Thread: How to tell a genuine Garrett Turbo?

Thanks! I really appreciate that...

Showed it to two friends today that are both shop owners. They both state that it's more than likely an OE Garrett. One stated it's for an Audi, and the other stated that it looks like it's for a 240sx.

They then showed me OE Garrett's that have the dataplate actually located on the compressor housing, and not on the center cartridge.

One shop owner also said that it's very rare for a knock off center cartridge to have the correct fin count on the exhaust wheel? May want to do a fin count and compare to another genuine garrett.

Where did you buy it from? Just curious why you're suspicious in the first place.

it does 2 me also

Thanks Tekkie, that was really cool of you to do for me.. It sounds like there are mixed opinions between the forum members... as for why im suspicious its because it's missing the little plate on it.. and the only reason i can see it being missing is because it was coated.. thats why it may look different too (as to the cheap chinese look) . Someone was selling it pretty cheap on eBay... so i bought it, i didnt know it was missing the plate at that time until i got it.. my mistake.

not a mistake if you got it cheap boost it and see if it blows up then you will truly know.

lol it looks like a stock T28, what kind is it? I don't see many fake turbos that have garrett imprinted on the side of it..thats a good sign, what kinda turbo is it?

Just because the HOUSINGS say Garrett, doesn't mean that the center cartridge is genuine Garrett. In this case, though, his turbine is 99% a Garrett.

Exactly, I have a garrett exhaust housing, ebay compressor housing, and ihi center section and wheels. So what kind of turbo does that make it? I would guess ihi.

If I were the owner of the turbo, I would try it and see what happens. The price you bought it for may also indicate the authenticity. How much did you pay if you don't mind me asking?

When some of you are saying "just install it and see what happends" what am I looking for? That might be a dumb question, but just because it doenst blow up, it doenst mean that its a real Garrett turbo.. I'm leaning towards that it's a real one, but when it comes to things like this i like to be certain... i wish I would of known that the plate was missing, i would of thought twice before picking this up...