I just got my car back together with a complete rebuild (rings, head, everything) and I put a T3 turbo on it. Its been driving great and has lots of power but now the past few days I notice it smoking when I'm stopped at an idle. I know its oil because it smells like it and it dosent smell like its being burned or ignited from it getting into the cylinder. It smells like its just getting into the exhaust and being heated up by the exhaust which to me would suggest that my turbo is **** even though its new. It's a turbo XS brand T3 which I've heard a few people knock as being cheap but I've also heard alot of good about them. Any opinions?

 

how hard have you been boostin it?i would do a compression test,leakdown test, if they check out pull the turbo and check it.
what all mods do you have done?

 

I've had it between 10 and 15 psi on boost. It's bored .40 over with a HP head gasket, 6 bolt rods milled to fit my .10 over 7 bolt crank, new stock pistons and rings, HP toga oil pump, balance shafts removed, completly rebuilt head with new valve seals and lifters and valves, FMIC with tial BOV and external WG with boost controller and T3 turbo with stock maf, High flow air filter. No cat. Thats most of the meaty items.

 

I took my pipes off on the turbo and wiped my fingers inside the output and input of the compressor side. Theres an oily, sticky film inside that I assume is engine oil. I would guess that my whole intake system should not have an oily residue. The shaft has a little play in it as well, not alot but its there. I've had to put three manifold-to-turbo gaskets on since I got the car running. My bolts kept coming undone and falling out and my gasket were torn and blown out, even the metal in it. I thought it was the bolts I was using until this third time I replaced them and used some high temp thread locker. Well the bolts held but my gasket was broken and pieces missing again. I think pieces from the three gaskets got into my turbine and torn up the seal or something. Anyway......I'm still going to do a compression test to be sure its not the engine but I think the turbo is dying. The engine has had plenty of power even with it smoking so I'm crossing my fingers while I pump some air.[sm=smiley5.gif]

 

Its normal to find a minut amount of oil in the intercooler piping. I forget where I found it but there is an oil catch can for somewhere to fix this problem. It is like $60 and keeps it from building up inside of the intercooler. The shaft play is not good. Once you get shaftplay of any kind you are most certainly on most occasions get a small oil leak. I would have the turbo rebuilt or replaced soon whichever you prefer.

 

Yeah I've seen those on ebay actually, for like 10 bucks I think. I did a compression test and all the cylinders checked out perfect so its time for another turbo. I'm looking at a T3 /T4 hybrid, heres the specs.
50T COMPRESSOR WHEEL
.70 A/R TURBINE HOUSING
COMPRESSOR HOUSING A/R .50 TO4E
3" INLET

I'm looking at this one too, It's a T70:
Shaft and wheel trim are 64.5, the compressor wheel is a super 70 60.5, The turbine housing is A/R .84, the compressor Housing is A/R .70. The inlet is 4" with a standard V-band exhaust. It has a T3 flange.

I'm leaning towards the T70.......what'd'ya think?

 

It'll take a while for the car to spool it and u'll have to lower boost drastically...but if whats what you want more power to ya

 

Have you even taken off the o2 housing to look at the blades. That is the first place damage is going to be seen. Also check your oil levels.

Sounds like your turbo took a **** on you and is taking itself out of the equation for you.

 

do you have any fuel mods. or are you running stock fuel system