RE: Oil leak on turbo oil line, how much possible damage?

[Aleksander Mierzwa <alex@matrix.com.pl>]

Gerard wrote:

	>Just spoke to my mechanic who is currently fixing my Audi 200T.
	>It is supposed to have an oil leak, but it was hard to tell
exactly
	>where it was leaking 'cos the entire engine was soaked
underneath
	>including the alternator body. He tells me he steam-cleaned the
	>bottom of the engine to look for leaks and saw that most of the
oil
	>was coming out of a rubber hose that was running from the turbo
to
	>the sump. The replacement pipe is about US$200! But someone
here is
	>rebuilding the hose instead.

	>I was just wondering how much damage could have been caused by
	>such a faulty pipe as the bottom of the car was completely
soaked
	>in oil, but the oil level was always perfect. :) Also, would it
	>be a good idea to fit a stronger replacement pipe, perhaps some
sort
	>of steel-braided hose?

	>PS: To Aleksander Mierzwa, the steel-braided hose is not one of
those
   > bells and whistles I want. ;-)

Actually steel braided oil hoses would be a good thing to have.
I'm surprised that this hose is made of rubber. On my 87 5K all oil
lines are steel braided. Anyone can confirm/deny if Audi changed them to
rubber ones on older models? Anyway, oil hoses is something that should
be kept in flawless condition. I know of at least two engines that were
damaged in effect of blown oil hose and I personally experienced blown
oil cooler hose - thanks God engine and turbo survived it. I changed
both oil cooler hoses to ones manufactured by Parker Hannifinn They look
rubber, but have very though steel cord inside. I would recommend
checking all oil lines periodically and replacing or repairing (eg.
fitting new hose with new crips to the existing fittings) them
immediately if any leaks are found or the crimps look corroded. 

	>If you have then have you ever noticed a whistling sound
	>coming from the car when driving around 100kph? Mine whistles a
	>bit, but it not an even whistle it tends to go up and down in
	>volume erratically as if it was some bearing running wrong in
its
	>seat. 

Where is it coming from?

	>Also, at idle there is small "cricket sounds" coming from the
	>turbo side of the car, can't determine what it is but it sounds
like
	>a look chain (not that it is one, but it sounds like one :) ).
Any
	>ideas?

If it's a "buzzing" sound coming from the fuel distributor area it's the
frequency valve and it's normal.

Aleksander Mierzwa
Warsaw, Poland
mailto:alex@matrix.com.pl
87 Audi 5000CS turbo (mine)
88 Renault Medallion wagon (mom's)
91 mountain bike (just in case both cars broke at the same time :-)