2006 S60 2.5T AWD: turbo rebuild notes

[kcodyjr]

Making a separate thread of this, because it's basically an addendum to the existing guide for doing a turbo rebuild yourself.

Here's the existing guide: https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/refur ... lvo-turbo/

The original author, Peter - and, thank you - sourced a used turbo, rebuilt it, and then swapped it into the vehicle. By contrast, I pulled my original turbo, rebuilt it, and put it back in. This ran me into some missing tools issues that kept the car disabled.

Get yourself a fresh can of Kroil. PB and WD are flat stale soda pop compared to Kroil. Some of the bolts/studs, and very likely the main circlip, are going to be worst case stuckness scenarios.

You are going to need a large set of circlip pliers. It's been said before, but it can't be emphasized enough: this particular circlip is an absolute bitch. It's likely jammed in with caked oil grunge. Even once compressed with the pliers, you're likely to have to fiddle around with a screwdriver to get it free. WEAR EYE PROTECTION. The bearing housing makes it unlikely to go flying, but, best not to take any chances.

You'll also need a smaller set of circlip pliers for the inner one. This one wasn't nearly so difficult, but this one has nothing blocking it from going flying off. WEAR EYE PROTECTION.

The most difficult item to find is going to be a torque screwdriver that can torque to the LEFT. It needs to make 17 in-lbs, which is easy enough. Getting one for reverse threads is another story. In the end, I had to wing it by teaching my hand what 17 in-lbs felt like on something else that threads to the right, and then just get as close as I can.

You will require a 12-point socket or box end wrench for the turbine end. A six-point won't slip on, nor will an open-end. It's 12mm.

Expect to take several parts to your wire wheel. The exhaust side gets nasty caked on stuff stuck to it. Do not do this to the turbine or compressor wheels, but you may have to do it to the base of the turbine shaft.

YMMV with the existing downpipe bolts and turbo-to-manifold studs. I snapped one, and it was NOT fun, these things seem to be made out of kryptonite alloy that eats drill bits like candy. I replaced them all on general principles.

The rebuild kit I got from Amazon included EVERYTHING for the rotating assembly except: the turbine/shaft, the compressor wheel, the bearing housing itself, the turbine side end cap, and the large circlip.

You will want a covered container large enough to submerge all those parts, plus the exhaust housing, but not so large you'll break the bank filling it with solvent. I used a galvanized pail which might not have been the best choice. The exhaust housing is too big to fit in a 2lb coffee can, but the rest of the parts would. I used gasoline for a two day soak, then cleaned it up further with acetone.

Don't put the parts in the dishwasher. Besides the fact that your wife and mine aren't as much of a saint as Peter's, I don't think the steam is good for the iron parts, and there's places you can't get to with a rag. Plus, ewww, taste of oil getting on whatever gets washed next? Your favorite coffee cup?

You can't service the wastegate actuator. It's a sealed unit. If in doubt, get a new one. Also, while you have the turbo out, you should probably replace the CBV whether it seems to need it or not. If you're planning to go to an external diverter or dump valve, this would be the time to install the block-off plate.

The compressor volute was easy enough to clean by hand with acetone, rags, and synthetic parts cleaning brushes. This being the largest part, I didn't try to immerse it, and it didn't need it.

When you first get the turbo out, and take off the V-band clamp to separate the exhaust housing, it's likely to be stuck. Secure the whole assembly in a bench vise such that it's holding on to the compressor housing, and then dead-blow the exhaust housing downward, working your way around to wiggle it out evenly. Watch out for it landing on your foot, it could break bones. Don't do this the other way around because if the compressor side is the one that falls, it's likely to bang up the turbine blades, and now you're looking at a new turbo.

At this time I've got the turbo back in the car, hanging on the studs, partially tightened down. Next session, I'll be reconnecting the coolant and oil lines. If I run into further issues, I'll come back and comment.

[cn90]

Thanks for the notes.

I am just wondering how much a new Turbo costs?

[volvolugnut]

Thoughts on a left hand 17 In/Lb torque wrench. I have found small beam type torque wrenches. These work CW or CCW. Find the adapters needed for the screw driver bit. My hand held, hammer actuated impact wrench has short, hex drive screwdriver bits that might fit this job. Use a 6 point socket of appropriate size to connect to the torque wrench.
volvolugnut

[jonesg]

Ma
You are going to need a large set of circlip pliers. It's been said before, but it can't be emphasized enough: this particular circlip is an absolute bitch. It's likely jammed in with caked oil grunge. Even once compressed with the pliers, you're likely to have to fiddle around with a screwdriver to get it free. WEAR EYE PROTECTION. The bearing housing makes it unlikely to go flying, but, best not to take any chances.

You'll also need a smaller set of circlip pliers for the inner one. This one wasn't nearly so difficult, but this one has nothing blocking it from going flying off. WEAR EYE PROTECTION.

The most difficult item to find is going to be a torque screwdriver that can torque to the LEFT. It needs to make 17 in-lbs, which is easy enough. Getting one for reverse threads is another story. In the end, I had to wing it by teaching my hand what 17 in-lbs felt like on something else that threads to the right, and then just get as close as I can.

You will require a 12-point socket or box end wrench for the turbine end. A six-point won't slip on, nor will an open-end. It's 12mm.

Expect to take several parts to your wire wheel. The exhaust side gets nasty caked on stuff stuck to it. Do not do this to the turbine or compressor wheels, but you may have to do it to the base of the turbine shaft.

YMMV with the existing downpipe bolts and turbo-to-manifold studs. I snapped one, and it was NOT fun, these things seem to be made out of kryptonite alloy that eats drill bits like candy. I replaced them all on general principles.

The rebuild kit I got from Amazon included EVERYTHING for the rotating assembly except: the turbine/shaft, the compressor wheel, the bearing housing itself, the turbine side end cap, and the large circlip.

You will want a covered container large enough to submerge all those parts, plus the exhaust housing, but not so large you'll break the bank filling it with solvent. I used a galvanized pail which might not have been the best choice. The exhaust housing is too big to fit in a 2lb coffee can, but the rest of the parts would. I used gasoline for a two day soak, then cleaned it up further with acetone.

Don't put the parts in the dishwasher. Besides the fact that your wife and mine aren't as much of a saint as Peter's, I don't think the steam is good for the iron parts, and there's places you can't get to with a rag. Plus, ewww, taste of oil getting on whatever gets washed next? Your favorite coffee cup?

You can't service the wastegate actuator. It's a sealed unit. If in doubt, get a new one. Also, while you have the turbo out, you should probably replace the CBV whether it seems to need it or not. If you're planning to go to an external diverter or dump valve, this would be the time to install the block-off plate.

The compressor volute was easy enough to clean by hand with acetone, rags, and synthetic parts cleaning brushes. This being the largest part, I didn't try to immerse it, and it didn't need it.

When you first get the turbo out, and take off the V-band clamp to separate the exhaust housing, it's likely to be stuck. Secure the whole assembly in a bench vise such that it's holding on to the compressor housing, and then dead-blow the exhaust housing downward, working your way around to wiggle it out evenly. Watch out for it landing on your foot, it could break bones. Don't do this the other way around because if the compressor side is the one that falls, it's likely to bang up the turbine blades, and now you're looking at a new turbo.

At this time I've got the turbo back in the car, hanging on the studs, partially tightened down. Next session, I'll be reconnecting the coolant and oil lines. If I run into further issues, I'll come back and comment.

I removed the band clamp and left the rear half bolted to the manifold. no need to remove the rear cast iron half.
after removing the big bitch clip i pulled the cartridge out and tossed it, (the shaft was snapped in 2)
a new cartridge with everything assembled and balanced to 140k rpm, it cost $185 , ebay, it came from the uk.
bitch of a job no matter which way its done, awd is the worst, getting the oil drain pipe fitted was not easy.

[kcodyjr]

I removed the band clamp and left the rear half bolted to the manifold. no need to remove the rear cast iron half.

In my case, the two halves were glued together with caked and baked oil all over the outside and getting down into the gaps, plus a bit of pitting on the mating surfaces. I don't think I could have swung a hammer hard enough with the turbo in the car, certainly not without breaking the turbine blades on the way out, along with other things nearby. Even in the bench vise, it was what you might call a messy divorce.

Plus which, I'd already removed the downpipe for the rotten flex joint, and as it happened there was a stud stuck in it which I would NOT have been able to cope with on the car.

a new cartridge with everything assembled and balanced to 140k rpm, it cost $185 , ebay, it came from the uk.

You're braver than I am. I couldn't bring myself to buy a generic cartridge from an unknown source.

This would be a solid way to go from a more conventional seller.

bitch of a job no matter which way its done, awd is the worst, getting the oil drain pipe fitted was not easy.

Yes it is. I've done it without removing the angle gear. Half the time I have to "see" what I'm doing by touch.

[jonesg]

as long as you witness clocked the rotors so they went back in the same balanced position it will be fine.
i would have rebuilt mine but the shaft was snapped, i had no choice.
mine came from a good rebuilder in the uk, in molded foam box with paperwork showing the computer printout of the dynamic balance.
12 month guarantee, its been over 7 yrs.

in your position i would have pulled the head to repair studs, did you ?

[kcodyjr]

as long as you witness clocked the rotors so they went back in the same balanced position it will be fine.

I did that. Rather than lining up on the number 4 - there wasn't one, and if there was, it was covered in oil - there were four little notches on the edge of the compressor wheel. I picked one and marked its location with a file. Major PITA to get the rotors to line up AFTER torque. After a few tries, I measured how far it turned under the nut, and set it that much distance ahead of the mark, so that when it torqued down, it was in the right position.

Note to whoever might read this, don't use a magic marker or paint pen, but make a scratch in the metal. Any ink or paint is going to get removed in the cleaning step.

Another note, it'll be helpful if you can line it up in a bench vise such that the 12mm wrench, laying against the bench vise, is holding the exhaust turbine at the right position. Otherwise you'll drive yourself insane.

mine came from a good rebuilder in the uk, in molded foam box with paperwork showing the computer printout of the dynamic balance. 12 month guarantee, its been over 7 yrs.

That's good intel if you can tell us who the rebuilder was.

in your position i would have pulled the head to repair studs, did you ?

I didn't need to pull the head. There was one stuck stud in the turbo exhaust housing that snapped, and one that got stuck in the manifold that I was able to coax out in one piece while laying on top of the engine. Kroil and patience to the rescue.

[jonesg]

my ebay buyer history doesn't go that far back, i can't say for sure who shipped the turbo part.
i looked at removing the whole turbo and couldn't see how it was possible.

[kcodyjr]

i looked at removing the whole turbo and couldn't see how it was possible.

There's four studs holding the turbo on to the exhaust manifold. Two are accessed from the top. The other two go the other way, one has to lay beneath the car and reach up to the bottom of the manifold.