New turbo?

[legacynub]

Hi all. Came full circle and got back into a Legacy GT although this one is auto this time.

 

It is a 2008 w/ 168k miles give or take and has the original turbo as far as i can tell looking at the records. On the way home the check engine light came on and it was the p0011. Drove fine and there was no noise. Is this the beginning of the end for the turbo or do both p0011 and p0021 need to come on at the same time for the death of the turbo?

Also there use to be a plethora of vf-46 on ebay but now it seems like its all reman china stuff? Where is everyone that is replacing turbos going?

[KZJonny]

P0011 and P0021 aren’t a death sentence if you catch it soon enough.

Pull the offending OCV and clean it. Actually, do both for good measure. Remove the inline filter if still installed. If they are anything but Subaru OE parts, bin them and buy new ones. If you happen to have any way of observing their duty cycle, it might help. (BtSSM, freeSSM, etc….) they should both be more or less in synch.

If your turbo needs work. (And it may not, but 168K is approaching when many die….) @JmP6889928 is the man here and does the best rebuild work on anything VF related. He even does a Custom Level rebuild with lightened and stronger parts. All this on your core,  as long as it is not trashed. Or pick up a used core and ship it to him.

[legacynub]

11 minutes ago, KZJonny said:

P0011 and P0021 aren’t a death sentence if you catch it soon enough.

Pull the offending OCV and clean it. Actually, do both for good measure. Remove the inline filter if still installed. If they are anything but Subaru OE parts, bin them and buy new ones. If you happen to have any way of observing their duty cycle, it might help. (BtSSM, freeSSM, etc….) they should both be more or less in synch.

If your turbo needs work. (And it may not, but 168K is approaching when many die….) @JmP6889928 is the man here and does the best rebuild work on anything VF related. He even does a Custom Level rebuild with lightened and stronger parts. All this on your core,  as long as it is not trashed. Or pick up a used core and ship it to him.

awesome. i will do some soul searching and clean the OCV , replace them. I did notice some oil residue as well from the inlet pipe to the turbo

[KZJonny]

Replacement is only if they still throw codes or aftermarket. Fingers crossed for ya. Oil in the inlet is normal unless it is really excessive. Shouldn’t be too bad at that mileage anyway…

[legacynub]

1 minute ago, KZJonny said:

Replacement is only if they still throw codes or aftermarket. Fingers crossed for ya. Oil in the inlet is normal unless it is really excessive. Shouldn’t be too bad at that mileage anyway…

from quick inspection it looks pretty caked on so it looks its been there for a while. I will have to remove the turbo in order to get to the banjo bolts for the passenger side which makes me thing i should replace the inlet pipe with a silicone one (perrin or something)

[KZJonny]

Sure. If you’re planning future mods especially. A new OE is fine, and plenty less money.

But for a few extra dollars, the Perrin is nice as well. I have one, and it fits well. Install is a bit of a PITA, but once it’s in there, you’re golden.

[KZJonny]

1 hour ago, legacynub said:

from quick inspection it looks pretty caked on so it looks its been there for a while. I will have to remove the turbo in order to get to the banjo bolts for the passenger side which makes me thing i should replace the inlet pipe with a silicone one (perrin or something)

I feel like you shouldn’t have to remove the turbo to do the oil feed banjo either. Been a while, but I’m reasonably confident about that.

Dropping the DP isn’t a terrible ideax to check for shaft play on the turbo at that mileage, but you should be able to leave it in place anyway.

[legacynub]

57 minutes ago, KZJonny said:

Sure. If you’re planning future mods especially. A new OE is fine, and plenty less money.

But for a few extra dollars, the Perrin is nice as well. I have one, and it fits well. Install is a bit of a PITA, but once it’s in there, you’re golden.

yep! i remember i did it on my 05 LGT. it took 2 days because i was fed up with it. The banjo bolt looks like it is right under the turbo / inlet pipe. Vid shows how mine looks like as well

 

[Max Capacity]

Yes 08-09's have the OCV up top. I think 07 does also.

I got another 1000 miles after my 05 had those codes. One morning, just after leaving the house, the turbo began to whistle. I drove the 1/4 mile back home and ordered a new vf52. 

You'll need a tune for anything other than a stock turbo.

The banjo filter didn't look that bad, in the video. I did remove both mine on the 05' many years ago. My 09 Spec B style has both filters installed, it has 103,500 miles.

 

[Max Capacity]

Just watched that video, I think I would send that turbo out for a rebuild. Notice the tips of the blades and the amount of play in the shaft.

You should also replace the oil return hose under the turbo while it's out.

I also bolt the turbo to the up-pipe, makes it easier to line up the return hose and inlet hose at the same time. Bolts are the same one Subaru uses to bolt the up pipe support bracket to the block, the dealership will have them.

Here's pictures from my 05.

[Enlight]

Another vote for @JmP6889928, here's a thread with people's reviews of his turbos. He can work on your vf46, too.

[legacynub]

41 minutes ago, Max Capacity said:

Just watched that video, I think I would send that turbo out for a rebuild. Notice the tips of the blades and the amount of play in the shaft.

You should also replace the oil return hose under the turbo while it's out.

I also bolt the turbo to the up-pipe, makes it easier to line up the return hose and inlet hose at the same time. Bolts are the same one Subaru uses to bolt the up pipe support bracket to the block, the dealership will have them.

Here's pictures from my 05.

hey @Max Capacity glad you're still around and kickin' knowledge to people. That video is not mine however i would not be surprised if mine is starting to look like that. I did email john yesterday so hopefully I can get this ball rolling. For now I just had the single code p0011 come on but not the p0021 yet. fingers crossed it was just the OCV which i took out and cleaned yesterday before throwing it back in

[Max Capacity]

With only the one code...you should be ok. Keep a listen for turbo. After those codes, mine did whine a bit louder, then that one morning it whistled.

 

My compressor blade, just began to kiss the housing. Lucky for me, no real damage or metal on the oil system.

[legacynub]

3 minutes ago, Max Capacity said:

With only the one code...you should be ok. Keep a listen for turbo. After those codes, mine did whine a bit louder, then that one morning it whistled.

 

My compressor blade, just began to kiss the housing. Lucky for me, no real damage or metal on the oil system.

sounds like my baby momma. Ok I will just order a OCV just in case to have it handy. Going to smog it tomorrow. I did see a a crack in one of the crankcase breather hoses though. Going to go to the auto part store and get some tubing while i get a OEM one delivered.

[Max Capacity]

The reason I left the filters in my 09' is in my mind, with the filters in the fitting being vertical, when the oil drains out of it, itself cleans...

Learn what your turbo sounds like, if it gets louder, begins to squeal or whistle...pull it. A slight whine is normal. I have the intake silencer removed from under that box the air filter sits in.

 

[legacynub]

I have not checked the banjo bolts yet.. weather has not permitted me to and if I have to take the inlet pipe out I am thinking I should have a stock one in good condition to replace it with if there are any rips.

I did replace the OCV. The old one seemed like it was moving fine but maybe it wasnt? I coupled that with an oil change (oil was black and low! ) and cleared the codes. Will update more as I go