So my car (2008 MCS 44k miles) is stored for the winter...I figured i'd detail under the hood since it's getting warmer...well I went overboard and took the intake out to clean the tubes all the way around and inside...to my fun surprise I found TONS of aluminum chunks/shavings in the intake tube right before the turbo, where the valve cover hose part connects in before the turbo. If that makes sense.

Here's a couple pics if that helps at all.

It's the tube that points up and to the left at an angle:



Here's a shot inside the tube:



The metal seems to concentrate right around that inlet and then some around the turbo as well...but not back further by the air filter or anything...Calling the dealership tomorrow to have them tow it in to take a look. Sure as hell not driving it another foot like that.

 

Well I have an appointment for monday april 4th. Mini Roadside is gonna come get the car.

In the meantime they told me to put everything back together not disturbing anything if possible...and NOT to start it lol.

Anyone have any ideas what might have caused this? Anyone paranoid now and gonna check their intake?

 

Are you saying the metal is in the tubes before the turbo? As in between the air filter and the turbo?

If it was after the turbo I could see it coming from a bad bearing in the turbo allowing the wheel to contact the housing.

Are you sure it's aluminum?

 

It appears to have come out of the tube that feeds from the back of the valve cover down into the intake tube right before the turbo...and it's most certainly aluminum chunks. It's the large chunks you can see in the pic in that spot, then in the actual turbo inlet you can wipe your finger around and it comes back covers in very fine metal shavings.

There isn't ANY in the intake tube after the filter, the MAF, or in the entire intake tube before that elbow. It's all concentrated right around where the tube clamps to the turbo and that vent tube thing goes in.

 

That tube is for your crankcase vapors. It should be dripping with oil and yet in your picture it looks dry. This is VERY unusual. Even if the shavings came from the motor, there isn't enough air velocity in that tube to have blown those shavings out of the head. Keep us updated.

 

Yeah I was thinking the same thing...there is a thin oil residue, that is what is holding the metal chunks/shavings in place......unless something got spit back through the turbo and just didn't make it further down the intake tube...

Well i'll keep this thread updated when I get any info...

 

Upon closer inspection...the turbo definately spewed this stuff into the intake tube, I can see all the little metal shrapnel inbedded in the inside of the rubber elbow there...i'm gonna take a closer look at the turbo later this afternoon. Not doing ANY repairs or cleaning though since I want the dealership to see this.

 

Ok I need help....they found a nut bouncing around in there...that doesn't go to anything. It's a small 10mm or 12mm lock nut...

Can someone do me a favor and take a pic of their turbo? The actual impeller...are these impellers press on or should there be a nut holding it on too?

 

Sounds like you need my turbo Colin...

There are decent pics in my for sale thread...
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co.../17932/cat/500

 

Is that a nut and washer on the end of the impeller shaft? I didn't see those on my turbo when I had the tube off...but they are on there now.

 

it looks like a washer then a nut

 

Are they threaded on?

 

According to the tech at the local dealer, they can't cover it under warranty since the nut they found didn't come from anywhere...which is odd. So I requested they push it further and see what they can cover under warranty...i'm quite agitated because I know I never dropped anything down the intake...the nut they found doesn't go to anything I have either...It just doesn't make sense.

I'm confused because something looks different about the impeller than when I dropped it off...but I have to find the pic I took on my digital camera to confirm. It might just be me being paranoid.

Either way we'll see what happens Tuesday when someone higher up gets involved.

But Raymazing...I might snag your turbo just in case. Can't afford it until after payday though lol.

Any way you could get a close up pic of the impeller nut/washer in macro mode on your digital camera?

 

Could it have gotten past the air filter. Seems like not, but if it could it seems like it could an insurance claim for road debris.

You might also consider if there is anything upstream in the airflow that could have dropped the part. Maybe the inside of the air (filter) box as the most obvious place to inspect