cracked turbine housing

[ralphb]

My car's now been in for 3 weeks now. After the leak in the throttle pipe was fixed (causing the white smoke in the morning), a crack was found in the turbine housing. Getting to the turbo in the RS2 isn't easy either - the exhaust manifold has to come off - but the real problem is that I can't source a replacement housing. Apparently there were only about 5 or 6 thousand turbos of this type manufactured (RS2 and Porsche 930 - the first Porsche turbo in the 80's), and the spares catalogue has been sold to a specialist parts manufacturer who is only casting another batch of turbine housings in November. Landed cost in SA, GBP500, parts only

So my mechanic is getting the crack welded (high tech) (GBP60) to get me on the road again until then. My other option is to buy a complete new turbo, parts only GBP1500 landed. Think I'll wait.

Any thoughts about how well this weld will hold up? Apparently its good for 10000-15000kms. So should I stay off the track?

Could this part be sourced 2nd hand in the UK, or is it unlikely that a turbo unit would be dismantled? Can anyone give me any contact no's / websites or email addresses where I might enquire in the UK?

[Greg_S]

If i were you id get in touch with AET or Turbo Dynamics. Normally they do rebuilds on turbo's like the S2/RS2 ones for £200-£300. It will probably be a bit more than that since you need a new piece of casting also but its worth giving them a try.

Also with removing the turbo it isnt necessary to take the exhaust manifold off.

After taking the airbox out.

Undo 3 nuts on downpipe to the joining pipe to wastegate. undo the heatshield around Exhaust manifold (EM) undo 4 nuts on Wastegate (WG) and also disconnect the WG from the WGFV.

Once these are removed you have better access to the turbo. The 4 nuts holding it onto the downpipe are a little awkward to get at and an S or hal moon shape spanner help here. the four between turbo and EM are more accessible.

Finally undo the top water connection 17mm fro memory and seal it off. if you dont when you remove the lower one coolant will spray out everywhere so worth doing. use an allen key and take the oil feed pipe off.

Get underneath the turbo and undo the oil and water pipes off the bottom of turbo.

loosen the 4 nuts on the turbo and remove.

Voila.

[ralphb]

Thanks James - being in Cape Town my options are limited - the garage sent to the best turbo specialist in Cape Town. As you implied, its the part itself that's making it expensive though.

I will give your instructions to the mechanic though, seeing that its all coming off again in November!

[tjc]

Cobstar has an RS Blue RS2 - original turbo which had a hairline crack in the housing which was welded (@ approx. 60K miles on the clock now with 138K miles on the clock). I have been told that turbos only last 80-100K miles - but I suppose it depends on how

No problems with it so far - oil changes are regular every 5K miles and car is always warmed up pre-fun and cooled down post-fun to reduce any stress.

Cheers,

TJC

[tjc]

Cobstar has an RS Blue RS2 - original turbo which had a hairline crack in the housing which was welded (@ approx. 60K miles on the clock now with 138K miles on the clock). I have been told that turbos only last 80-100K miles - but I suppose it depends on how

No problems with it so far - oil changes are regular every 5K miles and car is always warmed up pre-fun and cooled down post-fun to reduce any stress.

Cheers,

TJC