turbo oil leak.

[joderest]

Looking for some help here.
I have a small oil leak on the Turbo. I think I have tracked it down, will try to explain
If you look at the top of the Turbo, between the two bits, the forward housing has a back plate secured with four 8mm bolts. The bottom outside bolt is wet with oil and it drips down onto the Turbo activator. Its a very small leak, couple of drips in 100 miles or so.
I cannot see any wetness other than on the bolt head. I did try nipping it up and got half a turn which I thought had sorted it, but leak back again.

Any thoughts out there

 

[onefortheroad]

Does the ccv pipe connect into it like the om642 engine ?

 

[joderest]

Sorry, not that good on identifying bits.
pipes connected to that side are the air intake from air filter, and a pipe is connected to that from the oil separator (just replaced)
I also replaced the seal (Mercedes call it a spacer !) in the pipe end, like a large orange rubber band.
If anyone can attach a diagram i could point out the bolt i think the oil is coming from.

 

[joderest]

OK.
I have asked a lot of people and it is thought this could be the large o ring that seals the plate. It also appears this cannot be bought as an item, hence only resolve is new Turbo, which will be about £600 to £700 fitted.
The turbo works fine, there is no play in the shaft what so ever, car runs very well. I am not about to fork out that sort of money to stop an oil leak. Even a reconditioned of Turbos wants £300. So did explore that avenue.
I am going to bodge it. I cannot fix the problem but can fix the issue of the oil.
What I am going to try and do is make an oil catcher and fit it so the drip runs down a tube into a small bottle. It appears I am getting about 1 small drip for about 40 miles of driving. At least doing this I can monitor the oil loss and if it gets worse might have to bite the bullet. But car is 16 years old and will also need four new tyres before winter. So have to be a bit sensible. If I can make it last another couple of years I will be happy.
I will update when done and see if it works.

 

[LostKiwi]

I am sure the seal is available if you ask in the right places. Speak to a turbo reconditioner such as The Turbo Centre in West Yorkshire.

 

[W245207]

https://www.ilcats.ru/mercedes/?fun...odel=612963&group=09&subgroup=075&language=en

https://www.ilcats.ru/mercedes/?fun...odel=612963&group=18&subgroup=075&language=en

 

[joderest]

thanks, but even if i could get the seal, no one round here wants to dismantle a Turbo to fit it. I have been told that the Turbo to exhaust manifold bolts will shear, they always do, and to take exhaust manifold off, but those bolts may shear as well, so just trying to evade possible issues with getting Turbo off car.
There is one thing i have not checked, that is the lower drain pipe, but oil cannot run uphill so suspect not that.
its just an annoying leak rather than a major problem. if i can effect my bodge, it will sort of solve the issue of the oil collecting on the undertray.
( however, driving for two years with this leak it has not yet reached the ground) so you can understand how small it is.
If you wipe clean, drive 40 miles, and then wipe again, it makes a small spot on the paper towel.

 

[ajlsl600]

a bit of a pain,but if eng warm one can often get the bolts out .but you should be prepared to need to replace a few ,patience is the key here and yr friendly penetrating oil .get em to move then back and fro lots of times with the penetrating oil .i think thats an Oring where the cartridge does into the housing that yr on about,around the ring of bolts under 5 in the parts diagram and from a bolt at the low point ,not seen in the parts diagram ? , if so you can make one up,O ring. from a suitable length of correct dia O ring material ,join wid superglue and put joint at TOP when re assembling. however if the oil is there the turbo seal likely on the way out as it comes from somewhere unless there is oil/fuel getting into the pipework from somewhere else ? is the oil drip there soon after you shut down, or only in the am following ? yr other option, let it develop.prepare for the required fix. as LK if you find a turbo refurb place they may be able to recon/exchange yr turbo when the time comes . i bought a spare A class for peanuts ran it for three months then broke it for bits then cut up the shell and scrapped that,so far used central locking pump.gear shift module 1 window motor so at £100/150 (cant remember now ) i am well in. if you have time/space/interest?

 

[LostKiwi]

Oil can get in via breather. Breather usually vents into intake before turbo.

 

[ajlsl600]

and runs down hot pipework and out of any low point it can find, if applicable/possible run the breather to an old plastic bottle,vent the bottle ! and see what it collects and if the leak stops

 

[joderest]

I did install a new oil seperator, but old one seemed fine, you have to remember this engine has only just ticked over 50,000 miles.
the Turbo shaft has no movement, its like new.
I wonder if it could be the oil drain tube on the rear and the "wind" "draft" is blowing it back to where i see it. I only see oil on the actuator bracket after about 3 days of running, just one drip.

 

[joderest]

well.
Just driven over 100 miles in three days, and it has not leaked, i am now stumped. I had decided to live with this leak, as replacing Turbo at about £700 for a tiny drop of oil a day did not compute. Each day this week, opened bonnet to wipe away the drip, and no drip.
I did a bit of research, and came up with this, perhaps some could comment............................
The Turbo is fed oil under pressure from the engine, however, the oil just drains down the drain tube back into the sump, it is not pushed.
If for some reason there is excess back pressure in the sump, this could prevent the Turbo draining, and the oil will by pass the seals. curing the back pressure stops the oil escaping from the turbo.

well i did replace the oil separator which is part of the system, could it be the oil was just draining away over last two weeks, and now stopped leaking.

This car really confounds me sometimes.

 

[ajlsl600]

check breather clean.

 

[joderest]

if thats the pipe from the oil separator, then yes cleaned it out, or is there another one somewhere.

 

[oigle]

The oil going through the turbo bearing is pushed through at high pressure. You could not get enough pressure in the crankcase to counteract that. The drain hose is reasonably large and the oil just trickles down it - not like a full flow - so there would not be any back pressure stopping the oil from draining down.
I'd suggest that, with everything you have done, the problem has been sorted.
Ian.

 

[joderest]

hi all.
I think i may have got to the bottom of this, sort of.
My Turbo oil leak is not a Turbo oil leak, i will explain.
Last week i stripped it all down again, cleaned it all up and put it back together, no oil for 5 days, then there it is again on top of the actuator.
So i had a really good,close look and found that its leaking where the pipe from the oil separator joins the air filter to Turbo hose, its then running down the back of the pipe, on to where the pipe joins the Turbo, then runs across to where there is a small hole in the casting. Goes through this to other side of Turbo, collects, then drips on to the activator.
What a ****** pain !!!!.
the question is now, how is that pipe sealed ?, should there be some sort of jubilee clip holding it on ?, or is it just a push fit seal, if so, it has failed.
How does the pipe come out of the air pipe ?
Its only a tiny leak, but over 200 miles builds up enough to drip.

You live and learn

 

[Wighty]

hi all.
I think i may have got to the bottom of this, sort of.
My Turbo oil leak is not a Turbo oil leak, i will explain.
Last week i stripped it all down again, cleaned it all up and put it back together, no oil for 5 days, then there it is again on top of the actuator.
So i had a really good,close look and found that its leaking where the pipe from the oil separator joins the air filter to Turbo hose, its then running down the back of the pipe, on to where the pipe joins the Turbo, then runs across to where there is a small hole in the casting. Goes through this to other side of Turbo, collects, then drips on to the activator.
What a ****** pain !!!!.
the question is now, how is that pipe sealed ?, should there be some sort of jubilee clip holding it on ?, or is it just a push fit seal, if so, it has failed.
How does the pipe come out of the air pipe ?
Its only a tiny leak, but over 200 miles builds up enough to drip.

You live and learn

Let's have a picture buddy

 

[joderest]

sorry, i cant do pictures due to broken things at home (kids er)
I am sure that this is the issue i have.
just got to work out how to seal the pipe to pipe connection. May bodge it, and if ok, buy new pipes.

 

[joderest]

dam, took it all apart Tuesday, all back together, have stopped leak at the pipe join, however, i think it is now leaking past the rubber seal at Turbo, not surprising as have had seal off about 7 times, and it has now gone loose and a bit spongy.
I have ordered a new seal, again, and got a new jubilee clip, so now have to take it all apart again.

I WILL WIN THIS ONE.

 

[Wighty]

dam, took it all apart Tuesday, all back together, have stopped leak at the pipe join, however, i think it is now leaking past the rubber seal at Turbo, not surprising as have had seal off about 7 times, and it has now gone loose and a bit spongy.
I have ordered a new seal, again, and got a new jubilee clip, so now have to take it all apart again.

I WILL WIN THIS ONE.

Stay strong buddy