i got a fairly new t3 turbonetics turbocharger, the bearings are fine, no shaft play what so ever. i have a -3 feed straight out the back of the block w/ no restrictor (its a gsr) and a -8 oil return ( i think this is where i fucked up at). the line is at the very top of the oil pan. anyways, recently oil has just been pouring out of the compressor housing and into the charge pipe and its smoking like a bitch.

my question is, once it gets to this point, is it took late, or will changing to a bigger return or restricting the feed help me?

also, how hard is it to change the seal,the bearings are in mint condition so i dont think they need changing.

 

Change your oil return line before you start ------- with it internally. Turbochargers need suprisingly low oil pressure (minimum 10 psi) to function correctly and the return line (or lack there of) is probably causing part of your problem.

Oil leaving the turbo is by gravitational flow only. The oil drain line must not be plugged and its angle of return should not be less than 35 degrees from vertical. If a restriction in the oil return line exists, oil pressure can build in the unit causing oil to be forced past the seals, which may or may not be happening to you based on the positioning of the oil return.

The top of the oil pan is the correct location so I am assuming that your turbo is higher than the pan, correct? If not then it is probably very close and you might want to check into (re-route) any hardlines that you may have or any hoses that aren't running the return oil via gravity to the pan (which should be lower than the turbo)

Check your oil pressure while the car is running/driving by tapping into the line with a guage and checking it throughout the rpm range. 10 psi is the minimum that you need and you don't need much higher than that for lubrication. If you're getting 30-40 psi, it's obviously time for a restrictor.

As far as changing the seals, it relatively easy provided you have the correct tools for doing so and have any additional parts that you may need based on the turbo that you have.

1) torx bit driver or torq driver for screws if they're torx screws or regular in the seal plate
2) rubber mallet to break the torque on the screw without stripping them so they can be re-used
3) piston seals if you need them
4) red rtv for the seal plate and compressor housing when you put it back together.

Try the oil lines first and it might cure your problem.

If you have time and want to change the seals anyways, order a half kit and go to work removing the turbo.

So long as you don't plan on rebuilding the whole thing, you won't need to balance it again so long as you don't disturb the turbine from the compressor wheels balance as an assembly.

Take the center cartridge out of the exhaust housing and take the compressor housing off of the center cartridge.

Mark the turbine with a sharpie marker and mark the compressor wheel at the same spot directly acrossed from it as well as the shaft nut.

When you have this done it is safe to remove the shaft nut (reversed thread) and pull the turbine from the center cartridge. Be careful not to pull too hard and DO NOT FORCE ANYTHING if it doens't want to come out. This is a sure fire way to distort the turbine and you'll have to have it balanced again.

When you have the turbine out, make sure that you don't drop it like a jackass (see balancing again)

When you have access to the center cartridge, have at it and re-install with the turbine and compressor wheel lined up.

Your shaft nut is going to be somewhere around 17.5~20 in/lbs.

If you're not comfortable doing this, send your turbo to me and I'll do it for you minus seals and shipping fee. Just don't disturb it before you send it and I won't have to balance it.

 

The compressor or turbine piston rings(whichever leaks) should be tried alone in it's recess to verify that the gap closes completely. If the turbo was rebuilt before, the recess might have been overbored which abolutely calls for oversize piston rings, which is not included in a basic rebuild kit.
The oriententation of the Circlips and piston rings does influence the tendancy for oil leakage.
I always check the balancing and straightness of a rotating assembly prior to reassemble and corrections are ALWAYS required.

 

This is some good info. Is there an easy way to check if the rings are bad without installing the turbo. I got a used turbo that the previous owner said leaked oil, but maybe it just saw too much oil pressure. I would like to know if it needs a rebuild before I install it.

Thanks

 

There is no seal in a turbo (except between the backplate and center section and this one never leaks)
Basically, a turbo is NOT TIGHT.
The only thing preventing the oil from running out is the PISTON RINGS.
If for some reason the oil level within the turbo raises till it reaches the shaft level, Oil WILL overflow through the turbine side first, and eventually both sides, causing smoke.
MAny installation and engine problems may cause this, including, too much pressure, but leaking oil doesn't hurt the turbo.

You may want to take the following statement of mine with a grain of salt since I do rebuild turbos for a living but a Preventive rebuild is cheap and is ALWAYS recommended prior to re install a used turbo, especially when you don't know how it was driven and maintained before. Even if it has no shaft play or doesn't leak, there's always some amount of coked oil clogging the turbine piston ring and the tiny channels allowing the oil flow through the bearings and the center section.

 

so will fixing my pressure problem make the leaking stop?

 

Oil leaks can be caused by more than just excessive oil pressure. But start by resolving that and if it still leaks, people here on HMT will throw tricks at your problems until it solved!!

 

hey blaast( or any one else), i was looking through some of your posts on this same issue and i noticed you said something about the oil pan being pressurized... i do have low compression on one cylinder (appears to be broken ring lands) could that be the source of my problem? boost is getting into the oil pan, causing the turbo to feed to stop flowing?

 

Oh yeah. Definitely.
If you lack 50 psi of compression into one cylinder, that 50 psi goes to the crank case.
Since the oil drain is NOT pressurized and works only by gravity, it is VERY likely that some amount of pressure in the crank case will make the oil foam up into the tube and the turbo resulting in oil overflowing through one or both extremities of the turbo.
So Basically, your turbo is probably good. Fix the engine first. I bet it will stop your puffing problem.

Sorry for your engine dude!!! IT's much easier and cheaper to fix a turbo!

 

pulled the charge pipe off and all the leaking stopped.... still smokes quite a bit... i guess the remaining pressure is coming from the engines compression...

im taking the turbo off tommorow until i rebuild the motor.

thanks for the tips/info