TSIO360 Turbo check valve leaking.

[Q The Engineer]

Throw pressure to the cylinder you're checking with closed valves and listen into the intake and exhaust.  It will tell you everything you need to know. 

[N201MKTurbo]

1 hour ago, Q The Engineer said:

Throw pressure to the cylinder you're checking with closed valves and listen into the intake and exhaust.  It will tell you everything you need to know. 

You know we are talking about check valves in the turbo oil system.

[231MJ]

Is there a shop that is overhauling the turbo check valves?  The spring on the return side check valve is really weak and I suspect it loses tension over time.  Should be easy to replace for a shop.  I have oil leaking out of the turbo but no oil coming out the exhaust so I suspect the check valve has a slow leak and it's getting by the turbo seals.

  

Turbo oil leak.pdf

[N201MKTurbo]

Humm… that seems like an external leak, more than an internal leak. When they leak internally, they just fill the turbo with oil and it makes a big blue smoke cloud when you start the engine.

[231MJ]

Yea, I agree, a seal leak would fill the turbo with oil and it would blow out on start-up.  I'll look again - the only external source could be the inlet line to the turbo and I didn't see a leak there but I'll check agian.

[Pinecone]

UV dye an help track down leaks.  Clean the area.  Add the dye to the oil (about .5 - 1 ounce), run for 2 - 3 minutes.  You may need a hangar to get it out of the sun, but the UV lamp lights up the leak nicely.

[231MJ]

Pinecone,

You recommended that in a different thread, so I bought the supplies last week and it's on my list to do this weekend.   I'll keep you posted on the results.  I hope it's a simple external leak because here are the costs of other possible solutions:

turbo rebuild:  $5,000-$8,000

turbo check valves (both):  $3,000

Scavenger pump gears:  $10,000 or more?

I'll keep you posted.