Hi, I have rebuilt and upgraded my 7.3 GTP 38 turbo.
I received directions with the 360 bearing kit but it begins with the back half of a turbo. I found a video on you tube and did not trust it when I saw the guy with a framing hammer working on the turbo. I also noticed the orientation of the thrust bearing needed a little attention so here goes.
I can only attach one thumbnail so I will be making consecutive posts with pictures and explanations so please refrain from replying till I note on post the conclusion.
I hope this helps one with a rebuild.
I began be dissembling turbo by removing cover housing then the compressor wheel.
The exhaust turbine wheel may be held with vise grips on hub and then just loosen and remove wheel.
Next remove cover. Inspect the cover and housing on the inside bottom and else where for extensive damage from cavitation. This is cover has some erosion. This can easily be buffed out with Emory paper.
Once you have remove housing,wheel and cover plate and EBV outlet tap shaft Softly and Straight out.
Once the shaft and it bearings and spacer are removed wire brush rust off of center section.
Next the exhaust side seal grove in housing needs to be cleaned.
The seal is like a miniature piston ring that is on shaft and rides in a groove in center support. Be careful using any type of tools in that groove as you don't want to mar the groove.
This is the grove. I used Stihl decarbonizer to clean the groove of carbon.
One the housing has had the rust removed and seal groove cleaned out take the larger of the two seals out of kit and install on exhaust turbine end.
They are just like a piston ring they will expand a little but are brittle and will snap.
You may want to use fingers or you may want to use ring expanding pliers.
Leave the shaft aside.
Revolve rust from turbine housing and chase all treads with tap 8mmx1.25 to ensure all bolts are threading in freely and capable of yielding a true torque spec.
Next check the mating surfaces on housing and EBV outlet you just cleaned with a straight edge for flatness.
Now go back to shaft that hopefully you had balanced along with the wheel.
Install bearing spacer and then second bearing.
These items should be dipped in assembly lube, Lucas or oil.
Take the heat shield cup and place it on exhaust side of center support.
Take your shaft with the seal, bearing, spacer and second bearing and insert it into center carrier slowly and carefully till it stops. Once it stops slowly and gently rock a little with downward pressure. The center housing entrance is chamfered so it will compress ring seal as it goes in. It will give you a click feeling when it goes in and seats, if not you probably still have carbon in grove.
Once it is seated and all is well you should see bearing on the compressor side of center support.
Back to turbine housing.
This turbos waste gate showed signs of leakage.
I used a Dremel tool with a wide grinding stone on its end to decarbonize and smooth the seat.
Here I have lapped the waste gave valve with valve lapping compound to give a nice uniform tight seal.
I used needle nose vise grips to twist valve stem.
Wipe off compound and wash away residue with Brakekleen.
Now mount the exhaust turbine housing to center support.
Use antiseize and torque to 17 foot pounds.
Here is a tip for bolts down in recess.
Place a piece of paper over bolt and push socket on. This will keep it from dropping out of socket.
After housing is on install EBV outlet, torque to 17 foot pounds.
Now take the compressor housing cover plate and flip it over so it is ready to receive the collar and thrust bearing.
Take the small remaining seal in the kit and install on collar.
Rock it into the housing the same way as the first bearing.
The thrust bearing lubed in the correct orientation for a 99 to 03.
Next place little collar into center.
These items should be dipped in thick lube to hold items in place.
Place the cross shaped oring in groove with oil.
Place the smaller collar pictured with larger collar. Insert the smaller collar into ring into center.
Here the screw driver is pointing to it.
After carefully placing cover plate onto center support. Don't let those items fall out of cover when installing to center section. Torque to 17 ft. Lbs.
Thanks so much Nick , that's a great write up and so informative , i will print this out when you have finished so i can rebuild my spare Garrett turbo for when my unbalanced turbo chucks it in :lol: and Ill have a replacement already done . No I'm serious:icon_wink:
Great photos as well it must take a lot of time to assemble these parts and document in the process , so thank you.:thumbsup:
Now install the compressor wheel to 120 inch pounds.
If you had assembly balanced snug and tighten wheel till the witness marks made by shop on shaft and wheel align.
Next place cover on and torque to 17 ft lbs.
Are you saying torque to 120 inch pounds and then snug further to align witness marks? Also, how do you ensure that the centrifugal force of the turbo under operating conditions won't change the position of the witness marks as it torques itself down further?
Now your turbo is ready to install the actuator.
They need to be preloaded with tension or you will have waste gate flutter.
Some do 6 wraps of turn buckle and then pull on it with vise grips to get end onto post.
You can hook up compressed air to the actuator and watch gauge as the gate lever starts to move and adjust accordingly.
Take your time.
Good luck
Nick
All that work balancing, and then you go and slather a glob of green paint on one of the blades. Tsk Tsk.
VERY NICE WRITE UP. In 15 years of reading this forum, I've never seen as detailed of a write up on the bearing and CHRA internals as you have so excellently photographed and explained.
Nice work, Nick. Your thread has been nominated to go in the FAQ subforum, so that's where it's going. I'll leave a redirect for about a month, which will still show up here.
Thank you both very much. I am flattered to receive such praise from two members of such a high caliber as the two of you and on the arguably best Powerstroke forum in the world.
Thank you again
Nick
Oh yeah and NYB the painted witness marks you saw were placed there by Arundel Diesel.
They assemble,torque and balance the assembly. Once the computer says it a go they put witness marks on it so everything ends up in the same spot after you disassemble it and reassemble it in the rebuild process.
Really NYB ? You know I would have blown an eyelash or dust of that.lol.
Of course you knew I was teasing you about the greem paint. I think you should have posted that pic in answer to the question about how the balance is restored on reassembly. But perhaps your turbo was baking in your kitchen at that time.
Looks like you've started a trend... "Nick's Crispy Compressor Cookbook"
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