Who uses an oil line restrictor?

[Edub1]

Smoked my water cooled turbo in one day and want to know why.

So, who uses one and for how long?

By the way, I understand the GT series absolutely must have them so GT people need not answer.

[Florida240sx]

Was it a rebuilt turbo? Did you oil it before starting up the car?

[Edub1]

Yes and yes. It came with some oil, I poured oil into it before hand, tested the oil line for flow and had it running and oiling with the WG wide open. I'm thinking it might have been poorly balanced or not at all.

[lrb_2000]

i'm using a restrictor on my T3 super 60, and it's been fine so far.

[wild_maxx]

i am using one on my super 60 as well. I ran a -3 an feed line with NO restrictor and I could see smoke comming out of my exhaust when i went WOT.

I was inspecting the turbine housing and saw wet oil spots around the center section of the turbo. I cleaned everything up and added a .060" oil restrictor in there and have not had any smoke or oil seeping out of the turbo at all.

[Edub1]

I think I just got burned by a bad Ebay rebuild. Probably got one too far out of balance and it just burned up.

Maxx, does yours whine pretty loud even before boost?

I'm also wondering if my open air breather has something to do with it.

[WDRacing]

Alot of the smoke coming out of the exhaust is because of the return line. Not the oil feed pressure or volume. There should be no kinks, twists or bends, or atleast as few as possible. It should flow right out the bottom for atleast 6 inches before the first turn. Oil backing up inside the turbo forces it past the rear seal and into the turbine housing, hence the smoke. a restrictor is a bandaid for a bad return setup.

He's what I've discovered over the last few years of blowing **** up. Not enough oil causes you to smoke a turbo FAST...I mean in minutes under boost. To much oil causes you to smoke, somtimes real bad.

If you have roasted the cartridge and the shafy is jiggling all over, its not from to much oil, its lack there of. I've never run a restrictor...the two times I had issues with a turbo, I kinked the oil supply line and ruined one or I had to many bends, twists and the oil backed up and made me smoke until I fixed the routing.

WD

[Swedish Mike]

Both Turbonetics and Mitsu turbo´s (the ones I use) got built in restrictors, they often recommend 6 mm feed line and no other parts.

[Edub1]

I have been wondering about the return line. It goes straight down and makes 1 sweeping 90* bend, similar to an electrical conduit bend into the oil pan. I don't see how this could be worse than a short 90* bend. I have the JGS oil kit with the flexible silicone hose.

The thing is, my turbo was late to spool on start up. Then it became loud and stopped boosting because the bearings obviously took a dump. Then it began to smoke. A little at first and then it started bellowing out.

[WDRacing]

Sounds like oil starvation to me bro. I've been thinking, I never used to hear people talk about installing a restrictor, then all the sudden it was the new hot topic...but since then I've seen a bunch of people smoke turbo's. I never used to hear about things like this. I mean, you'd have guys rebuilding a turbo because it had like 100,000 miles on it. Now we're installing them and having them melt down. Is everyone buying thses EBAY turbo's or are they actually quality units?

On the return line, a 90 is ok as long as it doesn't kink the hose at all. Is it a sweeping 90 or just an immediate turn? Also, is it below the oil line on the pan? Got any pics?

WD

[Chezedik]

DEF! A balance issue will NEVER smoke a turbo in the first day, or the first week, first month, or first year. Eventually is will wear out the thrust bearing (which is why you have a thrust bearing, and axial bearing). You have an oil problem or worn out shaft.

[Edub1]

That's not what I've heard from talking to people. I was just reading from a Garrett artical which said that a restrictor is needed for BB turbos when pressure exceeds 60lbs.

I'm thinking I wont use the restrictor next time.

[Edub1]

Here is a picture. Can't see much really. I guess it runs a steep swooping angle. I can't see why it wouldn't drain. It enters as high as possible on the pan. I think it might be the restrictor.

[Chezedik]

Is your compressor behind your A/C compressor? I know that they say that on a BB setup, but Garrett doesn't let you rebuild them, so **** them.

Check it, they made them so easy to rebuild that the only way you can **** it up is to not run enough pressure, or have a marred shaft. That is why I said what I said.

[Edub1]

In the upper left hand corner is the manifold flange so the compressor is behind but above the A/C, in fact it sits right on top of one of the lines.

Notice I said that they mentioned this for the BB turbo but not for the journal bearing turbo. In another spot they mentioned that BB types need less oil than JB types.

I'm thinking restrictor=bad. I know some guys use them, perhaps some turbos need more oil than others.

[Chezedik]

I would think the same thing, especially if they get clogged. But I know that they are absolutely necessary on a BB.

[Edub1]

Great news, I got an email from the guy and he said that there was a problem with some equipment and he will replace the turbo.

[WDRacing]

Awsome news man...did he say what the issue was?

WD

[Edub1]

All he said is that the equipment at the shop he was using had a problem with shaft inspection and balancing and that a couple have came back for the exact same reason. And that he was switching shops.

I told him that it was good to see that there are still people who do business with honesty and integrity and that the benefit to his reputation will far outweigh any short term loss.

[tiger]

This is the first time in my life that I have really messed with fittings... I have been recently considering putting a restrictor in my -3AN Line... what has stumped me is all these sizes... where my oil line meets the turbo oil feed inlet.. I have a -3an male to -4an female adapter.. I have a banjo bolt that has a male end of -4 size. Where in the heck do I fit this restrictor in? It's 1/8 NPT.. am I going to need some type of adapter to fit this 1/8npt to my -3AN line? Help, im so confused..

[Chezedik]

I use a -3an line, and was told that with a line that small a restrictor would be useless.

[tiger]

yeah.. it's just kinda hard to make a decision... cause you have people saying that you need one and people saying that you don't. Some idiot had a -4AN line, unrestricted (found out while rebuilding it) on an SR20 I bought and I always wondered why it smoked so much.. I hope the turbo isn't ruined. There was oil all in the piping too.

[Chezedik]

WD, love the custom title.

[Edub1]

What size is the LGS line. I emailed him and he said he uses a .053 restrictor on his shop car. If anyone would have heard of problems I would think he would.