Okay so I'm in the process of rebuilding my 7.3 with the stock garret turbo. Well I came across this today:



Few questions,

1) How does this happen??

2)Can I just bend it back

3)Whats the best way to fix this?

Thanks all


PS 155000 on the stock garret turbo

 

i would get the turbo rebuilt. something got in there and bent that impeller. bending it back could work short term, but it will bot be ballanced properly and sooner or later the bearings will let go.

 

it could also just snap right off and leave it way out of balance. that sucks man

 

and on a second look at the picture, it looks like the bearing on that side of the impeller may also be wasted from the impeller being out of balance.

 

I would wager that damage is from someone picking it up with fingers in places they should not be. If foreign intrusion hit the compressor wheel I think it would be way less clean than that.

The devil with aluminum is that it work weakens, so any time you flex it it gets weaker. Flexing it back is a zero sum adventure since if you goof it up, you are looking at a replacement wheel anyway, but the weakening introduced to the vane would make me nervous. If you bend back, inspect it *carefully* for any cracking and realize you are taking a risk.

The movement of balance isn't great, but keep in mind it's a very small piece bent and the material hasn't moved far. Bearing wear is very easy to check, give the shaft a wiggle from the compressor wheel end. If the bearings are smoked from out of balance it will have radial play. Lateral (in-out) play will be from a thrust bearing inside the turbo.

If you can find a replacement wheel, they are not hard to replace. Might find one on e-bay for $50? Be careful pulling the housings- very easy to damage wheels/bend the shaft. Overhaul is pretty easy other than that, but *BEWARE* of reverse threads.

Was it mine, I'd probably run it rather than try and bend it.

 

You could get a Wicked Wheel for a drop in as well... I don't know if they are worth a damn yet, but they are billet and just as light as the stocker with more blade area, so worst case, the turbo would be a little more efficient.

 

Looks like it's bent back opposite the direction the wheel spins...so you could probably just leave it, as long as everything else is OK and the wheel hasn't been contacting the housing.