Starting a laid up turbo

[FlyingTiger]

Hi guys,

Prior to stripping my new project i want to start it to check how its running, especially the turbo. Other than the usual pre start up precautions (such as turning the engine over sufficiently long enough to get a good head of oil up), are there any other recommendations please?
I'm particularly concerned about the turbo.

Thanks in advance

Mark

[Eckhard]

Do a search for after storage start up checks. Failing that do at least what I described below or better still wait for the experts to chime in.

I am not the best guy for this but I would remove the sump and check for black crud(shredded clutch dampers), remove the banjo bolt from the turbo oil feed line and check the filter in the banjo bolt. once that is clean change the oil. Verify the checkvalve on the return line into the fuel tank.

Remove the inlet tube from the turbo and check the condition of the impeller for nicked and broken vanes. Check to see if it turns easily. Check the axial and radial play of the compressor shaft.

[riturbo]

Pull the air filter off as it will be in pieces and they will get sucked into the turbo if you dont .

[Turboblew2]

drop the pan and filter first. 99% chance a junky fram filter is in the housing. Get a hi flo unit. About $3 more than a fram.
You can pull the plug boots and build pressure prior to firing. There is a port on the right side you can take pressure readings from.
Definitely do the new pump/spring upgrade & pan mods. Was at a friends last week and he fired up his turbo and I went over and shut it off.
It has 36,000 on it and he refuses to believe the pump is bad. I could hear the rattling.

[Eckhard]

Could be the clutch dampers are no good!

[FlyingTiger]

Thanks for the replies guys. Just to be clear, I'm planning to strip the motor down fully, but was considering a start up just to check for rattles and a hopefully working turbo unit - thats my first objective.

So, if I put fresh oil and filter in, check the air filter isn't disintegrating, clean out any debris from the turbo feed pipe filter, and get the oil well circulated prior to start, will I be safe for a minute or twos running please?

Regards

Mark

[Betterthanfabio]

Yeah theres a few things to look at. Take the air filter tube off the turbo & give it a wriggle & see if it spins easy with your fingers. I had one that was carboned up so bad it wouldnt turn & things like rocks & mouse nests have been found in there as well. The fuel return valve in the tank can stick and the injectors may be blocked, etc.

[riturbo]

Also theres a pretty good chance that the fuel pump will be stuck and not work. It should come on then shut off as soon as you turn the key .

[FlyingTiger]

Hi guys. I took the disintegrated air filter out, put fresh oil and filter in, took the turbo air intake duct off to check impeller (span very freely and with a slight axial float that was impossible to measure but i would guess at about 5 thou) and put fresh fuel in. The fuel pump ran for a few seconds so that seems ok. It started straight away with no untoward noises or smoke. However it only ran on fast idle fof 30 secs or so before running onto only 1 or 2 pots so am guessing the injectors are gummed or blocked. Not worried about that as will be overhauling all that kit anyway. The question i would like to ask is whilst it was running on fast idle i had a look at the turbo impeller as i left the duct off. It looked to be spinning at about 200 rpm max. I realise they spin much faster under proper use but can anyone tell me if what i saw is about right please?
Thanks in advance
Mark

[Turboblew2]

not a big deal. So long as there was no sandy debris or metal dust around. Really good chance any debris got slammed against the surge tank wall and fell to the floor of it. Ive had it full of water before
If it ran it ran... so thats good.

[FlyingTiger]

Thanks for the reply. Surge tank seens fine