Turbo found my missing bolt. Rebuild or replace?
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From: Georgetown, Texas
Turbo found my missing bolt. Rebuild or replace? 
Story time! Recently did some exhaust work on the Camaro, and while I was working the stock exhaust off the car, I had the wastegate loosely bolted on. Needless to say in all my wiggling the wastegate fell off. No biggy, right?
Fast forward to reassembly time I find that I am missing a wastgate bolt and lock washer. After turning the whole garage upside down, I said screw it - I have other bolts i can use!
Drive the car down the block, and barely get into boost when I hear it. Metal on metal clinking and clanking. I immediately left off the throtttle, but the damage was done. No more boost, and the realization and dread fell over me.
Finally get the turbo off the car, and sure enough the bolt fell into the wastegate flange.
So, should i rebuild this old T76, or just rebuild my turbo kit with a much needed, larger turbo? Me thinks it's time to get an 88 or 91 for this 408 and start making real power.
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From: Norn Iron
But from that picture there is nothing at all that will prevent the turbo making boost once it is put back together.
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I've been thinking about just putting it back together until I'm ready to go bigger. There are two fins that appear to have taken the most damage, even then they are just slightly bent. It's a fun car on 10 psi right now, but the top end it's a dog. Turbo is just way to small for this motor. Hmmmmm...
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Those mangled fins won't hurt a thing, until it comes apart from being seriously out of balance due to the missing chunks on some of the fins.
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That's what I was thinking, but there isn't actually any missing material from the blades. There are about two or three that are bent slightly. One of which I might need to try and bend back into shape if I decide to put it back together.
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If I were you, I would junk that turbo. With the RPM that turbos run, the wheels need to be near perfect, to keep you from having a really bad day.
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From: Norn Iron
I've seen worse run for years without any ill effects.
Little different to people who run no air filters with butchered up compressor wheels.
As said, if on a budget just throw it back together and run it and be happy, and decide whether he wants to upgrade or not later. Or just do it now.
But from those pictures there is no reason to be worried about running that turbo ( sans bolt )
Little different to people who run no air filters with butchered up compressor wheels.
As said, if on a budget just throw it back together and run it and be happy, and decide whether he wants to upgrade or not later. Or just do it now.
But from those pictures there is no reason to be worried about running that turbo ( sans bolt )
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if the wheel is cast and you bend it back it will most likely snap as cast is brittle AF.
if they're billet it's worth a shot to bend them back.
Game Ova says turbos spin bloody fast. some well beyond 150,000RPM. balance is crucial. without balance the bearings will take a beating in the core and snapping the shaft is a very real possibility. if the wheels are cast and have been shocked they can also literally explode sending tiny pieces of cast to the moon and back.
I would price a bearing replacement and new turbine wheel at least.
if they're billet it's worth a shot to bend them back.
Game Ova says turbos spin bloody fast. some well beyond 150,000RPM. balance is crucial. without balance the bearings will take a beating in the core and snapping the shaft is a very real possibility. if the wheels are cast and have been shocked they can also literally explode sending tiny pieces of cast to the moon and back.
I would price a bearing replacement and new turbine wheel at least.
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From: Norn Iron
There is no need to bend ( and yes attempting to would be silly ) it and if it's a cheap turbo no need to worry about throwing parts at it.
Just run it, people are getting way over cautious about this.
Just run it, people are getting way over cautious about this.
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I tend to lean to stevies side here. I work on trucks and have seen far worse then that run for another 500,000 miles. Those slight bends wont cause the balance to be off enough to matter. Yes turbos see high rpm and balance is important but we used to rebuild turbos in the shop with the mark the shaft and compressor blade tactic and they would still last forever. Is it right. Nope. Will it work. I believe it willbe fine.
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You have a 408 and a dinged turbo. Now is the perfect time to call a place that sells and specializes in turbos and talk about going bigger. The phone call won't cost you anything and you probably planned on stepping up at some point anyway. Now you have a reason.