james6546

james6546

Well-Known Member
Hi. Ok, so the last couple of weeks I have been doing the head gasket on my 300tdi defender.

I got it back together today, which was a big achievement for me, but now I am having problems with the turbo...

It started up and ran fine, but when I took it for a drive the turbo was quite loud and there was no power from it, along with a weird grinding noise.

I took it back and had a look, and it turned out that I hadn't connected the small pipe from the back of the turbo, and also the tiny pipe that comes from the airbox pipe was connected to the wrong thing.

So I sorted that out and went for a drive, and now instead of any turbo power there is a grinding noise when the turbo should be running and no power from the turbo.

Any ideas? Have I knackered my turbo?

I am going to a barn dance now (yeah I know), so won't be able to reply for a while. Any suggestions are appreciated.
 
ebbadger said:
take off the hoses and see how much impellar play u have

cheers steve
Click to expand...
Ta, I will look when I go up to the farm. The strange thing is that the turbo was great before changing the head gasket, no smoke and plenty of power. I didn't even really touch the turbo either, other than removing a couple of air pipes.
 
Ok, there doesn't seem to be any noticeable play in the impellor at all, but there is some oil in the air intake and intercooler pipes.
The turbo seems to work to an extent, but is very noisy...and not a normal turbo noise, more a whooshing grinding noise...
 
Whooshing sound could be air escaping if you haven't got all the big pipes fitted correctly and clamps tight, alternatively could be a split pipe or leaking intercooler?
 
I think its the turbo, its had new intercooler pipes and are nice and tight.
Plus the noise is more of a grinding.
Does anyone know the best place to get a new one, or get mine reconned?
 
With the induction pipe off and you spinning the turbine by hand is there any noise or resistance?


Before assuming the turbo is a gonner, are you sure all the pipework is in the correct place now? Waste gate pipes etc?
 
MudMatt said:
With the induction pipe off and you spinning the turbine by hand is there any noise or resistance?


Before assuming the turbo is a gonner, are you sure all the pipework is in the correct place now? Waste gate pipes etc?
Click to expand...

I need to go and double check as I spoke to a friend and apparently there is a propeller as well as an impeller. I did not know this!

The impeller spins nice and freely and has no movement in any direction, but there is oil in the brand new intercooler pipes, so something isn't right somewhere.

What should the waste gate pipe connect to?
 
james6546 said:
I need to go and double check as I spoke to a friend and apparently there is a propeller as well as an impeller. I did not know this!

The impeller spins nice and freely and has no movement in any direction, but there is oil in the brand new intercooler pipes, so something isn't right somewhere.

What should the waste gate pipe connect to?
Click to expand...

both turbines run on the same axle shaft play will show either end ,try running engine with both air pipes off ,inlet wil let you see turbo spinning the outlet wil show if oil is passing ,pipes will be wet even with a good turbo but you shouldnt see any oil mist or drips
 
james6546 said:
I need to go and double check as I spoke to a friend and apparently there is a propeller as well as an impeller. I did not know this!

The impeller spins nice and freely and has no movement in any direction, but there is oil in the brand new intercooler pipes, so something isn't right somewhere.

What should the waste gate pipe connect to?
Click to expand...

The 'waste gate' pipe is the small plastic one connected between the turbo casing (next to the outlet) and the top of the fuel injection pump, boost pressure from the turbo makes the pump deliver more fuel.
 
Kwakerman said:
The 'waste gate' pipe is the small plastic one connected between the turbo casing (next to the outlet) and the top of the fuel injection pump, boost pressure from the turbo makes the pump deliver more fuel.
Click to expand...

nearly, there are 2 take off boost pressure pipes one for waste gate the other for injection pump
 
jamesmartin said:
nearly, there are 2 take off boost pressure pipes one for waste gate the other for injection pump
Click to expand...

Was aware of the second pipe to the actuator but being as the head has been off I thought it more likely that the FIP one would be the one more likely to have been damaged or forgotten on refit ;)
 
However just re-read the OP's first post again and he had forgotten to connect the pipe but corrected it.
 
Yep, I forgot the pipe with the rubber connector. Not sure I remember there being another pipe though?
 
Ok, next round of fault finding...

There is definitely no play in the impeller bearings, in any direction. I took both pipes off, but couldn't see in, or get to the propeller. There air coming out of the intercooler connection, so I guess that the turbo is working? No oil that I can see anywhere.

When it is cold there seems to be quite a lot of black smoke when you rev it, but none when it is warm?

It definitely seems to be something to do with the turbo, as it is very slow to drive, and hardly any turbo power at all.

This sucks, I was so pleased with myself for doing this job. I normally go to a mechanic friend for help, but sadly his mum has died, so I am somewhat on my own...
 
Well having the hose off would have explained the whooshing possibly it has sucked in something it shouldnt have and damaged itself would have expected play though... as for oil most dobhave a little bit in the pipes and either from the turbo or the crankcase breather but I wouldnt have thought it would build up much oil in new pipes in just a couple of miles
 
I haven't really driven it at all, only for a test drive. The only pipe that has been off when I have driven it has been the waste gate pipe and that was the first drive.
There does seem to be an unusual amount of oil.
Probably closer to a grinding noise than a whooshing noise really. Hard to explain
 
Does this grinding noise change with revs or speed, just making sure its not gearbox / diff / prop noise you are hearing as they aren't the quietest things around.
 
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