TD5 Turbo Damage :- dodged a bullet ??

[gofer]

got a service kit from mario last week etc. drained oil yesterday . to make life easier i removed the flex air hose from box to turbo so i can see what i'm doing . checked out internals with torch and got a big shock. leading edges of blades have been damaged !! please insert every swear word you know !! its an undated billet from the turbo rebuilders chra etc . info in group buys. was fitted 7/2018. its has 41k's on it. i'm super carefull around the turbo. whenever i remove the flex hose i cover turbo inlet with plastic and rubberbands to stop anything from getting in. it was perfect last service :- 10k's ago. the only possibility of contamination that i can think of was a month back when i cleaned the maf sensor. at the time i changed the air filter for a spare i had in my workshop from another car. i flexed the filter to make sure nothing was in the folds . there must have been something which dislodged when engine running. !!! i cannot think of anything else . damage is consistant on all blade edges. small dents but no " visible" cracks etc. there are a couple of small impact marks on inlet housing.

anyone seen this before ? got any ideas apart from a contaminated air filter . ??

What to do ? several years back the turbo in a vw transporter i owned let go !! destroyed top end of engine !! do not want repeat !!!

to do list :- refit original turbo core . order a new one from uk. count my lucky stars i didn't loose an engine

pete :-)

[gofer]

pics of cartridge after removal.
part of me wants to smooth out the edges with fine wet/dry and refit. fins are fine. no cracks etc . its just leading edges.
my head says if it was going to blow it would have done so already.

other part says why risk a blown engine. :-))

[p38arover]

Those nicks look to be bigger than what would be caused by dust.

At the revs at which those things work, I'd be worried about a blade fracturing and causing complete catastrophic failure - like a jet engine turbine blade failure.

That would almost certainly write off the engine.

[thai_tiger]

Personally wouldn't chance it. What ever caused the damaged was rigid and has disintegrated or has broken up and passed through causing no secondary damage. Very lucky

[Blknight.aus]

check the afm

[discorevy]

anyone seen this before ? got any ideas apart from a contaminated air filter . ??



Seen it before from a previous owner or workshop having inadvertently trapped one of the guides on the top filter housing between that and filter letting unfiltered air through.
If you had a turbo place nearby with a vibrational sort rig then you could get turbo rebuild U.K. to send out one of their compressor wheels , get the local mob to fit and balance it, and you're away but suspect it would be cheaper to get the complete CHRA.
If you were to sand it then it may not fracture but would fail due to balance issues.

[gofer]

check the afm
have swapped it over with spare turbo. what is "AFM " pete :-)

[Blknight.aus]

Air flow meter, its after the air filter behind the screen, I've seen the element of them come out prior to today

[gofer]

Air flow meter, its after the air filter behind the screen, I've seen the element of them come out prior to today
MAF sensor . it seemed ok when i cleaned it prior refitting . test drive went ok , but not as much get up and go as i've fitted stock turbo. will check it against a spare i have. thanks for the info. pete :-)

[Blknight.aus]

check the whole assembly, you're not after the performance its an inspection for bits that once were part of it and are now somewhere down stream of compressor wheel