So I just finished my setup about two hours ago. I'm using a TD04HL turbo, log mani, cartech wastegate, saab intercooler, apex-i BOV, check valves, braided AN3 oil feed, 1/2" oil return hose, Aeromotive Digital FMU for returnless fuel systems, boost gauge, and air/fuel meter.

Here are some pictures of my setup:






I took it for a test drive, and pretty much right after I hit boost, I saw clouds of white smoke in my rear view mirror. The smoke was so bad and so dense, I was filling up the street with smoke. It seems to only smoke that bad under boost. It is coming from the exhaust. It did run pretty well under boost however. What's strange though is the severe bogging when accelerating from standstill. But, it does not do this when you first start the car and the o2 sensor isn't ready (open loop mode).


There is a rather sharp bend in the oil return that causes the hose to kink a little bit.


You can see that oil is coming out of the o2 sensor housing.


You can see here that oil is everywhere underneath my car. You can even see it in the exhaust in the top left corner of the picture. It's not even connected to the o2 sensor housing yet! How did oil get in there?


Another picture where you can see that oil is everywhere.

What should I do?? Is the turbo f'ed up? How much do you think this repair job would cost if I just brought my car down to Road Race Engineering? Can someone tell me what's wrong or what my options are?

 

Oh yeah, I had a vacuum cap on my valve cover breather so it couldn't vent to the throttle body. Could that have something to do with it?

 

I forgot to add: there is a lot of oil in my charge pipes as well.

 

Try restricting the oil supply to the turbo with a needle valve and running a larger more free flowing return to the oil pan.

 

yea, what he said ^. because youre either getting too much oil supply, and its pushing past the turbo seals into the oxygen sensor housing and compressor housing; or the return is not allowing oil to flow freely back into the pan and causing the same.

is it a confirmed working turbo? it could just have worn seals in it.

 

I was going to say seals, but you might have a kinked oil return line as well. Be carefull if you decide to use an oil restrictor.

 

I called Road Race and spoke to a mechanic. He said most likely the turbo seals are bad since there is both oil in the exhaust and the compressor side. I drove it some more today and the smoke ONLY happens AFTER I make a few boosted runs.

If it was just an oil pressure issue, would it only smoke after a few boosted runs? Or does it make more sense that the seals are bad?

Anyone know good sources for a good replacement 14b?

 

So, I think the capped valve breather was a bad idea, because there is a lot less smoke now, but the turbo is still spitting oil nonetheless. It seems to happen more when I let off the gas.

P.S. Home Depot rubber pipe clamps suck ----. They keep blowing off and one ripped a hole already. ----.

 

prolly the seals. you can check on here, or on dsm trader, for used turbos for good deals.

so did you cap the breather, or the pcv? the crankcase needs to ventilate. the pcv will close in boost, but the breather should still vent, i think.

the home depot stuffs not really for hi pressure/temp situations, tho some folks have used them flawlessly. you might try NAPA for a bit more reliable couplings.

 

I fixed the problem!!

I ran the stock hose from the intake manifold to the valve breather...dumb idea! I put my old breather filter back on and no more smoke!!

Yeah about the couplings, I'm going to order a 3ft. length of Nitrile/SBR Coolant Hose from McMaster. I'm mainly having problems with the couplings before the intercooler since I guess they get a lot hotter.