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Due to a cracked turbo housing and no cheaper than $7k repair quotes, I am trying to replace the drivers side turbo without removing the engine. Most places say this is not possible, but I have been talking with a guy on renntech.org who says he has done it.
So I have all of the turbo disconnected and all bolts out except 1 pipe which is preventing the turbo coming out - the one beneath the turbo. Any ideas how to undo this while the engine is still in the car?
Last edited by SpawnyWhippet; 02-10-2016 at 09:21 PM.
So I am thinking of cutting this bottom pipe and making a union. This would make it far easier to remove the old turbo and install the new one. Question is, what kind of union is available to make a good, re-connectable joint here?
I see you edited your post. Does this mean you were able to get the lower oil line out and this is the last piece stopping you? And for what it's worth, the union idea sounds doable to me.
I believe it is a metal coolant hose, but very hard to follow where it goes to at the other end.
Yes, I managed to remove the lower hose by the coolant banjos and this is the last thing to do.
Those Duoloks looks perfect, as long as there is a local supplier in the Bay Area. If not, maybe I will use a short length of rubber hose and clamps until I can order them in.
The turbo alone is over $1500 for the cheapest new one, or $750 for reman. A shop has to drop the drive train to fit it, the labor books at 20+ hours and there are no competent mechanics in the Bay Area who will work for less than $150 per hour. They also won't do the work unless they supply the parts and inflate the prices on those too.
When you add all the parts, labor, tax, you come out at over $7k. My local stealer wanted $8k *plus* tax
I'm sure there is an indy out there someplace that is closer to $100. I know I live closer to Sac than frisco but there are several indy's here that are $100/hr. All three shops that I'm thinking of have a "they supply the parts" policy but I have talked all of them into letting me supply the parts. So in lieu of that you can see how this job would just cost half what you are being quoted.
That being said, I really like the ingenuity you are showing trying to work around the obscene quotes you are getting.
Yes, I had that discussion and there are cheaper shops, but they won't work on a Porsche turbo. One place would allow me to supply parts, but they would not guarantee any aspect of the work, even if I supply all brand new sealed Porsche genuine parts. Somehow I get the feeling there would be an 'issue' a week later with oil spilling out of the turbo or overheating as one of the coolant pipes were mysteriously kinked or flattened somehow. Me supplying the parts only cuts about $1k off the price.
Believe me, when I got the news, I spent a lot of time driving around various indy places trying to get the best price.
What I hate about when shops demand they buy the parts — really it just jacks up the effective labor rate. It would be fine with me if they bought it from the same damned place as me. But oh no they want to jack the price usually to absurd levels and retail the **** out of it. Then they use the we won't warranty it crap as an excuse to make twice as much money from the job. It's not like the customer who bought the parts can't get the same warranty on a defective part.
You can't tell me that it's impossible to make a living at $150/hr. 9 times out of 10 if something goes wrong with the job it's because of human error not because the parts were bad.
So, progress of sorts. I cut the lowest pipe, turns out to be an oil pipe. This gave enough clearance to lift the turbo and unbolt the remaining pipe section with a box wrench.
However, the gap between the exhaust manifold, engine and side bulkhead is just too small to squeeze the turbo out. I am about to try unbolting parts from the turbo to get it out, but unsurprisingly, access to some bolts is poor.
Looks like I will have to admit defeat,even when dismantled the turbo housing is too big to come out the front or the rear gap of the engine bay. I have no idea how clarksongli on renntech.org did this without removing the engine or exhaust manifold, which itself looks like an engine out job.
Damn dude that sucks. It's too bad you can't rebuild the turbo in situ (wishful thinking I know). Have you talked to IPB Autosport in Sac? They are kind of a tuner shop and may be amiable to work with.
02-10-2016, 05:54 PM
Replacing turbo without removing engine
