Turbo question

[J. Wheeler]

ok i pulled the turbo on my dads 03, it looked fine on the exahaust side. on the compressor side i noticed the wheel was a dark color. the turbo doesnt turn as well as it should. it kinda turns and then has a spot that drags. so i pulled the compressor wheel and found this black smear mark that looks like it rubbed on there by somthing. it looks like exahaust soot. its only on part of the back of the wheel. makes a ring around the back about half way from the center. took it all apart and cleaned it. oiled it up good and now it turns a little easier but it still has a drag spot in it. i thought it was the comp wheel dragging but it even does it with it off the shaft. i think he needs to order a new one or have it rebuilt. any sugestions or ideas. what are yalls thoughts on this Rons Turbo service that iv seen on ebay. Thanks

[BKraft03'7.3L]

well the wheel is gonna drag when you try and spin it. stock turbo has journal bearings man. basically unless the turbo has oil injecting into it the shaft is rubbing metal on metal. when the turbo has oil to it the shaft will float on the oil. check the side to side play on the shaft. if it doesn't touch then i'd say the turbo probably fine. you also have to remeber that the turbo is sucking up oil as well from the CCV that dumps into the intake tube so that may cause some discoloration on the compressor wheel as well. Why did you pull the turbo in the first place??

[J. Wheeler]

truck was running high EGTs, 2psi boost max, and the intercooler and lines all check out good. the truck would smoke like a damm train but it was gutless. the turbo has always sounded diffrent on this truck than any of the other powerstrokes we have. then one day it just quit spooling up, i thought it shucked a few turbine blades but they looked fine. the truck use to run 16psi at 70 now it runs 1.5 and has no spool up while also running 1350+ egts on level ground with the cruise set. so.... this was my best guess at what to check. any ideas on what else i should check?

[fordmasterdieseltech]

I think your on the right track, what exhaust setup do you have? any restrictions from the downpipe back? if you dont have any boost leaks, and no exhaust leaks/restrictions, then something internal to the turbo. any signs of contact with the housing and wheels?

[BKraft03'7.3L]

+1 you'll probably have to get a rebuild kit. not a huge cost and not too complictated either. get on ebay

[J. Wheeler]

back of the compressor wheel looks diffrent than any other that i have seen. it has marks like it rubbed on something at one time, not the mill marks from balancing, the strange marks are closer to the shaft. but there is nothing there to rub now so.... i was looking for a rebuilt turbo online and found Rons turbo service. he has a rebuilt with banks compressor wheel and waste acctuator like the banks big head, for about 800. what have yall heard about rons turbo? anygood? iv seen some good reviews but im still up in the air about the best rout.

oh and the exhaust is a 5inch MBRP system, air intake: AFE cold air intake, so it should be able to breath pretty good. no exhaust leaks or known restrictions. intercooler and hoses check out good

[BKraft03'7.3L]

well man that's really on you. you can get a rebuild kit for about $100 or so off ebay. you can get the same wheel with a different name from XDP for $75 and the big head waste gate for around $200 off ebay. so you could pay $800 to get the same thing you would have for about $400 and some dirty hands and new knowledge lol.

[J. Wheeler]

well lastnight i got a chance to look at it in some better light. there are little scratches right at the edge of the compressor housing closest to the comp wheel. i thought it could be from dirt coming from the intake at first but intake hose and filter was clean on the inside. then i noticed the chunks missing out of the very edge of the compressor wheel. looks like there is just enough play side to side in the shaft that the wheels edge could hit the ridge that it sits in.