# DIY CHRA gt2871r (none rebuild kits available turbo)



## Murphyman20thGTI (Oct 5, 2008)

Ok certain Garrett Turbos donot offer rebuild kits, only CHRA exchange programs are available. Buying a NEW CHRA can run you $900, with the exchange program you can save up to half that if CHRA qualifies. They mostly look for bent shaft or if someone tried replacing fan blades. Here is a link to distibuters that offer this Ball barring Exchange program, http://www.turbobygarrett.com/turbo...locator/garrett_performance_distributors.html 
I used ATP for there services and my CHRA was accepted, an I had bent a few fan blades on exhaust side when removing CHRA from housing. When I did that I wasn't expecting it to qualify, but it did!

Ok well first off I have seen a few different methods on how to remove turbo. Some people remove front wheels and downpipe from exhaust to have extra room to work. I myself did not follow there directions. 

Before I removed anything I look around engine bay to see what would be in my way what what would give me problems. 
The way my gt2871r on ATP 3 manifold sits I have some room to work with without having to remove extra unneeded stuff and save me sometime. 

My order I did things in:

Step 1. Locate anything in way that will need to be removed from above and below car. 
Step 2. Sit down and think if you have time and money for project! 
Step 3. Begin unbolting minor items to clean space, I started with intake and vacuum hoses. Work from top of motor first as it is Easyier to get at wail car is stil on ground. 
















Step 4. Jack up car and place wheel chuck behind rear wheels and place jack stands under car also (saying that since so cold outside floor jack will lose pressure and will drop slowly) 
Step 5. From under car of above disconnect downpipe from turbo, then look for oil and coolant lines to turbo. 
Step 6. Get a oil pan and somthimg to collect coolant because you are ready to drain it from car and turbo, I started with lower oil return line that connects to oil pan where it was lowest point to drain from, also do the same with coolant lines. 








Step 7. Disconnect the 4 braided from turbo once liquids are removed. 
Step 8. Start unbolting turbo from manifold, when I did this there was 1 nut I could get a wrench on because of housing was in way. This is where I ran into a problem I tried backing out the stud to be able to get turbo off. So I used a same size nut and tightened against original nut and tried backing out and ended up snapping stud off... But got turbo off!
























I will come back to tapping out broken stud. Ok now u have turbo out of car.
Step 9. Start removing bolts holding compressor housing, and detach wastegate acuator.
Step 10. Ok here I ran in problem since didnt have good enough tool, I need to buy this "2 pc 16" ic:snap ring CIRCLIP PLIER REMOVER INSTALLER" from eBay. I had similar ones but they were way to small. So once have right tool remove snap ring from house that connects to the small round ring on CHRA. 
Step 11. Write down info from turbo name plate since u will need it for the exchange, also take note of the coolant and oil line to order new lines unless yours are fairly new, I would still recomend changing seals for lines atleast.
Step 12. Ok I had to heat exhaust housing with torch to loosen CHRA locking piece that keeps it in housing, this is where I bent my fins on the CHRA wiggling it out of housing.
Step 13. Contact one of the distributers that offer the ball bearing exchange program and ship out old CHRA, also there is a rubber ring on CHRA that you will need to save. I made the dumb mistake and left it on when i shipped it out, and had to order another O ring.
Step 14. No that i had CHRA getting inspected in CA provided by ATP, I decided to clean up exhaust housing, then had my farther use his works sandblaster to freshen it up a bit.
















Step 15. Get Oil and Coolant lines matched up if you are installing new ones, which i am. I still waiting on the Oil return line and fittings since was planning on using old setup but this is what i found...








when i first removed it, it was not touching with anything at all so was surprised at first. 
















Step 16. Install Oil and Coolant lines to the car leaving the turbo side of them tucked away in some what of there location htey will be mounted.
Step 17. Finally when you get your CHRA back if you qualified and didnt have to purchase new unit!, Mine took about 11 days to arrive from the day i shipped it, Go ahead and first attach it to exhaust housing side and HAND tighten down the bolt that hold the half circle pieces in place so if you need to adjust the CHRA for better positioning. 
















Step 18. Install that Large Rubber O-Ring i told you to take off before shipping CHRA, Then install Inner ring of Compressor housing with Snap ring to the CHRA. 
Step 19. I did not put on the Compressor housing, and put turbo back onto manifold and the a nut on it to keep it in place. Now this is where you can feed your lines to the turbo and try to make them not come in contact with with manifold or exhaust once your finally ready to bolt it all up.
Step 20. Wial you have in lines and turbo were you want them, Tighten up those bolts you hand tightend once you are Sure you have it where you want it. ( Only tighten a few bolts so it wont spin when moving turbo)
Step 21. Take turbo back out and secure the rest of those bolts if havent already, Go ahead and Carefuly put you Comp housing on and see if there is any rub or friction if not bolt it on with your wastegate also in correct position. ( Your setup maybe different) 
















Step 22. Get all your Gaskets in place and bolt back up your turbo!
















( I still havent Done this yet so no pictures at the moment) I also believe you have to Prime the oil and coolant once you add your NEW oil and coolant, Not positive but i would believe so. I will look up more info and get back to this thread. This was LAST step if you DID NOT break a stud on manifold.
opcorn: 

Step 23. (for those who broke a stud) I was not about to remove Exhaust manifold which the Bolts are in Really tight spaces, and is a pain in the ass. And also i didnt want to wait for another gasket.. So i had to buy a 90 degree angle drill attachment to even be able to drill out old bolt. I actualy had to grind down 3 different drill bits and resharpen them to have enough room to drill striaght on. I got really lucky and found dead center and drilled away with the different sizes till I was the size just before the treads, Then just retapped the threads. Instead of adding a new stud i decided to make it easyer and get a Bolt which would work perfect so i wont have a clearing issue once reinstalling turbo.









I will have more pics up soon, Hope some of my mistakes helps someone out. 

Good luck and thanks fellow Vortex'rs for your input! :thumbup:


----------



## KubotaPowered (Jan 27, 2005)

Good write up!


----------



## Murphyman20thGTI (Oct 5, 2008)

Update since rebuild! 

Car is running great and STRONG! 

No leaks or anything wrong at all (fingers crossed) knock on wood! 

I'm always properly warming up and cooling down car to ensure turbo lasts. 

I have done a few extra small things to freshen the car up, like replacing my inline fuel pressure gauge and tubbing for it with new clamps, and also engine coil pack cover which I had to cut a few pieces off. 

Can't seem to copy code for images I will have to add them later. 

Enjoy and good luck to anyone that will be using this DIY!


----------



## Big_Tom (Aug 19, 2007)

is your FMIC piping all silicone? looks kinda awesome!


----------



## Murphyman20thGTI (Oct 5, 2008)

Thanks big Tom! 

No just the Upper Intercooler pipe to the throttle body is silicone by "samco" the rest of piping is just painted Jazz blue which I had to order from Germany and was shipped in a crate since was an aerosol!! Spent 22$ on a can half the size of normal spray paints! 

So yea most likely you won't see others with same setup and is which Is why I love it!


----------



## Murphyman20thGTI (Oct 5, 2008)

Uploaded slide show vid uploaded to YouTube 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XznU94Gm1Kw&list=UUBWD6wtHhUi7vkQFZjuYUqg&index=1&feature=plcp


----------



## Big_Tom (Aug 19, 2007)

Murphyman20thGTI said:


> Thanks big Tom!
> 
> No just the Upper Intercooler pipe to the throttle body is silicone by "samco" the rest of piping is just painted Jazz blue which I had to order from Germany and was shipped in a crate since was an aerosol!! Spent 22$ on a can half the size of normal spray paints!
> 
> So yea most likely you won't see others with same setup and is which Is why I love it!


:thumbup: keep up the good work


----------



## Murphyman20thGTI (Oct 5, 2008)

Update. 
Almost 2 years since rebuild/replacing CHRA. Still no turbo problems!! Fingers crossed again. 

Ran into a few little headaches, limp mode and crappy idle. 

Limp mod was coil pack, also replaced all spark plugs and valve cover gasket since seen a little oil on plugs once I removed them. 

Then the idle issue was bank1 sensor1, O2 sensor before cat swapped it out and car is good as new. 

Hope this DIY thread has helped others replacing CHRA!


----------

