Urgent! - Turbo Help Required.

[MiltyG565]

The turbo in my old '99 tddi is about to give up. It's throwing oil all around the place, and the exhaust is now quite smokey. Obviously, I don't want to drive it until it blows up completely, so I want to replace it. Here is the problem though - how can I be sure to get the right part? Is there a database that will tell me exactly which variant of the turbo/exhaust manifold I need? I know they were used in a few engines, so I don't want to spend £80 on a used turbo, then find that it's not compatible with my engine.

TL;DR - Help me find the exact turbo.

Thanks.

[MiltyG565]

76 views and not a single soul on this forum has any advice to offer? Honestly?

[bry0586]

have you tried eurocarparts? if they had it in stock you as in spec etc you could then possible go searching for that specific turbo.

[MiltyG565]

have you tried eurocarparts? if they had it in stock you as in spec etc you could then possible go searching for that specific turbo.

Cheers, I'll check it out later :)

[STEADS]

Can you see the part number on the turbo so you could match it up that way and I,d beware of buying a second hand one off the likes of eBay .

[MiltyG565]

Can you see the part number on the turbo so you could match it up that way and I,d beware of buying a second hand one off the likes of eBay .

Nope - The turbo is in a really inconvenient place on the old TDDIs. It's at the back, but the inlet manifold is above the outlet manifold, and the turbo is cast onto the outlet manifold. It's hard to even see the turbo from beneath.

[zeglover]

76 views and not a single soul on this forum has any advice to offer? Honestly?

I don't know the answer

[alz]

Hi, I have done this, on 99 & 02 tddi focus, and used second hand parts, just check for play in the turbo be for you buy it, to do the job you will need to take of intercooler, air filter box, inlet manifold, exhaust manifold, 4 nuts or bolts holding on the cat to exhaust manifold, 1 bolt at the bottom of the cat, 2 8mm bolts for the oil line to the turbo, then using new gaskets, and the small gasket for the turbo oil line, replace exhaust and inlet manifolds first with new gaskets, then the turbo oil line with the new gasket, refit the cat no gasket needed, air filter box and intercooler, and refit all pipes and wiring plugs, it is also best to do an oil change.

hope this is helps you

e-bay.co.uk Number 121411899279 is the one that you will most likely need.

[MiltyG565]

Hi, I have done this, on 99 & 02 tddi focus, and used second hand parts, just check for play in the turbo be for you buy it, to do the job you will need to take of intercooler, air filter box, inlet manifold, exhaust manifold, 4 nuts or bolts holding on the cat to exhaust manifold, 1 bolt at the bottom of the cat, 2 8mm bolts for the oil line to the turbo, then using new gaskets, and the small gasket for the turbo oil line, replace exhaust and inlet manifolds first with new gaskets, then the turbo oil line with the new gasket, refit the cat no gasket needed, air filter box and intercooler, and refit all pipes and wiring plugs, it is also best to do an oil change.

hope this is helps you

e-bay.co.uk Number 121411899279 is the one that you will most likely need.

Hey thanks! Glad to find somebody who's been through it before :)

I've looked on Euro-parts (is that what it's called?), and a new garrett turbo+manifold is £650-£700. To be honest, I don't have that money, because if I did, I wouldn't be driving a £400 Focus, I'd be driving a £650-£700 one :D

How can I assure the quality of a turbo when bought online? Obviously mileage is a factor. But I live in Northern Ireland, so I can't very well go and personally check out many of the ads before buying.

Cheers for your (incredibly helpful) reply :)

[gwengo]

I may have missed the point here, but if you aren't driving it, then I would rip out the old one. You can then compare it to parts from the scrappy or pictures online. thats if there isn't a part number on it. I have a feeling my turbo may be on its way out soon, but I'm just gonna run my car for as long as it takes until it gets too expensive to run. I have an 02 1.8 TDCi thats done 135k.

[MiltyG565]

I may have missed the point here, but if you aren't driving it, then I would rip out the old one. You can then compare it to parts from the scrappy or pictures online. thats if there isn't a part number on it. I have a feeling my turbo may be on its way out soon, but I'm just gonna run my car for as long as it takes until it gets too expensive to run. I have an 02 1.8 TDCi thats done 135k.

I am driving it. It's my only car. Since I live in the countryside, it's kind of important that it's not out of action for too long :D

I topped up my oil a few weeks ago, and checking it last night, it had used about half a litre of oil in less than 1000 miles. The vast majority of this oil was lost to the turbo (as evidenced by the intercooler pipes and the amount of oil they are leaking around the engine bay).

However, having suffered 160,000 miles, I don't think it has done too badly. The only problem is the cost and hassle of actually fixing/replacing it!

The 1.8 TDCI is similar to the old 1.8 TDDI. I'm not sure exactly in what way they differ (although at a guess, I'd say the TDCI is electronically controlled, whilst the TDDI was an old analogue). 135,000 doesn't sound like much for a turbo... Although Ford's do seem to throw the turbo comparably early. My mum's Ford Galaxy (which is basically just a VW, including the VW 1.9 TDI) has done over 210,000 miles now, and shows very little signs of anything giving up, really.

You do understand what happens if you keep driving until the turbo blows up, right?

[alz]

Hi, Milton there is a test you can do, just to make sure that its your that is going, it will only take you about 30 minutes, take off the pipe from the air filter going down to the turbo, the bottom clip is a push fit type it don't remove it from the pipe just lift the clip a small screwdriver will help, with the pipe out of the way you can get to the turbo, using your finger on the small nut see if you have up - down / side to side movement, if you have movement then a replacement one is needed.

if you buy one off e-bay, ask seller if there is any play. or if there are any car breakers in your area see them.

the e-bay number that I sent you in my last post is a good starting point!

Alan

[gwengo]

That's a good bit of advice Alan. I might just have a go at that myself as I'm not 100% that my turbo is going as I've had no loss of oil as Milton has had.

Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC mobile app

[MiltyG565]

Alan;

Thanks for the advice on how to check the turbo :) I might just do that tomorrow (daylight is quickly diminishing today).

Earlier, when I started the car, is smoked quite a bit, and I actually thought it was on the verge of blowing up. It turned out just to be down to the fact that the engine was cold, but it certainly wasn't a reassuring sign, as it never used to happen.

Another thing I've noticed - The intercooler pipes aren't just leaking oil... They're spraying it. Where the pipe meets the intercooler, it's actually spraying oil over lots of bits behind it - yes, it's spraying backwards.

I'm playing on the safe side and replacing it. I can't afford to let it blow up entirely.

Cheers guys :)

[alz]

Hi, Milton, it could be worth putting new clips on the intercooler and do them as tight as you can, this should stop it blowing out oil, the good thing about it, its on top engine bay and an easy fix, that what I like about the mk1.

Alan.

[MiltyG565]

Hi, Milton, it could be worth putting new clips on the intercooler and do them as tight as you can, this should stop it blowing out oil, the good thing about it, its on top engine bay and an easy fix, that what I like about the mk1.

Alan.

Yes, that would certainly fix it, but it would only really be hiding a much larger problem. I'd much rather get the turbo sorted, then sort out the intercooler pipes.