New Turbo Smoking - What to do?
 

Good evening,

Finally got around to installing a new turbo in my sr20 s14. My stock turbo was blown so I opted for a knockoff T28 (couldn't get a T25) with good reviews. Didn't want to spend much as I plan to move to a top mount soon. Also went with braided lines.

Upon install, I turned the engine over to get coolant and oil through the lines. It did start a couple times, but I turned it off quickly. After that I started it and let it idle, but the turbo is smoking. This isn't normal, is it? Video of boost, AFR, and turbo below.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14qt...ew?usp=sharing

Thank you much

To be clear, the actual turbo is smoking. It's not smoking out of the exhaust.

you possibly have spilled oil on it or even grease just from touching it.

Is it ball bearing, and if so is there a restrictor in the oil feed?


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The other thing, is it could just be settling in. Heat wrap for example does this on its first heat cycle.


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New turbos have a oil coating on them, keep them from rusting, center section and rear housing. That oil resdue is burning off. Dont worry just give it a few heat cycles and youll be just fine, the smoke will subside

And what he said ;)


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Thanks all for the answers.

Now that I'm thinking of it, I did use some rust penetrant on the bolts farther down on the downpipe. However, I didn't use much, and it looked like the actual housing was smoking. Knowing that new ones often do is a relief.

Do my idle AFR and vacuum look correct?

I'm going to try the car under load today. Since I now have a t28 in a car that was tuned for a t25, will I have to retune? Right now the wastegate actuator is vented right into the turbo, but I do have a boost controller.

Should I check my AFR under boost as is, and put in the controller if I need it?

A bigger turbo will pump more air, and put you at risk of lean out, then a lunched motor. Don?t load it until you can have it tuned.


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Can a boost controller be used to correct a lean Air/Fuel ratio, or can it only limit how high your turbo boosts?

Thanks as always

Boost controller has nothing to do with ur afr. You will need to get it tuned

More air=Need more fuel.

Only way to adjust this properly is a tune. Have you let it get to a full heat cycle without driving it? Let it get to full temp and watch around the turbo/engine bay. if its oil spill or something it will burn off after a bit.

The stock ecu with mafs will compensate for a t28 upgrade IF you leave it at wastegate pressure (around 7 psi), remove the boost controller and carefully watch your afr under boost, it should be fine. That's literally what the mafs is for, so the ecu can adjust fuel based on airflow.

Thanks everyone, the turbo has stopped smoking.

Currently the AFR is good, but I'll way overboost if I gun it. However, the boost controller is not connected right now, and I'm using the actuator that came with the turbo. Should I connect the controller and set it to top out at 7psi (what the car was originally at). I should be safe driving it like that for now if the AFR is fine, right? Am I correct in guessing the car will just be slower than before with delayed boost?

Again, thanks to everyone for their input