how to kill a $1000 turbo with a $5 part

[dbsupra90]

funny thing is, i had no idea until i pulled it apart that it was damaged. no signs at all. needless to say, i'm upgrading to a nicer gasket. i just used the gasket kit that came with it.

no, that is not crack rock. yes, the gasket was 1 piece.

 

[Letsride]

What kit was that?

 

[Poodles]

Those style gaskets are garbage...

Was the manifold and housing both divided?

 

[KevinM]

That sucks. But yeah, those gaskets have a reputation for falling apart.

Sorry to hear, just means you can order a bigger turbo now

 

[funky_monkey58]

It is typically not the gasket, but the mating surfaces. When you weld a flange they will warp and need to be machined down in order to have an even clamping force applied to the gasket.

I have seen people run no gasket at all on their turbos with a nice machined mating surface.

 

[lewis15498]

Ouch! Tragic, sorry to hear.

 

[TurboStreetCar]

Was the manifold and housing both divided?

X2

 

[92TealSupra]

How did the wheel get fried?

Would this happen because cold and hot air can do this. I have heard that the same thing can happens to valves on a motor. If the exhaust manifold gasket leaks and lets cold air in with the combustion temps it can fry the valve.. Just wondering, thanks.

Sorry to hear that, I have done stupids things before, don't feel so bad.

 

[dbsupra90]

i had no idea they were crappy gaskets. i should have known by looking at it. the head side is the same design, and it is starting to come apart too. i'm changing that as well. never took a straight edge to check flatness, altho it didnt leak. no, both sides arent divided, which is another part of the problem. live and learn.

to make it all worse, i have a new turbo and this one was sold. waiting on it to be fixed for the new owner. i guess better to find this problem now rather than on my new turbo.

 

[johnd]

that style gasket came with my manifold, stupid me for using it.
it lasted a couple months and then i had a terrible sounding leak.
i put the stock 2 piece steel ones back in and everythings good.

 

[IJ.]

What AR was that Dave?

 

[figgie]

physics.

got to love it.

even though the parts are teeny tiny. If that turbo was at full tilt, you are looking at 100k rpm or there abouts.

some quick math

GT35r

Inducer of the turbine is 68 mm

Angular velocity at the inducer side of the compressor at 100,000 rpm = 356,047 mm/s = 356.047 m/s = 759.349 M/h = 1.033 Mach.... hence the damage.

 

[Flateric]

Is it just me, or perhaps the picture, but doesn't that turbine wheel look like it's been really, really hot? Like maybe too lean? I could be wrong and am no expert by any means, but it looks like it's been running lean.

Of course perhaps I am just really used to looking at my exhuast components lately and there is no doubt I am running really rich.

I'm curious to know if that turbine pictured is a normal color or not.

Thanks

 

[oldsking]

Yeah you need to use metal gaskets like the turbonetics ones.. The paper ones I through out

 

[suprahero]

Ouch Dave, that sucks.

I was just fixing to install my gt35r on Vonda's car with the same gasket that came with the manifold. Thanks.

throw...........:sarcasm:

 

[MDCmotorsports]

Hey Dave,
I have always used the Ford / International Powerstroke gasket off of a 97' F350. They are much better quality, and will not come apart as shown.

 

[funky_monkey58]

http://www.suprasport.com/Turbonetics-Stainless-Steel-T4-Turbine-Inlet-Gasket_p_5356.html#

 

[gofastgeorge]

What AR was that Dave?

My thoughts exactly..........
Looks more like it went a bit too high on the exhaust temps, and the tips of the turbine blades started to turn to pudding.
Probably why the POS gasket gave up the ghost also.

Light debris in the exhaust flow seldom causes damage to the turbine,
since it is moving at the same velocity as the turbine.
(remember, it is the exhaust flow that is pushing the turbine)

 

[IJ.]

Looks like Heat/Overspeed damage to me G.

 

[dbsupra90]

what? ive never ran more than 46psi and no leaner than 13.8:1 under full boost.

seriously tho, the turbo has ~5k on it. ran 10psi (long story) except one time i ran 21psi (another long story). really didnt even get into boost much when driving due to trans issues. it was tuned for 11.2:1 under boost and 15:1 under cruise. never saw more than 780c egts. there was actually dust sitting in the curves of the blades and what you cant see on camera is some of the other blades have pitting, some bad enough the pitting is actually tiny holes. there is 0 shaft play and the compressor wheel is perfect, along with the exducer of the turbine side looks undamaged. maybe there is something else going on, but due to the conditions it was driven in, the only thing i could remotely find was the gasket in pieces.

also to note, the car saw leaded gas 95% of the time, and it sat in the shop for ~1yr.

btw, it was a pte61 w/ .68 a/r