Soot and oil on turbo and turbo piping (pics inside)

[Minion]

I recently started getting a loud exhaust leak noise. While searching for the leak I found some soot on the vnt actuator and oil seeping out of the intake piping. See pics below. The exhaust leak turned out to be a bad injector seal. That is fixed now.

Should I be concerned? Car has 232k miles on it. Runs great otherwise.

 

[Lensdude_com]

looks like oil is leaking from the pancake pipe where it connects to the intercooler...
it's a good idea to remove the pancake pipe and drain the accumulated oil once a year.

 

[Ski in NC]

A little oil snot on the charge air piping is not unusual. Air inside has a little oil mist in it and any tiny air leak will get wet with condensed oil.

Second that about draining aftercooler, just to be sure that it does not have much accumulated there.

 

[Minion]

I actually plan to do that once the weather turns for the better. It's -3 here right now.

I understand the importance of draining it in order to keep a runaway from occurring.

Any opinions on the soot on the turbo vnt actuator?

 

[saidIIdias]

Does draining the intercooler only consist of removing the pancake pipe? Or is further disassembly required?

I ask because I removed the pancake pipe on my car recently, and although no oil came out, I noticed there was a "reservoir" area at the base of the intercooler where oil could potentially build up - can this be drained as well without completely removing the intercooler?

 

[JB05]

Could be a bad seal. Don't know the part #, however.

 

[RacerTodd]

Does draining the intercooler only consist of removing the pancake pipe? Or is further disassembly required?

I ask because I removed the pancake pipe on my car recently, and although no oil came out, I noticed there was a "reservoir" area at the base of the intercooler where oil could potentially build up - can this be drained as well without completely removing the intercooler?

Oil will collect in the bottom of the intercooler. There are basically two ways to drain the intercooler.

One is to remove the intercooler and simply tip it upside down and let the oil drain into a container. This costs zero dollars. Problem is, removing the intercooler is a pain. Bumper cover has to come off and several components need to be removed to access the upper clamp and mounting bolts.

The other is to use a MityVac or similar vacuum system to suck the oil out via the lower hose. This is definitely easier but you do have to buy or borrow a MityVac.

 

[Fast 34]

Soot on the turbo can be from where the actuator shaft goes through the housing and activates the vanes. There is a small amount of "blow by" from there due to clearances.

 

[peteman]

To drain the intercooler the easy way, I drilled a hole into the lowest part of the intercooler. I then use some bicycle tire inner tube and a screw to seal it back up. Every oil change I drain it.

 

[CNGVW]

DR. Volks here when ever I do turbo work or clean a intake or Timing belt job I drain the intercooler. When you see the oil coming out the rubber hose part it full 1/2 Qt and half the intercooler tubes in side are covered with oil. This can start a run away engine very easily. I use a vac pump but you could use some rages just use them to soak up the oil inside.
Bob Mann