar 12, 2012, at 5:11 PM, Dieselhead wrote:
From no responses, I gather nobody else has had a turbo failure. Is
that right?
Is it correct that any oil in the compressor is conclusive evidence of
seal failure?
Does anyone have experience with buying a turbo cartridge?
Does anyone know what turbo is on an 87 SDL? Garret or KKK?
It looks like some things are accessible from above, and some from
below. What is the best method for getting the turbo out?
***********prior post***********
I think I am on to something. With the crossover off, the insides are
abnormally clean. Like a complete M1 wash. No gunk, no black, except
where oil has pooled a little.
Started up the engine. when I revved up the engine enough so that the
turbo started, and held it there, there was oil climbing up the throat of
the turbo and running counterclockwise to the high side of the throat. if
I ran the RPM up to 3k or so, then the air blew away the oil.
It is not enough to get a bath. I am suspecting that what I am seeing
is enough to wash the crossover/intake clean, smoke, especially
on startup,
and washdown the port side of the engine through the crossover pipe not
being sealed well.
My guess is that any visible oil is too much oil. Is this correct?
