Anyone into rebuilding a turbo
 

My 1998 E300 Turbo has a leaking seal only. Anyone have one or where to buy one. I can rebuild as spent my previous life as a jet engine rebuild engineer.
Where to buy?
Where to buy a cartridge replacement?
Even a used one at a good price.

Larry
760-480-1676

Theres a guy on ebay - Rons turbo shop is the name of the business. I forget the seller's name.

he sells you the kit and you send him your shaft for balancing. I have bought from him, as have others.. but have not completed the rebuild yet - cannot speak for workmanship but so far he is honest and reliable.

turbo rebuild
 

My 300000 mile 300d is wimpy at takeoff and strong at 55, the opposite of my driving needs. Among obvious engine problems, I suspect the tips of the turbo fan vanes would erode at that milage. Ford truck turbos are notorious for getting wimpy at 200000. Is vane erosion a problem? What is the tip clearance in your 189000 mile unit? Is this a typical measurement you make on a turbo? Other members on this site suggest turbo wear in insignificant compared to motor wear.

I can vouch for Ron on ebay. I bought his kit last year and rebuilt mine. I think the kit was 75 bucks plus what ever it costs to ship the shaft and blades to him for balancing.

Yeah, I actually think it was your writeup that tipped me off to this guy - thanks.

I am not the person to ask. I do know, however, that unless you have measured your boost appropriately, and are not smoking out your tailpipe / burning oil, you should not be turning to the turbo's function as a source of poor performance.

How about posting some specs on the Turbo rebuild.

Shaft Nut Torque
Thrust (end play) (min and maximum)
Axial paly (side play) (min and maximum)

That sounds like how a turbo works.

They are very very simple. I watched my favorite machinist do mine. The amount of normal free play is surprising. Be careful not to dent the turbo blades. The blades should not erode too much unless you run it without a filter. The hardest part is separating the halves of the housing, IIRC.

They are very very long lived units.

IIRC the "kit" consisted of two o rings and a gasket. I had to buy the mounting gaskets separately and it really honked me off as I paid about 125 for the kit.

here's another source for kits.

18 inch-pounds

as long as your kit contains a complete new thrust bearing, axial play will be eliminated. If your shaft is abused, you may not remove all radial play.

Thanks for saying something about Ron from Ebay. I was just looking at his rebuild kits. I have a frozen turbo that needs it badly.

http://stores.ebay.com/ronsturboservice-salt-lake-city Hope this isn't against the forum rules.

so far he's been real straight foward. Shaft returns balanced this week. We'll see how well he cleaned it.

I have yet to see any; but keep hoping to see some Turbo Specs posted.
There is indeed a spec on the clearances between the Compressor Housing and the Compressor Wheel as there is between the Turbine Housing/Exhaust Housing and the Turbine wheel. But I have never seen any here or in my internet searches.
The Turbine Blades can erode due to heat and Carbon Particles hitting the hot Turbine Blades. But, to erode the Compressor Wheel Vanes something has to be hitting them like dirt. (Damage to the Compressor Wheel due to too much thrust and it rubbing on the Compressor Housing is a differant subject.)

If your Turbo is frozen up you need to take it apart and find out why.
The bearing bores in the bearing housing could be enlarged or elongated, the Turbine Shaft worn and if the thrust was too much the Compressor wheel could have Rubbed it self on the Compressor Housing and damaged both.
Also if the Turbine Shaft seal is a piston ring type seal; just like a piston the groove it rides in can be worn beyond spec (if we had a spec to check).