Long story short:
- Car makes noise when driven immediately upon cold start, which I believe to be coming from turbo
- Noise varies with throttle, but not RPM or vehicle speed
- Noise disappears after 30 seconds of driving

Took off the intake and checked turbo shaft for play. When turning the turbo by hand, I can feel the compressor wheel bind up against its housing. There's also visible side to side play in the compressor wheel. When the turbo is spun by hand, it makes a metallic 'clink clink clink' noise and then the compressor wheel comes to a quick stop

Had the car at Pavillion Mitsubishi (Powertrain warranty expires at 60k, car is stock) in Austin, TX for two days last week and they are refusing the acknowledge that there is any problem, even after watching the turbo video I made today, giving me memorable quotes like "Some play is normal" and "It just looks like the blades are touching because of the way they're cut"

Me spinning the turbo by hand:
http://youtu.be/cFSL3z8oRl8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFSL3z8oRl8

Reproducing the noise it makes when driven:
http://youtu.be/7GUaRV4l5dw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GUaRV4l5dw

At this point I am thinking I'll have to take the car to the next nearest dealership, which is in Killeen, TX (50 miles from my location)

Suggestions? Comments?

 

do not take it to killeen tx man, i just left there. i hate to tell you this but your going to have to make the drive up to plano tx and see don herring. much better quality of work and alot friendlier about warranty work and other work needed. if you go to killeen YOU WILL GET RIPPED OFF AND JERKED AROUND

 

Plano is a bit far for me, so I'm gonna take my chances this time around. I've been there before and they were ok.

 

I'm relieved that based on your own personal issues that my turbo noise is not even close to yours. Sorry you're having this issue, hopefully you get it resolved quickly.

 

if they screw you, get a bigger turbo ;-)
Don Herring would take car of it for you though

 

he is right, well best of luck to you there! but before you go give em a call, you know you have free towing with mitsu... they picked my car up for me and replaced my CMC at 3K miles and i was 100% stock at the time.

 

Dude seriously take ^their advice and go to Don Herring. Overall amazing evo fanatics that won't rip you off.

 

As a dealer technician for a company that has a good amount of turbo'd vehicles, i can tell you that is NOT AT ALL good and normal. The compressor should never contact the housing and those that told you it's normal are idiots. Yes some very minimal play is normal and yes they do usually just look like they are touching, but you can very distinctively hear and tell it is contacting the housing. Take that to the top of Mitsu if need be. Does our Powertrain really last till 60k? I thought the Evo was reduced warranty compared to the other Mitsu's.

 

Yes it's 60k. Just bought mine two weeks ago.

 

The rest of mitsu goes to 100k for powertrain, evo reduced to 60k.

 

Free towing to the nearest dealer...not to the dealer that you prefer.

 

In your 2nd video, you mentioned that it was your 5th attempt at making the turbo make the noise while driving even though you could spin it by hand at say 100RPM. Is it because of centrifugal forces that the turbo won't make any noises since it possibly is spinning dead center? Then when it gets off center it will contact the housing slightly and make the metal on metal screeching.
Just yesterday I heard some noise from the engine compartment and wondered what it was. It only occurred under full boost and only 2-3 times during a 15 minute trip with 7-8 WOT to 6000 or so RPM. If I keep the boost and throttle to partial the noise is never heard (on start up, idle or during driving). Car has 28k on turbo and is tuned for 26psi full boost. Could it be that it's starting to go or just something else? Not sure where in the engine bay I heard it...could be a number of things I suppose..but I thought it sounded a bit like a whine.

 

Then "break down" closer to Dan then the other dealers and give them a call

 

Update:
I took the car to Automax today, showed them the video (the one of me spinning by hand) and after they took off the intake they agreed that the turbo needs to be replaced. And this is where the fun started: I was informed that the turbocharger has a separate warranty that is for 5 years/50k miles. Well guess what, the car has 58k on it. This was per their computerized warranty system. I was told I would be on the hook for the repair or at least a $100 diagnostic fee. I then proceeded to point out that the warranty booklet for the 2008 Evo says there is 5/60 powertrain coverage and it actually lists the turbo as one of the covered components. I got in touch with corporate and after some research, the informed me that the turbo does only carry coverage to 5/50, putting me outside of coverage. I asked how this reconciles with my booklet that makes no mention of this and what Mitsu's position was on this discrepancy. I was told they would research further and get back with me and also contact the regional rep in the meantime. Furthermore I seem to be the first person to experience a turbo failure between 50k and 60k and attempt to get it warranted. Some more time went by and just as I was about to pick up the car, Mitsu corporate had a change of heart and informed the dealership that the turbo actually *does* fall under the 5/60 powertrain coverage. A new turbo has been ordered and I should have the car back in about a week.
I have to say, I spoke with the Service director at Automax and he was more than understanding. He emailed the rep even before I could call corporate to see what could be done.
Interestingly, he did share with me that Automax does not seem to be on best terms with their rep due to another warranty dispute where Automax refused to twist the facts to bolster a warranty denial by corporate (The customer ended up winning arbitration and Mitsu paid for a new engine).