Turbo gone?

[paddysaab]

Today I pulled up at traffic lights and a big cloud of smoke passed me by. Probably the turbo, I think. Parked up and got a tow. Will go and collect it tomorrow.
Is it a job I can do myself? Do I try a second-hand turbo? Can I just buy a service pack and do a home repair?.....................And the biggest question of all.......is it worth doing?
Currently weighing up all the negatives.......gearbox questionable, engine mounts wobbly, ACC acting up
And the positives..........it is still a great car 

[Max Headroom]

Is it worth doing?

You said so yourself:

And the positives..........it is still a great car 

Sorry to hear you have had this trouble.
I'm not really qualified to answer your question fully, but I gather that a s/h turbo will not give complete peace-of-mind, and that the best option is go for new original every time.

[phoenix]

It might be the turbo but it could also be a headgasket. From a DIY point of view the turbo is much easier but the headgasket cheaper. Checking the coolant tank should give you a good indication- if it's normal level and no oily deposits odds are it's not the h/g. To check the turbo you need to drop off the downpipe at the turbo and check for oil/play

You can buy s/h turbos from breakers- try www. partsgateway.co.uk for some quotes, which will probably come with 3 months warranty. Personally I am a little skeptical of the repair kits; the turbo spins at very high rates and tolerances are critical. Moreover, if yours has failed catastrophically, there is likely to be some shaft damage so one of the kits wouldn't be suitable.

Professional turbo refurbishment is normally around £200-£250.

[paddysaab]

Stupid question time!
Is it possible to take the gubbins out of the turbo and re-assemble the housing thus enabling the car to be driven but with no power?

[phoenix]

With great difficulty. The problem is that you have oil flowing into the turbo bearings and if, as it appears, it has failed then the smoke is due to the oil seeping past the bearings/seals. If you remove the shaft then there is nothing at all to stop the oil flowing direct into the turbine casing. You'll lose half your oil in around 2 miles!

[paddysaab]

Ah well, it was just a thought.
Looking at a '97 2.3 griffen with 72K on the clock. Some complications though. Hopefully it will work out.