Aftermarket Turbo?

[fordowerplus]

Hello my fellow SHO loving guys and gals.. I was hoping one of you guys can help me.
I have a 2011 Taurus SHO that has a bad rear Turbo and I'm on a serious budget right now and don't have the money to purchase a OEM turbo or Top quality aftermarket turbo. I was wondering if anyone has or know someone who's had any luck with eBay / Amazon replacement Turbos or maybe even replacement cartridges?
I only have about $200 (give or take) to spend on a replacement unit. I've seen cartridges as cheap as $50-$60 bucks and complete turbos for $200 $250.. I've seen several different turbos for that price but didn't know if they were even worth buying or which ones were worth buying. I didn't want to take a chance on doing all that work for the turbo just to explode on me. I was hoping I can find a decent aftermarket Turbo for around $200 - $250 ish bucks. Or maybe even a quality replacement cartridge for around $100 or so. But I prefer an entire Turbo unit. I would sincerely appreciate anyone's assistance/advice.Thanks

 

[SeanDev]

Honest best bet is to bite the bullet and get a real motorcraft replacement turbo with new gaskets and O rings. I wouldn't go near anything on ebay or Amazon, not worth all that work just for a knock off turbo to ruin your engine. Try Turbo Bay, call to see what they charge for rebuild if you send it in, I would have both rebuilt if it is within your budget.

 

[fordowerplus]

Honest best bet is to bite the bullet and get a real motorcraft replacement turbo with new gaskets and O rings. I wouldn't go near anything on ebay or Amazon, not worth all that work just for a knock off turbo to ruin your engine. Try Turbo Bay, call to see what they charge for rebuild if you send it in, I would have both rebuilt if it is within your budget.

Thanks for the reply I appreciate it. The problem is I simply don't have the money right now and probably won't for another month or so. We welcomed a new addition to the family and our money is super tight right now. I hope that I can get her back on the road for around $300 total in parts. (I'll do the labor)
I'm really curious though? when I see the reviews on eBay for some of these aftermarket turbos they're almost all positive. And I'm wondering if the reviews/feedback are fake or are some of these aftermarket turbos actually pretty decent. Keep in mind I am not ******* my car at all. I never (*rarely.,Lol) push it hard. I was really hoping that someone in this forum had at least tried a aftermarket eBay / Amazon turbos. Fingers crossed that someone will reply with some positive feedback of their experience with these aftermarket $300ish turbos. Or maybe even replacement cartridge that's less than a top quality replacement. because I simply don't have the money right now and must get her back on the road before the month ends.

 

[luigisho]

That is a tight spot. I am very dubious about those for a must work, daily driver car. Good luck. Report back with what you find out and/or how those perform.

 

[Majestic]

You might look at Rock Auto. They are in your price range and have a 12k/1 year warranty.

 

[fordowerplus]

That is a tight spot. I am very dubious about those for a must work, daily driver car. Good luck. Report back with what you find out and/or how those perform.

Have you ever heard of anyone using those "inexpensive" aftermarket turbos before ? I looked on YouTube and seen a couple videos about people having decent luck with eBay turbos. But not specifically the ones for our SHOs.. Btw. It's sucks being broke! Lol

 

[luigisho]

Have you ever heard of anyone using those "inexpensive" aftermarket turbos before ? I looked on YouTube and seen a couple videos about people having decent luck with eBay turbos. But not specifically the ones for our SHOs.. Btw. It's sucks being broke! Lol

Being broke is a huge anvil around one's neck these days. I was broke plenty and I can attest how hard it is to keep a SHO on the road with limited funds. and this was the old cars without all the electronics, AWD, and TT.

I have not heard of anyone I know personally or people adjacent to those I know using these. I have seen YT vids like you but that is all.

If the rock auto ones are available and similar in price I would go with that or something similar where you might get some type of kinda sorta warranty. Sucks dude. I would not want a new family, old SHO and limited funds. I wish you all the luck getting this done.

 

[SeanDev]

Thanks for the reply I appreciate it. The problem is I simply don't have the money right now and probably won't for another month or so. We welcomed a new addition to the family and our money is super tight right now. I hope that I can get her back on the road for around $300 total in parts. (I'll do the labor)
I'm really curious though? when I see the reviews on eBay for some of these aftermarket turbos they're almost all positive. And I'm wondering if the reviews/feedback are fake or are some of these aftermarket turbos actually pretty decent. Keep in mind I am not ******* my car at all. I never (*rarely.,Lol) push it hard. I was really hoping that someone in this forum had at least tried a aftermarket eBay / Amazon turbos. Fingers crossed that someone will reply with some positive feedback of their experience with these aftermarket $300ish turbos. Or maybe even replacement cartridge that's less than a top quality replacement. because I simply don't have the money right now and must get her back on the road before the month ends.

Most positive reviews are from the present , when they installed them, unfortunately they can't go back in six months and change the feedback to reflect the premature failure of the turbo.. maybe try a junkyard that has a low mileage turbo. For me, personally sticking to the real deal vs the unknown origin of a aftermarket turbo is important just for peace of mind. And honestly I've yet to see thread on ebay turbos on here you either spend big or not at all. I do understand your situation, if you can get one that at least has a decent warranty, go for it, I feel you on downtime, mine was down for 7 weeks just recently.

 

[fordowerplus]

Most positive reviews are from the present , when they installed them, unfortunately they can't go back in six months and change the feedback to reflect the premature failure of the turbo.. maybe try a junkyard that has a low mileage turbo. For me, personally sticking to the real deal vs the unknown origin of a aftermarket turbo is important just for peace of mind. And honestly I've yet to see thread on ebay turbos on here you either spend big or not at all. I do understand your situation, if you can get one that at least has a decent warranty, go for it, I feel you on downtime, mine was down for 7 weeks just recently.

Yea you're probably right. I guess I'm going to be the gunea pig. lol

 

[elc32955]

I feel your pain. My 2013 Sedan Interceptor (SHO-Lite) has been a royal PITA as far as deferred (from the previous owner) & necessary maintenance since I've had the car. To straighten the car out & make it reliable plus do a few upgrades like the stock SHO center console, I'm in over $10K out-of-pocket for less than 10 months of ownership. I still have to change the passenger-side turbo next Monday. Just some of the items I've had to handle or have already fixed... Oil leaking passenger-side turbo & a turbo oil line that rusted through and puked oil all over the place (gee, the turbo wasn't leaking until AFTER it visited a Ford dealer with a $2,700 bill for oil line changes!) that throws a light smoke cloud from the engine compartment, r&r the steering rack & steering half-shaft, tranny shudders, bad power windows (dead window switches, inop power motor/regulator on at least one), a headlight that completely melted the B+ terminal at the connector & had to be forklifted, a severe trunk leak, r&r 3 out of 4 tail lights for screwed-up lenses, appliques that won't stay glued to the car, plastic part embrittlement, a disintegrating windshield cowl, discovering 2 bent rims on a Hunter Road-Force balancer, flaky power mirrors (possible harness problems with that one), paint problems, rear deck lid lip rust.... ye gods! Also Monday I'm having the PTU inspected and fluid changed (car already burned through 1 PTU under the previous owner), keeping my fingers crossed that the grey sludge monster has not visited the second PTU. If necessary we'll tap a drain port into the PTU for ease of future maintenance.

For a replacement turbo I'm going to try a Ford rebuild unit from Rotomaster, Rock Auto stocks it for around $480 or so. They're Garrett turbos by any other name (mfd for Ford) so after a rebuild it should give factory-new equivalent service. Considering a local Ford dealer wanted $2,200 + another $1,575 for R&R plus seals, other misc charges and taxes for a factory-new unit, I'm getting off pretty lightly for around $1,300 or so on the turbo swap from a specialty Ford performance shop. When you don't have a garage or a home lift you're forced to use shops... whatever the price.

Good luck on your turbo swap!
Eric

 

[fordowerplus]

I feel your pain. My 2013 Sedan Interceptor (SHO-Lite) has been a royal PITA as far as deferred (from the previous owner) & necessary maintenance since I've had the car. To straighten the car out & make it reliable plus do a few upgrades like the stock SHO center console, I'm in over $10K out-of-pocket for less than 10 months of ownership. I still have to change the passenger-side turbo next Monday. Just some of the items I've had to handle or have already fixed... Oil leaking passenger-side turbo & a turbo oil line that rusted through and puked oil all over the place (gee, the turbo wasn't leaking until AFTER it visited a Ford dealer with a $2,700 bill for oil line changes!) that throws a light smoke cloud from the engine compartment, r&r the steering rack & steering half-shaft, tranny shudders, bad power windows (dead window switches, inop power motor/regulator on at least one), a headlight that completely melted the B+ terminal at the connector & had to be forklifted, a severe trunk leak, r&r 3 out of 4 tail lights for screwed-up lenses, appliques that won't stay glued to the car, plastic part embrittlement, a disintegrating windshield cowl, discovering 2 bent rims on a Hunter Road-Force balancer, flaky power mirrors (possible harness problems with that one), paint problems, rear deck lid lip rust.... ye gods! Also Monday I'm having the PTU inspected and fluid changed (car already burned through 1 PTU under the previous owner), keeping my fingers crossed that the grey sludge monster has not visited the second PTU. If necessary we'll tap a drain port into the PTU for ease of future maintenance.

For a replacement turbo I'm going to try a Ford rebuild unit from Rotomaster, Rock Auto stocks it for around $480 or so. They're Garrett turbos by any other name (mfd for Ford) so after a rebuild it should give factory-new equivalent service. Considering a local Ford dealer wanted $2,200 + another $1,575 for R&R plus seals, other misc charges and taxes for a factory-new unit, I'm getting off pretty lightly for around $1,300 or so on the turbo swap from a specialty Ford performance shop. When you don't have a garage or a home lift you're forced to use shops... whatever the price.

Good luck on your turbo swap!
Eric

Just logged in for the first time in a while.. How did it turn out??

 

[elc32955]

Just logged in for the first time in a while.. How did it turn out??

Very well. The turbo apparently was the leak issue, it was turning fine but had horizontal shaft play. The new turbo with the existing lines is doing just fine, looked just like a new OEM turbo after reconditioning at Rotomaster. The PTU is also fine, I had the service done on it earlier in the week. The fluid was pitch black when drained, but had no flakes or fragments in it although the magnet on the drain plug had some junk on it. I had the PP PTU so it has a separate drain port already in the housing. Lucked out there!

Oh, this is a funny one. My LR power window is fixed & operational. Turns out it was a bad harness, my car had a door replacement before I purchased it. It's a 2013 but the replacement door was from a 2010-2012. The electrical harnesses between a 2012 and 2013 are NOT compatible, guess there was a electrical pin-out change. So, put a harness in from a 2013 & connect it up.... it works fine now!

Thanks
Eric