Who can bush my stock turbo wastegate shaft?

R

ranger

Member
Hi folks,

for the past 10 years I have been fighting and babysitting a wastegate shaft that rusts up.

Have had the turbo off several time and sent out the housing to turbo "experts." They have freed it up, cleaned it out, bored and honed out the shaft, etc.

Usually lasts about a year.

Guy Ruffet of Rockford Race Craft once told me to install a bronze (or brass?) bushing. I told this to the machinest the last time, and he said that it would be better to ream out the shaft several thousands.

I disagreed, but let him have his way. Now, two years later, shaft is completely locked up.

Anybody know a machinest who has done this job before?

Regards,

Craig Stangohr
Aiken, S.C.
Sy 1563
 
R

ranger

Member
Re: Who can bush my stock turbo wastegate shaft?

Hi Folks,

I have fought this problem for over 10 years. Sent different stock (and ported) exhaust housings out to places that professionally build turbos. All assured me that what was needed was a cleaning up of the shaft, and/ or a slight reaming of the stock bore. It lasts a year or two, at most.

Guy Ruffet, at Rockford Race Craft, suggested that a bronze or brass (can't remember which) bushing needs to be installed, to eliminate this problem. I don't know if he's still in business. Still, I can't believe that I am the ONLY one to have experienced this.

It's not a complicated fix, so mayble I'll just find a local machinest. Can't be much more complicated than installeing a bronze valve guide. Still, it's strange that I am the only one of thousands of Sy/Ty owners to have experienced this--and multiple times!

Regards,

Ranger
 
It's just a six

It's just a six

Super Member
Re: Who can bush my stock turbo wastegate shaft?

On airplanes,we use a product called mouse milk every so many hrs of tach time on the engines.
Squirt it on the wastegate linkage & pivet points.
 
G

gmcturbo

Active member
Re: Who can bush my stock turbo wastegate shaft?

have you tried your local cylinder head shop? on my turbo jetski you are supposed to squirt the waste linkage with a product called crc 656. its like a lubricant and water repellant, maybe use something like this after the repair as maintainance.??
 
turbodig

turbodig

Active member
Re: Who can bush my stock turbo wastegate shaft?

I have this trouble all the time. I've use GM heat riser lube with some success,also a nickel lube product used in refineries.

The head shop suggestion is a good one. Find a bronze valve guide insert with a diameter slightly larger than the WG shaft. This would likely be a small engine - motorcycle, briggs, that kind of thing.

The parts places used to have bronze bushing assortments for alternators/generators, and the like. Again, finding one small enough will be the trick.

Extended storage, and leaded fuel seems to make this problem worse. I think there's a lot of people who have the problem, but aren't aware of it.
 
R

ranger

Member
Re: Who can bush my stock turbo wastegate shaft?

Dig,

I think you are right; lots of folks have this problem and don't know it. Yes, I've tried GM heat-riser lube, Mobil 1 Synthetic penetrating oil, Royal Purple Synthetic penetrating oil--usually lasts for a coupla days.

I'm tired of babysitting this thing. I should have listened to my gut instincts the last time and told the machinest that, with all due respect, I know that I need a dissimilar metal to prevent this problem.

thanks to all who replied.

Best,

Ranger
Aiken, SC
 
R

ranger

Member
Re: Who can bush my stock turbo wastegate shaft?

Hi folks,

I guess the big question is, where to find a brass/bronze busing that small?. Most cyl. head shops that work on cars don't work on small/lawn-mower engines.. I guess that's why the last machinest who reamed out the wastegate shaft hole said it would be best if left "as is."

I'm sure he coundn't find one, or didn't have the time to find one--a bushing/sleeve with that small a diameter.

I think Guy Ruffet from Rockford Racecraft has done this before--or sent it out to be done. Is he still in bizness? Anybody know where I can fine, or the part number for, such a bushing/sleeve?

Thanks.

Ranger
Aiken, S.C.
 
Tooky

Tooky

Serious about performance
Re: Who can bush my stock turbo wastegate shaft?

10 years is a long time to fight a problem with stock turbo that ain't all that great to begin with. I admire your perseverance, but have you considered any of the upgrade turbos? IMO the best are the PTE turbos with the 3" "Terry Houston style" downpipes, the wastegate flapper is part of the downpipe itself. Just a thought.
 
R

ranger

Member
Re: Who can bush my stock turbo wastegate shaft?

Hi folks,

thanks for your replies. No doubt, the stock set up was marginal to begin with, esp. for those who didn't drive their trucks much, or exposed them to salt, etc.

No doubt, there are better turbo options, such as the Terry Houston pipe with the P.T.E. turbo (is Terry he still in jail?)

But I have spent money on this turbo, converting it to a true 20g on both the hot and cold sides, adding a 10 cm2 exhaust housing in place of the stock 8 cm2, (minimal turbo lag--less boost creep) and John Waller did a helluva job porting the wastegate, allowing me to remove my cat. and still have stable boost control--with the 15 p.s.i. Hann Racecraft actuator.

So, as we are heading into a recession, and gas in S.C. is $3.30/gal. for 93, I was trying to fix what should have been designed correctly from the start. I will call Guy at Rockford Racecraft, and hope that he will do this job, which probably won't put much more than $100.00 in his pocket.

Again, thanks to all. Yet, this has to be a common problem, which I'm amazed isn't discussed more.

Best Regards,

Craig Stangohr
Aiken, SC
Sy 1563--12.71@106.42 @ 18 lbs.
 
R

ranger

Member
Re: Who can bush my stock turbo wastegate shaft?

Rockford Racecraft site is "under construction." No e-mail or phone number listed.

I can't imagine that I am the only Sy/Ty owner who had to put a bushing in the wastegate shaft becuz of sticking/corrosion.

Anyone else have a part number for source for this bronze/brass bushing?

Thanks!

Ranger
Sy 1563
Aiken, SC
 
R

ranger

Member
Re: Who can bush my stock turbo wastegate shaft?

Thanks so much. Just talked to Guy. Helluva guy.

Best Regards,

Ranger
Aiken, SC
 
ffmeltdown

ffmeltdown

Donating Member
Re: Who can bush my stock turbo wastegate shaft?

Would it be an option to get bronze stock from a metal supply co.and have that turnned down to your desired specifications? Alot of hassle but you could get more than one bushing outta the same stock. Sell the other bushing(s) on this site to interested members to recoupe the expense.
Tom
 
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