My car developed a little "rattle" at Donington last weekend. Mellow heard it and though it sounded like a heatshield come loose, which it did.

However I have had it looked at by an independant garage and they believe it to be the turbo bearing. The noise being the blades rattling on the side of the housing.

I am taking it to a Subaru dealer tomorrow.

If it needs rebuilding or replacing how much is this likely to cost?

Has anyone any experience of this?

And the final pi$$er, I looks unlikely I will be able to come to the Nurburgring if this is the case.

Thanks in advance.

 

Turbos £500-£1500 depending on make is a generalisation for replacement cost + labour on top...

 

I presume it is not under warranty (was it an import?) as you are asking how much to fix?

Where are you going, Westaways?

Steve

 

Yep warranty has expired.

Westaways 10am tomorrow.

 

sorry to hear that Dave, hope it's better news for you tomorrow mate !

 

Good excuse to buy a bigger turbo? If not you can get second hand TD04L's very cheaply. Be careful over buying used VF turbos from breakers - you just don't know what condition they are in.

 

I dont know if its any help, Turbo Technics and others advertise in the 'Jap' mags...next day pick up or something like that.

Re-builds and exchange I believe.

Good luck.

 

Davy

Go for it - get the turbo uprated at the same time as replacing/repairing it. Being in Northampton you have a "well known" local supplier in Turbo Technics - talk to them about hybrid options.

Duncan

PS Take John's advice about buying "used" turbos, you may be lucky, but you may not ...

 

A hybrid turbo isn't much more than a standard unit and will probably be cheaper than a dealer supplied one.

 

Do I just take my car down their?

I dont really want to pay my local dealer 50 quid to tell me I need to spend 1000 quid.

Dave, presently gutted drinking stella

 

Davyboy, I'm confused

Don't you have a white fugly? If so, isn't it still under warranty? Or is it a Dutch import with only 1 year that you haven't extended (I didn't either...)?

 

Yep, theirs me thinking Subarus are reliable and would not get such a suprise.

You live and learn. Still I guess not going to the ring will save me most of the money, but I was really looking forward to that.

I am just gutted.

 

I had mine reconditioned and rebalanced at 60K miles, before it blew up (it was starting to make a whining noise - well actually had been for about 12 months).
It cost me £650+VAT+labour (£150) at Power Engineering.
Car is STI4.
Goes like a train since, must have been getting out of balance for a while.

 

Surely if it was the turbo then the rattling would be proportional to the speed the turbo was spinning? Unlike the heat shield which would be proportional to the speed the car is going?

Does the noise increase when you hear the turbo spin up? Is the noise present on a high-ish speed, but off-boost, cruise?

 

You can only really hear it when you have come off the loud peddle. It does sound like a rattle, but I am fairly sure that is what it is.

...I just smilled my little girl just said she saw a car with a dumper valve......bless

 

BTT

 

davyboy:
When my turbo was 'going bad' it was easy to tell.
If you turn the ignition off can you hear the rotor blades spinning down?
If you can then you have a damaged blade or bearing problem.

If you can't it's unlikely you have a problem and I'd look deeper into the heatshields issues.

 

Don't know if it's any help but I have been having a rattle for the last month or so. Go it looked at on 75k mile service and was told the heatshields were dying. Everytime I back off or between changing up, when I lift they rattle. It does sound like it's coming from the front under the bonnet somewhere as well.
Jst saying don't panic yet.

Steve

 

Just returned from dealer.

Said it was he wastegate bit connected to the turbo. Says it needs the 'c' clip removing and a little bit of wd40 spraying in the morining when its cold.

Total cost £11.75, so far so good.

 

Glad to hear it. If it does turn out to be the turbo, I would have a look at Midland Impreza's website as they have used turbos on there for not much £.

Steve

 

Have just had a thought. I have just had the car serviced and they didn't put the windscreen washer bottle lid back on. It's nearly empty, so would this have effected it in anyway? Just trying to think of anything right now??

[Edited by davyboy - 7/13/2002 9:20:17 AM]