So I recently had my TE61 rebuilt by a reputable local turbo shop, seal was leaking. Shaft play wasn't bad. Engine ran fine although smoked at idle from the turbo seal. After they had rebuilt it they showed me where something had gone thru the wheel (put in a new one) and advised I check out the engine.
A couple of years ago I blew a headgasket between cylinders so I surmised that it was HG parts that did it. Same time I pushed out all the coolant and cooked the engine pretty good. Having a new family and a minimal budget, I changed the HG, flushed the oil a couple of times, and then ran the wheels off it some more. Ran another few thousand miles and 3 years since and never ran better or faster (11.40's), although cold compression was down. so I'm pretty sure the rings are baked. Every oil change there was dust on the magnet, but never shavings or anything. Oh, well, she still runs, I thought.
Back to the present. Checked compression - - same as before, 100 psi dry, 125-130 wet (204/214 cam.) Dropped the oil, looked same as usual. I assumed the debris had been that old HG so I bolted it all up and ran it. Winter conditions, around 40 degF, so I took it real easy. Got on it a couple of times out on the dry freeway and the turbo sounded like a cheap vacuum cleaner right off the bat. After a couple of mid-throttle 15 psi pulls I started to hear a scraping noise under any boost at all so I just babied it home.
Pulled the intake hose and the turbo is toast, probably about 20 miles on it. Shaft is all over the place and seal is leaking. Pulled the oil feed line off to check for pressure - - I ran some oil into a plastic dish and found it hazed with brass. Pulled the pan and found more brass dust there, with slightly bigger flakes on the bottom. Pulled the bearings and they look OK considering - - no real evidence of grinding debris, just worn silver and the mains are a little beat from detonation (some copper showing.) Cylinders look a little scored but about what I would expect. So 2 questions:
1) Is there any chance the turbo rebuild is at fault here? Ran fine before, wouldn't have touched it if it wasn't smoking. No odd noises, boost was smooth and solid. Is there anything that can go wrong in a turbo rebuild?
2) I was thinking of swapping out the crank bearings and running it. The engine is what it is - - rough - - I'm working on a roadrace car and really don't want to pull & rebuild the Buick motor at this time (trans is also almost due) if it will get me through weekend cruising for another couple of years. However, I don't want to scrap another $700 turbo trying it out. Is there enough brass floating around the motor/oil cooler to ruin my day again?
Should I bother to get an oil analysis done? Thoughts & opinions? Also posted in the Turbo section.
A couple of years ago I blew a headgasket between cylinders so I surmised that it was HG parts that did it. Same time I pushed out all the coolant and cooked the engine pretty good. Having a new family and a minimal budget, I changed the HG, flushed the oil a couple of times, and then ran the wheels off it some more. Ran another few thousand miles and 3 years since and never ran better or faster (11.40's), although cold compression was down. so I'm pretty sure the rings are baked. Every oil change there was dust on the magnet, but never shavings or anything. Oh, well, she still runs, I thought.
Back to the present. Checked compression - - same as before, 100 psi dry, 125-130 wet (204/214 cam.) Dropped the oil, looked same as usual. I assumed the debris had been that old HG so I bolted it all up and ran it. Winter conditions, around 40 degF, so I took it real easy. Got on it a couple of times out on the dry freeway and the turbo sounded like a cheap vacuum cleaner right off the bat. After a couple of mid-throttle 15 psi pulls I started to hear a scraping noise under any boost at all so I just babied it home.
Pulled the intake hose and the turbo is toast, probably about 20 miles on it. Shaft is all over the place and seal is leaking. Pulled the oil feed line off to check for pressure - - I ran some oil into a plastic dish and found it hazed with brass. Pulled the pan and found more brass dust there, with slightly bigger flakes on the bottom. Pulled the bearings and they look OK considering - - no real evidence of grinding debris, just worn silver and the mains are a little beat from detonation (some copper showing.) Cylinders look a little scored but about what I would expect. So 2 questions:
1) Is there any chance the turbo rebuild is at fault here? Ran fine before, wouldn't have touched it if it wasn't smoking. No odd noises, boost was smooth and solid. Is there anything that can go wrong in a turbo rebuild?
2) I was thinking of swapping out the crank bearings and running it. The engine is what it is - - rough - - I'm working on a roadrace car and really don't want to pull & rebuild the Buick motor at this time (trans is also almost due) if it will get me through weekend cruising for another couple of years. However, I don't want to scrap another $700 turbo trying it out. Is there enough brass floating around the motor/oil cooler to ruin my day again?
Should I bother to get an oil analysis done? Thoughts & opinions? Also posted in the Turbo section.
