User 52121

Ok this might be a dumb question - I feel like I should know this, but the last time I dealt with a brand new turbo was quite a while ago.

I picked up a freshly rebuilt K26/6 off a lister a few months ago. The price was good enough that I figured I'd just keep it on a shelf and swap it in when I had the car apart. It's freshly rebuilt - never run since the rebuild. IIRC Majestic did the rebuild.

Shaft is tight - no play at all. But it's also a little stiff to spin. Is this to be expected until it gets some oil in it? I think the answer is "yes" but figured I might as well ask first.

Nothing really wrong with the turbo currently installed in my car, but I figure, since I'm going through it and doing a reseal, etc. might as well swap in the fresh turbo for peace of mind.

931guru

Add some oil to the bearing. It should spin with no friction.

Mike Lindsey

Our turbo builders use an assembly lube. For the same reasons as building an engine so you don't have to worry about immediate oil flow. Plust as they sit on the shelf, oil would run out of the bearing which would not be good. It's stiff until flushed out which happens quickly on start up. Probably the same thing with yours.

67King

Exactly. I use half STP Oil Treatment and half heavy oil when assembling my engines, and I've heard the same thing about turbos, as well. Stuff is thick, gooey, and sticky. That is probably exactly what is going on.

eyeball kid

Freshly rebuilt turbo from Evergreen on my shelf is stiff too.

xupkid2

I vote again for trading it in for a K26/8 and calling it a day. Just face the fact that you have a turbo car, your going to have lag and it isnt going to beat JTC's car in Auto-x. Might as well beat him on the track.

User 52121

You and your anti-26/6 propaganda.

I'm not worried about JTC on the track, once I eventually get out there. My car runs great once the boost is up. As for AX - If Mrs. JTC can find us some bigger venues where the AX courses get a little faster I know I can give JTC a run for his money. I beat him at Parade by ~1.5s - it was a fast course, I was never below 2600rpm in 2nd.

User 52121

Or how about we just share your 997 and really give JTC a run for his money?

Thom

He's right. The original K26/6 is a piece of junk. Always was, always will be.
If you want "that" kind of performance and power delivery you will do it better with the average Eurobox turbo diesel.

User 52121

LOL well it's kind of an inside joke between xupkid and I

The 26/6 is definitely older tech as far as turbos go, and it also doesn't help that there is a mile and a half of exhaust tubing between the exhaust port and the turbine blades. However I don't think I've really seen anything on the market yet for the 951 that will give me *faster* spool up than a 26/6 while not being an even bigger compromise on the top end. All I see out there for turbos that claim "fast spoolup" is measured relative to the top-end power gains over the stock 26/6.

I could start AX'ing my GTI again with the VW/Audi 1.8T motor (solid boost and power by 2000rpm) which would certainly solve my turbo lag issue, but then dinglenuts here probably wouldn't want to be friends with me anymore after I whipped his *** in his fancy 997S with my lowly little Volkswagen. Gotta manage the politics of the friendship.

I'm contemplating some ideas to improve what I've got but I'm not really sure any of them will make any noticeable difference.

There *was* that one guy on here who was supposedly building a VGT setup, though I haven't seen/heard anything in a long time. Though even if he did it and proved that it worked, it's probably more work and customization than I'm willing to do at this point. I just want "bolt on and go" functionality.