I have the turbo off of the car for a head gasket job. Who puts out the best turbo rebuild kit? As in... seals and bearings...

I figure I’ll do a home rebuild w/o balancing, then if it blows I’ll switch to my spare turbo

I used the kit from that source for Mercedes parts. So far it's looking like a local turbo shop could have professionally rebuilt it for not much more than the cost of the rebuild kit. I would definitely recommend checking what a local turbo shop would charge for a rebuild before buying a rebuild kit. They should be able to do T3/T4's in their sleep.

Keep in mind that "if it blows," your turbo may send metal bits through your engine. I hope you have a spare engine in addition to your spare turbo.

__________________
617 swapped Toyota Pickup, 22-24 MPG, 50k miles on swap

People have been using kits from various sources likely made in China kits that have had no particular issues that I can remember.

However, the best kit would be one made by the turbocharger maker and that would be Garrett (air research) or KKK.

I would not order the kit till you have looked inside your Turbo first. You need to determine also if there is oversized/undersized bearing in the Trubo.

The various forms of Garrett T3/T4's are used on US Cars and things like forklifts and loaders so parts are common and Auto Speed Shops could also be a source of parts.

__________________
84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Note that since 2007 I have not read of anyone Turbo exploding.

When I worked in a Fuel Injection Shop that did other things including rebuilding Turbochargers it is on Trucks of other equipment that spends a lot of time at or near full load that the Compressor Wheel can fatigue and crack.

However, the more normal issue is wear where the area that takes up the thrust is so worn the Compressor Wheel make contact with the Compressor Housing. Occasionally it is from stuff getting into the Intake.

Most common is the Engine looses a valve and a piece goes into the Exhaust side of the Turbo. That shocks the shaft and can cause the Compressor wheel to suddenly hit the housing and it comes apart.

And that stuff frequently happens at or near full load.

Another one is that most of the Truck Turbos in the past that have seen have rubber Sleeve connections between the intake and the Turbo. Under load when the system is under pressure if the rubber sleeve gives out the Turbo suddenly over speeds.

When we sent the Turbo back we provided a new sleeve so we would not get stuck with a warranty from a sleeve failure (ya they are not going to tell you the turbo failed because of a ruptured sleeve/hose).

__________________
84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Diesel911, do you have any input on turbo balancing? The shop I took mine to for bearing bore hone + oversized bearings says that balancing each piece independently won't work, they'll be off when assembled, and balancing as an assembly is the only way to get it right.

Right now I'm inclined to have them balance my rotating assembly, even though the parts are new.

__________________
617 swapped Toyota Pickup, 22-24 MPG, 50k miles on swap

I did my first one using mecydeessource kit, I bought the new up graded impeller and his tools package, some of the tools were very handy, the picks were useless and obviously he's never tested them to see if they'd work .

Some place called "pop shop" or similar sells U.S.A. mad Garret T3 overhaul kits for far less $, maybe next time I'll try them .

The main thing is : YOU CAN DO THIS ! .

It's not really difficult .

Read up on it and print out all the instruction sheets, it really helped my power .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Yes, G pop shop also sells T3 kits.

Couldn’t figure out which one to buy though.

However, regarding balancing.....Supposedly the guts are independently balanced, so balancing the entire assembly isn’t necessary. Is this true?

On Turbos like the T-3 if they were not already marked you marked the compressor wheel and the shaft end so they could be lined up on assembly. Then when the Turbo was apart you inspected to see if there was any metal missing from the Compressor or turbine wheel.
If there was metal missing you had a decision to make about the balancing.

They can be balanced as an assembly or as individual units.

If they are balanced individually you don't need to worry about how they are located. If they are balanced as an assembly. (turbine wheel, Compressor wheel and the nut then the Compressor which is removed during assembly has to be lined up to the match marks during assembly.)

My guess is that now a days when the turbo was assembled the turbine and the Compressor wheel were balanced separately. If you don't see any match marks on it from the factory then then they were likely balanced separately.

__________________
84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Ask the seller what info you need to get to identify your Turbo. There is a plate on the aluminum back of the compressor housing but it is hard to see sometimes.

__________________
84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Using a new turbine, shaft, and impeller. They're supposed to be individually neutrally balanced and able to be assembled in any orientation. Sounds like toss it together and get on the road is the best course of action.

Thanks folks.

__________________
617 swapped Toyota Pickup, 22-24 MPG, 50k miles on swap