Interesting turbocharger

[iTurbo]

So I decided to replace the bad turbocharger on the Spirit R/T I recently acquired on eBay. I wrestled the turbo off yesterday and today I start dismantling it because I was bored.

Right away I noticed that the compressor housing says, "Nissan Motor" on it. There is no indication of A/R or any other part # on the housing, but it looks about the same size as a Garrett TIII compressor housing. I haven't removed the compressor housing from the center section yet but the compressor wheel looks larger than stock. Then I removed the TIII turbine housing and the turbine wheel is waay bigger than a stage-I wheel and the housing has obviously been machined out to fit it. There is a tag on the center section that says "TBO339". Anybody have any idea what this turbo might have come from?

I'm not sure if it's rebuildable though. When I removed the turbine housing a bunch of black carbon looking stuff fell out from under the cap that is under the turbine wheel. It doesn't have much side play, but it does have about 1/8" of in/out play. The housings don't look like they were damaged much, if at all. The compressor wheel will need to be replaced, but the turbine wheel still looks OK.

[iTurbo]

Here is the Nissan compressor housing:

http://www.turbosedan.com/misc/DSC03785.JPG

Here is a comparison of the mystery comp wheel and a TIII wheel:

http://www.turbosedan.com/misc/DSC03786.JPG

Here is a comparison of the mystery turbine wheel and TIII wheel:

http://www.turbosedan.com/misc/DSC03787.JPG

[Murphy]

maybe from a 300zx?

something like http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Nissan-Motors-Garrett-T3-turbo-charger-280ZX-300ZX_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33742QQihZ005QQit emZ150229304935QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

[iTurbo]

300ZX is as close as I could guess. I googled TBO339 and that comes up as the stock turbo for a 16V Saab 900 Turbo. Whatever it is it's probably some custom job.

I'm replacing it with a TII turbo with a stock TIII turbine housing bolted on. I'l keep the machined TIII turbine housing and use it for a bolt-on hybrid someday. I just need to figure out what stage turbine wheel it's set up for.

[turbovanman²]

Looks like a nice upgrade, :thumb:

Size wise, it could be stage II wheel. Measure it and you can figure it out, :clap:

[TopDollar69]

Is it still a T3 center section?

[iTurbo]

Yup T3 center section. The Nissan comp housing and TIII turbine housing were machined to fit the wheels (whatever they are). I imagine this turbo is probably similar to a s70/stgII.

The Nissan comp housing was very similar to a TII comp housing and uses the same sort of back plate and O-ring. The Nissan housing actually would fit on a TII turbo but the difference in the wheel trims gave it way too much clearance between the housing and wheel. On the other hand, the TIII comp housing uses a different back plate and O-ring seal and won't bolt on at all. Hope that makes sense.

[iTurbo]

Well just to update I have had this turbocharger rebuilt. I have a digital caliper and as far as I can tell it is in fact a Super 70/stage II.

The compressor wheel had to be replaced with a new one and measures 50mm/70mm (inducer/exducer). There is no match for this in the Turbonetics catalog, but size-wise it is right between the T3 Super 60 and a TO4E 46-trim. Measuring the turbine wheel was a little tricky and I could not match it up to any of the T3 turbines in the '07 Turbonetics catalog. It measured in at a hair smaller than the Stage II. Maybe this turbine is actually a stock GN turbine wheel, but I cannot find the measurements for that.

I'm thinking I will probably pair this turbo with the 2.5L TIII motor I am building for my Shelby Lancer. Seems like a decent 350 WHP turbo and since it still uses the stock TIII turbine housing I won't have to modify my 3" TU downpipe at all.

[iTurbo]

Here she is:

http://www.turbosedan.com/spirit/DSC04122.JPG

http://www.turbosedan.com/spirit/DSC04123.JPG

[iTurbo]

Hypothetical question: Is there anything stopping me from bolting on a GN compressor housing?

Reason I ask is because the GN housing is .60 A/R which must be bigger than this Nissan housing. I have a .60 A/R housing for a Ford style 60-trim turbo and the housing is pretty large in comparison.

[moparzrule]

What A/R is the nissan housing? I never had any issues with my S70 in the stock T2 housing which is .42 A/R. The turbo ran very cool.

You also have to watch out that you aren't just comparing outside diameter when comparing compressor housings. The stock T2 housing is actually larger outside than a T04B .60 A/R compressor housing. But inside the T4 housing is much larger.
Case in point, comparing a stock T2 versus the TO4B H trim I had on my car awhile back. The H trim flows 53 lb/min, the stock T2 I believe flows right around 30. Super 60 flows 35 I know that.
http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m216/87wagon/T2T4.jpg

[iTurbo]

The Nissan housing doesn't have any indication of A/R. I know what you mean about the decieving appearance of the various A/R housings. For example, I have a TII housing (.42 A/R) and a TIII housing (.52 A/R), both T3 housings. But the TII housing is actually larger outside diameter and thicker. I would guess that this Nissan housing is .42 A/R. It looks about the same size or maybe a hair smaller than the .52 OEM TIII housing.

[moparzrule]

I would leave the nissan housing. My S70 in the stock T2 housing made good power and spooled pretty quick. Stock turbine wheel and .63 housing.

[turbovanman²]

Well just to update I have had this turbocharger rebuilt. I have a digital caliper and as far as I can tell it is in fact a Super 70/stage II.

The compressor wheel had to be replaced with a new one and measures 50mm/70mm (inducer/exducer). There is no match for this in the Turbonetics catalog, but size-wise it is right between the T3 Super 60 and a TO4E 46-trim. Measuring the turbine wheel was a little tricky and I could not match it up to any of the T3 turbines in the '07 Turbonetics catalog. It measured in at a hair smaller than the Stage II. Maybe this turbine is actually a stock GN turbine wheel, but I cannot find the measurements for that.

I'm thinking I will probably pair this turbo with the 2.5L TIII motor I am building for my Shelby Lancer. Seems like a decent 350 WHP turbo and since it still uses the stock TIII turbine housing I won't have to modify my 3" TU downpipe at all.


The Stock TIII turbo is a stage I, did you have the turbine housing machined out???

[iTurbo]

The Stock TIII turbo is a stage I, did you have the turbine housing machined out???

The TIII turbine housing was machined to fit the larger turbine wheel. It was like that when I bought the car; didn't even know it was a non-stock turbo until I took it apart.

I did find out that the GN used a GN-specific turbine wheel; similar to the GN-only compressor wheel. I really think what I have here is basically a GN CHRA with a TIII turbine housing and Nissan compressor housing modified to fit. Won't know for sure unless I can find the GN turbine specs.

[turbovanman²]

The TIII turbine housing was machined to fit the larger turbine wheel. It was like that when I bought the car; didn't even know it was a non-stock turbo until I took it apart.

I did find out that the GN used a GN-specific turbine wheel; similar to the GN-only compressor wheel. I really think what I have here is basically a GN CHRA with a TIII turbine housing and Nissan compressor housing modified to fit. Won't know for sure unless I can find the GN turbine specs.

Very cool, :clap:

Contact Terry aka gasketmaster, he might know.

[iTurbo]

Thanks. Terry pointed me to a few good sites but finding the dimensions of the stock turbo are hard to find. Lots of talk of upgrades on the GN forums but not much info available on the stock unit.

So I bought used GN turbo that needs a rebuild on eBay. I can take the measurements off that and hopefully use the compressor housing and sell the rest. I'll post another pic if I can get the GN housing on without issues. Looks like it uses the same sort of back plate so it *should* work.

[gasketmaster]

I'm doing a little digging for you :thumb:

I'll let you know what I come up with :)

[iTurbo]

I got my '87 GN turbo on eBay today. Right away I notice this thing is pretty big! The compressor housing has '.60 A/R' cast into it but it is much larger than the .60 A/R T3 housing from my SVO turbo. It's bigger on the outside and inside and the discharge nozzle inside diameter is also much bigger. Unfortunately the compressor back plate is also about 1/2" larger diameter so it will not bolt up in place of the Nissan housing pictured above, even though it fits the wheel perfectly. The GN turbo has the same 50mm/70mm compressor wheel as my Super 70 pictured above. Unfortunately the turbine housing bolts are rusted to the point that I doubt I'll ever be able to remove it without breaking all the bolts, so I can't measure the turbine wheel yet. Looks like the only part I can use is the 3" inlet bell which bolts right onto my SVO turbos I'm using for my TIII projects.

[iTurbo]

'87 Buick GN turbo compared to my TIII Super 70 w/Nissan housing.

http://www.turbosedan.com/spirit/DSC04164.JPG

http://www.turbosedan.com/spirit/DSC04165.JPG

http://www.turbosedan.com/spirit/DSC04167.JPG

[moparzrule]

Interesting. Well, if it fits just clean it up and run it. Better to have a wheel in it's native housing anyway, should be more efficient.

[iTurbo]

Unfortunately it won't fit. Even though they both use the same compressor wheel, the GN turbo uses a much larger backplate so it won't bolt in place of the Nissan housing. Bummer; guess I'll just resell it after I measure the turbine wheel. Some sort of T4 housing maybe??

[nsd811]

i guess thats why those things are so fast

[jckrieger]

I went down this route about 8 years ago... Have it all documented on my old website located below:

http://turbododge.4t.com/Turbo.html

[iTurbo]

Thanks! What year GN was your turbocharger from? I tried putting a Chrysler .48 housing onto it and it wouldn't fit at all over the GN turbine wheel. My GN turbo is from an '87 and it had the same dimension wheels as the Super 70 I posted pictures of.\

Not sure if should sell the OEM GN turbo I got off eBay or have it rebuilt and get another TIII turbine housing machined to fit the GN turbine wheel. Then it would bolt right on...no coolant lines though.

[jckrieger]

That's odd... my GN turbo was either from an 86 or 87. I measured the inside of the turbine housing and it was exactly the same as the stock Chrysler unit. I can't believe you'd have a GN turbo with an upgraded turbine wheel and a stock compressor wheel, so I wonder if there actually was a wheel change between 86-87. I've found the same as you have... not much information at all regarding the stock Buick turbochargers.