Warning:-Don't brake turbo fitting an exhaust

[RoyT]

1998 2.5td 100ps
Had the van a few months now and with a small amount of oil coming from turbo when I bought it I suspected the turbo might be in need of repair. However bought it about the right price so thought it would be ok.
Having taken off the turbo last weekend I found it had a crack on the exhaust side of the turbo just after the exhaust manifold going about half way round and up to where it bolts on. When it was unbolted it got worse.
Been looking to buy a secondhand turbo for a while but nothing taken my fancy so decided to bite the bullet and get a new one from a local turbo repairer. With the crack in the exhaust part of the turbo the old could not be repaired so that bullet turned out to be quiet a big bullet (£411 incl vat). Yes thats more than I buggeted for when buying the van.
Started fitting the new turbo and realised the exhaust pipe was a bad fit and if bolted up as it was, it would have put serious stain on the turbo charger. Where the clamping plates join up at the bottom there was about a 6mm gap although touching at the top.
Solved the problem by grinding off the weld round the exhaust pipe clamping plate, altering the angle sligthly and tommorrow I'll weld it back up again.

So this is where the word of warning comes in. How many exhaust pipes are fitted every day which are not a perfect fit. I firmly believe that this not only cracked the turbo charger but probably put enough strain onto it to cause the extra wear on the bearings and oil seals.
The next time you get someone else to fit an exhaust, take a mirror and a torch with you and check the alinement of the exhaust to turbo before allowing them to bolt it up. I know I will as the alternative is a bit exspensive.

Another tip is all the workshop manuals tell you to take off the exhaust manifold with the turbo. Me being terrified of sherring the bolts off inside the cylinderhead decided not to remove this, but to remove the oil pipe plus fitting on top of the turbo and use a ring spanner with good sized crank in it to get at the nut at the back and this allows you to take the turbo off without taking off the exhaust manifold. Undoing the oil pipe you will find a special spanner useful. I got a combination spanner and cut out a piece out the ring end with grinder to allow you to undo the oil pipe nut. Space is a bit tight there and could'nt find any other spanner to fit.