I'll I did was regulate the air and used a pvc with a brass nipple and used a vacuum line to pressurize the system. Basically the standard YouTube setup that people post. I then took soapy water and sprayed everything looking for leaks and this is the picture of it leaking on both sides.


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1436138697


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1436138697

I will see if I can pressure test the 3 turbos I have laying around and see how they do. Was this is the turbo hot or cold? I wonder if when the turbo gets hot it expands and the leaks go away. Also may be worth trying some of the copper gasket maker to see if that fixes it.

There is a lot of talk about leaky compressor housings on all kinds of turbos including OEM units. Most people suggest a small bead of the right stuff or copper rtv. A few people suggest that Teflon tape or rtv on the bolts that pass through the housing will seal the bolts. I was thinking 2 small seals like the one between the block and the oil feed would seal those bolts and keep them from sticking out in the path of the air flow so much.
I think you make a good point about being hot or cold Lars, don't know if anyone has tested a warmed up one yet.

I have never heard of leaky compressor's on turbo's but then again I have never actually looked for them, or ever test one. Its good to hear that its not only the specific china charger I went with that has the problem.

Even many people with brand new Garrett units.

Well leakyness aside this weekend I went to the drags and was able to run a 13.6 @ 13psi with the system. There is still room for more. I have ported the shit out of the wastegate and still have the turbo wanting to creep up to 17psi in 5th gear. Anyone have any input or suggestions. The only way I have made a compromise to this is by running 13psi in2-3 and creeping to 15 in 4th in 5th. I really would like the same boost level at least in 2-5th

I wonder if it isn't so much creep as it is that the wastage actuator needs to be sized up

I am impressed by those drag times. The overcasting to 17psi is with running an EBC correct?

I highly enlarged my wastegate hole, to the point where it's about 1/8-1/16 from catching on the lip of the flapper, against all advice to the contrary. To take it so wide I had to blend it into the sides of the turbine inlet, it's not wide enough for the diameter hole you need. Gotta be careful, I estimate I had to go to within 1/4-3/16" to the outside of the casting, it's not all that thick...

I don't ever blow it open, and can run low boost no sweat. Nitrodann would argue there's no need to delete the high rpm overboost, but if you want to I believe you need more volume, not more flow direction or anything.

Do these turbos have a o-ring on the compressor, I can't remember and I don't want to take it apart. I wonder if somewhere along the line something like this might have been left out?

https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1436208025

No o-ring on mine when I pulled it apart. I haven't really checked it either and am a bit away from feeling the need to.

Checking other forums it seems to be a fairly common thing (but no numbers to back me up) with the EVO or DSM folks to see the boost leak at the compressor face mating surface. I don't think you could fit a thin o-ring without screwing up the compressor wheel clearances. If it's a big problem I'll try the copper RTV first.

Yeah that's with ebc. I literally can not port the turbo anymore or I will go through it. I have about the thickness of a nickel left. I also went back and polished it and hit it with 120grit. It's super smooth as well now I was afraid of cracks. Let's say hypothetically this turbo doesn't cut it for me. Any recomendations on what to replace it with? Do all Chinachargers or journal bearing turbos internally gated do this? Not to sound like a turbo snob but I've only had BB turbos in all my turbo cars




Here's a vid me running a video me running a viper

Well I guess since I'm the only one actually running this turbo setup literally I will share another snag I ran into today. I started getting this odd sound from the turbo that sounds like like a vacuum cleaner when spooling up. Sounds like those little vacuums you would use to back in the 90s to clean up small spills and such. I went and checked the turbo and it seams that there is a lot more shaft play. More than after the first 100mi and I have quite the urge that this turbo is on it way out. I really would like to avoid the turbo going out on me. Maybe Lars might send me another to beta test :sadwavey:

My GTX whistles like a big rig at highway cruise and gets louder when you roll into it.

I honestly am not sure what to replace the turbo with at this point. You could try finding a real Garret T3 super60 and giving it a try.

Video is private so it does not load.

I think you are the only one so far running the t3 setup on the street so far out of the group buy. I have about 500 miles on my setup, but I have not ran past wastegate, nor have I pushed it hard. See if you can get me a video of the turbo making the vacuum noise. I will reach out to my distributor to see if I can get it exchanged.

disconnect the wastegate actuator.
wire the wastegate open completely.
what's your max psi?

leak is ezpz 2min fix.

vacuum cleaner noise or whiney noise? turbos suck in air, like a vacuum cleaner...

here's what mine sounded like:

it was loud.


this is the noise you dont want:

It sounds exactly like the second video you posted Scott! Aw Shit.

Video is now public but yeah the turbo is gone i guess. Basically my turbo sounds like a supercharger.

the real shitty part is I finally go the wastage ported to the point that I have virtually zero creep.I doubt they exchange it cause I ported it :/

well when you remove the compressor housing, check to see if it looks like the compressor wheel is hitting and spinning true.

in that second video, the turbo would not make boost.

Will do. As far as a Super 60. Most of the ones I am finding aren't internally gated. This is as close of a match that I can find on the eBay side of things.


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1436450718


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1436450718


https://www.miataturbo.net/attachmen...ine=1436450718

You have a PM.

For the Super60 I was thinking a genuine garrett one. It is the original turbo that Braineack ran. Not sure if they are findable on ebay, or might have to do some junkyard searching. I would think you could bolt on the back end v-band adapter from the churbo to the garrett and it would fit.