Drew's MegaCheap homebrew 3b turbo thread

[amaurer]

hallman boost controller!?

Not a bad guess.

But it didn't work... https://forum.ih8mud.com/diesel-tec...4585-i-tried-do-something-awesome-failed.html

 

[Toshi38]

Just curious if you knew what oil pressure you're running? Also if you had a journal bearing or ball bearing turbo...

I have my turbo plumbed to the vacuum inlet and outlet (on its own as I have an electric vacuum pump) and I am seeing oil out the exhaust pipe... so I assumed that I did not have a good enough drain.

Perhaps I need to regulate the oil pressure... or rebuild the turbo... or weld a bung into the oil pan.... or more likely # 2 and #3

 

[amaurer]

Just curious if you knew what oil pressure you're running? Also if you had a journal bearing or ball bearing turbo...

I have my turbo plumbed to the vacuum inlet and outlet (on its own as I have an electric vacuum pump) and I am seeing oil out the exhaust pipe... so I assumed that I did not have a good enough drain.

Perhaps I need to regulate the oil pressure... or rebuild the turbo... or weld a bung into the oil pan.... or more likely # 2 and #3

Journal bearing turbo. Oil pressure is 75 cold, 40 hot @3000.

Make sure you have the oil inlet restrictor in place.

 

[Dougal]

Just curious if you knew what oil pressure you're running? Also if you had a journal bearing or ball bearing turbo...

I have my turbo plumbed to the vacuum inlet and outlet (on its own as I have an electric vacuum pump) and I am seeing oil out the exhaust pipe... so I assumed that I did not have a good enough drain.

Perhaps I need to regulate the oil pressure... or rebuild the turbo... or weld a bung into the oil pan.... or more likely # 2 and #3

You need a bigger/better drain. Restricting the oil into the turbo will help but may not solve it completely.

 

[TOBASH]

Why doesn't anyone in this Diesel Turbo community drain oil through the oil filler cap?

Some auto makers do that.

Also a kit to turbocharge Toyota Tacomas does that.

Just thinking... it seems like a simple no brainer to me.

Best,

T

 

[Toshi38]

Journal bearing turbo. Oil pressure is 75 cold, 40 hot @3000.

Make sure you have the oil inlet restrictor in place.

I'll get a restrictor in place... do you know what size I should have? (T3 Journal Bearing) I was reading online I should have around 0.065" like this:

Oil Inlet Restrictor - .065" hole size 1/8" NPT (for Journal bearing and larger GT BB) : atpturbo.com

Why doesn't anyone in this Diesel Turbo community drain oil through the oil filler cap?

Some auto makers do that.

Also a kit to turbocharge Toyota Tacomas does that.

Just thinking... it seems like a simple no brainer to me.

My understanding was that the drain should be as straight downwards as possible so the oil would just "Fall" out of the turbo... not sure how this would work with going to the filler cap...

I am curious though... do you have a link to that kit?

 

[crushers]

why would you need thicker than .125 wall?
20 psi is nothing for that thickness wall

The short answer is that I did not do a lot of analysis about the thicknesses. Its a guess, primarily, based on some info on the web I found that said ".125 is a good thickness for turbo manifolds".

The longer answer is that my hands are kinda tied. I can't use tube larger than 2" without blocking access to the studs. I also can't use anything thicker than .125" or I'll reduce the size of the holes I can cut and then need to grind/cut/mill extensively to cover the 3B exhaust ports. If you were willing to do the extra work you could easily make 1/4" wall work, but I was trying to keep it simple.

Anyway, its an experiment, I'll let you know how/if it holds up. I can say that its impressively heavy already.

 

[crushers]

nice job on the manifold.
to add to Dougals post about the need for large drain,
the oil gravity drains, there is no pressure so if the drain isn't large enough then the oil can back up to the turbo.

the advice of using any hose that is not rated for continuious oil flow is flawed and should not be followed, that swollen deteriorated rubber crap is going directly into your oil pan. who in their right mind would want that to happen?

 

[amaurer]

I'll get a restrictor in place... do you know what size I should have? (T3 Journal Bearing) I was reading online I should have around 0.065" like this:

Oil Inlet Restrictor - .065" hole size 1/8" NPT (for Journal bearing and larger GT BB) : atpturbo.com

Thats about what I have.

How is your drain configured? Did you catch the bit where I drilled my banjo fitting out so that it was a full 3/8" or more throughout? The fitting comes with a pathetic 1/4" opening...

And what about at the turbo end?

Also is your banjo bolt the same as mine in terms of oriface count and size?

 

[amaurer]

why would you need thicker than .125 wall?
20 psi is nothing for that thickness wall

Well there you go! The pressure wasn't m primary concern, I was wondering more about the fatigue life due to supporting the turbo while red hot and the potential for cracking while going through temperature cycles. But its held up fine so far.

the advice of using any hose that is not rated for continuious oil flow is flawed and should not be followed, that swollen deteriorated rubber crap is going directly into your oil pan. who in their right mind would want that to happen?

This is a good point.

 

[crushers]

make a bracket to go from the turbo to the head if concerned but i suspect there won't be an issue.

 

[cicak]

I think it has something to do with the truck being RHD. The pedals tend to be on the same side as the steering wheel.

Made my day after spending 15 hours fixing someones coding errors at work I read this during a coffee break and im still laughing.

 

[cicak]

I read it all top to bottom - well done awesome - a howling happy turbo

 

[Toshi38]

well I decided to tackle it 2 fold... the feed had a 1/4 inch restriction... so I'm brazing it and drilling it to 1/8th of an inch.

Also drank too much and removed the oil pan... guess I'll weld a bung in and make a proper drain...

 

[buschmaster86]

That 3b is a racemonster !! beutifull build a Delight to read !!!

 

[RufusTheDufus]

Drew - how's the log manifold with the curvy flange holding up? I'm planning to weld up a manifold soon to mount a GT2256V off a Sprinter. I'm mentally weighing the pros/cons of the log-against-the-flange style vs. 1" tubes to move the log off of the flange.

Thoughts?

 

[amaurer]

I still drive it every day; haven't so much as touched the turbo or manifold since the day it went on... wow nearly 4 years ago, geez!

I don't see any evidence of leaking or cracking.

 

[RufusTheDufus]

Thanks.

 

[watrob]

Nice fab work there, 4 years on and still running sweet?

 

[amaurer]

Actually the only update I have is that my Auber boost gauge died about a year or two ago. I think the sensor died from getting full of oil - my engine (before the turbo) had a bunch of blowby and I have the crank vent plumbed into the intake. But the oil consumption hasn't increased so I know the turbo is doing fine, even if the intake tubing looks like Exxon Valdez.

Sadly I can't really say how many miles I've put on since then (speedometer cable was broken for a long time), but for the last year its been my DD... so... a lot?