How to remove / refit Turbo

[PulsarLee]

Hi guys,

Just a quick query.
Is removing / changing the turbo a very difficult / long job? what parts need to be removed to do this? was looking at a standard /stage 1 turbo from turbo technics but they dont fit the turbo. Dont need a new one atm but curious as to whats involved if / when i do.

Thanks guys


Lee

 

[PobodY]

The best way is to take the entire manifold off and split the turbo off it out of the car. - In principle it's not a hard job, but you need to remember that bolts which can get wet and hot will rust-weld... so you may have difficulty getting it apart, and there's a good chance some of the studs could shear or strip their threads.

If you're swapping like for like, then you just put it back and reconnect everything. If it's not the same you need to look at different oil feed lines (as a ball bearing doesn't take the same kind of pressure that a journal bearing does).

 

[darkyGTI-R]

Don't forget to take the radiator out and fans if you still have the aircon pipes, that way you have less chance of smashing your hands up like me and my mechanic mate did lol
also change all the gaskets that way you know they wont need doing again for a while at least,or untill the turbo gives up the ghost:doh:

 

[johnsy]

i enjoyed doing mine, even though i had my fair share of snapped studs and the dredded 'bastard bolt' took me longer than it should but that was more or less down to waiting for parts like ss tubby hoses and gaskets,

i'd recommend getting hold of a bolt extraction set, i found the joiners one(£15 grabit) i already had very usefull,plus im sure some **** glued the bastard bolt in,ended up drilling the nut off it (5 mins)

 

[Trondelond]

As darky says, remove the fans, rad and slam panel. It'll make your life endlessly more enjoyable, and it'll make turbo removal/fitting a lot easier as well! It's not really a HARD job with them in situation (at least remove the fans), but if you run into trouble, you'll love the extra space and overall it should save you some time.

 

[johnsy]

As darky says, remove the fans, rad and slam panel. It'll make your life endlessly more enjoyable, and it'll make turbo removal/fitting a lot easier as well! It's not really a HARD job with them in situation (at least remove the fans), but if you run into trouble, you'll love the extra space and overall it should save you some time.

i agree

 

[shroom]

Just dont get your dad to help, or you might kill him when a banjo bolt flies off for the 5th time just from experiance

 

[PulsarLee]

thanks for the useful information guys anyone have any photos of the removal? are there any unusual bolts /heads that need a special tool etc?

cheers

Lee

 

[Trondelond]

Sure do. This is the view you're going for :

You shouldn't need any special tools really.

- Jack up the car, remove bottom panel (you just need to remove the one on the drivers side I think. It'll cover the radiator drain plug)
- Unscrew the radiator drain plug on underside of the radiator. Removing the radiator lid will speed things up.
- Remove TMIC assembly (if applicable, you may get away with removing the FMIC piping, like me)
- Remove slampanel and grille
- Remove fans (remember to unplug before you yank them out)
- Loosen water hoses from block, and lift out radiator
- Unbolt the piping that is connected to the compressor side of the turbo - if you have the standard intake. This was impossible to move with my FMIC piping, so it was easier to just unbolt it from the turbo.
- Undo the oil and water feeds on top of the turbo
- Get under the car and loosen one of the oil drain pipe clips (you just drag the assembly out of the silicone piping when everything else is loose), and unbolt the water return on the back of the turbo.
- Unplug the lambda sensor from your downpipe.
- If you have a standard elbow, unbolt the exhaust from the elbow. If you have something fancy, you're on your own, but the 3" AM performance elbow is fairly easy to remove from the turbo.
- Loosen the manifold nuts. This is the hardest part if all the nuts are in place. It may be neccesary to remove the alternator to get the leverage you need for at least one nut.
- Lift out the turbo/manifold assembly, and be careful not to catch the oil feed pipe. The water feed pipe can be unclipped at the other end, and removed before you take the assembly out.

That should pretty much be it, at least if my memory serves me.
Refitting is the above procedure in reverse, but you may have another problem in addition to the manifold nuts; the oil feed pipe doesn't always want to align with the turbo, so some persuasion may be in order. It has to line up perfecly before it's interested in going in. This took me AGES to do the first time I removed the turbo.

I'm sure someone will fill in here if I'm way off.

 

[darkyGTI-R]

That dreaded bastard bolt is the worst to get to!

Yep that's pretty much it tronde,also it's a good time to replace all your gaskets,manifold,turbo elbow, and turbo to manifold gasket,once these have been replaced with new it does actually make a difference and you can also replace the manifold studs for after market ones which will be better quality,but the originals should be just fine providing you didn't thread them Oh and one other thing that bastard bolt nut doesn't have to go back on as it's just the Japs overkilling again as i'm sure other members will say

 

[fubar andy]

2.5 hours to take mine off tonight on my own :thumb:

1st time 5 hours - just take your time and make sure you have good lighting when working on the car also WD40 and a cool head helps too! :thumb:

 

[PulsarLee]

thanks for the info guys some very helpful info here.......... ill just have to take my lappy to the garage with me to keep referring to

cheers,

Lee

 

[Trondelond]

2.5 hours to take mine off tonight on my own :thumb:

1st time 5 hours - just take your time and make sure you have good lighting when working on the car also WD40 and a cool head helps too! :thumb:

2.5 to just take it off? (as in "removing it", not "to do THAT little?!" I used 5 hours to remove, install gasket and put it back together again last time.

 

[shroom]

Remember to disconnect the battery or you might have a shock from the alternator :lol: well I did.

Taking it of is the easy bit, putting it back on and messing with the copper washers and banjo bolts is what annoyed me, then just wait for your back to go wen your bent over holding and putting the turbo and manifold in place

 

[watoga]

Remember to disconnect the battery or you might have a shock from the alternator

Seen that happen before! LOL! :-D

 

[campbellju]

I know others recommend removing the radiator but I've taken my turbo off quite a few times now and been able to squeeze it through no problem. The B*****d bolt is always one no matter how many times I've done the job.

 

[shroom]

how did you get at the oil feed with the rad on? did you go underneath, would make it easier for something to lean on as once you remove rad there is not much there to rest your belly on

 

[Al Mac]

Took us about 9 hrs to do mine last week - sheared bolts, crossed threads, crappy sealant to remove where some numpty couldn't be arsed to buy the proper gaskets when it was last done, Banjo bolt mayhem....... it just went on and on, lol

 

[Gtirchris]

Hey buddy, when I changed mine I just undid the oil and water feed pipes from the block and took them off complete with the turbo/ manifold assembly, soooo much easier than trying to fiddle them back on to the tubby, also while its off get yourself an s14 metal manifold gasket as they are better quality that the standard composite poo that nissan put on . Its is also worth replacing the manifold studs as they can snap when putting it back together, D'OH!

 

[PulsarLee]

If I buy an exchange (stage 1) turbo inc actuator from turbo technics, would this normally come with any sort of fitting kit / gaskets etc? If not, could someone please advise what I would need in terms of gaskets, copper washers etc :? or even better, let me know where these can be bought from

Cheers,

Lee