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Engine Specific Info and Questions => IDI Engine => Topic started by: joe1975 on January 06, 2009, 09:45:43 am
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Hello and happy New
Just before Christmas I finished replacing the head gasket on my 1.6TD. Syncro Vanagon
Before I started the work the engine was running ok but had no power. The head gasket was changed because it was leaking water, but now, after the rebuild I am not so sure it the head gasket needed changing. It may have been a water hose that was leaking onto the lip of gasket and making it look the head gasket ... Never mind!
The van went in for a compression test before I started the work to see if the engine was worth saving, the results came back really good. This was expected as the engine is a recon unit with under 20´000miles on it. The garage that did the compression test noted that the turbo was not working, plus a list of other jobs.
After getting the quote for the work i decided to do it myself. I removed the turbo that was full of oil and generally a mess and sent it to ITS turbos. They tested the turbo and said it was completely knackered and I needed a new unit.
Before putting on the new turbo I cleaned out all the pipes The breather from the cam cover was filthy as were the other rubber hoses. I also renewed the exhaust pipe where it leaves the turbo unit to the exhaust box. Plus I removed the sump and cleaned it out and replaced and the oil return hose.
On the first start up, after only a few minutes I noticed that the turbo was blowing oil out into the exhaust. My first thought was that i had been sold a bad turbo, so off came the turbo and back it went to ITS Turbos. I just got a call from them today and they told me that there is no problem with the turbo it is my engine.
They said my engine had a blocked oil return pipe. I do not think it does as I used a new oil return pipe. At the same time as replacing the head gasket I also removed the sump and cleaned out any gunk. It did not really need doing but I wanted to be safe.
The turbo company are now telling me that I need to do a leak down test on the engine to try to work out if there is to much sump pressure? Can anyone with more knowledge than me let me know if this will really help?
I do know much about turbos and feel the company is kind of fobbing me off a little ... Any help from those in the know would be great.
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I'm no expert on Vanagons, but the way the engine is laid over with the turbo underneath, that is quite an ask to get all that frothed up oil from 100,000 rpm of turbo bearing into the sump without it backing up against the seals. :?
My feeling would be that something might not be quite right about the turbo drain position or pipework or sump entry. If the oil return is below the sump oil level, then possibly crankcase pressure could cause oil to backup the very few inches to the turbo. Have another look at the breathers then. :? Bodgers would run the engine without the oil cap and see if it still happens.
Good luck. :wink:
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thanks.
when I get the turbo back I will check the breathers are clear. the turbo is fitted as per VW designed it. I know VW did not expect oil to leak into the exhaust, i just need to work out why mine is doing it?