Can the Turbo oil return pipe leak?

[Glyn Harper 48 1 Vehicles]

Just had my gearbox out so I've changed the rear crank seal while I was at it. The old one was fitted incorrectly, so I'm hoping this is the reason for so much oil in my engine bay.

However, the braided section of the turbo oil return pipe is heavily caked in oil. I don't want to change it as I'm not sure that it's leaking.. it could be oil from the nearby crank seal.

Also, it's not something that needs to be done while the gearbox is out. It's something I can do anytime.

But in peoples experience.. does this pipe break down and leak? My car is 30 years old this year so I don't have a problem changing it if it needs it.. but it's about £180 so I only want to change it if it's really needed!

 

[Sparky 1,577]

Yes it does - it'll weep through the braid eventually.  I'll be replacing mine shortly, and that's on a '98.

Clean it thoroughly and keep an eye on it.

[Glyn Harper 48 1 Vehicles]

It's certainly weeping through the braid!!

I guess I'll just replace it then.. 30 years old is long overdue.

[CarBuff 99]

Just sayin' :    the braid on our '88 is still dry and intact. (90,000 miles)

 

It will surely start leaking now, though!

 

 

[Buddsy 1,231 1 Vehicles]

Mine leaked I thought it was from the braided section so I changed it to the older item (on the G cars) a sort of convoluted jobbie. The old pipe itself was in good condition but I had bought a braided one as the convoluted ones are said to crack with age.

Anyways mine still leaked to I put the braided one back on. Ive tried gaskets and no gaskets. I tried tightening the bolts. I thought the lug was bending so made a new collar which was 10mm thick and the bugger still leaks.

On mine its from the joint where it joins the casting. The oil very slowly leaks down onto the braiding then down onto the brake pad directly below. 

So now before each MOT I have to give it a bit of  wipe.

 

buddsy

[Barrykearley 4,374]

3 hours ago, Glyn Harper said:

.But in peoples experience.. does this pipe break down and leak? My car is 30 years old this year so I don't have a problem changing it if it needs it.. but it's about £180 so I only want to change it if it's really needed!

That is a huge sum of money for a floppy pipe. May I suggest you get that looked at by someone like pirtek or a farm hydraulics place. Tell them it’s off some old tractor implement.

[Glyn Harper 48 1 Vehicles]

It’s ordered now.

at least I know it’ll fit though.

[Glyn Harper 48 1 Vehicles]

So I got my new hose today, but it just didn't want to reach the turbo AND the sump! I connected the sump side first, but there was no way it was going to reach the turbo. The bottom hole did but the angle was impossible to get the top one in.

So having checked with SJ sportscars they're all the same (they are.. from 88 to the end of production) I undid it from the sump, fitted the turbo end first then stretched it over to the sump and managed to get it on.

Only cause for this I can imagine is if the core of the turbo where it connects was not quite rotated to the right position when it was put together? The old return pipe fitted ok though.

Problem was, it kinked quite badly where I've circled the picture. I used a set of large mole grips to sort of squash it round again, which as you can see, has more or less got rid of the kink. I'm just worried now whether I've damaged the inner part of the tube that you can't see because of the braid, as it was kinked then straightened.

Really bad day as this pipe was £190 by the time it was shipped!

[Barrykearley 4,374]

Not liking that. You really really need to be sure that’s got a nice free flow of oil from the turbo - or it could get expensive and frustrating 

[Chillidoggy 2,993]

Very strange. Presumably the turbo is original?

[Vulcan Grey 219 1 Vehicles]

should look more like this

[CarBuff 99]

Thanks Travis...I was just attempting to take a picture of my '88 (which has a different wastegate, of course).

 

Mine is contoured like yours, a MUCH gentler arc.

 

Glyn, the rigid part of the SJ piece (above your circle)...that looks longer than in the un-installed picture.

 

 

Edited February 2 by CarBuff

[Barrykearley 4,374]

Definitely a nice smooth gentle arc

[Glyn Harper 48 1 Vehicles]

It’s a hybrid turbo but based on a standard T3. The core where the pipes connect is certainly standard.

I’ve spent so much time, money and hassle lately, I really don’t have the enthusiasm to try and rotate the turbo core so it fits better. I assume it probably needs taking off the car to do, which means a load, load more hassle dealing with ceized turbo bolts that you can’t even reach with anything but an open ended spanner. Then even if I do I’ll probably find I’ve already damaged the inner part of the hose.

Pretty much ready to give in. Nothing is ever easy, normal, or even fits like it should!!

Edited February 2 by Glyn Harper

[Barrykearley 4,374]

Is it obviously shorter than the old one???

i can probably whack a tape measure against mine the weekend if that’d help

[Glyn Harper 48 1 Vehicles]

After reading, I guess I need to ‘clock’ it. So no doubt I’ll snap each and every bolt and stud trying to do so. Including in the manifold which will then require me to remove the manifold, which will then snap the studs in the block.

That’s how lucky I’m feeling today.

I don’t think it’s shorter, think it’s the angle the turbo is at.

[Barrykearley 4,374]

Was the old pipe tight like that then ? Could be why it’s failed

[Glyn Harper 48 1 Vehicles]

The old pipe did seem to fit a little better but it’s probably stretched over the years. It’s the original 30 year old pipe. 

[Barrykearley 4,374]

That oil pipe does look very close to the actuator rod for the wastegate 

[Glyn Harper 48 1 Vehicles]

I’m going to have to rotate the centre section tomorrow I guess. I’ve possibly scrapped that new pipe already though by kinking it so much. And I really know I’m going to really struggle to get this centre rotated.

[Barrykearley 4,374]

It should be a nice sweeping downward flow. Oil needs to be able to run out of that pipe freely

[Glyn Harper 48 1 Vehicles]

Yeah. It’s not at the moment.

There goes my weekend. And probably hundreds more £  

[Barrykearley 4,374]

Just think worse case scenario and anything better is a plus.

in that area though most things snap, shear of need cutting I’m afraid

[Glyn Harper 48 1 Vehicles]

I think that’s highly probable.

[Glyn Harper 48 1 Vehicles]

Well, got all the bolts undone on the exhaust side apart from the one right next to the manifold. So for the sake of not being able to get to just 1 bolt, I’m probably going to have to take the entire turbo off. Dammit.