Bent Turbo Fins?
 

Hey everyone, I'm looking at buying an '01 Powerstroke. The current owner had the turbo replaced at a local shop about a year ago. He tells me that 3k miles after, the turbo sucked in a piece off the air cleaner and bent some fins on the compressor wheel. So when the turbo spools it sounds like a wood planer. (I have audio if that helps.) If that were the case, is a compressor wheel swap a fairly easy job? Do I need special equipment or tools?

Thanks!

-Dave

Swapping a compressor wheel is easy but there could be other issues there. The piece could've gotten caught in the intercooler or it could've made its way through the whole engine and done damage along its entire path. It could also be totally fine. It's kind of a crap shoot.


As far as the original question compressor wheels are quite easy to replace.

Might want to look at the fins yourself to see if it truly was a debris issue, or if the fins started melting due to extreme exhaust temps.

Either way, not a good situation. If something smacked that compressor wheel, it didn't just "magically" find a way out. It could have done some much more serious damage to the engine than even dusting does.

Oh man... So what's the worst case scenario? New turbo, intercooler... completely new engine?

If say worst case is new turbo...the likelyhood of anything making it passed the intercooler is minimal at best.

X2 on this one.
If anything did get through it would be small enough, (and most likely just paper filter media) to fit through the intercooler.
That, in turn, would simply just fly through the engine without even being noticed.

No real special tools needed. It is easiest with the turbo off. There is a guy on eBay selling compressor wheels and other used turbo parts fairly cheap. Great time to do some mods or maintenance while you have the turbo off.

Is it possible to open up the intercooler and see if there is debris in it? I've been reading a little about the wicked wheel. Less than $100 for a better compressor wheel? I'll probably go with that.

Clay (riffraff) has the wheels, and for the inspection of the IC, you'll need to remove it from the truck...


Wicked Wheel Install - YouTube

That's what I did back in 2005, I think, and it is still running strong.
Recently pulled the Vantage, WA westbound grade without having to shift down, pulling my 14k 5th wheel.
I did have to turn off the AC for the pull. :-X03

No real way of opening the intercooler but I don't see, it really plugging much up
If you are really concerned get your self a 6.0 cooler our a mishimoto from clay

If it sounds like a "wood planer" it might be making contact with the compressor housing. Wouldn't take too much scoring for it to lose efficiency even with a new wheel. You have to check the shaft for play and to see if it makes contact with housing. CHRA rebuild kit and balancing may be in order, not just replacing the comressor wheel.

I have a feeling that's the problem, not the compressor wheel. So where do I get a rebuild kit? If that really is the problem, do I have to take the turbo to a professional shop where they can balance it?

I kinda worry about that. I'd figure on replacing the entire turbo as a write off and only IF the compression and leakdown test comes out right. It shouldn't be too difficult to do it with the spark plugs removed.

If the shaft is wearing on the housing I'd have to replace the whole turbo, right? How do you do a compression test? I've never even heard of a leakdown test. What is that?