quick question on turbo removal w/PICTURE

[andre1038]

Hi guys so im in the process of switching my turbos and all the oil/coolant lines as well, so everything is going all smooth until i reach the damn 4 nuts that bolt the turbo to the manifold. (i was like ) everything was cakewalk until this point. As of right now im stuck. I mean the threads dont look so rusty at all (so im guessing since they have been there awhile they will not come out easy)

I sprayed pb blaster on all the nuts and will let it sit over night.

My question what did you guys use to remove those bolts

I already tried a 13 mm open wrench but nope does not budge at all. (plus that stupid metal tab that is in the way doesnt help either, do we even need that when i install new turbos?)

So im asking do i need to use like a crows foot to take these suckers out or something else (sorry for the noob question just bumped into a minor roadblock

(I know this might be considered technical if its moved i would understand)



As you can see sprayed pb blaster on the studs to see if it helps

New turbos waiting to be installed

[BlackWidowZ]

Assuming your turning them the right way and soaking in pb blaster I would try a longer handle ratchet to give more leverage. If you know what you are doing with a torch I would try getting them hot. Then try to turn them while hot. If you can't fit a ratchet I would use a very long wrench but not the open ended side and a ruber mallet.

[andre1038]

yea i would of done a ratchet but no room for a ratchet and there is no room for the closed end of the wrench. you can only fit the open end in there or possibly use a crows foot with the ratchet (which is something i would have to get)

heating it would be my last option lol i dont use heat unless there is no other way.

just waiting for someone who has changed their turbos to chime in cause i know im not the only one to encounter this lol

[BlackWidowZ]

Try torch to heat up the nut.

[andre1038]

gonna have to if nothing else works. Im gonna see what happens after letting the pb soak in over night

[BlackWidowZ]

300zx-passenger-turbo-removal-write-up-t540196.html

[BlackWidowZ]

Just wanted to add that metal plate, could be locking the nuts preventing you from turning them. Pretty sure that plate is to lock the nuts. You need to bend it out of there. Try bending it back better.

[andre1038]

yea that metal plate is such a fail lol why did they do that and do we need it again for install?

Im gonna mess with it first thing in the morning.

[skywhine]

Yea you need to pry back the nut retainer. All nissan turbos use these to keep the nuts from backng off. I use a small flat blade screw driver and a hammer. You need to really bend it out of the way, almost flat. Kinda hard to explain, if i were there id show you. But you can see in the picture they're not bent out of the way at all. And if your carefull they are re useable. Be sure to re install these or the nuts WILL come loose and the gasket will blow out, and then you have no boost presure. Once those are bent out of the way, a simple wrench will do the trick. Maybe use a hammer on the wrench too, but a torch is un nececarry. I just took the turbos off my stock 1994 with 120k. Car sat a good portion of its life, and t was relatively easy to break loose the nuts. Since you cant fit a ratchet in their, youve got to imagine nissan used a small wrench to install the nuts, therefore they aren't that tight from the factory, hence the lock plates.

[Z-owned]

2nd on needing to bend the tabs completely out of the way. I used a little pole that the 13mm could fit inside to get some leverage when removing mine.

[BigTDogg (MA)]

There are thin walled closed end wrenches you can usually get from Sears or even a generic home improvement store. That with a mallet will move them easily.

You definitely want the retaining plates when you reinstall as well. Otherwise you'll be dealing with a VERY difficult exhaust leak in the future.

[bartZ32tt]

Shouldn't need anything more than a simple wrench. 16-pt risks stripping more but also allows for less clearance to loosen the nut. I just held the wrench with one hand and gave one good smack to the end with a mallet but you can also use another wrench on the end for more leverage. Hitting it was just quicker/easier and mine came out no problem at all.

As others have said, due to the high temperature fluxuations caused by the turbo heat, the surrounding metals expand/contract as it heats/cools. This causes the nuts to slowly back out over time. Those locking metal retainers are absolutely crucial to preventing this, unless you replace those nuts with some other type of locking nut but be sure to do plenty of research before switching - not all locking nuts are up to the task.

[andre1038]

thanks guys for the help well first thing in the morning the bolts came off. i fabricated a small hand held pipe for more leverage plus with a different kind of wrench with the pb blaster sitting over night bam the bolts came off

I forgot to mention only on that outer one in the pic was the difficult one. Next morning i picked up my set of wrenches (that were slightly thinner from my toolbox at my job) and it worked like a charm thanks Big T. that outside one in the picture was the only difficult one but once i got the right set up it was easy.

O also one of them u can you use a socket with a long extension to loosen and use the wrench on the remaining three
And thanks for the reminder about keeping the retainer clips will reinstall them