Replacement turbos

[Steve McF]

Hi all,

have seen several 9-5s (2.0T and 2.3T B205 engine) over my time looking, advertised as spares/repairs because they need a new turbo. Does this automatically write the car off? Is the cost of a new turbo prohibitive? And are they easy to replace on a DIY basis?

I looked turbos up on Ebay, and there appear to be loads that are around £180, but I'm not sure of compatibility.

Just wondered because if you can pick a decent car up for a couple of hundred quid, and get another turbo for the same again, and fit by oneself, it could be worthwhile........

Then again.... 

[phoenix]

Plenty of reputable places will refurb a turbo for ~£200-£250. "New" ones on eBay at the sort of price you're talking are likely to be Chinese of unknown/unproven quality.

Replacement is reasonably straight forward, the risk is how did the turbo fail? If it's just smoking badly but still working then yes, low risk. If, however, it failed catastrophically then you could be looking at bits having passed through the intercooler and got into the valves/cylinders.

[Audax]

If, however, it failed catastrophically then you could be looking at bits having passed through the intercooler and got into the valves/cylinders.

It is perhaps worth me pointing out that in all cases of catastrophic turbo failure on the 9-5 that I have ever seen not a single one had engine damage as a result (apart from the time when someone kept driving it after all the oil was pumped out the exhaust anyway).

I would also expect that for every 9-5 with a turbo failure that the sellers are casually not mentioning all the other things that the car could do with such as new breaks, tyres, suspension bushes, failing SID etc.

[sgould]

Well my 9-5 had, new suspension bushes and shock absorbers in the last two years, refurbed wheels and new tyres the week before my turbo went!

[Audax]

Well my 9-5 had, new suspension bushes and shock absorbers in the last two years, refurbed wheels and new tyres the week before my turbo went!

At least you knew it was worthwhile getting the turbo done at that point 

[Norfolk Jim]

I had massive turbo failure several years back on my black 54 reg Aero that Abbotts boosted to 300 hp.

No previous noises or smoke and was driving along quite happily when came up to a slow cue; I knew road well and pulled out and then floored it at about 40 mph. Got past the last car and then bang - clouds of smoke and huge power drop. Managed to coax it for another 3 miles and pulled into laybye (embarrassing when all other traffic went past). Recovery truck arrived and he immediately said sounds like your turbo's f***** . I smiled and said 'no sh*t sherlock...............' as pretty obvious.

Recovered to main dealers and they examined it saying needed turbo, intercooler and various other parts adding up to around £1300. Stuff that so got it taken to my local chap (used to be RAF weapons technician) who looked over it and said 'get me a recon turbo - try these guys'........................they drained what oil was left, cleaned out intercooler fully and fitted recon turbo. Cost then was £400 and car was fine and did another 25k before I sold it still good. They examined old turbo and simply said it looked like metal fatigue on the vanes........................

[ade wilkins]

if you do decide to go the cheap chinese route, i.e. £170 inc delivery, then do not expect the turbo to last more than a year and do not put it on a tuned car. i fitted a 19t from ebay to a car in the past, was absolutely fine under town driving conditions, can't fault it there, but put any amount of power into it and yes, it will cope, for about three months if used aggressivley. they are not the same build quality of a genuine article, hence why they are so damn cheap. imo of course. i am running a chinese core on my 2.2 9-5 and so far it has been brilliant, 25,000 miles in 6 months, no extra smoke, no loss of boost. i think it all depends on what level you are going to use it.