So my 240 KA-T truck sometimes smokes a bit just after startup. I was hoping it was the turbo leaking some seals and not valves or anything.
The turbo is a custom kit built by me like 16 years ago or something... its been around a while. It utilizes subaru turbos and flanges, because those were cheap and plentiful at the time. Its a top-mount system that puts the exhaust uncomfortably close to the brake master cylinder.
I used to run a reverse wastegate actuator (mounted to the downpipe) and custom wastegate bracket, but gave that up eventually and just cut a hole in my hood to clear the actuator in its traditional mounting position. I blew a couple of those higher-class turbos a while back and decided to say screw it and get a china-charger off Amazon for $188 shipped. Its a td05 variant and fit the car very well (previous turbos were td06 and didn't spool til later... not what you want in a truck).
Anyway, it was pretty awesome until one day I was backing out of my shop and caught the exhaust flange on the edge of my driveway (like a curb), which stopped the car completely... that's a lot of energy going through the exhaust system.
It ended up bending some things which then lead to some exhaust leaks at just about every joint (downpipe to turbo, turbo to manifold, manifold to head), which I fixed to some extent but never completely.
On top of that, the wastegate for the turbo finally gave up the goose so I had to adopt another one to this turbo, which lead to some other issues (wastegate stuck open after full throttle events, etc). Needless to say, it was time for a change.
I have a GT2860RS from my miata which will be small for this engine, but for what I use it for (truck stuff), the low end power will be welcome. A friend turned me on to the Tomei Expreme manifold and other turbo system components that utilizes T2 turbos and other hardware from SR20s... so I can bolt it up to a KA, use my miata turbo, and use SR20 downpipes and stuff to guarantee fitment. As a bonus, its a bottom-mount setup that gets the turbo and heat away from the brakes. The downside is I'll need all new coolant lines, oil line, downpipe, and have to change up my hot side intercooler piping.
So, first step was pull the intake tube and filter off. Saw some oil schmutz in there which is either from an over-oiled filter or turbo seals leaking. I don't have the PCV routing back to the intake on this vehicle, so its not oil from that.
Next, pulled the coolant lines and oil supply line. The drain line was a pain to get off and I ended up busting a knuckle when I was under the car doing pull-ups to get it off
After that, popped the wastegate actuator arm off the waste gate and pulled the center section and compressor housing
via the V-band to the turbine housing to gain more access to manifold bolts and downpipe nuts(sidebar - I love V-bands).
Make believe that's still mounted to the engine
You can see where the manifold is cracked where the turbo mounts to it.
Anyway, the downpipe bolts were easily accessible from the top at this point and they came right off.
There's your leak right there...
From there its a straight shot to remove the rest... its just kinda heavy when you have a sore back haha.
Still need to pull the O2 sensor out of the turbine outlet. Somehow my socket doesn't fit it... but I know I put it in there somehow in the past
Anyway, that's all for now. I already have the new manifold wrapped and turbo mounted with Tomei Expreme turbine outlet. It'll go in tomorrow and I'll cut my exhaust system to accept the ISR downpipe. I'll need to weld a flange to my piping too.