Track day today.

Had some nasty oil leaks. My turbo oil line caught on fire. Woops. Well, technically it was the heat wrap (I think it had some oil in it). No damage done, though. The flame went out so quickly it almost felt like a waste of a fire extinguisher.

However, on the plug side of the engine, I have some sort of oil leak that's getting oil all over the block. I can't tell where it's coming from, but I suspect it only happens when I am driving on the track.

I noticed my peak oil pressure seems to be 130 pounds. Is this too high?

I just changed the oil with a full-synth 10w50 (SN). I used a generic oil filter. I also think I may have put a bit too much oil in the pan when I was topping it off after warming the car up (to refill the oil coolers).

Could any of these things cause excessive pressure, or a leak?

Where is a common source of leaks on the left side of the engine?

Can oil leak from the housings?

 

When you say 130 psi is that cold pressure on initial start up or when warmed and full throttle.

 

i have been running that kind of pressure for a long time when its cold with 10-60 oil. i have blown 4 oil-coolers before discovering the heavy duty coolers from MOCAL. i have no other oil leaks..

 

it's not nearly that high when starting/idling.

 

USDM passenger side leaks are often turbo feed banjos or compression fitting or turbo oil return gasket(s)
Good idea to use new crush washers on banjo fittings since they are much cheaper than an engine tear down.

Driver side leaks are usually turbo oil feed line banjo washer directly behind front engine hoist eyelet
or a filler neck gasket (or hose) just behind that, or oil filter gasket if leak is closer to the back,
all if your leak originates from above oil pan. Oil level sensor is bolted to driver side of oil pan.

Might be easier to drain synth oil and try a 30 weight mineral oil and check oil pressures + leaks again ?
I get 60 lbs pressure on a new block.

 

My car is single turbo so I can see almost exactly where the oil seems to be leaking on that side. I just hope the hose itself is OK.

I actually had oil leaks at my last track day running 10w30. I though it had been because I missed the dipstick hole when I put the dipstick back, which probably let some oil blow out of the hole, but it may have been more than that.

I'm hoping it was just that I put too much oil in the car...

 

spec is 113psi, and the gauge spec is 2 needle widths, so you're where you are supposed to be

 

On another note, I wonder how much temperature a stainless steel turbo oil line can take? Should I consider switching to rubber, since it's easier to tell when they fail?

What's the best thing to use as heat protection for an oil line? Something reflective, or something that insulates? Or a mix of both?

I wonder if I can put another a bigger cheap turbo blanket on top of my cheap turbo blanket. It would still be cheaper than buying a $200 one. Hah. The cheap one I'm using works well for $50, but I've heard the really good ones are so cool you can touch them.

I kind of suspect the oil leak is coming from the oil filler neck since it's plastic and my intercooler pipe interferes with the oil cap somewhat.

Either that or the dipstick's rubber gasket? I mean, there is a reason why race cars are required to wire these things in place.

 

Remember, the stock oiling system has a series of regulators and relief valves throughout the oil circuit.






did you make the oil lines for the single turbo yourself? I would check the oil drain line, those are always a pain in the ***.

 

No. I'm pretty sure they're the lines that come with the Greddy kit. I'm also pretty sure the turbo kit was installed by a reputable tuning shop. But the car sat for several years.

So the pressure control valve is set to keep the pressure under 156? That seems really high. I guess that's about how high it can get before something breaks?

 

My understanding is that 156psi is sort of the "oh ****" valve.