Turbo not spinning at idle

[roachjuice]

Ok so I took my intake tube and hot side pipe off to put my new bov flange on. Well I put the hot side pipe back on and thought "man I wanna see the turbo spin!" so I left the intake off and started it up. Well the turbo wasnt spinning. Wtf. So I give it a little gas and it spins. Let it idle and it stops. So I figure it needs to warm up. So I go drive it and boost it a few times. Didn't feel any different than before. Boosts just fine. Drove like normal. Pull back in the driveway and expect it to be spinning. Well it's not. But it's spinning a little more freely. But still not at idle. I shut the car off and feel for shaft play. It's got a little in and out. No up and down. It's a little hard to spin. Feels like a fresh turbo. My question what the hell could cause this? Not enough oil? Turbo is a turbonetics super 60 unit with a 3 inch swingvalve and a 3 inch exhaust. Mated to a ported exhaust manifold.

[cordes]

I wouldn't expect that it would spin much. I've not looked down at one in a long while, but a stock TII turbo on a more mild sounding setup that what you describe moved like a slow ceiling fan last I saw.

[zin]

The in and out is what can be bad, the up/down slack is, generally, taken up by the oil film/wedge and "floats" the shaft, even dampens minor vibrations...

I was going to say you're spoiled by double BB turbos, they'll spin for days after you shut them down it seems and spool just breathing on them, but if the in-out is significant, it might be getting to the point the thrust bearing is letting things slightly drag against the housing, etc...

Hopefully someone (say Chris, etc) will see this and chime in, could be nothing, could be getting ready to self-destruct...

I had one do just that, but with no real warning, one day on the way home, I'm get on it on the on-ramp and just about the time I hit "warp speed", the thing noses over and has almost no power! After much investigation, and turbo disassembly, it turns out the thrust washer/bearing "exploded" into many pieces, letting the shaft shift to one side and stop, with remarkably little damage to the parts...

Mike

[roachjuice]

Yea id like to know before something like that happens lol. But I do remember my 50 trim and my stock Garrett spinning at idle.

[contraption22]

I've seen a few race cars with exposed compressors where the turbo does not spin at idle.

[roachjuice]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-5Tj...e_gdata_player

Video recorded on my iPhone. It's just me spinning the wheel with my finger while it's cold. Got another turbonetics unit here that spins way easier than this one does. I did check shaft play again. No in and out. But there is up and down. I'll check it again tomorrow when it's warmer. I'll also check the oil feed line.

[GLHNSLHT2]

my S60 doesn't spin at idle but it doesn't seem as tight as yours. my compressor seal is blown as it pukes oil into the ic and back up the fresh air tube.

[4 l-bodies]

Is it dynamic or carbon seal? Carbon seal will feel a little tighter on a fresh rebuild. I agree with others if you are feeling in and out movement on a very low mileage turbo, something is not correct with thrust. I personally wouldn't be alarmed that turbo doesn't spin at idle. I would say that is the norm for a journal bearing turbo.
Todd

[roachjuice]

I'll check it again when warned up. I'll get some video.

[CNH320]

I wouldnt worry about it, that turbo is going to have more inertia then a small mitsu or something because of the bigger wheels, etc...

Also, do you have a clipped turbine wheel? That would also let more airflow bypass around it making it less likely to spin at idle/low airflow.

[GLHNSLHT2]

oh yea a mitsu spins constantly at idle.

[roachjuice]

I wouldnt worry about it, that turbo is going to have more inertia then a small mitsu or something because of the bigger wheels, etc...

Also, do you have a clipped turbine wheel? That would also let more airflow bypass around it making it less likely to spin at idle/low airflow.

i wanna say its just a stock super 60 turbo with a 3 inch swingvalve. thats what ive been told.

---------- Post added at 12:49 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:47 PM ----------

Is it dynamic or carbon seal? Carbon seal will feel a little tighter on a fresh rebuild. I agree with others if you are feeling in and out movement on a very low mileage turbo, something is not correct with thrust. I personally wouldn't be alarmed that turbo doesn't spin at idle. I would say that is the norm for a journal bearing turbo.
Todd

should be a 4 piece carbon seal iirc

[turbovanman²]

Weird, I've checked quite a few turbo cars including a TII and they definately spin at idle, my GT35R is moving at idle, which being a bigger turbo, shouldn't. A TII type 60 trim should be hauling at idle.

The wheel seems stiff on your vid, maybe post up a vid at idle.

[zin]

Barring some real defect, oil viscosity on a journal bearing turbo can add some drag...

With no in/out play and a fresh rebuild with carbon seals, it almost seems like you'd expect a bit of "bedding-in", if it's me, I'm probably going to mark a few dates on the calender to come back and check it again a few times down the road to be sure it's not becoming a problem, but otherwise I'm chalking it up to not being quite "run-in"...

Mike

[roachjuice]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm-yW...e_gdata_player
Here it is idling.

[GLHNSLHT2]

Mine doesn't drag that much.

[roachjuice]

Oil temp was 180ish. I just drove it 30 miles all highway. Immediately got out and left it running and took the intake off. It was catching a little but much better. The oil temp was around 220.

[turbovanman²]

That is not right, that wheel should be moving. Either you have a massive exhaust leak-doubtful or with oil pressure, the shaft/bearing is binding up.

[roachjuice]

That is not right, that wheel should be moving. Either you have a massive exhaust leak-doubtful or with oil pressure, the shaft/bearing is binding up.

Alright. I'll check some other things.

[shackwrrr]

Check for a filter for the Turbo, it may be clogged. Turbonetics puts a little brass filter in the oil feed hole of the Turbo. Check to see if there.