I am planning to attempt to rebuild one of my T2 turbos for my first practice rebuild... but came across a snag. A month ago I was pulling apart my masterpower turbo, to see what rebuild kit I need, and somewhere between wrenching off the wastegate actuator off the compressor housing... and a few drinks, I dumbassly knocked & dropped the turbine shaft off the cabinet on to the computer desk (which is made of tempered glass with a steel frame), then fell on the feet of the desk... after that I just put everything in a box and went to bed. Well when the rebuild kits came in, I inspected the turbine and came across a very small crack on a compressor blade, and a ******* small chip on the exhaust turbine... Do I need a replacement? Will they be fine? If the turbine is off balence, can it just be countered?

Here are some pics.

 

When things with cracks spin at 100,000rpm they come apart.

 

Damn that sucks. I've got a t25 on the cheap if you want it

 

Those pictures show nothing, but at least you showed where the crack/chip would be if we could see. I'm not expert, but I agree with hustler, that thing will grenade.

 

When the compressor blade breaks off it is taking a ride through your motor, unless you get lucky enough to have it break off in a large enough chunk to remain trapped in your IC. I would never use a turbo with known-damaged compressor blades.

I'm not sure if that turbine wheel can be rebalanced but it's probably not something you can do yourself because it needs to be done with a fair amount of precision. Something spinning at 100,000 rpm on a 20mm radius (conservative size estimate for that wheel) is experiencing over 220,000 x g. G-Pop Shop will rebalance turbos for $65 but by the time you pay for that and a new compressor wheel you're into what a used SR20 T25 costs.

 

I'd run it. The worst that can happen is that it blows apart and lodges itself in your muffler somewhere. I wouldn't take a chance with a chipped/cracked compressor wheel though.

 

I payed for the turbo brand new for $500... so spending 200 for a new turbine and compressor isnt that much. I dont know much about the internals for a turbo, does the comressor and turbine in a T2 fit the T25? I heard somewhere they do, the T25 just has a bigger housing on both ends.

 

that sucks! I had a broken blade once and I got lucky it got stuck in the TB...

 

NP here, ill just add it to my list of things to buy with military bonus+tax return... got quoted $275 from a garrett dealer for the complete shaft. Then Ill just keep the turbo as a spare or sell it along with the other healthy T2 I have to rebuild also. Thanks guys, glad I got advice before rebuild and test run...

 

If you run it, this will happen:

 

I seriously wouldn't worry about it on the turbine side. I dropped my CHRA on concrete and took a chunk out of a tip of one of the fins on my turbo and put a little crack in the blade. Its been just fine for well over a year and many many thousands of miles, track, autox etc. I'm pretty sure the compressor is fine too but I would replace that wheel before the turbine.

 

just another fyi that I forgot to add: The compressor got cracked when I dropped it, not just the turbine was damaged in the accident. If this means anything at all that is.

 

gpopshop.com sells reman'd CHRA's with a warranty pretty cheaply.
Might be worth looking into.

 

Looks like somebody forgot to latch the access doors, would hate to be on that ride.