The turbo on my car is stuck enough that it is hard to turn, but I have to make the decision whether to call up my new job in the morning and tell them I will be late because I no longer have reliable transportation and need to rent a car for the rest of the week, or drive my 300SD on a 90 mile round trip for a couple of days. Any suggestions on what to do? Also, if anyone near vacaville CA would like to make some money swapping the turbo for another used one(which I have), let me know.

If your Turbo did start to turn again and the Compressor Wheel Fins rub the Housing there is a chance for the Metal to get go into the intake and into the Engine. That would be especially so if some fins broke off the Compressor wheel.

No one can say for sure if that would happen or not.

But, I have read the Cars will not run well without the turbo going.

Perhaps you can get up really early drive slow and keep the Engine rpms below 2000 rpms which is where My Turbo appears to kick in.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Yeah, I plan to drive carefully. I did try turning it and it will turn with a bit of force but the blades aren't hitting the housing. I know its not the best thing to do, but hopefully it will be ok for a couple days then I can swap the new one on this weekend.

Just so your thinking about this ill play devils advocate.

Hard to turn by hand does not mean hard for engine to turn despite hangup.

Worst case scenario, exhaust forces damaged turbo to spin, damaged turbo eventually heats up and blows, shards of the compressor end up embedded in the tops of the pistons, jammed against the cylinder walls, or in the valve seat areas. You are risking potential damage to the head, valves, pistons, and cylinders IF the turbo starts to come apart

I have seen this exact situation on a TDI. Needed a new head, 2 new pistons. We picked all the turbo bits out of the tops of the pistons, but that still left hot spots from the impact marks. Looked like a shotgun spray pattern

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This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

On the Chevy 6.5 forum a guy drove with a bad turbo. It took out the seals, all the engine oil blew out the failed seals and engine seized. It's a risk.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Yes. I'd say the risk is extremely high. I wouldn't do it for risk of running away on oil.

-J

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1991 350SDL. 230,000 miles (new motor @ 150,000). Blown head gasket

Tesla Model 3. 205,000 miles. Been to 48 states!
Past: A fleet of VW TDIs.... including a V10,a Dieselgate Passat, and 2 ECOdiesels.
2014 Cadillac ELR
2013 Fiat 500E.

I think you need to call enterprise and rent a car for a while.

An engine costs WAY more than a weekly car rental!!!

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

My grandfathers 300d's turbo had been locked up for as long as I can remember and he never had a problem. It just had no power and that's fine for a 94 year old man.

When I received the car, I took the turbo off and found pieces of the trap-oxidizer had locked up the turbine. Seems they did a trap-oxidizer recall in 2005 and never bothered to check the turbo. I removed the debris and cleaned up the turbo and it's been fine.

Your Grandpa's was jammed with a piece of the oxidizer as you say. It did not have an opportunity to spin, heat, and explode, like the OP situation where he can turn it. Your Grandpa lucked out though. Even with it jammed, bad things could have happened, glad you found the obstruction!

That must have been fun to see roll out of the housing.

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This post brought to you by Carl's Jr.

I was relieved that I was able to fix it but annoyed that the dealer never bothered to check the turbo as part of the trap-oxidizer recall. I did go to a local MB dealer to see if I could get a new turbo out of them seeing as the exhaust turbine had some damage. Since it's KKK turbo, finding a new turbine for it isn't so easy. However, it seems to work fine.

While removing the turbo takes some effort, they are relatively basic and easy to take apart. Just remember to mark the cases before removing them with a perm marker or you risk misalignment and not getting anything to bolt up when you go to put it back on.

People frequently say " I have to drive this because whatever". The car doesn't care. It is mechanical. IF it breaks, you ma go from having a mess to a helluvamess. Rent the car.

Post back what happens.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.