Horrible Noise From Turbo?

[Caly]

Just got the surf back from the garage yesterday after having new head fitted. Done no more than 20 miles and a horrible screeching noise started, it sounded like it was coming from the turbo. The noise became worse as the turbo span up. Never heard a noise like it before.
It did not sound very good. Checked all belts and they are all tight. Going back to garage tomorrow.
Any ideas anyone?
John.

[stevo]

noise

Just got the surf back from the garage yesterday after having new head fitted. Done no more than 20 miles and a horrible screeching noise started, it sounded like it was coming from the turbo. The noise became worse as the turbo span up. Never heard a noise like it before.
It did not sound very good. Checked all belts and they are all tight. Going back to garage tomorrow.
Any ideas anyone?
John.

Probably just a turbo or exhaust manifold gasket blowing, get them to check bolts for tightness. Cheers Steve.

[Caly]

Thanks for the reply Steve, unfortunetly it was not a gasket. The Garage has contacted me this evening and said that the centre bearing of the turbo has gone. The Surf now requires a new turbo.

I have just spent in excess of a grand having a new head fitted and now the turbo has gone. The garage is quoteing me £1600 for a new turbo or £600 for it to be reconditioned.

The mechanic has said that having the new head fitted has increased the pressure within the engine. This extra pressure will find any weakness in the rest of the engine including the turbo. This extra pressure has caused the turbo to fail. Obviously they are not going to say its failure was caused by anything they did when replacing the head. If this is the case this happened very quickly as I had only done a few miles since the head was replaced. Any thoughts on this explaination anyone?

You certainly have to have plenty of money to keep these vehicles on the road!!!

PS. Anyone got a 2nd hand turbo unit for sale?
John

[Koi]

Hmmmm not sure on the pressure theory???

Try streetluge (chris) or hilux (Bob) for a second ahnd unit or turbo technics will recondition your existing for around £300, a couple of guys on here have used them and were very happy with the service.
Either of the aboce option is alot cheaper than the garage are quoting.

[Smurf]

I would say it is far more likely that dirt has been introduced to the turbo whilst your surf was stripped down and has now killed your turbo!!
Recon turbo's are not in the region of £600 so dont go spending that much, you should be able to buy a kit to repair the turbo.
I do know a man who rebuilds turbo's in his sleep but he is in Essex, let me know if that would help

[stimpy30]

Just got the surf back from the garage yesterday after having new head fitted. Done no more than 20 miles and a horrible screeching noise started, it sounded like it was coming from the turbo. The noise became worse as the turbo span up. Never heard a noise like it before.
It did not sound very good. Checked all belts and they are all tight. Going back to garage tomorrow.
Any ideas anyone?
John.

center bearing failure so soon after strip wasn,t an oil feed fault was it as this causes immediate turbo death

[BigPoppa]

^^^Yeah sounds like an oil feed problem to me as well.
For reconditioned turbos try Turbo Technics, or look in the Autotrader for specialists near you.

[Caly]

Thanks for the responses to my dilemma. I tend to agree that there may be a oil feed or contamination issue that has killed the turbo.

I would assume that if I took the unit to turbo technics they would be able to tell if there was an oil starvation problem from the type of damage caused?
regards
John

[andy]

Turbo repair kits.

http://www.turbotechnics.com/components/servicekit.htm

[Caly]

Well, Surf is back. The turbo was taken off by garage and collected that day by Turbo technics. A couple of days later they contacted me to say that the turbo was completely stuffed and beyond repair. There was no sign of oil starvation, they said that the turbo was generally very worn and said that the new cylinder head had probably placed pressure on the turbo and finally killed it off. This is what my garage had suggested as the cause of the turbo failing.

An exchange unit was £430ish. Turbo arrived at garage the next day garage refitted and the Surf is now sat on the drive.

The problem is I am frightened to death to drive it off there!!! Should it go or should it stay. What would you guys do.

I can fully recommend Turbo Technics, their service is first class and prices seem reasonable.

Any Hypnotists out there that can cure my fear of driving my Surf???
John

[Tallyman]

Drive it. If it fails very quickly then either the reconditioned unit was bad or the garage fitted it incorrectly. Either way, you would not have to pay for someone else's mistake. If it runs OK then the GRIN comes back.

[Caly]

Update ;
Surf still seems to be going OK. Almost doing 5 miles now without looking at the temp gauge, theres confidence for you!!!
There is one thing that I have noticed though, the top end of engine sounds a bit more rattly since new head and turbo. When the engine is under load such as going up a very steep hill there is a louder tap coming from the top end. Or if I give it more gas and labour the engine prior to it changing down gear, sometimes it can be heard. It is a single tap like a very loose tappet. It is not there until the engine goes under load. Any ideas anyone?
Happy new year to you all.
John

[Smurf]

Mine does exactly the same thing since i replaced my head and i havent found anything to have caused it, have done about 6000 miles with no problems at all, have just had to top oil up for the first time since head change.Temp gauge has never passed 1/2 way and thats with pulling a 23 foot caravan as well, stop worrying and just enjoy driving it!!

[TonyN]

You may need to check the valve clearances, they should be checked a few months, or at least next service, after big engine work like a new head.

[djcazyp]

Pressure theory is cr*p. Can't (well, can actually..) believe turbo technics told you that. Most likely cause by the garage being none to careful with an old but working turbo unit while removing it for head work. 2 feet fall on the garage floor would just about do it!
Glad it is sorted now though.

Drive it till it breaks again!