Buying a used turbo?

[JmP6889928]

Just a word of advice if you're looking at buying a used turbo.  I just bought what looked like a very solid VF52 to use as a core.  It had no side play, no end play, both ends were dry and spun perfectly.  The turbo was complete with all parts included and looked reasonably nice for a used turbo.  

When I took it apart to build it, I found that it was full of sand.  I got no less than a teaspoon of sand out of the center bearing support housing, plus the entire compressor housing had a layer of sand in it that took a lot of washing and compressed air to make sure there was nothing left in it.

Outward appearance of this turbo was it was ready to bolt on but inside told the story.  Buyer beware as had anyone bolted this on as it was, they would have certainly been buying an engine.

Just words of advice on "used" turbos that everyone says "worked great on my car" but never really say why they took it off.

Perhaps Dale may put this is a sticky?  

[AWDFTW]

How the actual eff does one get a turbo with that much sand in it?

[Rusty9]

because racecar with no air filter or just hooned it on the beach for a few hours before selling.