TD 27 turbo failure

[Pieter B]

Hi eeverybody

I own a '97 Hardbody 2.7TD. My problems started the day I bought the turbo, intercooler and the 2 manifolds from a Teranno 2.7. It seemed like a good idea to fit the I/C for improved performance. The turbo from the Teranno is a Garrett and the one on the Hardbody is a Hitachi. Unfortunatly the Hitachi won't fit on the I/C.

I did probably 350km after the convertion before the torbo popped. Everything was totaled. Opening up the turbo didn't give a sign as to the cause of the failure. The shaft wasn't burnt blue which would indicate a lack of oil and then running hot. I had the I/C checked and had to be fixed as it was leaking. I had the Garrett repaired at Africaturbo and it was installed in the correct way regarding connecting oil and running it through the turbo before start up.

During this past week I rode the bakkie everyday on 4 km round trip. Everthing seemed fine. Today I went into town for a few errants and returned on the freeway, about a 8km run. On the freeway I heard a faint rattling sound and just before the offramp I heard wat sounded like a muffled backfire and then a loss of power. Back home I took the inletpipe from the air filter off and it was dry. Then the I/C and found plenty oil. The shaft was stuck solid in the housing.

The only mods I had to make was a new oil feed pipe as it was not the same as the old one. I had to make up the pipe twice as the first one was leaking and I ended up making the second one at a different workshop. Pipes were the same size as the original metal pipe that came with the turbo. The same "banjo" bolt was used. Then I had to drill and tap a hole on the I/C for a fixture to connect a vacuumpipe to the altitude compensator on the diesel pump. The Teranno has an electronic pump so I guess it doesn't have the compensator.

I would realy appreciate any comment on this problem as I don't have infinite funds to keep on repairing this set-up. I am realy thinking of returning eveything back to original.