Thanks for all the help guys! Fuel filter is on and it wasn't TOO bad
However, bad news always accompanies good news, it seems. To start off, the car is still down and I did not get a chance to take it to the track last night. I did however go to the track with my friend and his 04 (i think) Jetta 1.8 Turbo AWD
He even let me drive it! Best I ran was 10.3 in the 1/8th - not bad for his bone stock Jetta and my first time driving it. I also must say that it was my first time being at a track, EVER. Let me tell you, the sounds, smells, and overall atmosphere is an awesome experience and quite addicting
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Now on to the bad news... last week as I was porting the 14b turbine housing, I got a bit too exited trying to port out a what I thought was a hairline crack. This was no hairline crack. It was on the turbine inlet on the side of the wastegate path and the crack went all the way up to the wastegate flapper. Well, not paying attention and wanting to port out as much as I could, I ended up angling the grinder too much towards the wastegate path and grinding a HUGE hole through the wastegate bowl area
In other words, when I turned the housing over to look at the side with the turbine exit and wastegate flapper area, I saw a large hole that extended from the flapper hole all the way to to side of the turbine housing
I don't know if I described that well enough, but it's the best I can do without any pictures.
SO, I ordered a new 7cm turbine housing for the 14b and received it a couple days ago. Last night as I went to put it on, I noticed that oil had been seeping out from behind the turbine wheel where it connects to the center cartridge... oil had also been coked all in the o2 housing. It seems the oil was leaking past a seal in the center cartridge and the turbine wheel was blowing it everywhere
I also noticed the smell ofo oil being burned at idle when I put the 14b on the first time. I'm not sure if this means that the turbo is blown, but I really think it's on it's last leg. It pulled so hard for being like this, though. A new turbo rebuild costs ~$300 so I think I'll be sending the 7cm housing back and just getting a brand new turbo (not sure what yet).
I honestly think I could put the housing on the 14b and run it for another month or two, but that oil seeping past the turbine wheel is NOT cool. I don't really know for sure what I'll do, but if anyone has any ideas, please let me know. I'm desparate to get the car back running as soon as possible
-Matt