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Any good GT17 Turbo replacement tutorials?

2K views 9 replies 4 participants last post by  turboBOOST 
#1 ·
I'm looking for a good write-up on relacing the turbo in my 1999 9-5 with the GT17. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Thanks in advance!
 
#2 ·
I recently replaced the GT15 CHRA (cartridge) in my 99 -95 V6. I had the help of the SAAB WIS which instructs on removing the entire unit along with the Exhaust Manifold. I of course did it the hard way; which is separating the CHRA from the compressor housing and the exhaust housing.

This technique while do-able, is very difficult and more complex. So depending on if you intend to replace only the CHRA (Center Hub Rotating Assembly) or the entire unit the procedures would be slightly different.

Either way-- I recommend removing the exhaust Manifold along with the unit from the car. Let me know which technique you plan on using and I'll give you the details of how I performed the surgery. :roll:
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the input. I just bought a Haynes Manual on Ebay. I had the Saab WIS on my laptop but lost it when my PC crashed. I tried installing it again, but the executable I downloaded ended up executing my OS. So, if anyone knows where I can get a clean copy of the WIS, please let me know.

I've been up in the air on what to do with this car. I bought it last winter and put new tires and the PCV#6 and started fixing little things here and there. Out of the blue, the turbo seals failed and my car won't run without blowing a big cloud of blue smoke. To top it off I was side swiped the next day and insurance found it no fault (since I had liabity only, i'm screwed). So I parked it and took my 900 verti out of the garage. Now that winter is aproaching again, I want a winter driver.

So, I think I've decided to drop the oil pan and check for sludge then swap out the turbo. I hate to put more money into the car becasue the passenger doors are smashed (they still open and close fine, they just look ugly), but I think with the new turbo it will be a good winter car. I've also considered scraping it out or selling it as is. But since I have about 4k in it right now I hate to take the loss, but I hate to keep pouring money into.

Any suggestions or advice is welcome!

David
 
#6 ·
I started ripping into my car this afternoon. The job looks easier than I originally thought. I ordered a haynes manual, but decided I could probably figure things out with the advice so far and this image from eeuroparts.com



I plan to take some photos and post them here. I should have done it from the start for others who want to take on this job, however I got a hair up my *** after work and just went to work.

Before I order a new turbo I'm going to drop the oil pan and see what's going on in there. I also want to get the turbo off and have a look-see because I might even have the confidence to rebuild it myself once I get it out. However, I think buying a rebuilt unit is a better idea since I'm really not the best mechanic and the turbo internals seem like precision is important; I'm not that confident in my abilities!
 
#7 ·
[...]Before I order a new turbo I'm going to drop the oil pan and see what's going on in there. I also want to get the turbo off and have a look-see because I might even have the confidence to rebuild it myself once I get it out. However, I think buying a rebuilt unit is a better idea since I'm really not the best mechanic and the turbo internals seem like precision is important; I'm not that confident in my abilities!
Sounds like a plan. If I didn't have the V6 (and could figure out how to remove my dipstick);oops: I would have dropped my pan for a look see too.
Once you get the intake and the fans out you'll have a lot more room to work and your confidence will soar. I was only able to get to the Banjo's with a wrench though but mine seemed to be torqued to spec.

Once you deal with the those, the support bar and the oil return tube you should be fully oriented to what goes where. Don't know about you, but I was so anal about cleaning up the engine bay that I added at least 3 hours to the job by degreasing and wire-brushing anything that looked rusty or greasy...which was helluva lot of things.

One thing I learned is that there is an o-ring between the compressor housing and the intake turbine. When I removed my housing I never saw, I only found later lying on the ground it had broken. The WIS diagram and the EPC don't seem to be aware of this o-ring. Saab doesn't sell this o-ring, nor does anyone else I asked about it. I ended up using some permatex gasket maker, worked well but it's messy.

Waiting for your update. Share the pain or the pleasure. ;)
 
#9 ·
The critical thing for rebuilding a turbo is if the end-play in the shaft has not increased to the point that the compressor wheel runs into the scroll. You can remove the delivery pipe and reach into the end of the compressor and wiggle the shaft to see how much movement there is. If the unit passes this test, then it is possible to do a DIY rebuild. There is a good instructional photo series at http://photo.platonoff.com/Auto/20051009.Garrett_T25_Turbo_Rebuild/
 
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