help, problem with turbo when car is running

[beerson]

me and a friend just boosted his prelude and when the car is running, the turbo won't spin at idle or if he revs it a little but spins freely when the car is off. I disconnected the oil line and started the car for a few seconds and is spun freely just like it's supposed to. We've changed out the fittings for the oil supply to a smaller diameter to limit the oil but still nothing...anyone ever experienced this? Nothing wrong with the turbo, it's a freshly rebuilt garrett t3. What could cause that? When the car is running, it's like the shaft is stuck

[480sx]

Why are you so convinced that theres nothing wrong with the turbo? It sounds like theres everything wrong with the turbo to me. Are you running a -3 an line to the turbo? Who rebuilt it?

[beerson]

well i'm not convinced that the turbo is fine, but it just seemed weird to me that it's supposedly rebuilt and has no shaft play and something like this is going on. No reason to jump at me, just telling you the symptoms. Shaft barely turns when at idle but spools when he gives it gas. The shaft is very stiff and hard to turn by hand when at idle too. However, we take off the oil supply line and the turbo spins freely at idle and spools fine when you give it throttle. We only did that for a few seconds. My friend drove it up the street and it boosted just fine. I don't know who rebuilt it because my friend bought it online advertised as freshly rebuilt and it does seem like it is. I suppose something was obviously done wrong when rebuilding it? Who the hell knows...i never had any of those symptoms with the turbos on my cars.

[NateDogg]

Maybe check the drain line..?

[480sx]

I wasnt jumping on you just asking you questions that might help me answer your question.

It sounds like you friend got a home rebuilt turbo and the person who rebuilt it screwed up. Sounds like it could be a warped turbine shaft, thats the most common thing that happens when people DIY a turbo rebuild.

[WDRacing]

Actually the most common thing is messing up the compressor blades...lol. Ok, maybe that was just me

Turbo doesn't spin when the oil line is hooked up, but spins fine when it's NOT hooked up? Just wow...is the line or fitting somehow making contact with the shaft?

WD

[Logan76]

did you take off the drain line and check the flow of oil through the turbo?