Garrett Turbo Rebuild Service

PT Turbo rebuilds and remanufactures Garrett turbochargers in-house at our San Bernardino, CA shop. Every unit goes through a full teardown, OEM-spec or better parts replacement, CIMAT VSR balancing, and final quality inspection before it ships back — backed by a 12-month unlimited mileage warranty and nationwide mail-in service.

Best For

• Ford Power Stroke diesel trucks
• GM Duramax diesel trucks
• European VNT/VGT diesel applications
• Industrial and marine diesel engines
• Performance and motorsport builds

Shop Garrett turbochargers in stock at PT Turbo →

Garrett Models We Rebuild

About Garrett Turbocharger Rebuilds

PT Turbo has been rebuilding Garrett turbochargers since 1978, covering everything from the GTP38 on early Power Stroke trucks to modern variable-geometry VNT and GTB units on diesel pickups and European applications. We disassemble each unit completely, inspect the shaft, bearings, compressor and turbine wheels, and the VGT mechanism, then rebuild to OEM tolerances with new bearings, seals, thrust components, and a freshly balanced rotating assembly.

A rebuild is often the smarter call because Garrett housings and machined components are expensive to replace outright, and a brand-new unit can cost two to three times what a proper remanufacture does. If your core is structurally sound, rebuilding restores factory performance for a fraction of the price, and you keep the exact unit matched to your truck or engine instead of gambling on a no-name replacement.

Common Garrett Applications

Ford and GM Diesel Trucks

• Ford 7.3L Power Stroke (GTP38)
• Ford 6.0L Power Stroke (GT3782VA)
• Ford 6.4L Power Stroke high-pressure and low-pressure units (GT3788VA / GT3794VA)
• GM 6.6L Duramax LB7, LLY, LBZ, and LMM (GT3788VA / GT37V)

European VNT/VGT Diesel Applications

• VNT15 and VNT20 variable-nozzle units on light-duty European diesels
• GTB2260VK, GTB1756VK, and GTB2056V variable-geometry turbos on common-rail diesels
• BMW, VW/Audi, Mercedes, and Sprinter VGT applications

Industrial, Marine, and Performance Builds

• Industrial and marine diesel power units running Garrett frames
• Performance and motorsport builds requiring balanced, blueprinted rotating assemblies
• Upgraded billet wheel conversions on GT and GTB frame turbos

Common Garrett Turbocharger Symptoms

• Excessive shaft play or wheel-to-housing contact you can feel by hand at the compressor nut
• Oil leaking into the intake or exhaust side, showing as blue smoke and oil-fouled intercooler piping
• High-pitched whine or siren noise that climbs with boost, signaling worn bearings or a damaged thrust system
• Sticking VGT/VNT actuator that throws underboost or overboost codes (common on GT3782VA and GTB units)
• Low boost and sluggish acceleration from carbon-locked vanes on variable-geometry units
• Overboost and surging when the vane mechanism hangs in the closed position
• Black or gray smoke under hard load from a turbo that cannot spool or hold target pressure
• Grinding, rumbling, or metallic noise at idle indicating bearing or thrust bearing failure

Real Garrett Failures We See in Our Shop

• On the GTP38 from 7.3L Power Strokes, we frequently see worn journal bearings and shaft play from oil coking, especially on trucks shut down hot without idle-down. The oil bakes in the center housing and starves the bearings.
• The GT3782VA on 6.0L Power Strokes comes in with the unison ring and vanes carbon-locked solid. Soot and oil vapor pack the VGT cavity until the vanes will not sweep, causing the surging and low-boost complaints these trucks are known for.
• On 6.4L units we rebuild, the high-pressure GT3788VA often shows turbine-side shaft play and seal failure, while the low-pressure GT3794VA tends to crack or wear its compressor wheel from years of heat cycling.
• European VNT15, VNT20, GTB1756VK, and GTB2056V turbos almost always arrive with vane carbon lock and a worn or stuck VGT actuator. The electronic actuators on the GTB units also fail outright, but the underlying mechanism is usually sooted up.
• On Duramax GT37V and GT3788VA cores, we regularly find oil-side seal leakage and bearing wear after the truck has lived on extended drain intervals or a clogged feed line.
• On performance and motorsport builds, we see compressor wheel over-speed damage and thrust bearing failure from aggressive tuning that pushes the stock rotating assembly past its safe boost and shaft-speed limits.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Identify Your Garrett Turbo

The identification tag is typically located on the compressor housing, bearing housing, or center section of the turbocharger. It usually lists the model number, assembly number, and serial number. If you’re not sure which Garrett model you have, send PT Turbo a photo of the tag and we’ll help identify it before you ship anything.

PT Turbo Warranty

• 12-month, unlimited mileage warranty against defects in parts and workmanship
• Final quality inspection on every rebuild: leak test, visual inspection, actuator or wastegate function check
• In-house CIMAT VSR balancing with a balance report included
• Nationwide mail-in service — you don’t need to be local

Why Customers Choose PT Turbo

• Rebuilding turbochargers, including Garrett, since 1978
• In-house CIMAT VSR balancing on every unit, not outsourced
• Full housing sandblasting and OEM-spec or better parts replacement
• Inspect first, quote before work begins — no surprise charges
• Nationwide mail-in service from our San Bernardino, CA shop

PT Turbo Inspection Process

Every turbocharger goes through the same evaluation before any work begins:

1. Initial evaluationcompressor wheel, turbine wheel, shaft, bearing housing, VGT assembly (if equipped), actuator, and seal surfaces are checked first.
2. Complete disassemblythe turbocharger is fully torn down and every major component is inspected individually.
3. Cleaningcomponents are cleaned to remove carbon, oil residue, rust, and contamination.
4. Measurementcritical tolerances are measured against OEM specification.
5. Reassemblyrebuilt using new wear components matched to your specific model.
6. CIMAT VSR balancingthe rotating assembly is balanced in-house, with a balance report included.
7. Final inspectionleak test, visual inspection, and actuator or wastegate function check before shipment.

No work begins without your approval. You receive a quote after inspection, not before.

Common Garrett Turbo Models We Service

Pricing

Most rebuilds require inspection before final pricing. Standard rebuild pricing depends on the turbo model, parts availability, wheel condition, shaft condition, housing damage, and whether upgrades are requested. PT Turbo inspects every turbo and sends a quote before any work begins — no surprise charges.

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