Turbo swap - smoke/steam and a noise.

[Subru]

Just done turbo swap from vf38 to vf45 on legacy. Started it up and warmed up after topping up coolant and oil and its smoking near the turbo, even more when I took it ofr a test drive, it came out bonnet quite a lot. There was a lot of coolant that spilled down near that so would that be the cause of the smoke?

Also took it for real quick drive and heard a fairly disturbing noise in the engine bay on boost (only took it to 4-5krpm when it happened and didnt do it again lol). Its almost like a grinding noise and after that there is heaps of smoke from the turbo area.

Any ideas?

[Andy_Mac]

Did you end up checking the banjo bolt filters we're clean or better yet removed?

[Subru]

Lol that was the only thing i forgot to do. Its a relatively low kms turbo so i didnt think they would need checking and i didnt wanna fiddle with too much stuff.

[Andy_Mac]

Did you use the old banjo bolts or did the turbo come with some? 

It’s not so much the new turbo’s condition, but whether the old one shitting the bed has dumped crap in the filters. Or whether them being blocked starved the turbo and caused the failure. 

[Subru]

good point. Can these be checked out without taking the turbo back out?

[Andy_Mac]

Yeah. Shouldn’t have any problem with that. Also worth checking the one's on the AVCS solenoids too. Intake one's are easy as to check. 

 

Ignore the first half as that’s for checking operation of the solenoid, further down it shows the filters being checked.

http://forum.liberty.asn.au/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=30105

[Subru]

Cheers

[boon]

Turbos don't just die (usually) - I hate to say it but failing to check those filters may have been a bit of a costly mistake.

[Subru]

The banjo bolts and everything came with the turbo. I did not re-use them from busted turbo. I never thought to check em.

[Andy_Mac]

Did it come with the half oil line or something? There is another banjo bolt on top of the block which is the start of the turbo oil line. Might get to it with the turbo inlet off but not sure. Had forgotten how tight it is down there. Supposedly there’s one in there on the Aussie 2.0GT’s so you could assume the Jap one's have it too. 

 

Poke a torch down there and you’ll see it, or just follow the oil line as it goes down there. 

 

[Subru]

Came with this oil line:

The  oil line runs along and then down probably to the block, ill prob need to remove turbo to get to that only if it was nessesary.... 

Pulled the banjo bolt from oil line (left 2 in pic) and 2 coolant bolts (2 on right) cant see any filters or blockages but i cannot get the coolant hard lines off coz im sure it's bolted somewhere else to the turbo:

[boon]

Well the first thing we should have warned you about is that these things do tend to smoke/steam a whole lot; even the oils from your fingers will smoke up when the turbo gets hot enough.

 

But the fact it made a horrible noise kinda worries me.

 

Did you find the compressor nut?

[Subru]

No. I took old turbo apart and only found a demolished compressor wheel and some other stuff I dont know much about but no nut. I assume it fell out when I took out/cleaned intercooler. I did check the intercooler for the nut after I cleaned it out when I realized it was missing but couldn't see anything obvious or any rattles in it.

I should mention that the headshield was only on by 1 nut when I was testing and the downpipe had a nut missing (it had a nut missing when I took old turbo off so I assume its been off before) and just got that replaced. Maybe it could be a loud rattle or something? didnt sound like exhaust tho. Maybe I should have someone who knows their sht to take it out for a drive or looked at. I could unplug boost controller and get it driven somewhat off boost to get it somewhere. idk.

Might take a look for the nut around garage but its a long shot..

[Andy_Mac]

 

Could try crank it without letting it start to see if any oil is flowing out that line. 

No filters in the coolant lines to worry about. 

 

While the DP and turbo inlet off and see if it spins freely, the new BB one should spin smoothly for at least a few seconds. 

 

Side note, chuck that boost controller out the window. They just F*** S*** up on these cars, ECU’s probably been trying to pull boost and the controller will be bleeding more and more off to make it back. What did they have it set to?

[Subru]

7 minutes ago, Andy_Mac said:

 

Could try crank it without letting it start to see if any oil is flowing out that line. 

No filters in the coolant lines to worry about. 

 

While the DP and turbo inlet off and see if it spins freely, the new BB one should spin smoothly for at least a few seconds. 

 

Side note, chuck that boost controller out the window. They just F*** S*** up on these cars, ECU’s probably been trying to pull boost and the controller will be bleeding more and more off to make it back. What did they have it set to?

Okay. DP and inlet is put back on already, seemed to spin okay when I was spinning it for fun.

sorry i meant the stock boost solenoid . Just so it would run wastegate pressure and slow as on boost which may be a bit more safe IF I need to drive it. Its an auto so a bit harder to drive carefully lol

[Andy_Mac]

Assume that was before taking it for a drive though?

[Subru]

9 minutes ago, Andy_Mac said:

Assume that was before taking it for a drive though?

Yeah it was. I guess I might be taking the downpipe off again...   great fun lol

[Subru]

I dont think its oil related judging by the amount of oil it burned through the turbo and let into the intercooler/engine through compressor housing. I might just put everything back togeather, unplug boost solenoid and get it driven back carefully to llamas or something.