A really big thanks goes to Brain for keeping the T3 rebuild thread in the "Useful Post". If it wasn't for that, and Gpopshop, I would have never been able to do it on my own. It was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be, and for once everything went back together super smooth.

I think the turbo became compromised after my Exxon Valdes moment earlier this month. That was where I capped off the breather line from the intake.

Now this thing seems to spool up quicker.

 

Did you replace the thrust collar, I didn't on my most recent rebuild and the axial shaft play was enough for the wheel to contact the housing.

 

Yeah, I replaced it all. I didn't have shaft play to begin with, and I still don't. I just had a lot of oil in the IC pipes after the breather line incident. 1st thought were the rings were fubar. Pulled all the plugs and they were clean. I cleaned the turbo, the surrounding area, ran the car for a couple of days and the oil eventually burned out of the system. However, on idle the car would start to burn a little oil, but this time I noticed that there was more oil residue where the compressor mounts to the CHRA. I figured I would do a mild rebuild and call it a day. If the rebuild didn't solve the problem then I would just buy another T3. I put the car back together on Thursday, and so far so good. Now I am blowing off IC pipes, whereas before I didn't/couldn't. So something is obviously better. I also replaced the PCV valve with a 323GTX unit from Mazda.

 

Use hairspray on your couplers, should help keep them "stuck" in place.

 

Thanks for posting this thread! It motivated me to finish mine. Even though it had like 400 miles on it when I received it, I wanted to replace everything anyway... Just to be sure! The exhaust heat shield had some nasty *** choked oil covering it.. Spent maybe 30 minutes scrubbing at it with a brass brush and some simple green, then found that Mineral Spirits takes that **** right off with a rag.

I'm really worried about the bearings the diesel shop sold me.. They're factory size, and I think they're too big and might need to go down a size or so. Before I pulled it apart there was hardly any shaft play at all, now its pretty sloppy.