While chasing down an oil leak, I pulled the exhaust and intake andd with it the turbo.

The turbi spins, but there is alot of gunk in it.

1. Is it ok to open it up to clean it?
2. Can I use something like brake cleaner in it, with or without taking it apart?


Thanks
Don

__________________
1980 300TD-T (82 Turbo and Trans) 159,000 Miles "Jackie-O"
1983 300SD 272,000 Miles "Aristotle"
1987 Jeep Wagoneer Limited - keeps the MB's off the ice and out of the snow
1994 BMW 530it

I am going to rebuild it. Kit costs about $90.00.

Thanks
Don

__________________
1980 300TD-T (82 Turbo and Trans) 159,000 Miles "Jackie-O"
1983 300SD 272,000 Miles "Aristotle"
1987 Jeep Wagoneer Limited - keeps the MB's off the ice and out of the snow
1994 BMW 530it

The air going through the compressor side will clean the turbo up nicely once you stop blowing crud into it -- if there is any grit in there, you need to check the integrity of the air filter assembly.

Coked oil on the turbine is almost surely a result of oil seals leaking, and although it will burn off, usually by the time the oil leak is that bad, the bearings are gone and the $90 seal kit is worthless, you need the whole cartridge (turbine, impeller, bearings, you only keep the housing). Costs about $300.

If only the compressor side is gunked up, you need to fix the blowby problem.

Peter

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

It is a complete rebuild kit with bearing etc. The fellow at the re-build house said "So long as none of the blades are damaged you only need the re-build kit". I also plan on them balance it for another $30.00.

Based on where most of the gunk starts, my guess the source is the EGR, but not sure.

Don

__________________
1980 300TD-T (82 Turbo and Trans) 159,000 Miles "Jackie-O"
1983 300SD 272,000 Miles "Aristotle"
1987 Jeep Wagoneer Limited - keeps the MB's off the ice and out of the snow
1994 BMW 530it

Gunk in the manifold or gunk on the turbo?

The EGR gasses cause oil coking in the manifold, the compressor will only have a little residual oil from the blowby. If you have hard black depsoits on the compressor wheel, you are getting dirty air through the air filter.

Cartridge is the two wheels, shaft, and bearing complete. If the bearing is so worn that the oil seals have failed, there is a significant change the bearing housing is also damaged, but you can only tell by inspection. I know, the turbo on my Volvo required a cart -- housing eaten up.

Peter

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

Sorry for the cionfusion I created. Most of the gunk is in the manifold. There is some in the turbo compressor side and it didn't spin as freely as I think it should. Being I was tearing this 300SD apart in several areas, I decided to cleanup the turbo as well.

When I take the parts in to have it balanced, I am sure if they see any issues they will point me to a cartridge.

Thanks for your input
Don

__________________
1980 300TD-T (82 Turbo and Trans) 159,000 Miles "Jackie-O"
1983 300SD 272,000 Miles "Aristotle"
1987 Jeep Wagoneer Limited - keeps the MB's off the ice and out of the snow
1994 BMW 530it

Don:

If you still had boost, you can probably get by with just the kit. Mine was stiff, with several "hard" spots in rotation, it seems not to have moved unless the engine was hot and you had it floored. Not knowing better, I waited until it quit working to get it fixed, cost me a bunch more on short notice.

I didn't know that Volvo turbos make lots of noise until I put the new one in -- sounds like a police siren a block or so away! MB turbos, thankfully, are much quieter.

Peter

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!