Turbo Seals crapping out?

[RS12Turbo]

What are the signs of the turbo seals going?

Here are my symptoms......If I let the engine idle for 5 minutes or so, either at cold start-up, or while stopped at a light, smoke will start dumping out of the muffler, and it reeks of burning oil. It only smokes after several minutes of idling. There is no smoke at WOT and it pulls strong at 15psi, with no abnormal turbo noise, and the engine runs and idles perfectly.Weird thing is I had the same turbo on my old remanufatured ca18et, and it did the exact same thing from the time it was new. I had a breather filter on that engine, and also on the ca18det......which I'm wondering if the breather could be causing the issue.....or if indeed it is my turbo on it's last leg.Any help would be fantastic......as it's is quite embarrasing having a cloud of smoke around my car at stop lights

[r34 gtr]

Uuuummm, sounds kinda wierd to me. When my turbo went I knew immediately. The turbine wheel made contact with the housing and it shrieked like a banshee under any throttle. How does it feel? Any shaft play? It doesnt sound all that suspicious though if you say it makes boost fine and doesnt smoke under throttle.

What color is the smoke? This happens with my friend's jeep with an AMC 360ci v8 and its worn valve guides. The oil can seep past and burn making a decent size cloud of noxious smoke behind the car. The jeep isnt street legal so we never bothered to fix it. On the bright side, a head rebuild will only run you about $250 with all the new seals and stuff.

[RS12Turbo]

I'll pull the intake pipe off and check for shaft play. The smoke is white.......no blue, but like I said, it has that nice burning oil smell. Also, I forgot to mention earlier.......it doesn't do it consistantly. Sometimes I can let the car idle for 20 mins and it doesn't smoke at all, other times it will start after a few mins of idle. Plugs look good, and and last time I checked the compression they were all consistant and around 158-160

[float_6969]

Is the PCV system working properly? If you've building up too much crankcase pressure, the oil can't drain out of the turbo quickly enough and will back up into the turbo and then bleed past the seals.

[The_Chosen_One]

Check the oil return line for any kinks.

[float_6969]

Whatever, same idea...

[The_Chosen_One]

Well yes and no if the line isnt kinked and its still doing it than your explaination will fit.

Also doesnt crankcase build up more pressure as the rpms and oil pressure go up wouldnt the crankcase pressure be greater and cause the oil to flow back up during WOT?

[RS12Turbo]

The pcv system is all there except I have a breather filter on the exhaust side valve cover. I'll pull the pcv valve and inspect it....but it should be good. I'll also check for kinks in the return oil line.

[nocwage]

What are the signs of the turbo seals going?

Here are my symptoms......If I let the engine idle for 5 minutes or so, either at cold start-up, or while stopped at a light, smoke will start dumping out of the muffler, and it reeks of burning oil. It only smokes after several minutes of idling. There is no smoke at WOT and it pulls strong at 15psi, with no abnormal turbo noise, and the engine runs and idles perfectly.

I had the EXACT same problem as you when my stock T25 died.Idling it would start smoking WORSE and WORSE, start driving and the smoke would go away.. idle again and it would come back.

It's definitely the seals going.

[RS12Turbo]

Anyone using one of those oil feed restrictor adaptors? I wonder if that would help?

[The_Chosen_One]

If your using a regular journal turbo than the restrictor on the block is sufficient.

If your using a ball bearing turbo than u need 0.035" restrictor.

What turbo is this by the way?

Also another thing that can happen at idle is valve stem seals but I doubt it.

[RS12Turbo]

It's a t25g. I looked at the return oil line......it 's just a piece of straight hose that I put on there, and it does kinda kink where it makes the turn to the oil pan. I guess I need to find a 45 degree barb fitting and see if that fixes the problem

[The_Chosen_One]

yup I had a kink on my GT28R and it wasnt a extreme kink. Caused oil to back up smoking at idle, but when driving was fine.

There has to be NO KINK in the line.

[RS12Turbo]

Ahhh, good to know. I'll go get a 45 degree fitting PRONTO..........

[h-eater240]

wack

[RS12Turbo]

Who has 5/8" 45 degree barb fittings? Any of the local hardware stores? I checked Lowes, but all they had was 90 degree ones and 1/2" was the largest they had . I need to check Home Depot, and Ace or maybe a hydraulic and hose shop. Surley this isn't somethng I'll have to order from a speed shop or something.......since they'll mark it up like 300%

[r34 gtr]

Valve stem seals tend to smoke white when they go...

Honestly I wouldnt worry about the fitting, just cut the return hose to the right length so it doesnt kink. TCO is right though, theres a TON of oil coming through that turbo (dont believe me, just start the car with the return unhooked) and any kink is going to inhibit a lot of flow.

Garrett GT turbos have a built in restrictor. My gt28r does.