A turbocharger comprising: a compressor comprising a compressor housing and a compressor wheel disposed in the compressor housing; a turbine housing defining a bore extending axially through the turbine housing, and defining an exhaust gas inlet and an annular volute that receives exhaust gas via the exhaust gas inlet, the volute extending circumferentially about the bore; a turbine wheel disposed within the turbine housing and arranged for receiving exhaust gas from the volute and expanding the exhaust gas and discharging the exhaust gas into the bore, the compressor wheel and the turbine wheel being affixed to opposite ends of a shaft; a turbine nozzle extending from the volute generally radially inwardly to the turbine wheel, the turbine nozzle being defined between a first wall and a second wall axially spaced from the first wall; a variable-vane assembly comprising a fixed nozzle ring and a plurality of circumferentially spaced vanes rotatably mounted on the nozzle ring such that the vanes are each rotatable about respective vane pivot axes, the nozzle ring defining the first wall of the turbine nozzle, each vane including an airfoil section disposed in the nozzle and an axle rigidly attached to and protruding from a first end of the airfoil section adjacent the nozzle ring, the axles being received respectively into holes in the nozzle ring such that the axles are rotatable in the holes for pivoting of the vanes about the vane pivot axes; an insert having a pipe section sealingly received into the bore of the turbine housing and a pipe flange extending generally radially out from one end of the pipe section, the pipe flange forming the second wall of the turbine nozzle and being axially spaced from the nozzle ring such that the vanes extend between the nozzle ring and the pipe flange; wherein each vane includes a disk section rigidly affixed to a second end of the airfoil section, the disk section being disposed against a face of the pipe flange of the insert, characterized in that a each disk section having a plurality of perforations extending axially therethrough, the pipe flange of the insert having a corresponding number of holes for each disk section of the vanes, the holes being positioned such that as the vanes are rotated the perforations in the disk sections and the holes in the pipe flange of the insert become aligned in some positions of the vanes, allowing exhaust gas to pass between the nozzle and a space on an opposite side of the pipe flange from the nozzle. a compressor comprising a compressor housing and a compressor wheel disposed in the compressor housing; a turbine housing defining a bore extending axially through the turbine housing, and defining an exhaust gas inlet and an annular volute that receives exhaust gas via the exhaust gas inlet, the volute extending circumferentially about the bore; a turbine wheel disposed within the turbine housing and arranged for receiving exhaust gas from the volute and expanding the exhaust gas and discharging the exhaust gas into the bore, the compressor wheel and the turbine wheel being affixed to opposite ends of a shaft; a turbine nozzle extending from the volute generally radially inwardly to the turbine wheel, the turbine nozzle being defined between a first wall and a second wall axially spaced from the first wall; a variable-vane assembly comprising a fixed nozzle ring and a plurality of circumferentially spaced vanes rotatably mounted on the nozzle ring such that the vanes are each rotatable about respective vane pivot axes, the nozzle ring defining the first wall of the turbine nozzle, each vane including an airfoil section disposed in the nozzle and an axle rigidly attached to and protruding from a first end of the airfoil section adjacent the nozzle ring, the axles being received respectively into holes in the nozzle ring such that the axles are rotatable in the holes for pivoting of the vanes about the vane pivot axes; an insert having a pipe section sealingly received into the bore of the turbine housing and a pipe flange extending generally radially out from one end of the pipe section, the pipe flange forming the second wall of the turbine nozzle and being axially spaced from the nozzle ring such that the vanes extend between the nozzle ring and the pipe flange; wherein each vane includes a disk section rigidly affixed to a second end of the airfoil section, the disk section being disposed against a face of the pipe flange of the insert, characterized in that a each disk section having a plurality of perforations extending axially therethrough, the pipe flange of the insert having a corresponding number of holes for each disk section of the vanes, the holes being positioned such that as the vanes are rotated the perforations in the disk sections and the holes in the pipe flange of the insert become aligned in some positions of the vanes, allowing exhaust gas to pass between the nozzle and a space on an opposite side of the pipe flange from the nozzle.