Is it harmful to BB turbos (you know, 3076, 35R, etc) to be on a new motors during their break in period. Just hoping to get a broader perspective on your experiences.

 

A word of wisdom:

Ball bearing turbos don't tolerate trash in the oil. A wise move when installing any BB turbo is to install a small reusable filter in the oil feed line. The filter should be checked and cleaned upon each oil change. If this matter receives proper attention, there should be no issues during break in period. Just check and clean the turbo filter several times during break in, and that should eliminate any concerns.

I have to give Walker of Morgan Performance Fab credit for this valuable tip.

FYI

 

It is certainly possible that **** from the original build could damage a number of things including engine bearings, clog a BB micron filter or damage the bb itself.

Change oild frequently, at least 2 times prior to adding an expensive bb turbo.

 

Buschur Racing sells a small in line oil filter which will keep your BB turbo safe

Also

Just my two cents

A properly builtg motor from - example - Buschur will have zero matreial in the oil filter when breaking in

It is a fact that a improperly built motor can destroy a BB turbo by sending metal bits into the turbo



AL

 

Buschur Racing sells a small in line oil filter which will keep your BB turbo safe

Also

Just my two cents

A properly builtg motor from - example - Buschur will have zero matreial in the oil filter when breaking in

It is a fact that a improperly built motor can destroy a BB turbo by sending metal bits into the turbo



AL

 

This can happen. In fact it happened to my buddys Integra

 

positively do not run a bb turbo without a filter. even on a perfect motor its normal for small particles to break free. these particles are big enough to cause a bb failure. your oil filter on your car is not full flow. this means it does not trap all particles right away. it takes lots of time for all the oil to eventually go through your filter. you can run a bb turbo on a fresh motor with filter installed. once the filter is on the turbo feed line never take it off. always disconnect before the filter. this practice ensures a long turbo life.

 

Would a FilterMag help? (it's a small, curved ND magnet that attaches to your oil filter --- heard they attract metal fragments and hold them to the casing of the filter --- not that I've even seen one --- just what I've heard.

 

I have personally built and installed hundreds of motors that have had BB turbos on them with no issue what so ever.

IMO, if the motor is put together clean, there should be no issue with your turbo. All oil going through the motor will be filtered first and should not have anything in it large enough to hurt the turbo bearings. The only issue would be if something was in the oil passages that was not cleaned out prior to start up or if something came loose after start up and thermo cycling.

I personally run a filter on my turbo feed on my car but not for the issue at hand. I push my car (motor) harder than anybody else and EXPECT there to be an issue eventually. I would prefer if it did not ruin my turbo also. I am on my second season making 1000 plus crank HP in my 240 and have not had an issue yet (knock on wood)

 

Thanks for the awesome post, but you forgot to vote.

 

Yeah the inline filter is your best bet.. For the most part a properly built engine shouldn't give you any issues with break-in material, though very little should get through the oil filter anyway (don't use a high performance oil filter during break-in, use factory filters), but better safe than sorry.

One thing to be aware of is to remember to check and clean that inline filter every time you change your oil.

 

Like said above, any new motor will have some material in the oil. Its for that reason that we usually start the motors let them come up to operating temp and then drain the oil and replace it. It also isn't a bad idea to run an inline filter before the turbo as well. A 40 dollar filter could be the difference between having to buy a new turbo.

 

My post comes from experience that goes something like this. I had an engine that was run hard for 15,000 miles. It recieved oil changes every 500-600 miles. I have a magnetic drain plug and no significant metal was ever found on this plug during oil changes. The engine was assembled in my kitchen so it was as clean as it gets.

At 5000 miles is when the bb turbo with filter went on the car. The filter is the kind that has the metal screen. You can take it apart and easily see what it traps. I wish I had a taken a photo of the particles that it trapped when it was inspected at 10,000 miles (5000miles use) if you say this photo you would never attempt to run a turbo you liked without a filter. especially a BB one.

Your oil filter on your car is not full flow. It is like a cup. oil is sent to the middle of the cup but the oil is allowed to go around the cup and never see a filter screen. When you damage rod bearings and small particles enter the oil they are immediately picked up by oil pickup and sent throughout the motor. the oil filter does nothing to stop this. I have seen a hundred damaged motors and you would think there way no filter at all. A full flow filter is a filter that sends 100% of the oil through a filter before the engine sees it. factory filters are not this type. if they where a lot of engine would be lost to the lazy who dont change their oil enough. if the filter clogs the engine will not see enough oil pressure.

 

Seems like if you just installed a filter you would be fine! just my 2cent though...

 

just put a filter cheack it and clean it you should be fine.