2LTE convert to NA? (2 blown turbos)

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N

n0ferz

10 Year
Joined
Sep 18, 2012
Threads
8
Messages
88
Hi guys,

I bought a LJ71 a few months ago and as you all know it comes with the deadly 2LTE engine. Well to make this story short the engine so far is very healthy but I have blown 2 turbos and I wonder WTF is going on?

I bought an used ct20 oem turbo and it lasted like 1 week, I am running stock psi(the yellow dash light has never come on) so I wonder if it is a good thing to convert this damn engine to NA? I know it will be damn slow but I cant be dumping cash into this engine when I have a 13b sitting on the floor and I am looking to swap that one when I can sell the 2LTE and get enough funds to buy a 5sp tranny and do the swap, so will the engine blows if I install a NA manifold and eliminate the whole turbo setup???

thanks,

Emir-
 
How did the turbo's fail?

I'd check that the turbo's are getting oil pressure to them and the oil drain back is not clogged. Also the coolant is getting to them ok?

You are giving the turbo adequate cool down time after driving? It can take a couple minutes of idling after a hard run.

Generally these turbos are pretty tough, so something must be up.
 
I don't really know why the turbos are failing. I know that oil and coolant is getting to them but I will recheck all that.

I always cooldown the turbo with more than enough time so that is not really an issue!

I think the best cost-effective option I can do right now is order a rebuild kit and repair the one that is removed at the moment and give it another go
 
How have they been failing? Is oil is getting into the intake/exhaust? Or is there a lot of play? Siezed?

Yeah, a rebuild might be worth a try. There should be some good info on the net, as it will be the same as rebuilding a CT26.

Mine got rebuilt before I bought my LJ78, and it works very well. If it ever dies I'm going to adapt a more efficient/modern turbo from Garrett though.
 
They are both letting oil go into the intake, no shaft play at all or seized so it should work well after the rebuild. Do you know if the turbos needs balancing after the rebuild?
 
n0ferz said:
They are both letting oil go into the intake, no shaft play at all or seized so it should work well after the rebuild. Do you know if the turbos needs balancing after the rebuild?
Click to expand...

Are you sure the oil is coming from the turbo??
Pretty sure the engine crankcase breather is hooked into the intake... Could be getting more oil than normal due worn rings / blow by ??
 
Yes the turbo also smokes a little but I have noticed that the stock oil press gauge is not moving and this happened before when the first turbo started leaking oil. I just replaced the turbo and the oil press started to move for a couple days. Now the oil press is not moving again and the turbo is smoking and putting oil in the cross over pipe, is this something related??
 
cicak said:
Time to check oil pump and gauge. Lift tappet cover off and check for damage if oil pump not working.

Is oil gauge wiring connected etc and sending unit working
Click to expand...

I believe that the sending unit might be faulty because the stock oil gauge is slow to move and adjust the values.

Also lets assume that the oil press readings are accurate....there is no way that the engine will be in good condition after running for more than 200kms with the oil press way below 0 according to the oil gauge in dash so that is NOT true at all.

Engine runs great and starts right up first try in the morning.

I will order a rebuild kit and fix the turbo that was removed and came with the truck and see what happens next!
 
So guys have bad is it to run the engine with the turbo pushing some oil??

I have heard from local mechanics that on diesel engines when the turbos push oil into the intake the best thing to do is fix the turbo because it could seize your engine.

They say that the oil will keep the engine running and you cant turn off the truck with the ignition key, does this happen very easy or the turbo needs to be very bad for it to happen?
 
n0ferz said:
They say that the oil will keep the engine running and you cant turn off the truck with the ignition key, does this happen very easy or the turbo needs to be very bad for it to happen?
Click to expand...

Yes this is possible...called a "run away" the engine starts to run off the oil and consumes its self....runs till all the oil is gone then blows or seises...

Happened a couple months ago here on a large scale...one of the navy cruisers had a runaway...could not believe the sound it made..
 
The 2LTE will not run well or even really at all without the turbo. The MAP sensor requires turbo the be there to provide the correct signal. I pulled a turbo off one of these to sell and tried to run the engine without it - nothing.

Also, turbos don't just fail like that - there is something else wrong.

What type of failure are you seeing? Is it the turbo bearing that's going?

Oil in the intake side of the turbo is often from blowby, and not the turbo itself. This is common - in fact almost all engines have this if there is no catch can.

A turbo that has a failed bearing and seal can lose oil to the intake side which can cause the engine to run away


John
 
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Thanks for your reply John, I guess that to convert the 2LTE to NA is not a good option so that is discarded as of now.

The only failure that I am seeing is oil on the intake cross tube pipe that goes from the top of the turbo to the left side of the truck. There is no shaft at all on the turbo and it sounds very good when boosting.

How can I confirm for sure that the oil is coming from blowby?? I can tell you that the turbo that is currently on the truck sounds way different when boosting than the first turbo. Also the boost comes earlier than the first turbo so maybe this oil is coming from blowby after all and is not affecting the performance of the turbo??

Thanks,

Emir-
 
Sounds to me like things might be just fine from your most recent post. As John said, get a catch can if you don't like oil in your intake.
 
Here is a pic of the crankcase vent pipe. Goes from the rocker cover to the intake.
This introduces oil mist into the intake system and a light oil film is acceptable.
However if the engine is starting to wear out you can get excessive blow by past the rings and inturn put too much oil into the intake..
This oil will then become the new fuel for the engine and turning it off wont stop it !!! This is what run on is... Or a runaway engine...

So the oil you may be seeing could be perfectly normal...
You can disconnect the pipe and run it into a catch can.... Which basically catches the oil.. Need to empty it from time to time...
Could do something temporary to see how much blow by you are getting from the crankcase...

newsurfengine1kh8.webp
 
Thanks for the picture, but in my truck the crankcase vent pipe goes from the tube where it says EFI DIESEL to the rocker cover, is this wrong??

This is my engine bay:

EDIT: I am getting oil in the tube where it says EFI DIESEL!!

IMG_20130506_171228_zps90fe43cb.jpg
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IMG_20130506_171317_zpse0ab3432.jpg
 
That pipe should duck under the EFI pipe and come out and go into the rubber hose which is before the turbo inlet...
So the same concept as my photo just different locations

IMG_20130506_171228_zps90fe43cb.webp
 
I noticed the same thing on my truck intake covered in black oil inside the "turbo" tube, 2 years ago. It's still running fine and shuts off fine, blows blue on cold starts tho. (your not the only one saving for the eventual 2LTE replacement)
 
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