When a turbo goes bad...
 

Is there a good way to tell? I just put a T3 on my Jeep Wrangler a few days ago. It was making decent boost. About 5 psi at part throttle. I have never floored it because I am waiting on a wideband. Out of nowhere, the turbo is making zero boost. There are no leaks or smoke, and no boost. I checked the discharge piping and the BOV. Is this common when a turbo is junk, or could an internal engine problem cause a no boost situation. The engine seems to run normally.
I do still hear some spooling from the turbo, but nothing like when I first installed it. The turbo was also bought used on Ebay. I found the previous owner used a regular AN fitting on the oil feed with no restrictor.

Thanks,
Rob

Re: When a turbo goes bad...
 

Run the jeep until the turbo gets hot. Shot it off. Take off the filter and spin the wheel,

Report back.

Re: When a turbo goes bad...
 

I will warm it up tomorrow morning and check. I just spun it by hand while it is cold. The impellar spins freely, but I can feel it hanging up a little bit then spinning free again.

Re: When a turbo goes bad...
 

Your going to get expansion when it heats. If its hanging up there could be some particles in or around the bearing. Is this a journal bearing turbo? If there are metal particales around the bearing it can cause the turbo to lock up due to low oil flow around the bearings. I had a turbo with that exact problem. New bearings, sonic cleaning, and it was good to go.

Re: When a turbo goes bad...
 

This is the turbo I have. You might notice where the cheap Ebay oil feed line has a small kink right at the turbo. I wonder if I starved it and screwed the bearings up.
Could oil build-up in the compressor cause something like this? I have a line going from the valve cover right to the turbo inlet. I should put a seperator in the line I guess.
Attachment 19884

Re: When a turbo goes bad...
 

I doubt it. A running engine's pressure would probably squirt enough oil through that kink to keep the turbo alive, I'd imagine.

Re: When a turbo goes bad...
 

So even if an engine is in sad shape, the turbo should still make boost?

Re: When a turbo goes bad...
 

does your wastegate work correctly?! if it is open you will not produce boost...chek this before rebuilt....

Re: When a turbo goes bad...
 

I checked the wastegate. It is in the closed position.

Re: When a turbo goes bad...
 

see if it has shaft play. IF it doesnt have any id check for boost or exhaust leaks