Oil seal blown on turbo???

[S13240]

I just bought a used t25 and it seems like the rear oil seal on the turbo is blown or leaking because I noticed on the exhaust turbine wheel is covered in oil residue and the whole exhaust housing side is covered in black carbon like how a foul spark plug look like. The inlet compressor spins sorta freely and the exhaust outlet compressor spins not so smooth like it's hitting bumps or something. Any opinions if it has a blown oil seal or not without installing it...don't want to install the turbo and find out it's blowing smoke all over the place and then take it back off and wait for a new turbo as this is my daily driver. My current turbo is seized.

[nzmoman]

chances are you got a bad turbo. Didnt we talk about getting you one before? All you can do is get another one and install it. The one I have I know is good because it spins freely and has no leaks and no blade damage. Also and most important thing is that I know the car it came from and I know that car did not smoke and ran 9psi, and I was there when it was pulled for an upgrade.

If you cant wait then you may want to start calling some local shops to find out if they have anyone looking for upgrades and then give them your number. If someone is upgrading maybe you can see the car running with the turbo you are going to buy already installed and then you get one and you are certain. cause that is really the only way to know. even rebuilt turbos are shady deals most of the time. Good Luck on that though cause it takes time, but you will have piece of mind

[S13240]

No I don't think we ever discussed about getting myself one.

Other than that I would thought it looked pretty bad as well. Gonna discuss it with the seller.

[ILikeMy240sx]

Yup... sounds like a bad turbo to me...

My old T25 did the same thing... I could hear something scratchy when I turned the turbine wheel. and had lots of shaft play along with blowing smoke out the back like a fog machine.

[nzmoman]

sorry i just confused you with someone else. Good Luck finding that turbo. BEWARE of rebuilds and Ebay

[S13240]

Thanks guys!