T2 Oil Return Line Do's and Dont's

[Chris28]

I'm bored and it's raining so I can't put my engine back in. I had some oil leaks so I had to pull my engine out to replace front and rear main seals. While it was out I was also planning on replacing the turbo because I thought the seals were done for...it was blowing white smoke out of the exhaust. After speaking with some people about return line routing and looking at my own, I realized that oil was just backing up into the turbo causing it to smoke. Here are before and after pictures showing what it looked like and what it looks like now. Remember folks, when running bottom mount setups, make the oil return go over the engine mount, not under.

[silverkaturbo]

I think I had my t25 routed the same as your corrected picture. I know it took me some time to finally decide on it though, plus a/c clearance gave me some issues. I kinda toyed with the idea of running through the engine mount bracket at one point to get a more forgiving hose angle, but I think I was concerned about it rubbing too much; not really sure if thats a valid concern or not. But now im running a t28 which has quite a bit more size to it so I dont really have a choice as to how to route it. The drain flange is sitting over inch lower, so Im forced to go under the mount. Luckily the bb turbo uses less oil so maybe thats cancelling out any of the negative drain line alterations I've been forced to make because I haven't seen any problems after about 2000 mi now.

[240sxvaj]

You can do it like the original just that you would have to angle your "L" piece at the bung a little upward, and then make the line as short as possible to the point were the return line touchs the motor mount ( this is if you have it going under the motor mount). but i like the corrected way better, it would be harder to do it w/ the JGS kit since they dont include the "L" piece thats why i decided to go under motormount.

[Chris28]

Yeah I had my 90 angled upward a little bit, but the problem was with my oil outlet tube thing. In the first pic you can see it goes straight for about an inch, then the 45 bend is there. I had it cut and rewelded so now the 45 comes right off of the flange. First time around I had it pointed away from the mount, so there was no way to get it any higher or else it would have formed a kink.

I was also thinking about going through the mount, but with the location of my oil pan fitting it would have made it hard to keep a downward slope.

[eazye2000]

Here's my $.02

I have mine sort of like your first pic. I have a ball bearing turbo, and an oil restrictor, though. Not had a problem as of yet.

I think it's mostly on the journal bearing turbo's that don't like high pressure, or wacky return lines.