Oil from turbo area

This is sooty engine oil. it showed up first drive after oil change (which I found highly odd/coincidental, I did not spill even a drop of oil from the refill of oil.) ... a long one, about 220 miles. several ounces made it to the ground. None has made it to the ground before so definite change in volume if it was already leaking prior to this oil change. The oil filter side of the hard line that goes to the turbo is dry. I cant see the turbo side but nothing feels loose and it doesn't feel obviously oily.

Does this line I am referring to feed the turbo oil or send back to the sump My guess is back to the sump. One of these hard lines servicing the turbo was replaced when the turbo was (Vnt-17) at 239k. It's at 293K now.

Where is the other line? They both connect to turbo high or ? The one I just described connects high on the turbo side.

Are there any o-rings or other seals involved with those lines or anything else in the area?

Is there anything else in the turbo area or general vicinity that could release oil?

You have two lines that go to the turbo.
The top line is an oil pressure feed line that screws into a fitting on the aft side of the turbo, there are no seals to that one.
Trying to remove it , a lot of people end up twisting off the end as it gets stuck with the fitting that’s screwed into the turbo.
It’s a tight fit with one wrench let alone two.
If your going to remove this line make sure you have a new hard line or go with a steel braided one.
The bottom of the turbo has the return line back to the sump.
This line has a gasket on the turbo side to the line.
Depending on which type of turbo you have ( old style or new style) the return system is different.
Old style has a banjo fitting with 2 seals ( each side of line ) the new style is attached to a fitting with no seals.

I’d also look at your valve cover as they tend to leak on the back side.

Look at your EGR valve where it attaches to the manifold, I had one leaking there from a dried up o ring.
Also see if EGR is leaking through the vent holes , sure sign that the diaphragm is leaking.

Also look under the vacuum pump and see if any oil is leaking under neath it, also an o ring type of seal.

That’s what I’ve had issues on my cars.
Good luck.

Thanks, since feed line was changed and doesn’t feel like issue I was thinking return side which I don’t recall hearing about when -17 was installed a few years back like the feed. I will get a mechanics mirror in there and also carefully pressure wash the area. There is some oil film around but I think it would be worse if it was the pressure side. Hopefully I get a good look at the return but any idea what style it would be from factory in an 02 model year? I could look up build date if it matters. Anyhow,
thanks for the info!

Btw factory -15 turbo was replaced with a new -17. My gut is the return was re-used. I’m guessing that flex section may have given up after 293k and 17 years? Or, a fitting came loose. Pretty sure it’s enough to be fresh engine oil from a dedicated line, just puzzled why it showed first trip after oil change. I confirmed it’s not oil pan drain plug and can see that oil bottom side of turbo and nowhere else but inside of skid, hanging off skid bolt heads and on ground. Doesn’t seem I lost more than a pint in those 200 miles, but it’s more than enough to get my attention next morning.

Csstevej, that's new one on me. If I understand your comment, I've never seen a Turbo with banjo fittings on both ends.

The return hose/pipe (flex part) is rather robust. But, I suppose it could eventually deteriorate to the point it is compromised. However, why would an oil change bring it's ugly face to the forefront is suspect.

You say the oil is fresh. Does that mean it doesn't look like it has soot in it?

A bad EGR diaphragm is not what causes an oil leak thru the vent holes. There is a "valve" almost exactly the same as an engine valve. The head of that valve is what opens and closes to allow exhaust to enter the EGR (hence, exhaust gas recirculation). The other end of that valve is attached to the diaphragm. There is a non-serviceable valve guide and seal in the EGR body that wears out. Thus, the Turbo pressure forces some air out (vent holes) as well as oil. Anyway, an oil change shouldn't have any bearing on a "newly" discovered oil leak.

I agree, check the Valve Cover for leak(s).... back side as suggested.

Oil is sooty but I changed the oil, saw some oil inside skid and on passenger driveshaft, never oil on ground. I out oil and filter in it, drive it 220 miles in one 12 hour period and wake up in morning to a bunch of oil on skid bolt heads and on ground, probably an ounce or two spread out in two spots. The only oil this vehicle has ever left on ground is from the inlet tube at the right from corner... that low point. The fact that all this oil showed up first
Drive after oil was odd.... I checked drain plug looked around up through the drain plug access removable plate. There was oil on drain plug area but wiped it down and no oil showed up. I also watched for oil from drain plug 20 min after putting new oil in and running it. Whatever the source it seems it was present before the oil change, just not enough to make it to the ground. After that 220 mile drive the oil showed up in a big unacceptable gotta correct now kinda way. Based on dipstick it may have pushed out as much as a pint on that trip. Obviously way too much.

I looked around before pressure wash. I see no visible source from above. I think pressure washed from the top carefully then the bottom of the skid and idled it for about 20 min then drove about 3 min revving to 2500 a few times. I haven’t seen any oil in same places yet, but I will be watching closely.

AndyBees said:

Csstevej, that's new one on me. If I understand your comment, I've never seen a Turbo with banjo fittings on both ends.
.

Click to expand...

Andy , that was meant to say that there are two seals at the one end of the banjo fitting. One one either side of the banjo where the hollow bolt goes through.

So I drove it 86 miles and it lost oil both ways. Total oil loss both drives is a pint. I need to quit pushing my luck. I just hosed Down the skid and engine including turbo area to try and make it easy to Id new oil. Any tips on doing blind surgery on the turbo lines from top? I don’t want to remove the skid. If I need to do that I’m just going to take it to the the clutch/flywheel done. It’s still original and works fine but has been making that rattling noise while engaged in neutral. I’ll have them find it. I’d like to put some wrenches in there now. Any line wrenches or just open or sockets needed?

You're not going to find the leak without getting under it and taking off the belly pan. Point of interest, there's an oil that glows green under I think a blacklight. molygen by LiquiMoly.

Ok, some specific observations here. Please send a guru this way if what I’m asking is out of your realm of extensive experience. I sprayed everything off with a hose cold. I looked at as much of the turbo as I could with a light and mechanics mirror from above. I saw no obvious signs of oil. I started the engine cold low idle for 5 seconds then 1200-1400 rpm for 3-5 seconds and got out to take a look. As I was watching oil showed up slowly on that 17 mm main line tightening nut. I put a wrench on it and it moved not loose but only took 3-5 ft lbs to get it to rotate clockwise to tighten. I thought it cinched Down within 20-30 deg or so of rotation but in hindsight I think the wrench just sat down on an obstruction. I noticed the 14mm or so below it against the turbo, it didn’t seem to want to tighten. I wiped everything off and looked again after rotating the 17 mm line nut some more but never hitting bottom fully tight so to speak.

I’ve only turned 17mm prob half turn which seems a lot but everything is relative. Has this thing vibrated over a half turn loose but only started leaking significantly the last little bit of rotation or has it also beaten the threads up or for some other reason I’m gonna strip it if I continue? The line itself does not feel sloppy loose either side to side or in and out towards and away from the turbo in the axis the oil is flowing. The oil appears to be Fowing towards the turbo side but also back away through the gap between the line and the 17 mm nut.

I’m being very cautious because the leak is slow enough in can drive it if I need to. No big deal to tow if needed but I’d rather not end up with a leak that big. Is there a period of some resistance before that line quickly bottoms out tight or ? I feel no metal grit or odd uneven torque as I turn, it just has me puzzled for now ... looking for experience on the matter before info out and either finalize it re-right hopefully or decide further work needs to be done.

I got a look at the return line and what I can see if it looks ok, 95% sure it’s the turbo end of the feed line and not some illusion created by another oil source. There isn’t really anything above it anyway. Def not the valve cover. I had it off for studs about 10k ago reused it and have seen no issues.

What I had happen to me was two things actually: the nut that holds the drain line to the oil pan had vibrated loose, and the two Allen head bolts that hold the drain line flange onto the bottom of the turbo were slightly loose causing a bit of a leak there too.
You tightened a nut in an oil pressure source spot, and that may have been the issue right there. I agree with STDOUBT: you really need to drop the belly pan with an oil leak as severe as the one you currently have. Put the car up on ramps and there will be lots of access to the belly pan bolts.

This is the oil pressure feed at the turbo. I can see it. What i am more or less asking is has anyone known the 14 mm not to back off slowly and cause a gradual leak that isn’t noticed on the dipstick to turn into a pint every 100-200 miles leak which is much more serious after backing off 1-2 or more turns? Again odd coincidence the leak got big and noticeable in exact step with an oil change. Odd, but true. I’m being especially cautions because I don’t want to make an odd situation worse by being hasty.

Should I back it off and restart it or just keep tightening and hope it seats after having backed off more than a turn after 50k some odd miles and started leaking. Why not has my lost more after appearing to have backed off a turn or more in don’t know. It’s like the rigidity of the line has held the fittings together and held the leak to a minimum compared to what it could be for some reason.

This thing is weird, makes me nervous.

Personally I think your reading way too much into this.
Chances are that when the turbo was replaced who ever installed the replacement turbo did not correctly tightened the line down.
I’ve change multiple turbos on my cars and never had a line back off if it was correctly tightened.
Just my .02.

Turned it another 1/4 or so felt like it sat down. Ran engine. Oil came out. Wiped it tightened a bit more moved again. I was careful not to put a bunch of torque on it no more than 10 ft lbs. Ran again, oil again a bit faster flow now, doesn’t seem seated. So it appears it has loosened itself and probably hurt threads on both sides. What a pos. I’m noticing some braided replacement lines. Can anyone recommend one over other non-hard line replacement. Turbo end threaded nipple specs? I’ve dealt with IDI several times, maybe they have it/them.

I’ll give it one more careful look but pretty sure it’s toast. Any comments about how to avoid this repeating? One of the guru shops in CO put this together when the original vnt-15 blew on a trip at 239k.

Considering backing the hat all the way off, look around a bit and try to re-thread all the way if I can’t see anything wrong with the nipple side.

There are a ton of braided lines that have no issues on our TDI's. The braided line I have has an o-ring that goes into the N-fitting (or whatever you call it) and have removed it more than once and still have no leaks/issues. It is possible there is a crack below the nut of your oil line, and tightening it more than you did originally likely opened the crack below the nut.


Look here:https://www.ebay.com/itm/TURBO-OIL-...234793?hash=item23660193e9:g:fPQAAOSwMmBVuDtp


It looks the same as the one I am using, and the cost is/was very similar.

That’s by far the lowest price I’ve seen. I tend to be anti-China purchase though I don’t consider Taiwan to be China there are some similarities.

I think a braided line is a good idea. If I am indeed up the creek with this one, which I’m 80% sure I am, though I don’t plan on the replacement coming loose, a non-rigid replacement will be lighter and less likely to hammer itself again for both reasons.

Thanks for the input. Any other thoughts? I’m likely going to order a flex line and nipple tomorrow. Even if I get this one to work, I’ll probably change it and keep the rigid as a spare.

The other cool thing is the fitting that goes into the turbo has an o-ring so it is super easy to positively prevent an oil leak.

I bought the Kerma $90 unit that gets rid of the banjo. Plenty of money means it better work better for a long time ;-) guessing I’ll have it Thursday afternoon, a bit late for a Long road trip I might want to take. Like 737 Max may have to use other equipment.

Intersting twist, that xaturbo line is shipped from 5 miles from me. If I can go pick one up, I may go for it.