87 Tbird IHI Turbo question...

Topic: 87 Tbird IHI Turbo question... (Read 3072 times) previous topic - next topic

87 Tbird IHI Turbo question...

October 18, 2006, 06:54:40 AM

Last night I was doing a few simple mods to my intake, and got curious about my turbo... so, I yanked out the VAM meter, that flex hose to the turbo inlet, and to my disgust there was a veritable a$$load of oil, gunk...etc. in there... and after some careful cleaning with a carb-cleaner soaked shop rag, I've noticed my fins on the shaft have damage on them...

So my question are:

1.) Is oil in the turbo (inlet and outlet side) a horrible thing or can I let it pass? [I think maybe that breather on my valve cover may be to blame ><']

2.) Would slightly damaged fins cause my turbo to possibly die early?

I can provide pics if anyone likes... I took a lot of them so I could remember the horrors I found For now I'd just like to know whether or not I've got a boosted timebomb or not [and it seems to be building decent boost quick, but my stock gauge is very inaccurate... waiting on money for a good aftermarket...]

Thanks!

87 Tbird IHI Turbo question...

Reply #1 – October 18, 2006, 07:53:29 AM

Sounds like a time bomb to me. I think your turbo's oil seals are toast. When they blow you run a good chance of cracking the water jacket in the center section also. If your oil seals blow out the turbo will sieze up and probably snap the shaft connecting the impeller to the turbine. When it happened to me, it busted through the water jacket and dumped water and oil into the intake... It was ugly! Before it goes the turbo should sound like an air raid siren so it will give you some warning... but only about a minute before catastrophic failure occurs.

Be afraid... be very afraid!

87 Tbird IHI Turbo question...

Reply #2 – October 18, 2006, 08:19:28 AM

T_T I was afraid of that ><

Just for shiznits and giggles though, here's some pics just so you can see just how bad I think it is:

The Turbo Inlet... before I even touched it :(

A Much clearer shot, notice the impeller fins... that scares me...

My new setup from turbotbird.com, which eliminates the Charcoal canister hose (which I found disconnected the day I bought it, and I think that's where dirt may've come from to damage the impeller...)

PLEASE tell me I can repair this... I tried to find a new turbo on eBay, and here, but to no avail... and Ford just shakes their heads since it's that old they've since discontinued selling stuff for my car :(

EDIT:

I did physically spin the impeller and shaft by hand as best I could, and it turned extremely easy, so I hope the bearings are ok... I don't want to tear the whole turbo off and apart until I can find the parts and gaskets...

87 Tbird IHI Turbo question...

Reply #3 – October 18, 2006, 08:20:42 AM

Sounds like it could be more like a dead PCV system or just a bunch of blow-by. Is the tube from the v/c breather to the turbo inlet still connected? What kind of PCV valve are you using?

The damaged blades aren't good though.

87 Tbird IHI Turbo question...

Reply #4 – October 18, 2006, 08:24:04 AM

Yup...looking at the last pic....you are getting oil from your breather in there. If the PCV valve is not the Motorcraft one....go to the dealer and order one, they can get them. Test it before you leave (blow into the small end). NO air should pass. If it does, you are pressurizing the crankcase....and thus shooting oil everywhere...including into the turbo inlet.

87 Tbird IHI Turbo question...

Reply #5 – October 18, 2006, 08:24:50 AM

Yes, the breather from the valve cover is still there and connected, and I even took it out and sprayed it out with carbc cleaner... it lets air thru, and the pcv? I have no idea wwhat brand... but I do know it's been there since I bought the car, about 4 months ago... and when I redid my intake last month, it did work... I shook it and it wasn't stuck, and I even cleaned it out just to be sure (because those are a major pain to change once the whole motor's back together :( )

87 Tbird IHI Turbo question...

Reply #6 – October 18, 2006, 08:26:12 AM

If you did not do the blow through test....then you don't know if it worked or not. It rattling around is not a sign it works for a turbo car....

87 Tbird IHI Turbo question...

Reply #7 – October 18, 2006, 08:26:35 AM

Hmmm... what does it mean when I pull my oil cap off with the engine running, and there's extreme vaccuum in the valve cover, sucking the cap back on....

And when I do this, the idle drops way low and it almost dies...

87 Tbird IHI Turbo question...

Reply #8 – October 18, 2006, 08:30:59 AM

The PCV system is a closed system...you opening the oil cap creates a leak. Sounds like good crankcase vacuum to me. Check the PCV valve...if it is not the Ford one...go get one. Be sure to check it before you leave. I'll have them order 2 ususally as they are cheap and occasionally you'll get a bad one. Saves a trip back if the one they get in is bad, and you have a spare for your tune-up next year.

87 Tbird IHI Turbo question...

Reply #9 – October 18, 2006, 08:33:04 AM

Alright! :) Thanks Chuck... I've started the F150 and am headed to the dealership now... I hope to god this works, because this is my baby... and I just don't want to think about an imploding turbo on stock settings :(

Wish me luck! :pbb:

87 Tbird IHI Turbo question...

Reply #10 – October 18, 2006, 08:35:04 AM

Well it was probably the oil that damaged the impeller blades...
It should be fine for the time being, but you should keep an eye out for another.

87 Tbird IHI Turbo question...

Reply #11 – October 18, 2006, 09:27:52 AM

Man that looks y. Hope you get it worked out. Also did you check to see if the turbo impeller moves side to side? To me it looks like something got in there and rubbed up against the impeller causing it to get ate up like that. That might have unbalanced the unit enough to cause it to wear out quickly. As for the V/c breather line make a catch can setup so the oil doesn't get into the turbo. I did this with a pint paint can and the factory hard line. Even with a good working PCV you'll still get a little in the turbo. The catch can helps to stop it. You'll have to empty the can every once in awhile.

87 Tbird IHI Turbo question...

Reply #12 – October 18, 2006, 11:50:41 AM

Basically if it ain't smoking and using a lot of oil, the turbo seals are probably fine(at least still serviceable)... It's common for a high milage boosted motor to blow out the breather. Of course a problem with the PCV system a common problem as Chuck mentioned.

87 Tbird IHI Turbo question...

Reply #13 – October 18, 2006, 11:58:32 AM

youre cleaning everything with carb cleaner? bad, bad bad bad!

as far as i know carb cleaner leaves behind residue... use brake cleaner.

87 Tbird IHI Turbo question...

Reply #14 – October 18, 2006, 02:28:39 PM

Hooray! Well, I went to ford and got a couple PCV's (took the guy like half an hour to find them...

) But once I got home, I finished cleaning everything up, put all my hoses on, and voila! It fired up and ran better than ever... I let it idle for about 15 mins (something I never could do before, it would always mysteriously load up and shut off...) and it idled about 1,000, give or take thanks to a py TFI...

But then I took it out for a gentle stroll down some back roads, then gave it hell... and it now is back to making perfect boost as early as 2K rpms, the turbo sounds smooth and even (thank god) and I haven't noticed any deterioration of the performance of it. I guess for now I'll have to baby it and see how it holds up... but if anyone comes across a good IHI, let me know PLEASE! :)

I believe Chuck's comment on the oil messing up my turbine is true. You figure, that thing is spinning at god knows what for RPM's, now throw something a lot more solid than air at it... and bam! Those fins were just unable to do anything but get a l'il chewed... but the shaft is nice and snug, but rotates freely...

Lesson learned: Always change a pcv when you buy a car, and don't rely on a previous owner to 'take care' of it...
thanks to Chuck and everyone for helpin' me out :)