# Turbo rebuild - questions, need help...



## Petrovich (May 13, 2005)

I had a seized KKK turbocharger sitting in my basement for quite a while, and I finally took it apart yesterday. The thing had loads of carbon right under the little heat shield behind the turbine. No traces of it burning oil or anything. The previous owner also confirmed the fact that it never smoked - just stopped making boost one day.
I cleaned it up, oiled everything, and bolted it back together just to see if there's any change. It turns now, but drags a bit - I have a feeling that the bearing heat shield is rubbing against the turbine (that heat shield is not really being held by anything). I also noticed that if you tighten the compressor nut too much, the whole thing barely spins - this is normal, right? With compressor nut set right, and everything assembled, there's very little side-to-side play (good), and pretty much no axial play (which kinda worries me).
As for oil, when I fill up the turbine with oil from the top, and tilt it on the side so that the turbine is facing down, it leaks a bit through the bearings if you let it sit like this for a few minutes. Is this normal, or does it mean that the oil seal is dead?
I'm trying to figure out if I can use this turbo as is for testing the manifold and oiling system, or if I should wait for the bearings and oil seal to come in... In other words, can I realistically expect 1-2 weeks of half-decent service out of that thing?... As in, I'm not asking for boost since there is a gaping hole instead of a wastegate right now, I just want it to survive exhaust heat and oil pressure while I'm finishing the manifold and oil lines.
BTW, it's an oil-cooled K26 with a built-in bypass valve, made for an external wastegate, if that's any help...


----------



## Petrovich (May 13, 2005)

Come on, noone ever laid their hands on a turbocharger?...
I polished the turbine housing from the inside, and that cured the scraping noise. Still doesn't turn smoothly; I think I'm gonna disassemble the center section now and see what's causing the problem.


----------



## chris859 (Oct 20, 2005)

If it needs a rebuild - then get it done at a good turbo shop...it needs to be balanced as well. Otherwise, just get a rebuild kit(bearings, seals, and hardware)...and hope for the best. You can usually get a basic rebuild kit for under $100. It sounds like your bearings are chewed up, worn out, and need replacement. And no, oil shouldn't leak out of it easily.


----------



## Petrovich (May 13, 2005)

Ok, I guess I'll just have to wait for the kit to come in, then.


----------



## Petrovich (May 13, 2005)

Awright! Just another... week till TurboCity will get me my kit, coming all the way from sunny California. For anyone else trying to use a turbo off of an early 80's Audi, diesel VW, 931/951, or any other KKK K24/K26/K27, the rebuild kit number is #300-600, on TurboCity.com (the e-bay place that used to sell those kits died a few months ago). Meanwhile, the center section is soaking in carb cleaner, and it's looking better every day.
While I'm at it - what do I use for a high-pressure oil line? I suppose a regular high-pressure fuel line would work, right?... I'll have barbed fittings on both ends. (BTW, tried looking for brake line, tough luck - Advance Auto doesn't sell any "generic brake line").
And last question... Gaskets. Custom flanges warrant custom gaskets, and I was thinking using metal. Would annealed copper or brass work? Or would I be better off ordering a sheet of exhaust gasket material?


----------



## chris859 (Oct 20, 2005)

Have you ever built a turbo engine, or had anything to do with a turbo before? For oil lines, use stainless braided line(NOT rubber fuel line), either -3 or -4 will be fine. Which gaskets are you talking about? the oil related gaskets, or turbine inlet/outlet gaskets? All you need to do is buy a set of gaskets for that turbo...I would think the company you are getting the rebuild kit from should have them.


----------

