Turbo oil return line wet

[Doyt W. Echelberger]

Your question concerns an apparently leaking turbo oil return line, but my 
answer is about an oil line of my oil cooler. There may be something to be 
learned about replacing "oil lines to and from engine components." My 
comments are in addition to the very valuable advice I see that others have 
sent to you already.

My oil cooler blew a line through corrosion-induced failure at a fitting 
crimp. The crimp had suffered severe corrosion from salt. I lost 5 quarts 
of engine oil in just a few seconds, and barely managed to shut down and 
avoid engine damage.

My mechanic couldn't get the old lines off the oil cooler without damaging 
the pipes and threads of the cooler itself. Your turbo lines may be so 
badly corroded that they can not be removed or even touched without 
damaging them or the fittings that they connect with at either end.

I had the cooler and it's lines replaced with a used unit that showed less 
corrosion damage. This choice of used parts was based on failure to get the 
old lines off the cooler without damaging the cooler threads. All efforts 
to break loose those threaded line fittings were unsuccessful. The same may 
become true for replacing one or both of your turbo lines. It is something 
to consider.

My suggestion to you is to have your mechanic try to remove the suspected 
line and determine if that can be done without damaging the turbo.  If the 
line can be removed, then it can be replaced  and you will no longer be 
wondering if the old line is leaking or approaching failure. Same for the 
feed line. And if the old lines can not be removed, then you are in a 
position to start finding another solution at a time convenient to you 
rather than in an emergency that might cost you your life or your motor, or 
at least your turbo.

Doyt Echelberger
87 5kcstq
 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
At 11:30 PM 9/4/2000 +0200, you wrote:
Upon closer inspection of the engine in my 5k, I found the return line
from the turbo wet.....