Today I was driving down the interstate in my 2002 7.3 PSD Excursion and all of a sudden I heard a friction sound. I thought it was my blower motor on the a/c then I looked out the rear view and saw smoke POURING out the exhaust. I immediately pulled over and could hear the turbo making noise as it spooled down. I pulled the intake tube off the turbo and I can wiggle the shaft nearly an 1/8 inch up and down and a 1/4 inch end to end. There is no oil on the compressor side but obviously by the oil on the grass by the exhaust it's dumping oil in the exhaust side.

I'm pretty sure the turbo is done. Is there anything else I should be looking at before I buy a new turbo? I'm about 150 miles from home, pulling a utility trailer. I am in Pittsfield IL and couldnt even find a car rental place open, or any parts store with a turbo. I have my wife and kids and were got towed to a hotel where we are currently stuck.

Also, should I buy a stock replacement, or since I already have to buy a new one, should I upgrade? I plan on changing this in a parking low FWIW. I have plenty of basic snap on hand tools, but any comments on "must have" tools would also be appreciated.

Motor is completely stock with just over 122,000..... I can't believe the turbo is already shot.

Any advice, ideas or suggestions are appreciated.

 

A stock replacement can be done with basic hand tools. If you want to upgrade, the GTP-38R is a direct bolt on. But with stock injectors an upgrade won't change a whole lot.

That's odd to have a turbo failure at 122 with an all stock motor. I'm curious to what the cause of failure is.

 

Given the situation I'd stick with a stock turbo also. RiffRaff website has some good install sheets for reference. Another thing to look at 'while in there' is the up pipe gaskets. Soot on the firewall is a good clue you need them. Or if the collector flange that attaches to the baby's butt flops around with the turbo off, you know you need new gaskets. Some will recommend stock but I like the beefier Felpro 8194.

Good luck!

 

Sounds like you just might need a rebuild kit. Its alot cheaper then a new turbo.

Ford - 99-03 Super Duty 7.3L - Turbo & Related - Turbo Rebuild Kits - Riffraff Diesel Performance

 

With that much play it may very well be beyond a rebuild kit. Probably need a new wheel at minimum and possibly a new housing if it got chewed up.

 

Luckily I always travel with a good selection of hand tools. I almost have it off. Doing it in the parking lot at the hotel. Probably gonna stick with the stock turbo. It's really not that bad to take off. Just wish it wasn't dark outside.

I think with the amount of play, I'm gonna play it safe and just skip the rebuild. I just got this 3 weeks ago and I'm guessing the original owner never let it idle down and just shut it off as soon as he pulled in the driveway. I'm definitley gonna check it over though.... Seems like 122k is awful young for a turbo to die. Who knows. There's always a bad part in the bunch too, and that's about my luck.

 

I'm just wondering if there is something causing it to not get an adequate oil supply. I saw on riff raff's website they have a pedestal rebuild kit. There is some oil in the valley and it has to be coming from somewhere.

 

Pull your pedestal and replace upper and lower o-rings

 

When you get the turbo off you can see if the pedestal is leaking. There is a NAPA in Pittsfield, and according to the webiste they sell reman turbos with pedestals and without. In your moccasins I would not mess with rebuild kits, just buy what ya need and bolt it on.

Other oil leak locations are the HPOP towards the front and HPOP lines mid-head on both sides. Could also be fuel mixed with a decade of motor grunge. Leaks for that are up front at the fuel bowl drain and at the clamp on the fuel line, passenger side right under the turbo.

Keep us updated on your progress. We'll help however we can to get you back on the road. But don't hog the computer if the wife and kids want to surf.

 

A common leak from the pedestal is the EBPV actuator. It will leak, but it shouldn't affect the turbo. The upper and lower O-rings are somewhat common also if the turbo has been removed before. I don't think i have seen one leak when the turbo has never been off though.

 

Well I finished getting it off this morning. Had to get a tool that I didn't pack in my box to finish up. How bad am I going to get gouged on a turbo? I called one place and it was 1,2XX and Napa online says about the same. The truck is in a safe secure spot. I'm gonna get one and go do it. Time isn't as much of an issue now.

 

If time isnt an issue then I would try and get just the center cartridge from riffraff like in the post I posted earlier. You can save about $600 but just have to wait. Thats good the hotel your staying in is letting you do it in there parking lot.

 

If you go with a whole new turbo then you can rebuild the old one and sell it.

 

Forgot to mention, I can hold the cold wheel and spin the hot wheel! Eeeek!

 

I like the center cartridge idea, but I'm a little concerned about how bad my housings might be scarred up. How much is really acceptable? Maybe I'll post pics when I get it apart.