Wrx td04 turbo input
 

Hey everyone, so as a part of my diy turbo setup prep I went out today to look at a turbo a guy had, off his jdm 2000 wrx. He seemed like an honest guy, told me about the history of the car 98000 km and a spun rod bearing and detonation problems.
Now what I’m not entirely sure about is shaft play, and I’ve read a few things by searching google.
when I was checking out the shaft condition it seemed ok. a little bit of play side to side 1/16 of an inch rough est... no in & out
would spin freely by the push of a finger
but when I took it outside to see it better I saw that the blades touched the inside of the turbine housing when I pushed the shaft to one particular side.
if I rotated the blades with it pushed in that direction I could hear it scraping the turbine housing
but if I pushed the shaft the opposite direction, no housing contact maybe 1/32” of a space between the blades and the housing.
i originally bought it and then found this after looking at it closer. So I gave it back to him and he gave me money back.
Am I right in thinking that the turbo would not be worth it.

any input is appreciated
thanks everyone

Journal bearing CHRA (Center Housing Rotating Assembly) can be rebuilt Kits are available with new bearings and seals.

Welcome to MT.

DNM

I thought it might need a rebuild. I want to get a good working turbo so I’m going to check out a couple others off a Saab and a Volvo.
they are also td04 14t I believe. but I found that the compressor housings are swappable for larger ones of the td04 line like 16t 18t and 19t. Something to look into!
thanks for the rebuild info, looks like kits are made for most models of the td04’s good to know for down the road possibly

What will you do with the other turbos, they are all not the same, even the flanges will be "difficult" to source.... in europe we use the Subaru impreza and forester ( 3bolt flange) turbos and normally can get a oem replacement chra which is balanced and ready to drop in for around $150, you really need to start by choosing the manifold and downpipe before the turbocharger or something along those lines

^^. Kraken cast Mani’s are for 3-bolt Subie flanged units.

EDIT: I did not even notice that post was by Kraken.

Heres what I mean by compressor housings are exchangeable
https://www.google.com/amp/s/forums....Size%26amp%3D1

What I plan on doing is making a flange using an milling machine At a friends shop. And welding together my own log style manifold. And placing the flange on the manifold in just the right spot so the turbo will sit nicely with room enough for the downpipe to fit

i just picked up a td04hl 13t off a 02 Volvo S60. It’s in good shape too no shaft play

ive chose the turbo first so I can prepare my manifold for it. I know it’s a little backwards to how everything is usually done but that’s because its going in my 1.6l powered festiva so it’s going to need a custom downpipe anyway


https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...73c5c863b.jpeg
Cars up on blocks just did oil pan gasket pump etc.. and putting all the suspension together

any way thanks for the input for my initial question

If the car the turbo came off had spun a bearing its safe to assume metal in the oil has passed through the CHRA. I would recommend a rebuild at the minimum. I was shopping for a VF48 for my wrx a while back and always made sure to ask this question as its quite common to happen on modified subarus with poor maintenance.

A TD04HL-13T should be a good match. Slightly larger turbine than the TD04L that was on subarus, so a little less spool, but won't choke up as much up top. The HL was also used in the greddy kits.

Fairly sure the volvo turbos can be bolted to a T25 flange?

The head port/polish I did should discount some of the spool lag I would think.

the t25 won’t work the bolt holes are a little over 2.8” x 2.5” and the Volvo flange is 3 3/8 x 1 3/4.
although that might be true for the Volvo td04 turbos after 2003. The 13t wasn’t used after the 02 year, it went to 14t and up and they changed the turbine too