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How to tell ceramic turbine wheels from metal....

USRB25S13

By USRB25S13,
in Engines & Forced Induction

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USRB25S13 Enthusiast

USRB25S13

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I am looking at the turbo's that came on my R32 RB26DETT. I want to replace them with steel turbine wheels. I was looking at them and the turbo's are in gear shape (no shaft play at all) they look really clean. I first tried a magnet to the wheels and it didn't stick. Not sure if that's a good test or not.

I then looked at an RB25 turbo I have laying in my shop and they wheel on that one looks white where as the turbine wheels on the RB26 look dark. Also on the back of the exhaust side of the head there is a stamp on the head that says N6

Also it has a nismo timing belt.

wrxhoon Grand Master

wrxhoon

Posted
Posted

You will find that a magnet will NOT stick on any of them , ceramic or the so called steel . The reason is the so called steel are a mixure of alloys that a magnet will not stick , just like stainless steel wont stick to a magnet .

GTR-Ben Proficient

GTR-Ben

Posted
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You will find that a magnet will NOT stick on any of them , ceramic or the so called steel . The reason is the so called steel are a mixure of alloys that a magnet will not stick , just like stainless steel wont stick to a magnet .

Yes thats true.. but the shaft will work with the magnet with a steel turbo.

On a ceramic turbo the shaft is also ceramic so will not stick to the magnet. As you will see when a Ceramic turbo blows up.. it breaks at the shaft.

I was doing this just the other night to find a turbo that had been changed to steel in a pile of turbos at home :thumbsup:

USRB25S13 Enthusiast

USRB25S13

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Flick them with your finger.

The Ceramic ones dont ring at all when you flick them.

Thats what I was thinking. If I tap on the RB26 turbos they make a slight tinging sound and the rb25 turbo doesn't make any kinda sound other then the tap from me hitting it. I also tried an Ohm meter thinking I would see some kinda reading on the one turbine and not the other but they booth seem to be the same.

Also were can I find a pic of a oil drive that is too short compaird to a proper one? I need to check that out before I decied if I want to swap the RB25 with the RB26.

wrxhoon Grand Master

wrxhoon

Posted
Posted
Yes thats true.. but the shaft will work with the magnet with a steel turbo.

On a ceramic turbo the shaft is also ceramic so will not stick to the magnet. As you will see when a Ceramic turbo blows up.. it breaks at the shaft.

I was doing this just the other night to find a turbo that had been changed to steel in a pile of turbos at home :P

The shaft is steel and a magnet will stick to it , on the exhaust side however it won't stick on either the N1 so called steel whell turbos or on the stock ceramic turbos . I have both of them in my garage both of a 33 gtr .

GTR-Ben Proficient

GTR-Ben

Posted
Posted
The shaft is steel and a magnet will stick to it , on the exhaust side however it won't stick on either the N1 so called steel whell turbos or on the stock ceramic turbos . I have both of them in my garage both of a 33 gtr .

Yeah your right just tried it on some aftermarket GTR turbos that are steel.. magnet does not stick.. must have a lead mix or something..

I did notice though.. with a steel wheel they side cut the nut.. with a ceramic turbo they don't :P

GTR R32 Collaborator

GTR R32

Posted
Posted

It does look like you have steel wheels judging by the nut. However, you still have the 0.48 A/R exhaust housings so they aren't N1's.

The "steel wheel" material is "Inconel" which is a nickel alloy and is non magnetic.

GTR R32 Collaborator

GTR R32

Posted
Posted

Here is a pic comparing the ceramic wheel to the N1 steel wheel. The ceramic is on the left. You can see the difference in the connection to the shaft.

Note that they are from R34 turbos so have only 9 blades intstead of 11.

Gary

GTR-Ben Proficient

GTR-Ben

Posted
Posted
It does look like you have steel wheels judging by the nut.  However, you still have the 0.48 A/R exhaust housings so they aren't N1's.

The "steel wheel" material is "Inconel" which is a nickel alloy and is non magnetic.

I think only the later model turbo's (S15 T28) use Inconel?

The earlier steel type just have another non-ferrous mix or similar?

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