turbo oil drain materials
 

what material are y'all using for the oil drain line?

I have seen lots of people using a high temp silicone, some using braided SS lines, and a few others using a high temp rubber.

I figure many of you have been running single turbos on your rotaries longer than me and have some advice/info to pass along as to what material is best to use in your opinion and the benefits and/or disadvantages to each of the above or another material that you may be using that i dont have listed.

TIA,

You can make your own hose that is equaly as good or better than the prefit hoses that many aftermarket companies sell.
Go to a agricultural parts supplier (farm store) and pick up some hydaulic oil hose.
The most common type has a safe operating range from -40°F to +212°F (-40°C to +100°C).
They are used in applications pushing 2500-5000 psi in them, but won't burst till 14,000 psi!
Almost any inside diameter between 1/4" and 2" is available.
Price is cheap too, about $2.50 - $7.50 per foot depending on size.

SS braided lines, that i had fabbed up by some hydraulics place.

umm...

I wasnt planning on "ordering" pre-fit hoses from some aftermarket company. I am simply wondering what materials and experiences with those materials others have had.....and i will use whichever one makes the most sense to me at that point.

2nd, the oil drain (unless i am mistaken) shouldnt be under a lot of pressure, but would more than likely be at a higher temperature than what those hoses are rated to. Perhaps the hose you are describing would be better applied to a PS system or something that wouldnt be subjected to the high heat surrounding the turbo and, to a point, the housings.

thanks for your reply though.

-Nic

I used various bellows and flanges from the shop junk bin and welded one up

ok, oil return is low press so dont worry abt it being able to hold 3 billion psi

my set up is, retutnring into the front return line from the stocks, u knwo the little 4in tube that goes from the turbo return line into the block.. well i tapped it with 1/2 npt tap then with a 1/2 in to -10 then a -10 ss earls line then into the -10 to 1/2 that screws in the flange on the turbo.....

Just stated the PSI limits to show that it's strong hose, I know it's not applicable to the oil drain though.

I know that hydaulic oil is extremely hot in agricultural applications - not sure what temp, but if you are unhooking lines and such or one pops off while you are there, the oil will instantly burn you.

Aren't safe RX-7 oil temperatures generally about 160-190 F.?

why did you post it in this thread if you knew it wasnt applicable to oil drain hose use??

from what i have read and been told, normal operating temperatures should be anywhere from 160 to 200 *F, racing might get you to around 220-230 (but you'd still be ok), and the danger point is usually kept around 240 to 250 depending on how comfortable you feel in the higher temperatures i suppose.

can anyone confirm these numbers or correct me??

I wasnt really worried about the fluid going through the hose (since heater hose has to resisit similar temperatures) as much as i was about the extremely hot manifold and turbo that it is fairly close to and guiding oil from.

Bacon - thanks for confirming what I thought about the pressure in the oil drain.

-Nic

One thing to keep in mind is that the return hose should be big and go straight (or at least straight-ish) down so that you don't get oil backed up in the bearing.

Just for your reference, the return hose on the RX6 kit is a chromed steel tube about 3/4" or so, with a little rubber 90 degree bend at the bottom (away from the heat of the turbo unit) with heat shielding on it, and then another short steel tube on a slight down grade toward the front stock return port.

I am sure there are other good ways to do it, but I thought it might be useful to know the details of the kits.

-Max

I mean't PSI is not applicable to the oil drain hose, not that the hydaulic hose isn't.
212 deg.F. is the recommend max temp for it also... this is for the most comman type. You can buy higher quality hose which withstand even higher temps for a slight increase in price (about $1.50 per foot more).