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Nissan Skyline: RB20DET Turbocharger Compressor Wheel Wear

RB20DET Turbocharger Compressor Wheel Wear is a common engine fault on the Nissan Skyline on the 1989–1994 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $1,800 to $4,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 41 documented faults on the Nissan Skyline.

Vehicle
Nissan Skyline
Only on
Golf R / R32
Engine
RB20-DET
Years
1989–1994
Fuel
petrol
System
Engine

This page covers the Nissan Skyline as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Nissan Skyline faults41 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Turbocharger yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

On high-kilometre R32 RB20DET engines the turbocharger compressor wheel develops shaft play and blade wear due to oil contamination and heat-soak cycles. Worn thrust bearings allow the compressor wheel to contact the housing, causing progressive blade damage and oil burning. Left unchecked the turbo seizes or sheds blade fragments into the inlet tract. The small CT20-series turbo fitted to the RB20DET is no longer available new from Nissan, making rebuild or pattern-part replacement the only options.

What you would notice

  • Excessive shaft play felt when wiggling compressor wheel by hand
  • Oil misting on intake pipe or intercooler
  • Blue/grey smoke under boost
  • Whining or grinding noise from turbo under load
  • Loss of boost pressure

How to check it

Where to look. Turbocharger mounted on the exhaust manifold, passenger side of engine bay

Shine a torch into the housing to check for blade-tip contact scoring on the shroud. Check the intercooler end-tanks and piping for oil film. If a workshop inspection is possible: Remove the intake pipe at the turbo inlet and grip the compressor wheel; any radial play greater than 1 mm or axial play visible to the naked eye indicates worn thrust bearings.

Parts involved: Turbocharger.

What it costs to put right

$1,800 to $4,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

  • “Has the turbocharger ever been rebuilt or replaced?”
  • “What oil change interval has been followed?”
  • “Has the car been driven hard from cold?”

Now check the Nissan Skyline you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.

Nissan Skyline buyer questions

Is rb20det turbocharger compressor wheel wear serious on a Nissan Skyline?

We rate it major and common on the Nissan Skyline. On high-kilometre R32 RB20DET engines the turbocharger compressor wheel develops shaft play and blade wear due to oil contamination and heat-soak cycles. Worn thrust bearings allow the compressor wheel to contact the housing, causing progressive blade damage and oil burning. Left unchecked the turbo seizes or sheds blade fragments into the inlet tract. The small CT20-series turbo fitted to the RB20DET is no longer available new from Nissan, making rebuild or pattern-part replacement the only options.

How much does it cost to fix on a Nissan Skyline?

$1,800 to $4,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Nissan Skyline years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 1989–1994 Nissan Skyline. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Shine a torch into the housing to check for blade-tip contact scoring on the shroud. Check the intercooler end-tanks and piping for oil film. If a workshop inspection is possible: Remove the intake pipe at the turbo inlet and grip the compressor wheel; any radial play greater than 1 mm or axial play visible to the naked eye indicates worn thrust bearings. Look here: Turbocharger mounted on the exhaust manifold, passenger side of engine bay