Chance S2K

Sorry for the repost(ish) topic. Started having this issue last week and was completely ignorant of the implications, and have been having problems finding more info online. No search I do seems to bring up much information.

Basically, after having to disassemble and put the exhaust side of my car back together for the 50th time, I seemed to have mis-aligned my compressor or exhaust housing. So far I haven't had a lot of luck getting it squared away, and I don't know if it will get much better. My compressor wheel is making light contact with the housing.

Obviously this isn't good for the health of the turbo as I'm slowly grinding away the compressor wheel, and probably doing light damage to the bearings, but I was wondering if this is really the "end of the world" issue like I first thought it was? Is this really at any risk of damaging my engine if I keep running the car like this?

Here's a video of a turbo Integra that seems to have the same issue. Obviously not my car, but this guy's camera picks up the noise a lot better than I could I think. Any time he does a pull in the car you can hear the wheel noise, even when he's cruising: https://www.youtube.com/watch?featur...CeLl17M8#t=328

^You can especially hear it when he gets off the throttle from the pull. It's that light ringing noise.

tl;dr - Compressor wheel is making contact with housing, obviously damaging the turbo. If I keep running the car like this for a year+, will this also put my engine at risk? If I keep the S I plan on eventually switching out my manifold and turbo regardless, so if the turbo is on a deathwalk then I'll just live with it as long as it doesn't put my engine in jeopardy.

Steven622

STOP WHAT YOU ARE DOING IMMEDIATELY. Take off that turbo and make sure everything is aligned correctly and ensure you didn't permanently damage the turbo.

If it's on the compressor side, you will be sending metal into your engine. If it's on the turbine housing you'll just be destroying your turbo. You say it's on the compressor side, but pull everything off and make sure.

vader1

What he said. If a turbo is not too far gone they can be remanned for under $500 to like new.

Chance S2K

I can take the housings out completely and try re-centering it, but I'm definitely not pulling the housing off of the manifold again. I'm sick of constantly having this car apart. It's been an unintentional garage queen since last year.

I'll try aligning it later tonight/tomorrow and see if that helps at all. Until then I'm waiting on a trade/sale on the S, someone offered me an 01 Cobra Mustang today with a bit of cash on their end and honestly I'm about ready to take it.