I have an 2006 IX that is a dedicated track car. I run NASA TT3, a limited power to weight class and my car has been on the stock turbo since I started tracking it 4.5 years ago.

I only did a couple of events in 2013 due to personal reasons, but at the last one the car was down on power and was knocking badly. I tried spiking a tank with race gas, this and that, but it kept wanting to knock and lay down (pull timing). After that event I parked it until this year. I have done 4 events this year and the car continued to run poorly.

I have full 3" TBE with test pipe, O2 housing, ported ex manifold, Tomei Poncam R's (270's) with MAP Beehive springs, RC 720 Injectors, Walbro 255HP, ETS LICP UICP and Intake, Turbosmart WGA, ETS 3" Intercooler, Hallman MBC. This setup should easily yield 350 or better on pump gas.

But I just got back from Road Atlanta where the car was just flat. Took it out on some backroads, did some pulls and VD was telling me 290 awhp. And that is about how the car felt.

During this whole ordeal I have been over the car one end to the other, boost leak tests, compression tests, fresh plugs, new fuel pump, sent the injectors in for cleaning and testing, checked cam timing 2 times, scoured the engine bay for anything causing phantom knock. But always the same, try to throw any boost or timing at it and knock-knock-knock.

So tonight I pulled the turbo and this is what I found:





So has anyone ever had a piece of the twin scroll divider come out and take a chunk out of the turbine before? Looks like the turbine wheel was rubbing something as well (shiny on the edge).

Well, I actually feel sorta relieved at this point. The lack of power was just not making sense, and now I know why. Time to save some $$ for the upgrade I was planning anyway.

 

new turbo

 

That looks interesting... How in the world does a divider just let go all of a sudden... Oh well, 4.5 years is 4.5 years I guess, and I'm guessing that turbo has gotten it's share of abuse...

 

Man.. That's crazy. Looks like it's time to grab a new turbo. If you got 4.5 years out of a stock frame turbocharger beating on it, that's not a bad deal. The guys over at FP had a decent replacement CHRA available on their website for the last couple weeks. May be a good option and grab a used turbine housing.

Michael

 

man it looks like you're going to need a whole new turbo, not just a CHRA, the hotside looks like it has been broken and FP doesn't recommend to use them when they are broken like that.

 

yeah it is done. time for a new IX turbo. unless you want the penalty for swapping to something like a BBK or FP white/green/red BB. if you find a decent used IX turbo it may be worth " gasket matching koff koff " the ports for a few ponies more

And it is worth it to have Swain coated to keep the heat to help with spool and under hood temps.

 

Divider on the stock turbo is known to crack.

 

Yeah I've been recently told... I've had 3-4 stock 8 and 9 turbos on different cars with many many miles on the turbos and never had an issue with the divider cracking or such. I guess I was lucky?

 

Depends on how they were used. Not surprising it happened on a dedicated track car.

 

So does this mean that the FP / CBRD / MAP stock frame turbos still have that probability of a divider cracking on the turbine housing? Assuming they use the MHI turbine housing ofcourse.

 

That is a question I would like to see answered.

 

honestly if you going to replace the turbo system I will go with a upgrade T4 I am wasting the money anyways.

 

There's a big difference between a $2400 stock frame turbo and a $4500+ turbo kit.

 

You right but there is always somebody that sell it for good price. That is just me if is going to be replace why not look for upgrade.

 

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