07 Legacy gt turbo failure?

[finboy]

(not mine)

I'm trying one of my friends who's not a carguy try to find the root cause of his turbo failureS
this is what he sent me

It is a 2007 Legacy GT Turbo sedan with 280,000 k.. Most significant problem was that the turbo charge went at 115,000 k the first time. Although it was serviced at RH Subaru through warranty period, Subaru Canada indicated warranty only good to 100,000 and that one or two oil changes were 1000 – 1500 k too long. The turbo charge was replaced by Barrie Subaru at a cost of $2600 and rigid oil changes with Synthetic oil were done by Peterborough Subaru since then. The turbo is again gone now as it sound that a wounded cat when it engages. PTBO Subaru agrees there is a design problem with that model Turbo in particular, with regards to oil delivery through the banjo bolts to the Turbo. They are attempting to extract something from Subaru Canada on my behalf towards replacement #2 of the turbo but are doubtful.

At this point the rest of the car is quite good and has been well maintained including timing belt, brakes, body, ect. So I am inclined to replace the turbo one more time knowing it like lasts for about 75,000 k. I am open to other suggestions but believe the best deal for me at this point is to make the best deal i can on a new turbo charge installed before it goes and takes out or damages the rest of the motor.


(i know there was a subaru recall for the oil feed line, but i'm not familiar with the oil filter/screen that is related to the turbo)

any input would be appreciated

[GaryW]

The stock turbo on this car is a known weak design. Also, the vf40 is kinda small, not having much top end (above 5500 rpm), although this means it spools pretty fast.

The banjo bolt, which is hard to get to, has a screen filter in it that has been the point of much discussion on legacygt.com. The filter is there to keep particles out of the turbo, which could kill it. However, if it actually filters very many particles it could plug, reducing oil flow and killing the turbo. A real catch 22. This filter is supposed to be a maintenance item, checked and cleaned during oil changes. Being hard to get to, this is rarely ever done.

Many people have removed the filter from the banjo bolt, and I am one of them. The rationale is this: If you perform regular oil changes, then the chances of their being particles for the filter to catch are minimal. Also, if you have particles in your oil big enough to be a problem for the turbo, you have other problems. You should also flow more oil without the filter in place.

Your options for replacement of the turbo are many. You could replace it with another vf40, which is the simplest route. You already know the potential risks of going this way.

You could also replace it with another stock-type turbo from a different car. The vf39 is one of the most popular in this case. Still small and quick spooling, but with more top end and a better longevity track record. It should bolt right up without extra parts, but it will require the services of a professional tuner to make your car run safely. Omit this last step and you could have a perfectly good turbo with a blown motor.

Or you could go with an aftermarket turbo. Trying to keep stock-like attributes, you'd probably end up with one of the 16G varieties. These typically require some extra parts, one of which is a new oil feed tube that doesn't utilize the banjo bolt filter. Again, this will require professional tuning, but can often be the most economical route, assuming you're choosing between new turbos over used or rebuilt.

I've got almost 170K on my original stock turbo and my tuner was surprised that it's still doing well. This is probably because the first 125K were easy highway miles. He recommended that I think about changing it soon, especially since I'm pushing it harder now. I'll probably be going with a 16G, most likely one my tuner is familiar with.

I highly recommend Innovative Tuning for purchase, install and tuning of a new turbo. If you think you can get the car to Buffalo, then give Mike a call.

[finboy]

thanks for your feedback!!