I bought a turbo off of ebay. I bought it from down2turbo. I had it immediately rebuilt with a different compressor wheel and shaved exhaust blades. I had the turbo on my car (civic w/gsr) for about 10 miles when it started making a noise. When I put the turbine on I used new castrol syntec, new filter, new ss oil lines. The turbine had alot of shaft play and was leaking oil into my compressor housing. I returned the turbo to the shop that rebuilt it thinking that it was a faulty rebuild.
Now, keep in mind, the turbo was on my car about a week, and it was actually running for about 30min TOTAL over that week.
Well, the shop called me and informed me that it was my fault. They said that there was some "sort" of contamination in my oil or oil lines that ruined my bearings and cartridge. The shop informed me that the entire center section would have to be replaced, at a cost of 400 bucks......that is on top of the 250 for the original rebuild.....!!!!
Could this have happened in the short time I had it running??? WTF???
Are there any turbo experts or shop owners who can testify to this??

 

I don't know if they are lying, but something big enough in the oil could screw up the turbo like that. Also, I dont think that if the center cartridge was ruined that oil would leak into the compressor, that sounds like the actual seal that the shop was supposed to replace.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by m R g S r &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I don't know if they are lying, but something big enough in the oil could screw up the turbo like that. Also, I dont think that if the center cartridge was ruined that oil would leak into the compressor, that sounds like the actual seal that the shop was supposed to replace. </TD></TR></TABLE>

yeah no kidding . . . sounds like a seal went bad, so they want to charge you $250 for the rebuild in which you already paid, and then $400 to replace the center section? **** might as well just buy a brand new turbo.

That's $650 already put into that one turbo if you go through with it, that's pretty bad.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Vtec92Civic &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
That's $650 already put into that one turbo if you go through with it, that's pretty bad. </TD></TR></TABLE>

hell yeah, not to mention the original price of the turbo (300)!!!! I just talked to the shop owner, and he said that from the work that they previously did on my turbo, there is no way the damage could have come from them. i.e. it is not their fault. He let me know that the bearings were real scratched and beat up. Indication of contaminates or oil starvation. I tapped my oil from the oil pressure sensor on the back of the block and could feel oil running through the line when the engine was on, so I really don't think that was it. I am going to the shop with my friends unused turbine just like mine (from the same seller, same model) and see what shape the bearings are in. Maybe I can determine if the fault was mine or not........

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by B18C1Crusader &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I tapped my oil from the oil pressure sensor on the back of the block and could feel oil running through the line when the engine was on, so I really don't think that was it. </TD></TR></TABLE>

How could you feel oil in the line if it was a SS braided line? And did you prime the turbo at all? I normally hold the turbo end of the oil line in a soup can while cranking the engine over until oil starts to come out then I attach it to the turbo. This way you know for a fact that the turbo has oil pressure and it has oil the first time it ever spins.

 

you can feel liquid running through a ss line, or at least I thought you could. I did not prime the turbine at all, I was under the impression that the oil would reach it fast enough that priming wasn't necessary (read that on TI). I am DEFINATELY going to check that today when I get home from work. Since I thought I could feel the oil, I saw no need to disconnect the line to check it.
If the damn line is clogged and no oil is coming out I am going to be real upset with myself!!!
Is priming the line a common practice that I should have done? I mean, I know that sounds right in hindsight, but does everybody do this?

 

i dont....

u blew with my mouth thru my line and it wasnt clogged

then with a baby medicine siringe i pour some oil into the turbo, remember some turbos has a very lil hole on the cartridge where the oil goes in, so it squirts onto the bearings

i say ur problem is more like a rebuilt failure... no shop will just come with a stupid *** excuse like that for their "professional job"
i say call the ******* BBB on them (better buysssiness bureau) check google.com for the local one


raise some hell and u should get answers

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by USDM 4G VTEC &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> i say ur problem is more like a rebuilt failure... </TD></TR></TABLE>

Sounds like it to me too. Of course they're going to deny any responsibility for the damage, just so they can leech more money out of you. Ask around to see if the shop has a rep for putting out good/bad work. If anything, they would already have a few BBB complaints if they're shady like that.

You should have just gotten a new turbo to begin with. Woulda saved you alot of headaches...

 

If you didn't prime your turbo before you started the car for the first time, then there's no wonder the turbo is blown. Always prime the turbo after you install it...

 

why did u get the turbo rebuilt? I though down2turbo rebuilts all the turbos he sells. I threw mine on that i bought from him and havent had any problems so far. You could have spent alittle more and get a brand new turbo.

If u didn't prime the turbo then it might be your fault, but i donno that shop so it may have been theirs. good luck though.

 

I appreciate everyones comments.
Yeah, in hindsight I shoulda bought a brand new turbo. The reason I had the wheels and shaft changed out is that I was specifically looking for a super 60 turbo. down2turbo advertises a super 60 on ebay. I bought one, but when I got it I measured the inducer and it wasn't a super 60, it was a regular 60 trim. There is a difference of about .09 inches in inducer diameter there. I had the shop replace the compressor housing and wheel to a super 60 spec. down2turbo refused to replace or change the turbo specs.
I will have to have it rebuilt with a 90 day warranty. As I am sitting right now, my option is to have it rebuilt for 400 dollars, or buy a new one for about 200 more...
I will definately prime the turbo this time around. The process for priming is what? You disconnect the distributor and crank the motor or something?? Thanks yall!

 

I don't think that it's the lack of priming the turbo that ruined it. There was a debate about priming the turbo before you put it on the car, and I still feel that there is not enough time that the turbo runs without oil in order to ruin it. Yea, the wheel may spin a little at idle (when you first start the car) but right after that the oil will begin to be pumped into the turbo. Unless you somehow spooled the turbo up and heated it up alot before oil hit it, I don't think that's the problem.