nothing changed when it started to smoke. I've had the car running with this exact combo of parts for a couple weeks. It was sitting outside the shop, idling, charging the a/c. All of a sudden I noticed the smoke from the pipe, started completely without warning while idling. The engine sounded exactly the same.

When the other guy mentioned the no boost deal and the oil seal on the turbos it made me think; all the running had just been idling, tweaking the start, etc. while waiting for the wheels so I could drive the car. So it had been doing a lot of idling, but then again the engine has a few hundred miles on it as a boosted deal from my GTO, and was pretty much broken in, never smoked (other than when the scavenge pump for the turbos failed........... :faint: ). So since it wasn't a virgin start I wasn't too worried about letting it idle while I tweaked things.

It only smokes on one side. I just filled the tank and since the rain stopped I went out and tortured it a bit. Definitely got into boost several times in high gear to load it good. The smoking is not visible cruising down the road, at least I couldn't see it, and after a few miles I returned home. I let it idle for about 30 seconds before putting it in the shop and it had started to smoke again, albeit about half as much as before, noticeably less. So maybe the driving and loading the engine/turbo's is helping, but I just have a gut feeling there's something wrong with the one turbo oil seal. That cannot be fixed before Power Tour.

Jody

I had been thinking it was a seal before, but as I'm not the most knowledgeable in this area, I didn't want to say much. Could you have Precision ship out a new turbo to your beginning destination and get some guys to thrash install it before leaving? Just an idea. Oh, and since when does anyone need a working speedometer anyway? Especially on Power Tour.

I wouldn't mind, if I KNEW that the turbo was the issue. I suspect it is, but don't want to commit the money and effort to ship the car 2000 miles and find out that doesn't fix it.................. :willy:

The speedo may just need the calibration done. When I find an area with mile markers I'm going to try it.

Thanks Alan.

Jody

Jody-

I was looking at your pics & trying to figure out if the drains were working against the bottom of the sump (however, they look like they go to the front end sides of the pan)- might they be backing up against oil in the sump? If so, would it be possible to put a check valve inline (uphill) on each return line?

I know it's a pain, but I'd do a 'weep' check on the hot side before removing it. I've found bad seals by running a Q-tip in the area where the oil will puddle inside the turbine housing. This could eliminate your drain system from being at fault.

I think the drains are fine. I spoke with a friend who is pretty much a guru on turboed LSX's (thanks Kurt Urban!!!!!!!!), and he thinks it's too much oil pressure at idle causing the issue. Often it's only one turbo that exhibits it and he used restrictors in the oil feed line to get the pressure at the turbo in the 5-9 psi range. Still plenty of oil, but eliminates the oiling issue at idle, which is where mine seems to be.

I guess as the turbos spool they naturally direct oil down the drain lines, but at idle they aren't moving fast enough to do that and can easily back up in the turbo itself and push oil past the seal. There is no liquid oil coming out the downpipe, so it's pretty minor. And it does not appear to smoke at all cruising down the road, only at idle. It just doesn't take much oil in a hot exhaust pipe to get smoke though...........

I was thinking the same thing (pressure too high), even with restrictors... but I figured PT had that worked out for ya when they were on the Goat. We've had to use regulators on some uphill setups before (prior to the catridge). Anyway to slip one in there?

Either way- good luck on your final steps! I've long been a fan of your build mentality, and photog ability! How you find the patience to take pics while you're making progress, I don't know.

completely different turbo setup in the GTO; that kit had it's own regulated oil pressure log, no problems.

I'm looking for ways to regulate the pressure down, if you have pics or links it'd be appreciated.

Jody

Jody if it's smoking a little less it might be the residual oil in the exhaust and not from the turbo anymore. Did you just run it at idle with the down pipe unhooked? I pounded on my turbo to get it to stop smoking. I bet I did 10 WOT runs through 4 gears just to make sure. :unibrow:

I've also had a few turbo's that didn't like a -4 oil feed line, they liked the -3 better another suggestion from Harry.

well, I'm heading out there in a bit to see what size the restriction is in their fittings. I know they're set up for #4 lines, and I even called them before plumbing the car to verify, but they said #4 is fine. I have heard that #3 solves a lot of issues.

I have some restrictors from another turbo project, and was curious what size they were, and measure the ones in there currently; .062" seems to be the most popular size used on this type and size of turbo to stop the idle oiling issues.

Jody

the stock inlet fittings from Precision are .040" restrictors. That's already smaller than what most people use. I do have a set of .035" restrictors from a GT ball-bearing turbo setup I had on another car, tempted to give them a try.

Jody