Oil Restrictor

[thehemi]

I'm installing a Syclone turbo into my '99 S10.
I rebuilt the turbo myself (perhaps a bad idea)
and now that I got it running, I've hit a problem.

After a few minutes of operation, I'm getting oil
in the air intake tubing. Plenty of oil, not drops.

One buddy says I may simply need to install an
oil restrictor on the oil feed to limit the pressure.
(He also suggests that I check the oil drain line.)
Another buddy says I shouldn't need a restrictor
and that the turbo seals are probably toast.

Did factory Syclones come with an oil restrictor?
Or, indeed, is my turbo toast and need a rebuild?
(Which I will have professional done this time...)

 

[JSM]

Re: Oil Restrictor

No restrictor from factory, checking drain is an excellent piece of advice. Usually the oil will leak out the exhaust not the intake side though.

 

[thehemi]

Re: Oil Restrictor

No restrictor from factory, checking drain is an excellent piece of advice. Usually the oil will leak out the exhaust not the intake side though.

Is the oil coming out of the intake a sign of anything?
I assume it wasn't going into the exhaust, but I guess
I can't guarantee that, though it wasn't like the exhaust
was spewing smoke (although maybe it wasn't hot yet).

 

[mattw]

Re: Oil Restrictor

No restrictor from factory, checking drain is an excellent piece of advice. Usually the oil will leak out the exhaust not the intake side though.

True but the fitting that goes into the block has a pretty small opening(less than 1/8"). Also the stock braided oil feed line is pretty small. Proabably also less than 1/8" inside diameter. If he is running some huge oil feed line he could be trying to push way too much through it.

 

[thehemi]

Re: Oil Restrictor

True but the fitting that goes into the block has a pretty small opening(less than 1/8"). Also the stock braided oil feed line is pretty small. Proabably also less than 1/8" inside diameter. If he is running some huge oil feed line he could be trying to push way too much through it.

I'm using -4 AN for my oil feed line. I think that is 1/4"?

 

[JSM]

Re: Oil Restrictor

True but the fitting that goes into the block has a pretty small opening(less than 1/8"). Also the stock braided oil feed line is pretty small. Proabably also less than 1/8" inside diameter. If he is running some huge oil feed line he could be trying to push way too much through it.

I agree, but the oil coming out the intake side makes me think it is something else. I would guess something wrong with rebuild, or it was just bad before rebuild and not corrected.

Drain line NEEDS to be large and a straight shot, basically you have ~50psi coming in top of turbo, oil must gravity feed out the bottom, it should not be under any pressure to return to pan.

But I still am thinking a bad turbo.

 

[thehemi]

Re: Oil Restrictor

What's the best way to test the turbo oil drain line?
Pull it off the turbo and verify I can pour oil through?

 

[thehemi]

Re: Oil Restrictor

I must've had 10+ minutes on the engine/turbo while
it was stationary in my garage. It was only after I go
ahead and moved it out of the garage that it started to
show the signs of the leaking (gurgling).

I'm not sure if this is coincidence or if there's a chance
that finally putting load on the engine caused it to make
the issue even more problematic than it was previously?

Maybe I should clean it out and idle it again to see if it
decides to flow more oil again...

 

[jwaller]

Re: Oil Restrictor

you didn't rebuild the turbo the right way. take it off and have somebody that knows how do it for you.

 

[thehemi]

Re: Oil Restrictor

Fresh turbo rebuild or not, can I still use my -4 AN oil feed line?
I know someone who runs it and says its fine. But it sounds like
-4 AN is quite a bit larger than the stock oil feed line?