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My set up is a Huron Speed t4 kit and a Borg s480 on a 408 stroker. After the winter I moved my car and noticed an oil puddle under the turbo. Took the turbo blanket off and it was soaked so I’m assuming it’s leaked for some time. The car smoked so I added a scavenger pump which corrected that problem. The motor has a high volume oil pump so I see higher than stock oil pressure. Fast forward to now I took the turbo off and rebuilt it. Installed and let the car run plus put a couple no boost miles on it and all seemed well. No leaks no smoking. Yesterday I took the car out and did two pulls into boost on the second pull the car was smoking from the turbo area, so I took it home and let it sit. Today I look and a puddle of oil is sitting under the turbo and my exhaust wrap has oil on it.
Any suggestions? I’m at a bit of a loss here as I figured the rebuild fixed my issues. Attached are some turbo picture before the rebuild.
Last edited by KyleLanter; May 21, 2018 at 02:28 PM.
I should mention the feed is -4 no restrictor and drain is -10 to the turbowerx pump and -10 to the pan from pump. Also I am running a vented catch can -10 from the rear of the drivers valve cover and -10 from the oil fill to the catch can.
Not trying to be a smart aleck, but did you put the oil soaked blanket back on the turbo? If not, pull the car out of the enclosed area...completely clean the turbo, start it and stand there watching it to see where the oil is coming from. If it doesn't leak then, have someone put a load on it as you are looking at it.
Not trying to be a smart aleck, but did you put the oil soaked blanket back on the turbo? If not, pull the car out of the enclosed area...completely clean the turbo, start it and stand there watching it to see where the oil is coming from. If it doesn't leak then, have someone put a load on it as you are looking at it.
No the oil soaked blanket made its way to the trash. I had it running a fair amount to let the new heat wrap "burn" on and no leaks to speak of. Until I went into boost everything was fine then the car smoked after for about a mile and once home no smoking (other than heat wrap). This morning however oil sitting under the turbo. After getting in boost I drove a few miles home also let the car idle in the garage for a half minute or so to get all the hot oil out of the turbo. . .
Another couple of questions, are you using a gasket on your drain? And is the drain above the oil level in the pan?
Yes gaskets are used on the drain and feed lines. I am pulling the drain line off the pan tonight to be 100% certain but I am pretty sure my oil level is below the drain. I placed the drain where a lot of others have and Huron recommends and am running 6qts of oil which I know others do as well.
Except it didnt seem like there was any reason to rebuild it in the first place ?
That would just be spending money on stuff you don't need......
i rebuilt it due to the oil leak. Had some shaft play as well but the main reason was the oil leak that I am trying to figure out. Figured the seals were shot which I think they were.
i rebuilt it due to the oil leak. Had some shaft play as well but the main reason was the oil leak that I am trying to figure out. Figured the seals were shot which I think they were.
Except as the video alludes...there are NO oil seals in a turbo.
Oil control is simply via having a drain that will always expel more oil than is being supplied, and oil will be directed away from the compressor and turbine sections via the oil slingers and oil path in general.
The piston ring seals are to prevent pressure from the compressor and turbine entering the oil section. not in any way to prevent oil passing into the compressor or turbine section.
Except as the video alludes...there are NO oil seals in a turbo.
Oil control is simply via having a drain that will always expel more oil than is being supplied, and oil will be directed away from the compressor and turbine sections via the oil slingers and oil path in general.
The piston ring seals are to prevent pressure from the compressor and turbine entering the oil section. not in any way to prevent oil passing into the compressor or turbine section.
understood but I’ve read that as the ring seals fail they can lead to oil being pushed past them which is what I believe happened to mine. As for draining i am running a similar, if not identical, set up to many others and have not heard of them having the issues I’m having.
understood but I’ve read that as the ring seals fail they can lead to oil being pushed past them which is what I believe happened to mine. As for draining i am running a similar, if not identical, set up to many others and have not heard of them having the issues I’m having.
You are right, when the piston begins to go...you will get light smoke on startup, till it finally fails all the way giving the James bond effect. Only other thing i can think of is, a pin hole somewhere in the drain line. Other than that, I would think oil is somehow backing in the turbo.
You are right, when the piston begins to go...you will get light smoke on startup, till it finally fails all the way giving the James bond effect. Only other thing i can think of is, a pin hole somewhere in the drain line. Other than that, I would think oil is somehow backing in the turbo.
yeah I agree with you I am thinking it’s a drain issue but i figured the turbowerx pump would of fixed that. I’ll pull the line off the pan tomorrow and start the car to see what kind of flow I am getting from the pump back to the pan.
Oh lord, I just noticed that you said you aren't running a restrictor. You will get varied opinions on this, and I know everyone's setup is different .... but i had to restrict the feed to the turbo. And yes I'm running the 296 pump. This is with my current turbo which is over 2 years old.
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Turbo leaking oil issue. 
