Any tips on how to remove turbos

[Ian H]

Hi
For those of you that have read my other thread, you will know I am mid adventure removing the cylinder heads to check for damage following a recent incident with a loose water pump pulley.
To get the head off I believe I need to separate the turbo from the exhaust so it can come out together with the cylinder head and manifold.
There seem to be 3 sprug loaded nuts which attach tthe turbo to the exhaust - but then of course there is a whole load of other hoisng and paraphenalia.
Does anyone have any advice for removing the turbos in a home garage?
Is there a trick to getting the 3 turbos bolts loose - if indeed that is the way to go?
For the 2 I can get to form above I have tried excessive soaking in WD40 and then a socket extension to increase leverage but they resolutely refuse to budge so far.
I am reluctant to start heating them up with gas given enclosed space!
Other option is the angle grinder for a permanent removal but not sure there is any access for the lower one.
Many thanks
Ian

 

[Gecara8183]

Hi I feel your pain. Join maserati 3200gt owners Facebook group. You will find copy workshop manual in the files section which should help you. I am pretty dure however you will need to access bolts from below.

 

[davy83]

I replaced both turbos on my 3200 and I dropped the subframe off the car and dismantled them from below. Its pretty near impossible without removing the engine or the subframe. Now with the heads removed I am not sure if that gives you enough room? The exhaust related bolts run at such high temperatures they never give up with out a fight. Remember the turbos are also connected to the cooling water and the oil as well as the exhaust manifold and you need to disconnect all of that to remove the turbos. worth replacing all the hoses if you are in there ,as you don't really want to have to go back to replace hoses.

 

[Ian H]

Hi
Is the subframe removal something pratical to do with the car just sitting on jacks or does it need more room/a decent lift?
Can you pull the engine from above without pulling out the gearbox too?
Trouble is the cyl. heads are still in place and will only come out with the manifold /turbos attached. I suspect that lot won't squeeze out the top without a big fight and be **** near impossible to re plumb/connect even if it did?

 

[Boomerang_GT]

I remember these 3 bolts were a true pain to remove. Each bolt needed a different approach to remove. For one I had to build a special tool out of a 8mm Inbus which I had to move with a box wrench. BUT: I did not need to heat them up. A loud ping and they went loose.
Mounted them with heat resistive ceramic lube afterwards. Car had 90.000km‘s.

 

[Ian H]

Cool when you manage to wrestle them free how did you manage to get the turbos out?

 

[conaero]

Think when I took my 3200 engine out on axle stands in the garage, I removed the manifolds complete with the turbo. I’ll see if I have any pics

 

[philw696]

Think when I took my 3200 engine out on axle stands in the garage, I removed the manifolds complete with the turbo. I’ll see if I have any pics

You were a lot younger then too

 

[conaero]

Wasn’t I just.

I remember the hardest bit about removing a 3200 engine on axle stands was getting the gearbox selector shaft out, it’s on top of the gearbox. Think I was under the car in the middle on my back, legs spread, heat propped up with both arms over the top of the gearbox struggling.

 

[philw696]

You're spoilt now in your lovely workshop

 

[Boomerang_GT]

Cool when you manage to wrestle them free how did you manage to get the turbos out?

Shouldn’t they come out with the cylinderhead?

 

[davy83]

Hi
Is the subframe removal something pratical to do with the car just sitting on jacks or does it need more room/a decent lift?
Can you pull the engine from above without pulling out the gearbox too?
Trouble is the cyl. heads are still in place and will only come out with the manifold /turbos attached. I suspect that lot won't squeeze out the top without a big fight and be **** near impossible to re plumb/connect even if it did?

i removed mine on a garage lift, but I suspect if the body was properly jacked up it would work on jacks too. height might be an issue, but if you disconnect the shocks and springs first it should be ok.

 

[JTop]

The nuts attaching the exhaust manifold to the head are a struggle enough to remove. You would be removing the head with the turbo attached.
Unless you are superiorly creative in making attachments to reach each nut and can apply enough torque to undo, there is not much choice.

Exhaust can be undone from those three spring bolts as mentioned above. If you break them, can work with removing whatever is left once it's out of the car! Anyway; ask @madmanmart for a couple?
Or the 5 nuts at the turbo housing(also be creative here to reach all and be mindful there is a double gasket between the two housings). Then oil and coolant lines from their source, oh and the wastegate vacuum hose too
Almost impossible to get something in to split the turbo from the manifold with the 4 interconnected nuts whilst it's all in the car.



Easiest method was to pull the entire motor out; personally, I had no other choice.

 

[A.S. Motorsport]

Remove the manifold and on the work bench undo the 4 nuts holding the turbo which you don't have a ton of space for

 

[Spitfire980]

I agree, its far better to remove the heads along with the manifold and turbos and work from there...it wasnt easy for me