Turbo not spinning at idle
 

My T3 Turbo is not spinning at idle. It has no shaft play though.
But when I rev it to around 1500 rpm it spins, when I release the throttle, it still spins until it stops after 5 seconds or so.
Does anyone know what the problem would be?
Still boosts great though, but starts to boost 1000 rpm later than before

Re: Turbo not spinning at idle
 

how big of a t3 are you runnin? what size motor?

Re: Turbo not spinning at idle
 

Its a T3 60 Trim with a .48 Turbine .60 Compressor
Its a Stock B16a with 9:1 CR pistons

Re: Turbo not spinning at idle
 

sounds like bearings.

Re: Turbo not spinning at idle
 

sounds fine to me

Re: Turbo not spinning at idle
 

new or used turbo?

Re: Turbo not spinning at idle
 

Re: Turbo not spinning at idle
 

its used.
weird thing is, why won't it spin at idle?
it used to.
i get 25psi of oil pressure at idle from the line.
its also hard to turn it when the engine is dead

Re: Turbo not spinning at idle
 

hard to turn as in it contacts the housing?

Re: Turbo not spinning at idle
 

did you check for axial play... this is in and out, not the normal shaft play side to side most people look for, and it could be the bearings if it spun before and now it doesnt... the turbo should always spin a little at idle

Re: Turbo not spinning at idle
 

No Axial Play either :(
Could it be the wastegate stuck open? I'm using a deltagate wastegate and the screw is adjusted to its maximum.

The compressor does not hit the housing, but it still is hard to turn

Re: Turbo not spinning at idle
 

If it doesnt smoke, and it still boosts, keep your foot in it. seriously haha
Its normal for used turbo's to not spin at idle. The t3 in my wagon doesnt spin at idle, but its still and insta-spooler.

Re: Turbo not spinning at idle
 

Just got back from the car.

When the engine is dead, i turn the compressor wheel, it turns, turns for a few seconds, then stops.
When i start the car, any rpm lower than 1500 rpm, the turbo does not spin. I also get a lower vaccum reading when the turbo does not spin.

Can't figure out whats wrong :-[

Re: Turbo not spinning at idle
 

I really dont think anythings wrong with it. If it spins with your finger nice, and then stops, thats fine.

Re: Turbo not spinning at idle
 

I agree with leed. Unless there was a huge difference I wouldn't worry about it.

Re: Turbo not spinning at idle
 

mine was the exact same way. its not like your trying to boost at idle ;)

Re: Turbo not spinning at idle
 

I've noticed only brand new turbos spin at idle.

Re: Turbo not spinning at idle
 

yeh, cause everything is fresh
but a old volvo saab turbo still has some build up in there from 10 -20 years
and at ilde the engine isn't creating enough exhaust pressure on our cars to keep it moving unless you have rough idle at like 2,000 rpms. ( that's how mine was)

Re: Turbo not spinning at idle
 

Hahaha ok, my worries are gone then. It just bogs me to see that i was not spinning at all at idle. When I believe it was before.

Adjustmested my wastegate and still won't spin, but boost went up >:D

Re: Turbo not spinning at idle
 

of course you'd get a vaccumm reading without the turbo spinning..because your basically just n/a until the turbo starts spooling ;)

Re: Turbo not spinning at idle
 

1.it use to spin at idle, now it doesn't.
2. its hard to spin

sounds like something wrong to me.

even my 50 yeard old turbo that burns oil like a mother fucker spins at idle.

Re: Turbo not spinning at idle
 

may be your rings are alittle more worn than they were before and not making as much compression to keep the turbo spinning.

just a thought

Re: Turbo not spinning at idle
 

mine sits still when the motor's cold(thick oil)...when it's getting warmer(thin oil) it spins slowly,common thing i guess

Re: Turbo not spinning at idle
 

what size is your turbo?
i think a old smaller turbo like a ihi or eclipse turbo would probably spin at idle

Re: Turbo not spinning at idle
 

same turbo as him.

Re: Turbo not spinning at idle
 

my t3 didn't spin at idle after the first month
if he's still worried about it. Take it off, clean out the center section, and re-clock the turbo so oil doesn't build up in it( if that is the case)
my $.02 agaiin