Turbo rebuild or Upgrade?

[Spike243]

So I pulled apart the rubber boots to the intake and discharge side of the compressor while installing an intercooler. When I pulled the boots off I found a good sized puddle of oil on both sides of the compressor and to top it off the compressor wheel has a good amount of side to side play in it. Note the car was running and spooling well before I discovered all of this.

 

My questions are:

1.can the stock turbo be rebuilt or is my best bet to upgrade the turbo to a T3/T4 hybrid? 

 

2.If an upgrade is necessary, is the stock turbine housing reused and with new wheels, bearings, full compressor side, etc. used?

 

3. If a full turbo is needed is there one that will bolt directly to the stock manifold + downpipe with no modification?

 

I want to stick with an internal wastegate and oil cooled because I want to keep the whole system simple.

 

Thanks for all the help and sorry I couldnt find all this information by searching

[randy 77zt]

I put a stage 3 turbine wheel and a 60-1 compressor on a stock turbine housing.The housing had to be machined for the turbine you are using.I enlarged the waste gate hole.If I did this again I would run e85 with no intercooler.

[BluDestiny]

Yes the stock turbo can be rebuilt. G-pop makes a rebuild kit, about $150 if I recall. "best bet" to upgrade depends on your goals. If you want it cheap, rebuild the stock one. If you plan on running more boost, get a QUALITY brand T3, such as a garrett, turbonetics or precision. 

 

You can put in a bigger wheel, the compressor housing can be machines out. I know the z31 turbo can take a larger wheel, and since your turbo still spools, it would be worth looking into getting one of those to rebuild so your car isn't down too long. 

 

New turbos will bolt to the manifold as long as they are T3, but the downpipe will probably have to be custom made. Any competent exhaust shop should be able to do this if you give them a flange. 

[Spike243]

Yes the stock turbo can be rebuilt. G-pop makes a rebuild kit, about $150 if I recall. "best bet" to upgrade depends on your goals. If you want it cheap, rebuild the stock one. If you plan on running more boost, get a QUALITY brand T3, such as a garrett, turbonetics or precision. 

 

You can put in a bigger wheel, the compressor housing can be machines out. I know the z31 turbo can take a larger wheel, and since your turbo still spools, it would be worth looking into getting one of those to rebuild so your car isn't down too long. 

 

New turbos will bolt to the manifold as long as they are T3, but the downpipe will probably have to be custom made. Any competent exhaust shop should be able to do this if you give them a flange. 

 

So if I understand right to do a T3/T4 hybrid I have been hearing about requires the compressor side to be machined?

 

My goals are to run ~15psi by next spring so I am starting to lean towards a new turbo. Any immediate suggestions come to mind? I know the holset hy/hx 35s are a solid choice, it just depends if I can find one for a good price.

[BluDestiny]

You can either machine the housing to accept a bigger wheel, or just buy a new turbo. Generally installing a bigger wheel will be cheaper. 

 

Turbo Selections: GT35R, GT30R, or a Precission 5558, 5858, 5862. Each one of these has a different flow map, which is something you'd need to consider for you choice. 

[Spike243]

You can either machine the housing to accept a bigger wheel, or just buy a new turbo. Generally installing a bigger wheel will be cheaper. 

 

Turbo Selections: GT35R, GT30R, or a Precission 5558, 5858, 5862. Each one of these has a different flow map, which is something you'd need to consider for you choice. 

 

I'm feeling like machining wont be an option because there really is no easy access to machine shops, performance shops, turbo shops where I am at.

 

Can you recommend any turbos with internal wastegate and oil cooled? I want to keep this setup simple and lower on price. Thanks again for all of the help.

[BluDestiny]

For that amount of boost, you don't want an internal wastegate. It probably wouldn't be set up right and could cause bad boost creep.It probably won't be big enough to work properly. Generally for new turbo's made, t25's and t28's are internal, anything t3 and up almost always requires an external. Unless you buy some china crap, but then all kinds of crap can go wrong. They are all almost turbo and water cooled as well. 

 

Also all those turbos I named are pretty much $1k+. 

 

I do believe there are some holsets that are internal (hx35 or hy35), and you can ship those off to pretty much any diesel truck repair place and they should know how to fix it.

[Spike243]

For that amount of boost, you don't want an internal wastegate. It probably wouldn't be set up right and could cause bad boost creep.It probably won't be big enough to work properly. Generally for new turbo's made, t25's and t28's are internal, anything t3 and up almost always requires an external. Unless you buy some china crap, but then all kinds of crap can go wrong. They are all almost turbo and water cooled as well. 

 

Also all those turbos I named are pretty much $1k+. 

 

I do believe there are some holsets that are internal (hx35 or hy35), and you can ship those off to pretty much any diesel truck repair place and they should know how to fix it.

 

A holset hx/hy 35 with a good boost controller sounds like my best bet. Those diesels are running those turbos 25psi+ easy on the stock wastgate right?

A good boost controller should be able to control boost creep as well?

[Spike243]

For that amount of boost, you don't want an internal wastegate. It probably wouldn't be set up right and could cause bad boost creep.It probably won't be big enough to work properly. Generally for new turbo's made, t25's and t28's are internal, anything t3 and up almost always requires an external. Unless you buy some china crap, but then all kinds of crap can go wrong. They are all almost turbo and water cooled as well. 

 

Also all those turbos I named are pretty much $1k+. 

 

I do believe there are some holsets that are internal (hx35 or hy35), and you can ship those off to pretty much any diesel truck repair place and they should know how to fix it.

Heres a better question I suppose. Will adding an external wastegate flange cause fitment issues on an otherwise stock 83zxt? I do have the AC compressor removed but i am more concerned about issues with the steering shaft?