Wits End Turbo — oil residue on compressor + vacuum leak (1 Viewer)

[jht3]

I’ve used one of those in the past and it worked well.

The main feature I prefer on the unit I just picked up is that it has a built in compressor so no air hookup is needed. I only have a small compressor at home for nail guns and stuff.

how much air does a tester need? i may have a slightly larger compressor but it is not rated for constant use like a air gun, etc. i've been seriously looking at smoke machines, even DIY versions, to test for intake leaks on NA and boosted vehicles.

 

[CJK]

how much air does a tester need? i may have a slightly larger compressor but it is not rated for constant use like a air gun, etc. i've been seriously looking at smoke machines, even DIY versions, to test for intake leaks on NA and boosted vehicles.

Not sure, but it’s not much.
I used my lil 2 gallon compressor in the past and it worked okay. The psi required is like 5-10 (IIRC) so it’s not like running any air tool.

With that said, the link I shared has a compressor in it so no need for using yours

 

[Wompom]

Not sure, but it’s not much.
I used my lil 2 gallon compressor in the past and it worked okay. The psi required is like 5-10 (IIRC) so it’s not like running any air tool.

With that said, the link I shared has a compressor in it so no need for using yours

Did you ever get your compressor sweating to stop? I'm seeing the same thing still and catch can or not, have not been able to stop it. I'm going to disassemble the entire engine bay and turbo setup in the coming weeks and see what I can find.

 

[CJK]

Did you ever get your compressor sweating to stop? I'm seeing the same thing still and catch can or not, have not been able to stop it. I'm going to disassemble the entire engine bay and turbo setup in the coming weeks and see what I can find.

I haven’t noticed it anymore. My oil inlet fitting on top had become only finger tight. Fresh sealant and tightening it helped.

In one of the turbo threads, another guy noticed a similar problem and identified the cause to be the bolts holding the compressor side to the middle (the ones you loosen to clock the compressor)

 

[Greyota]

I tightened up my oil linlet fitting as well, it also was barely finger tight. I'm still getting oil at the compressor outlet when I remove the silicone tube to check it - and I have dual catch cans setup too.

That's an interesting note about the bolts on the compressor side. I don't remember that post, will have to check those.

 

[Wompom]

Ha funny enough after the first heat cycles mine loosened up too.
I will recheck interior compressor housing bolts when I take it apart.

 

[CJK]

I tightened up my oi linlet fitting as well, it also was barely finger tight. I'm still getting oil at the compressor outlet when I remove the silicone tube to check it - and I have dual catch cans setup too.

That's an interesting note about the bolts on the compressor side. I don't remember that post, will have to check those.

Interesting.

I only saw one mention of those bolts causing the oil leak and it was in a build thread instead of turbo-specific threads. I will do some fancy searching later

 

[Wompom]

Interesting.

I only saw one mention of those bolts causing the oil leak and it was in a build thread instead of turbo-specific threads. I will do some fancy searching later

I did initially have that same loosening of the oil inlet and the compressor bolts. Snugged it all up after it'd heat cycled/rattled on washboard a few times. Never seemed to stop it. Really seems like what a catch can should catch, though when I was running a can, it still showed up.

 

[CJK]

I did initially have that same loosening of the oil inlet and the compressor bolts. Snugged it all up after it'd heat cycled/rattled on washboard a few times. Never seemed to stop it. Really seems like what a catch can should catch, though when I was running a can, it still showed up.

I had no oil residue in the silicone intake tubes.

if you were seeing oil from there, then yeah, I would agree that is the purpose of catch cans.
Maybe there wasn’t enough surface area inside the can to cool the oil/air mist?

 

[Greyota]

I'm not sure where that oil is coming from on the inside of the tube, and maybe I'm all wrong because I don't fully understand it all, but I was thinking it had something to do with what is likely rock hard valve stem seals. I get a fair amount of oil consumption (a little less than 1qt/1,000 miles).

 

[CJK]

I'm not sure where that oil is coming from on the inside of the tube, and maybe I'm all wrong because I don't fully understand it all, but I was thinking it had something to do with what is likely rock hard valve stem seals. I get a fair amount of oil consumption (a little less than 1qt/1,000 miles).

How much volume is being captured in your catch can in like 500 mile intervals?

Maybe do a cylinder leak down test see where that oil is leaking in/out from?

 

[Greyota]

How much volume is being captured in your catch can in like 500 mile intervals?

Maybe do a cylinder leak down test see where that oil is leaking in/out from?

Nothing in the catch can coming off the PCV, but the other one between the valve cover and the turbo intake wasn't much, about 10-15mL although I didn't measure it out so I'm guessing a bit there.

I'm prepping to pull the head and do a top end refresh in the next few months, so that will tell me a lot.

 

[Wompom]

Nothing in the catch can coming off the PCV, but the other one between the valve cover and the turbo intake wasn't much, about 10-15mL although I didn't measure it out so I'm guessing a bit there.

I'm prepping to pull the head and do a top end refresh in the next few months, so that will tell me a lot.

FWIW My motor was fully rebuilt with the head redone at a good machine shop before the turbo and its showing the same things

 

[Greyota]

FWIW My motor was fully rebuilt with the head redone at a good machine shop before the turbo and its showing the same things

Well that's interesting, and a little disappointing. Thought that might be the fix.