i was looking for some input from anyone who has blown an oil seal on a t4 journal bearing style turbo. i have the stiffer (wrong) spring in my tial BOV and have had pretty harsh compressor surge for over a year now with my t04b setup on my TII.

a few weeks ago i had some oil smoke a minute or two after startup from the exhaust. and after hammering on the car a few times on the interstate and blowing an IC pipe loose once, i have oil smoke every time i let off the throttle and accelerate again. however, the smoke comes and goes and seems to be intermittent.

i was thinking this problem could be an internal oil seal, but i built the engine and it only has about 10k miles on it at most, and it seems like there would be lots more smoke and it would be more of a predictable thing. i blew an oil control ring on the front rotor of my 91 NA and it was wayyyyy more smoke, and it was very predictable, billowing smoke every time i would decelerate, and lots of it. i checked the shaft play on the turbo and its nothing crazy, but still not "good." but doesnt make any loud clanking noises when i wiggle it or anything...

i got this turbo for 300 dollars new (second hand) for 300 dollars and it has been hammering out over 330whp or over a year now... i'm thinking the compressor surge over the past year has finally made it let go? anyone have any input on this? or any way i can test to make sure its the turbo and not oil control rings in my engine? i'm pretty sure its the turbo, but i'd like to be 100% sure...

 

Oil in the IC pipes = compressor seal
Oil in the downpipe / no oil on spark plugs = turbine compression piston ring


-Ted

 

sweet. there is no oil in my IC pipes, no oil on spark plugs, so i guess its my "turbine compression piston ring"

time for a new t04b!

 

i have had alot of problem with this on my fd. ITS turbo's are bad about this as well....really will if you blow off a intercooler pipe or have some type of boost leak while pushing it.....it will over run the turbo.....you can jet down your oil feed line with a brake line type fitting or with some AN fittings or just solder up the fitting on your turbo and drill a small hole to reduce the oil pressure. Should slow down some of that smoking....turbo doesn't need that much oil pressure anyway....just needs a steady flow....hope that helps a lil