Turbo Repair Or Recon?

[ravdav4]

OwDoo

2001 D4D 2.0

diagnosed a turbo on the way out.

This is the one i replaced 2 years ago with a recon unit which appears to have failed.

Was never happy with the one i got as I thought it was noisy.

Anyway its goosed.

My question has anyone ever used a turbo repair kit and are they any good. Seen one with new vanes included but not sure if its worth the money as I will have to use existing casing etc which is already a recon.

Have also come across these

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MELETT-TURBO-CHRA-TURBOCHARGER-TOYOTA-RAV4-2-0-D-4D-BEST-QUALITY-NOT-CHINESE-/261209434189?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item3cd14ba84d

Seems they are a drop in cartridge by MELETT based in UK althought these are in Poland?????

Any advice would be great.

[Migworks]

Watching this with interest as my 02 D4d is in the same boat! Although my turbo has hot to 125k miles on factory unit! Chatter at 2800 revs and now howl when lightly accelerating 😒

[stuck in Scotland]

How long does it take to change one as mine has blown too. Happy Christmas lol!!

[TomdeGuerre]

Interesting subject, I had a look at that company and they seem to be OK, their facility looks good and they have CNC and CMM equipment, they’re ISO registered and they seem to have a focus on the necessary paperwork.

I’d be inclined to have a go at it if it was me but wouldn’t underestimate the work involved. Looking at the video How to Repair a Turbo” which follows the Melett one it shows a completely unrealistic scenario of a spotless turbo being stripped. They also re-assemble it without doing dynamic balance which would be a disaster with something that’s going to spin at 250,000 rpm or higher. I see Melett provide a copy of the final turbine dynamic balance date sheet with each unit.

Your old turbo will be filthy and absolute cleanliness is essential so unless you have the appropriate tools and cleaning equipment as well as being methodical and meticulous in your working practices then I’d say don’t waste your money. Other things to take into consideration would be cleaning out the engine oil feed to the turbo and also cleaning out the intercooler if it has accumulated oil.

I’d also question Melett’s “no quibble guarantee” given the amount of screw ups you could get with inexperienced owners being set loose on a precision engineered component like a turbo.