Turbocharger question. - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

rally4s · #1 05-06-2018, 08:13 PM

1987 300TD wagon - I am in Southern California, any suggestions where to rebuild turbocharger or get rebuild kit for it? It is Garrett turbocharger.

torsionbar · #2 05-06-2018, 08:17 PM

Some shops will sell you a pre-balanced CHRA you can swap into place. I wouldn't attempt any rebuilt "kits" unless you have access to a very expensive balancing machine...

tjts1 · #3 05-06-2018, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by torsionbar

Some shops will sell you a pre-balanced CHRA you can swap into place. I wouldn't attempt any rebuilt "kits" unless you have access to a very expensive balancing machine...

It's a T3. Both impellers are already balanced. If you're really paranoid you can index the orientation.before disassbly.

rreeuuvveenn · #4 05-06-2018, 10:50 PM

i did send my spare kkk 24 turbo to be rebuild, in Arkansas, pep shop or something like that,

google,

than fund the ALDA hose disconnected....

but i drove 160,000 on this turbo,

Why do you want to rebuild the turbo?

BillGrissom · #5 05-08-2018, 10:23 PM

I rebuilt the turbo in my 1984, to cure an oil leak. Kit was ~$20 on ebay, and many youtubes. Generic kit. Included the exhaust flange metal gasket (standard size, T3 or T4, forget), but I used a stainless gasket I had prior. The O-ring for the compressor housing is too big, apparently in all kits. I cut it and super-glued to size. I forgot to mark the compressor to exhaust alignment, but apparently doesn't matter since individually balanced. I am sure that removing all the oil gunk from the compressor wheel improved the balance, not that I ever heard anything before or after. That one is a Garret (external dump rod). My 1985 has a KKK (internal dump w/ heat fins), because an earlier replacement engine. I recall the original is a Garrett. I didn't feel any play in the shaft before or after, but the oil leak seems to have stopped so perhaps it helped. Removing it is very tricky since no room to swing wrenches.

To insure your turbo is working, temporarily plumb a boost gage in your cabin, by tee'ing off the tube from the intake manifold. You should see 9-12 psig at high rpm. Some people goose it up, but that risks melted pistons.

Dan Stokes · #6 05-11-2018, 10:14 AM

I use Tim's Turbos in Falls Church, VA. Great work at reasonable prices.

Dan

tjts1 · #7 05-11-2018, 10:24 AM

T3 is the easiest turbo in the world to diy rebuid and parts are readily available.

Squiggle Dog · #8 05-11-2018, 11:27 AM

I recently rebuilt the turbo in my 300SD and it works fine, but it still seemed to have a lot of slop in it. Unfortunately, yesterday I was under the car and noticed a whole bunch of oil dripping off the bottom of the turbo. The bushings are probably worn out.

After spending the money on a rebuild kit and instructions and all the time I put into it, I would have probably been better off just sending it to a turbo shop to be rebuilt, where they would have installed new bushings if needed and made sure that it was properly balanced. They have access to hard-to-find parts like the metal wastegate diaphragm. Mine was cracked and I had to hunt one down. I only found one place that was willing to sell one to me because apparently Garrett doesn't like people buying their parts and shipping them to third parties.

I think it only costs about $300 to get one of these turbos rebuilt with a warranty. I've heard from a few sources that Tim's Turbos does a great job on these in this price range.

Hit Man X · #9 05-11-2018, 12:19 PM

Pure Turbos in CA did a Euro KKK K27 for me and moded it big time.

I rebuilt the Garrett on my 7.3, comically easy. There really is not much to a turbocharger.

tjts1 · #10 05-11-2018, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Squiggle Dog

I recently rebuilt the turbo in my 300SD and it works fine, but it still seemed to have a lot of slop in it. Unfortunately, yesterday I was under the car and noticed a whole bunch of oil dripping off the bottom of the turbo. The bushings are probably worn out.

After spending the money on a rebuild kit and instructions and all the time I put into it, I would have probably been better off just sending it to a turbo shop to be rebuilt, where they would have installed new bushings if needed and made sure that it was properly balanced. They have access to hard-to-find parts like the metal wastegate diaphragm. Mine was cracked and I had to hunt one down. I only found one place that was willing to sell one to me because apparently Garrett doesn't like people buying their parts and shipping them to third parties.

I think it only costs about $300 to get one of these turbos rebuilt with a warranty. I've heard from a few sources that Tim's Turbos does a great job on these in this price range.

Usually external leaks are caused by a bad seal on the feed or return line to the turbo. A bad journal or seal won't cause a turbo to leak externally.

Squiggle Dog · #11 05-11-2018, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjts1

Usually external leaks are caused by a bad seal on the feed or return line to the turbo. A bad journal or seal won't cause a turbo to leak externally.

I replaced those and they looked dry, but I'll inspect them again. It looks like the oil is leaking out of the plastic U-shaped air intake tube (and my air cleaner has a cyclonic air separator, so I doubt it's blow-by). There shouldn't be any leaking from this area because the cylindrical rubber gasket in the tube is fairly new, but the aluminum mounting surface of the front of the turbo is very worn and has a concave instead of a flat surface for the gasket.

tjts1 · #12 05-11-2018, 01:29 PM

Assuming the front shaft seal is blown, the oil would have to get past the compressor wheel which has a much larger diameter than the opening to the inducer and the oil would have to overcome the airflow into the turbo. Basically a turbo can't leak out the compressor inducer. If it does leak it's out the exhaust side. I would take a close look at your oil separator.

ROLLGUY · #13 05-11-2018, 03:19 PM

I am not exactly sure of the name (Performance Turbo ? or something like that), but this place is in San Bernardino. They rebuild, and sell parts (kits). (909) 824-1020

BillGrissom · #14 05-12-2018, 02:24 AM

Not sure what bushings post 8 refers to. Every part which touches the spinning shaft came in the $20 rebuild kit I bought. I think oil leaking past the shaft into the compressor housing could drip externally, if the housing O-ring doesn't seal perfectly. Otherwise, the oil would build up until the compressor wheel starts splashing it, then it would get sucked into the engine and burn.

I took the square cover off the waste-gate diaphragm in my Garrett. The diaphragm is a rubber membrane and appeared fine. Perhaps others are steel (post 8). I expect the waste valve is a metal-metal seal (didn't open) and don't know if a seal on the rod (probably just a tight clearance).

Squiggle Dog · #15 05-12-2018, 02:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BillGrissom

Not sure what bushings post 8 refers to. Every part which touches the spinning shaft came in the $20 rebuild kit I bought. I think oil leaking past the shaft into the compressor housing could drip externally, if the housing O-ring doesn't seal perfectly. Otherwise, the oil would build up until the compressor wheel starts splashing it, then it would get sucked into the engine and burn.

I took the square cover off the waste-gate diaphragm in my Garrett. The diaphragm is a rubber membrane and appeared fine. Perhaps others are steel (post 8). I expect the waste valve is a metal-metal seal (didn't open) and don't know if a seal on the rod (probably just a tight clearance).

I believe the aluminum and steel housings have bushings/sleeves pressed into them which don't come in the kits. Or at the very least, if the housings wear out, they have to be machined and sleeved.

The metal part I mentioned is a gasket for the wastegate cover plate. My mind has been foggy and in a sleep-deprived state.