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Hey guys, recently took my turbo buld out for its 2nd test drive after installing a kit and I believe I smoked the turbo seals due to it not draining properly. I have oil coming out the middle of the body of the turbo. I wanna install a scavenger pump to help with the draining. How are y'all mounting the pump and what are some helpful install tips? Thanks for any help and guidance.
The turbo does not have actual seals that can blow out.
Make sure the drain plate gasket is not leaking, usually when the shaft seals leak the oil comes out the exhaust or out of the mounting flange of the compressor.
As long as the drain has vertical slope and is of sufficient size, you shouldn't need a scavenge pump.
Also make sure your engine crankcase is able to breathe sufficiently because that will affect turbo draining.
If your set on the pump, mount the pump close to the turbo, the turbo drain can go straight to the pump although having the turbo drain into a small tank mounted right under the turbo and then having the pump pull from the tank is highly recommended.
Gotcha. I saw it leaking from the v band that connects the exhaust housing to the body of the turbo. I already bought the pump and with how the roads are around me I'm just going to run the pump. I don't really see the harm of running it and its a nice piece of mind. It's more a cruiser/street car than a track car
Gotcha. I saw it leaking from the v band that connects the exhaust housing to the body of the turbo. I already bought the pump and with how the roads are around me I'm just going to run the pump. I don't really see the harm of running it and its a nice piece of mind. It's more a cruiser/street car than a track car
Yeah, definitely oil is backing up in the cartridge.
No harm in using one, just one more failure point is all.
The other thing you could do is add an oil pressure regulator for the turbo, Turbosmart makes one.
Here's a pic of the tank if you end up needing to go that route. The tank ensures the oil clears the turbo cartridge and then the pump pulls from this.
Something isnt setup right, sounds like your masking the problem with a tank. It shouldn't be blowing oil of of the v band, do you have you turbo clocked right? What size drain line do you have? Is the drain on a downward slope? Do you have a catch can setup on this vehicle? Are you sure you don't have crankcase pressure building up and blowing out if where it can relieve itself?
Yeah, definitely oil is backing up in the cartridge.
No harm in using one, just one more failure point is all.
The other thing you could do is add an oil pressure regulator for the turbo, Turbosmart makes one.
Here's a pic of the tank if you end up needing to go that route. The tank ensures the oil clears the turbo cartridge and then the pump pulls from this.
That's a nice piece. I have read about the supply restrictors, I may install one if the problem continues. I was gonna add an inline Hobbs switch from the outlet to the pan and run it to a little light so if the pump does fail I'll have an indicator for it
Something isnt setup right, sounds like your masking the problem with a tank. It shouldn't be blowing oil of of the v band, do you have you turbo clocked right? What size drain line do you have? Is the drain on a downward slope? Do you have a catch can setup on this vehicle? Are you sure you don't have crankcase pressure building up and blowing out if where it can relieve itself?
well it smokes only when I was coming to stop on a downward hill and my drain isnt the greatest. The turbos clocked completely level according to my digital level indicator. The drains your standard -10 line and the lines on a downward slope. The catch can is -12 lines from the valves covers to a vented catch can. Had plenty of vaccum on the setup. On straight flat road hits nothing but smiles and clean burn, coming down a hill and breaking i get smoke. My drain isnt the greatest because it favors the passenger side of the pan but my hookup is on the driver side. There wasn't any room with my setup to put it on the passenger side unfortunately. So it wraps around the mounting flange and then aling the side of the pan. I dont have any pics on hand of it all finished
Last edited by 98Whell6; Jun 11, 2026 at 06:10 PM.
The fact that it only smokes coming downhill under braking points me toward the drain setup, not the turbo itself. I'd verify the center section drain is pointed straight down and look closely at the drain hose routing. Wrapping around the turbo flange and crossing the pan may be allowing oil to pool in the line, then when the car is nose-down it backs up into the cartridge. A scavenger pump may hide it, but I'd want to make sure the drain path and CHRA orientation are right first.
The fact that it only smokes coming downhill under braking points me toward the drain setup, not the turbo itself. I'd verify the center section drain is pointed straight down and look closely at the drain hose routing. Wrapping around the turbo flange and crossing the pan may be allowing oil to pool in the line, then when the car is nose-down it backs up into the cartridge. A scavenger pump may hide it, but I'd want to make sure the drain path and CHRA orientation are right first.
Never said it was the turbo itself, I knew the drain was the problem. Hence why I'm putting a pump on it lol. It's clocked perfectly level, the drain routing is the problem so to assist with draining a pump is needed
I had that same kit on my last car with my drain routed the same way and it would smoke a little coming to a stop downhill. Scavenge pumps get used with that kit a lot, those pumps can be a bit noisy too just FYI.
I had that same kit on my last car with my drain routed the same way and it would smoke a little coming to a stop downhill. Scavenge pumps get used with that kit a lot, those pumps can be a bit noisy too just FYI.
Thanks for the heads up. I went with a bumper exit style exhaust, hopefully that will drown it out lol
When I was using scavenge pump with low mount twins I built a small tank and ran pump for 10-15seconds with a hella time delay relay after key off to clear the lines and tank so they were not backed upon startup. Also had a regulator on the upside of the oil feed, ball bearing turbos. I was using exa-pump and did not find it noisy at all, certiainly less that the fan..
Never said it was the turbo itself, I knew the drain was the problem. Hence why I'm putting a pump on it lol. It's clocked perfectly level, the drain routing is the problem so to assist with draining a pump is needed
you mentioned seals on turbo, that's why I said turbo. Also ive never heard of someone making sure a turbo is perfectly level, how do you make a turbo level? If the oil supply is on the top and drain is on the bottom then you have it right, im just not comprehending why you had to route the oil line around the engine, my setup is pretty tight as far as my oil line goes but with a little patience I was able to get the oil line where I needed it. I have to hook my oil line to my turbo first and then very carefully feed it straight down in a very limited space to keep it on the passenger side and then get above 1/2 turn at a time as im tightening it because I can barely fit a wrench or my hand in there but if im under my truck I can turn it just enough that eventually I get it tight. Im willing to bet its possible for you to do the same its just not easy sometimes but regardless the pump will work, just something else that could possibly go wrong. Im not a fan of installing parts that band-aid another issue.
you mentioned seals on turbo, that's why I said turbo. Also ive never heard of someone making sure a turbo is perfectly level, how do you make a turbo level? If the oil supply is on the top and drain is on the bottom then you have it right, im just not comprehending why you had to route the oil line around the engine, my setup is pretty tight as far as my oil line goes but with a little patience I was able to get the oil line where I needed it. I have to hook my oil line to my turbo first and then very carefully feed it straight down in a very limited space to keep it on the passenger side and then get above 1/2 turn at a time as im tightening it because I can barely fit a wrench or my hand in there but if im under my truck I can turn it just enough that eventually I get it tight. Im willing to bet its possible for you to do the same its just not easy sometimes but regardless the pump will work, just something else that could possibly go wrong. Im not a fan of installing parts that band-aid another issue.
Level indiactor, set the car up on level ground on its own weight and put a level indicator on housing. I'll be installing an inline hobbs switch to a little light to inside the car as an indicator. When building a car everything becomes something that can go wrong or another part to fail. People see it as a band aid but if it works and thats what its intended to do then its not so much a band aid. Its a remote aux build to help move fluid from one location to another. Kinda like how supercharged cars have an aux water pump for the coolant for the charger itself, its moving coolant from one location to another, its just doesn't gravity throughout the system
That's a nice piece. I have read about the supply restrictors, I may install one if the problem continues. I was gonna add an inline Hobbs switch from the outlet to the pan and run it to a little light so if the pump does fail I'll have an indicator for it
Can you post pictures of how you have your drain line ran? I see an an line in your picture but the line i see has a big loop down so im assuming thats not the drain line? Your turbo is on the drivers side correct? So it would seem the drivers side would be more favorable anyways?
Can you post pictures of how you have your drain line ran? I see an an line in your picture but the line i see has a big loop down so im assuming thats not the drain line? Your turbo is on the drivers side correct? So it would seem the drivers side would be more favorable anyways?
Personally, I feel 10an is a little too small for a single setup. I prefer to run 12an at minimum. They sell "full flow" fittings that don't reduce size on the bends. I would swap to something like that as well.
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Scavenger pump ideas 
