[shawn72]

A little back story. Car originally modded with HKS Mid-pipe and Cobb Acessport Stage 1 map. Car ran fine for several months, never tracked just some street use as it is my fun car.

Decided to get an HKS legamax exhaust and Cobb SF intake. Took it to my Nissan tech at the dealership and had this installed along with oil change, diff and transmission service. Car has about 12K miles and is a 2009.

Picked car up and transmission was clunky and car made no boost. Since it was after closing, I brought the car back the next day. TCM map never took because their consult-III was broken and this took over a month to get their consult fixed. all the time we were thinking car in limp mode because of TCM. Well turns out the right turbo isn't making boost. Pulled the turbo to see it is failed. Nissan NA wanted pics and their engineers said there was no mechanical failure and denied warranty because of accessport. I went to dealer and got pics of the turbo.

Looks like the compressor side is shredded, and the turbo side is ok. Is this caused by a foreign object sucked into turbo or a mechanical issue?

My suspicion is something got sucked into the turbo accidentally during the intake install as it had always had just the stock airboxes. The car was running perfectly when I dropped it off and pick it up with a turbo failure? This doesn't happen from the Cobb MAP. Any thoughts on the pics?

 

[Martin Donnon]

That has had something 'massive' go through the turbo.
Next problem you have is where has it ended up? With compressor damage like that you will more than likely have matching engine damage as well.
Regardless the intercoolers, inlet manifold etc. will all need to be stripped and thoroughly checked.

 

[rio_gtr]

Wow!!! That will damage everything downstream...

This is why, I try to do most of the work myself.

 

[Djreversal]

wow.. that is miserable. definitely get your intercooler pipes and intercoolers out ... check the tubes closest to the throttle bodies for material as well... definitely do not want that making it into the engine if it hasn't already.... unfortunately if it has the next step is a motor disassembly.

 

[shawn72]

Thanks for the feedback. So have them check everything in engine and intercoolers. I have a feeling it has been this way for a while.

As far as a cause? Foreign object. Only time something could get in was the the intake install. Or is this a mechanical failure with the turbo?

 

[johnnyredgtr]

Sorry to hear that, hope you don't find any more damage in your car.

 

[VEGASGTR]

well you said they changed to Cobb intake pipes, pretty simple to me .. they dropped a bolt like a bunch of careless assholes and fucked your car up.. im sure the tech knew about it and covered it up.. as soon as he started the car the bold tried to go past the compressor and tore the hell out of it..

I would hold the dealership responsible ..1+1 =2 ..car ran perfect before changing pipes , ran like shit after the tech was careless..

 

[GTRcHaRgEr]

WOW! So your nissan dealership does aftermarket parts installs? Most don't do it due to the liability issue and that they can't warrant non OEM parts.

 

[VEGASGTR]

if you pay them to install a mid-pipe or intake pipes they normally will.. but to do a half ass job is not cool... bottom line the tech was careless and forgot a bolt in the intake pipe...

 

[max_R35]

100% foreign object

As a couple of members have mentioned, check all piping from compressor outlet to engine intake manifold

On another note check the debris you found in the pipe, get a metallurgic analysis and compare it to the blades if possible, it will contain traces of the foreign object material in it

I guess a foreign object "probably a spanner" fell into the pipe, the car was started, driven at which the foreign object did all that damage then it was removed and handed over to you

Open the compressor casing, if the blades which are covered by the casing are not damaged then my theory is correct as a bolt will break the blades and go through the compressor

No matter what they say this is NOT a mechanical failure, a foreign object has entered the intake piping and caused the damage

 

[Mick]

Ouch.
Hope the shavings didn't make into the motor.

 

[SpecG]

from the IC pipe picture..which is the pipe just before the BOV..if they made it that far..its very likely they did make it into the engine

 

[GOJEERA]

Wow!!! That will damage everything downstream...

This is why, I try to do most of the work myself.

+1 on doing your own work. No chance for that happening. My advice is hit the books and start digging into it with your own hands next time. Not everyone appreciates YOUR car the way YOU do.

 

[bobel]

Oh man that is terrible, the painful truth is you need a full engine tear down, there is no doubt the some of that material is has made it to the block, also your probably looking at a new intercooler as it will be very difficult to clean out fully,

I would agree with the other guys, something very solid was dropped into the pipes, most likely a nut from something, but I would imagine your tech knows exactly what has happened as the car was no doubt driven into that state by him.

 

[DocNrock]

Ouch! It hurts just to look at that compressor inlet.

I agree with the consensus that this most likely was a foreign body introduced on that side during the installation of your intakes and that it should be covered. Here is the rub: it occured when you had aftermarket parts installed on the car. That said, I could see NNA not wanting to cover it, as it is not secondary to a manufacturing defect or premature failure of a part, per se, but their "reason" that it is because of your Cobb AP is a cop out. Since your service department agreed to install the parts for you and you paid for this labor, your dealership's service department should take full responsibility for this and cover all expenses to get your car right again. This is probably why they gave you the story about the Consult III being down. I think the tech drove the car, heard the sound of the turbo being shredded, and thought, "uh-oh, now I know what happened to that missing bolt (or nut or odd part, etc.)." He probably then told the service manager what happened and then comes the story about the TCM not taking because Consult III was not working, knowing ultimately it would come to this and NNA would have this predictable response. I think the responsibility rests solely on the shoulders of the dealership. Now whether NNA covers the dealerships for mistakes like this, I don't know. If so, then NNA would ultimately be responsible. If not, then I personally think your dealership is responsible, but I would bet they are not going to voluntarily take ownership of this problem and make it right for you since it would seem they've already tried to cover it up. Be prepared for a battle.

Regarding any potential damage to the engine itself, it would seem the turbo blows intake air to the bottom of the intercoolers (https://files.me.com/wang.r/arvo3n, page 2). Only particles small enough to be sucked up through the intercooler core would make it into the engine, most likely like fine sand. Any larger metal fragments should be in the bottom of the intercooler (that is also where you would likely find the causative foriegn body, althought it has probably been conveniently disposed of by now). I would think you might not need an entire engine teardown. As mentioned, the intercooler likely needs to be replaced, as some of the core is probably clogged on that side. At minimum, the head should be pulled for cylinder inspection on that side. If damage is seen to the cylinder walls or piston(s), then I would think a full teardown would be necessary.

Good luck!

 

[homesite]

This could be a blessing

Purchase a forge motor and turbos from one of the venders here and have the dealer reinstall everything and you will have a 800 whp Gtr

 

[shawn72]

Thanks again for all the help, I will contact Nissan NA and the dealership after the holiday.

 

[VEGASGTR]

This could be a blessing

Purchase a forge motor and turbos from one of the venders here and have the dealer reinstall everything and you will have a 800 whp Gtr

I agree with everything DocNrock said , they might have already taken the bolt out after the tech said oh fuck that's where the bolt went!

And homesite, Really? coming from you who is freaking out if his tune will blow the motor? The guy had a mid-pipe installed and intake pipes , you think that is a blessing having to dump 25k ?

 

[homesite]

Yea, I guess it was stupid.

 

[VEGASGTR]

Yea, I guess it was stupid.

sorry, did not mean to come off that harsh.. just pissed that a simple mod costed the OP serious money