Should I replace turbo preemptively?

Hello all,

 

I am refreshing my completely stock 2005 LGT MT this spring, finally. I bought it 11yrs ago and I'm pretty excited I can show it a little attention.

 

Downpipe is cracked so I'm using it as an excuse to finally do invidia downpipe. I am replacing most everything from manifold to mufflers, except the turbo maybe?

 

My car has 120k miles on it, so no spring chicken. I was expecting to encounter a lot of shaft play on turbo but there seems to be very little axial or radially. A little radially but hardly anything. Is there anything to be gained by replacing cartridge at this point? I feel like I should just because it's out but it seems to be in good shape. Can a turbo last forever?

 

Thanks!

Edited March 29, 2021 by bubbagump

Turbos can hypothetically last the life of the car. IHI turbos are pretty high-quality and, if you've removed your banjo bolt filters and changed your oil regularly, I can't imagine you're gonna see it fail soon. That said, turbos can fail out of the blue, typically from lack of oil, so check your oil often and maybe have a friend sit behind you when you do a WOT pull to see if anything funky comes out of your exhaust. If your car feels a bit down on power, that can also be your turbo.

 

At 120K, I'd probably just leave it be if it's not acting funny, but save for a new turbo and be prepared to shut the car off if it fails catastrophically. It will probably fail more slowly.

 

Oh, if you're gonna do an Invidia downpipe, get a protune and they'll be able to tell ya on the dyno whether it's producing full boost and if you should watch out for anything.

Edited March 29, 2021 by Pleides

Thanks Pleides. That's kind of where my mind is at too on this one. So far nothing too funny coming out of the tailpipes. I did have a friend tell me he saw a little smoke WOT, but I have access port Stg 1 so I figured it was probably just a little rich. Have been good with oil changes. Took screens out of banjo bolts, etc. I am also replacing up pipe with cat-less version too while I am in there to decrease chances of turbo death. I remember when I first got this car with 50k miles in 2009 I started down the rabbit hole in these forums and it scared me in a bad way. I was expecting catastrophic failure by 80k hahaha. Now I’m sitting pretty at 120k on turbo.

 

Ideally I'll put turbo back in as it sits and re-evaluate in a couple of summers. I am expecting to have a nicer garage, maybe even a lift by then. I might at that time go hard on this car….freshen the engine, trans, VF52 and supporting stuff, etc.

 

We’ll see if I can help but buy a rebuilt, hah. I tend to get too carried away once I start taking stuff out of my cars.

contact jmp and get a quote for a rebuild. he can do an upgrade too

contact jmp and get a quote for a rebuild. he can do an upgrade too

 

That ^

 

These vf40's are known to fail in these cars. No sense in spending all that money and putting a old worn turbo back in. When that turbo fails it will most likely take out the engine.

 

As for the up pipe, just knock out the cat in the stock one and put it back in after removing the EGT probe. Get a bolt from the store to plug the egt hole.

 

Also my Tuner "tuningalliance@gmail.com" can rebuild the turbo and do a great tune on the car.

 

Oh, yeah, replace the oil return hose too while your there. I bolt the turbo to the up pipe, makes lining up the oil return, inlet hose and up pipe easier all at the same time. use bolts from the dealership Parts guys that bolt the UP support bracket to the engine.

 

Edited March 29, 2021 by Max Capacity

Thanks for input guys. I am back on the side of rebuild.

 

- Regarding oil return hose, good advice. I already ordered one but yea...thing is hard and nasty.

- Regarding up-pipe, already have an STI one on the way, got a good deal. Have never gutted a cat. Having avoided it for this long I think I might try to avoid it even longer haha.

Do you know you can recycle your old stock DP for some good cash. It's worth around $1000 to a recycler. Ask goggle for a catalytic convertor recycler near you.

Do you know you can recycle your old stock DP for some good cash. It's worth around $1000 to a recycler. Ask goggle for a catalytic convertor recycler near you.

 

Really?! Awesome! I've got another that has been sitting in my shed for a few years now. Thanks for the tip!

You'll need the numbers off the heat shield to get a quote for what they are worth.

 

The stock up pipe was only worth $10.00. I got $1800 for all three pieces. There are two cats on the DP, need both numbers.

 

 

That ^

 

I bolt the turbo to the up pipe, makes lining up the oil return, inlet hose and up pipe easier all at the same time. use bolts from the dealership Parts guys that bolt the UP support bracket to the engine.

 

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Max capacity, when you recommend bolting turbo to up pipe, do you mean bolt turbo to up pipe BEFORE bolting up pipe to manifold? Thanks!, looking for any pointers I can get. Taking the stuff off was enough of a challenge, hoping to make it as easy as possible on myself when everything goes back together.

Based on my experience I would use the turbo as is. Maybe my car is an exception but I just pulled the original engine at 305K miles and the turbo was still hitting full boost, maybe not building boost as early as it once did but doing OK. Yes, it has lots of shaft play but no compressor wheel contact. Save you money for a turbo upgrade.

 

And I'm, not an advocate for pulling the banjo filter, my car has had them from new, the factory put them there for a reason. I checked the one on the turbo feed at about 150K and it was clean, check again at 305K... still clean. The replacement engine I installed didn't have one, I put one in. My car had the filters in place for 305K, original turbo and cam timing valves, no issues. My take, if you filters are clogging up you have other issues with your engine.

Edited March 29, 2021 by All_talk

All_talk your banjo filter is in a different location then the 05-06's.

 

https://forums.nasioc.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2834394

see post #4 there.

 

They seem to be more self cleaning then the 05-06's.

 

My 2009 still has its banjo filters. But it only has 95,000 miles.

I appreciate everyone's input here. Ordered a replacement cartridge today because my friend has said he's seen some smoke out of me at WOT. I might decide not to put it in though just because the current one has been so good to me . I have a hard time making decisions sometimes.

 

As far as the banjo bolt screen goes - I swore up and down I took it out years ago buuuutttt.....turns out I didn't. There was one in the bolt on the back of the heads, just under the turbo. Of course I poked a hole in it while removing. Anyhow, I was kind of impressed, my ridiculous amount of oil changes seems to have paid off! It is so clean! The size of the orifice in the banjo bolt on the turbo itself does make me nervous, looks easily cloggable.

 

Anyways, just wanted to thank everyone for weighing in and to share some picture goodness.

 

 

That is a clean one, now leave it out.