300tdi Turbo

[Sausages]

I have a 300tdi and have noticed of late that the joints on the air induction system downstream of the turbo are quite wet. The side of the engine under the turbo has a reasonable amount of oil on it and I am sure this is coming out of the air system.

Possibly linked is I live on a hill and when I start off down it on a cold morning I’m throwing out white smoke out of the exhaust. This isn’t the case on a warmer morning, so haven’t decided if it is a cause for concern yet.  I don’t think the head gasket is leaking water into the engine, haven’t checked injectors at all. It does pull well I have to say. 

I checked the play on the turbo today. There was a good amount of play. I rotated the turbine pressing it to the side and there didn’t seem to be any resistance, although I am sure the operational forces are far higher than I can exert to cause the vanes to contact the casing.

I’m minded to say I need either a recon or new turbo. Any thoughts before I crack on in the new year?

[Snagger]

Yep, you need a new turbo.  Some have had good experiences of online sales of replacement cartridges (the core with both rotors), but I don’t know any vendors to recommend.  I have had bad experiences of turbo rebuilds.  Like all recon sectors, most businesses focus on the con and ignore the re.  Turbo Technics in Northampton are good.

The white emissions sound like condensation in the exhaust, normal on any vehicle.

[smallfry]

Check the breather system too. Could cause some crankcase pressure, and that will not help.

[Sausages]

Thanks. My experiences of recon units of any sort are not brilliant. 
i am happy with the breather system. Fitted an Alisport cyclone a few years back as was fed up of the old one leaking. There are no leaks from the breather system and I removed it out of the air intake yesterday with no noticeable oil splatter or air pressure from it. 

Edited December 27, 2022 by Sausages

[stevebus]

Hello fella, try these people, I've had 3 turbo's done by them now,  one was for a 19j that had a cracked casting, God only knows how they sorted it but they did, it worked, not that you could really feel how the turbo benefited the old engine, second for a 200 and third for an old Hitachi 13 ton excavator that's still digging holes with no problems now.

AET turbo's in Wakefield, they ain't cheap by a long way, but you know when someone gives a toss about what they are doing and this lot did, even ringing me to tell me progress reports, I'll get my head out of their backsides now, but give them a try, 01924 894171,  hope this helps

[Peaklander]

I replaced my 300TDi turbo with an exchange unit from AET in Normanton, Yorkshire. You request and pay for a 'new' one and after delivery / fitting you send them the old one within a long time window, otherwise suffer a surcharge.

I have also had a VNT unit checked and rebalanced at a local place in Sheffield as an economy job and that has run well for a couple of years so far.

EDIT: @stevebus has beaten me to it!

[defender 90 1987]

Have you got it sorted @Sausages