MyronGainz

iTrader: (6)

I bought a used 8MR turbo from a member here a few months ago. I didn't do much checking aside from a check for shaft play. It seemed alright, and my current turbo wasn't making any boost, so I just swapped it out.

Today I decided that I'd take my manifold, hotside and downpipe off in an attempt to find this annoying exhaust leak that had been getting worse since I did the install. I got the manifold off, hammered the hotside off and took it to the table. There was a lot of rattling inside, which i thought was just the wastegate flapper.. Took a look inside and found this:



Went back to the car, and this is what my turbine blade looked like...



I'm lost as to where this came from. The car drives fine, boosts fine, makes power. Any ideas?

turbotalawd

iTrader: (11)

It looks like the turbine blades got chewed up.

MyronGainz

iTrader: (6)

Yep.
I'm not seeing any damage to the inside of the turbine housing either, which has me REALLY confused now

turbotalawd

iTrader: (11)

Is it possible there was some debris in there when you installed it? I know you said the car drives fine but i would pull the spark plugs out anyway and inspect them just in case.

rush63

iTrader: (42)

Is it in 1 piece? Can you post a pic from a different angle?

MyronGainz

iTrader: (6)

The spark plugs look fine. The electrodes are all in tact and they are not fouled.
The limited view I have of the top of the pistons appears fine. What is the likelihood of cracking the perimeter of a piston? Car's running 20psi, 11.5-11 AF:R, bolt ons, stock turbo.

The turbine wheel? Yeah it's still together, and STILL doesn't show much sign of shaft play.
The best I could do in terms of angle:

rush63

iTrader: (42)

I meant the piece you found inside the hotside.

MyronGainz

iTrader: (6)

oh, no. there were definitely multiple pieces. two were stuck in the hotside, I guess too big to move beyond the dividing wall. one must have made it through to the turbine, however. <br />
<br />
pics in a sec

edit: http://imgur.com/H8vrO.jpg

Edit 2: I guess the really important questions are these --
1) Is there anyone out there who can identify wtf that is?
2) What would be the recommended course of action before slapping on another turbo and driving like nothing ever happened?

rush63

iTrader: (42)

Looks like broken valve guide to me BUT they're black and I don't know how can a valve guide break since you did not snap the timing belt.

I would pull the head and make sure everything is okay rather than slap a new turbo and wait for something to happen everytime you drive the car.

2sik2fl

iTrader: (9)

hmm maybe the guy blew up his engine and it wound up in the turbo...

turbotalawd

iTrader: (11)

If your car is running fine, it sounds like its a issue that you inherited from the previous owner of that turbo. Contact the previous owner and tell him the issue. I would also put the car back together and see if there are any issues (oil burning, smoke, ect.) before i would tear it all apart.

sparky

iTrader: (1)

You could just send the turbo into Forced Perfomance or Blouche to have a new turbine wheel installed. Since it needs a new turbine wheel anyway, might as well look into replacing it with a faster spooling TiAl(titanium-aluminide) wheel from a TME turbo, or from a JDM VIII RS turbo. It will just bolt right on.

sparky

iTrader: (1)

I am really confused as to the exact location inside of the turbine housing that you found this metal debris. When you use the inclusive term "hotside", you refer to the turbine housing and the turbine wheel together as a functional unit that comprises the turbine in its totality, correct?

At any rate clear up the confusion for me and state exactly where at what specific part, or section of the turbine housing per se that you discovered the debris.