Turbo Brick (Volvo) question about turbo interchangeability

To make a long story short, the turbo in my wife's daily went out. The daily is a 1992 Volvo 940 Turbo that's as bone stock as can be down to its TD04H-13C. The turbo was pouring oil out the compressor inlet and there was very light scraping on the compressor housing.

I've deducted that a TD04H-13C is physically interchangeable with a TD04HL-15G, if I am wrong please correct me.

I found a used replacement 13C that's been rebuilt for ~$325. Now it does look rebuilt but I don't trust the guy thats posting pictures taken on his kitchen floor to have done a bang up job on it or to have even tested it. Smells like a quick flip for $$$ to me

I found a 15G for ~$225 that's had a rag taken to it and put on clean cardboard that claims to have a 30 day warranty that I feel warm and fuzzier about.

The big question is, if i reclock the 15G and slap it on there will it run just fine without a tune?
I'm not going for big power or doing anything other than the turbo swap and making it fit.

Thoughts?

PS: Here's a pic of the 13C taken apart

also, if you have a replacement turbo that will bolt up that'll work. I'll buy it off of you for a reasonable price

Since it's the wife's daily I'd buy the best turbo you can find. When I had my '90 740 the stock mitsu turbo had long been expired. I happened to find a rebuilt/good Garrett T3 from an earlier car and made a couple bendy modifications to the hard lines to make it work. Totally worth it. 

were you able to run w/o needing a tune?

mosts of the posts i've found were about making power vs just working. id assume as long i dont exceed oem CFM id be ok

I put a 15G on my 94 940T. It will work fine without changing anything (except adapt a wastegate thingy, but you know that). Put a manual boost controller on and turn it up a bit-your wife will enjoy her newfound power!

nedc said:

I put a 15G on my 94 940T. It will work fine without changing anything (except adapt a wastegate thingy, but you know that). Put a manual boost controller on and turn it up a bit-your wife will enjoy her newfound power!

awesome! i take it I'll only need a tune when i exceed a certain amount of boost with the 15g?
I'm gonna order the 15G right now

Tune is meaningless as far as which turbo you use.  Try to whomp.it up to 30 psi and then you need something, whether it's the same turbo or not.

If you are going to change it for a used one, try to buy all the oil and water lines, and the banjo bolts as well.  There are some subtle differences, some not so subtle.

In reply to TurboFocus :

Yeah you should be safe up to 10 lbs. or so boost w/ the 15g. A lot depends on what octane gas you decide to use. If your wife chooses to use 87 then you better keep it at the factory boost level which is 6 or 7 lbs. I think. If you go up to 89 you can add more boost and 91 even more. I am at around 12 lbs. and can get by with 89, but 91 gives a bigger margin of error. It's a little bit painful when you see the price jump from 87 to 89/91 but you gotta pay to play. I also have a chipped ecu but that is not necessary to run the 15G at stock boost levels...or slightly elevated.  BTW, all the oil/water lines from the 13c work on the 15G. 

This is perfect because it's easier to find 15Gs than 13Cs, that our I'm looking in the wrong spot. Also the 15G I wanted is in the "UAE" and they wasnt $100 shipping. I'll probably go to a junkyard today and look around with my sawzall in hand

I did find an Alibaba Chinese turbo for $100, should I go for it? 

https://m.alibaba.com/amp/product/60738380881.html?spm=a2706.amp_supplier

Yes, that would work- it has the conical exhaust housing you will need to bolt up to your downpipe. Volvo 15gs came with straight exhaust housings also- they won't bolt up without downpipe mods. You want a 15g off of an early 850T. On the Chinese one- the price is right, who knows about the quality...

Junkyard turbos should work. Or check the turbobricks classified section.

There's a 13c For sale.