So I've had my turbo setup for about 2 months without any issues, leaks, nothing! Just recently I've developed some smoking around the turbo - at first I dismissed it, but it kept getting worse. I found out that eventually that there was an oil leak coming from the oil return gasket area of the turbo.

I have tried everything from replacing the high temperature silicone (used instead of a gasket) to taking the oil return line off and back on to make sure no kinks or back flow issues, to replacing the silicone gasket with a t3 gasket which fits just fine.

Why is this thing still leaking?? The only thing I had issues with are the hex bolts are very awkward to get to, but I'm quite positive that I had torqued them more than enough to be sufficient.

The leak is slow-steady, and is definetly coming somewhere between the flange-gasket-turbo area.

 

Is the fitting leaking? Is it is leaking between the turbo and the fitting? Is the fitting not sitting straight and flat?

Have to clean it up and then find where it is leaking before we are going to be able to help you

 

Pictures would help

 

I understand pictures would help, but to be honest, it's difficult for me to even see where it is leaking.
All I can say is that I'm positive it is leaking between the gasket and turbo.... which means that the flange isn't putting enough pressure or isnt flat.

But I had taken this off and inspected for any irregularities - it seems fine! With that said, there is only three options I believe are causing the issue...

1) there is still a blockage somewhere in the oil pan/oil return line

2) wrong gasket / gasket failure

3) flange is somehow warped

If there is anything else that could be causing this, please let me know...

 

The hex bolts could also not be tight enough.

 

although it's an awkward reach, anymore tightening would be marginal. That thing is bolted down tight.

 

maybe this thread can help you https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...light=oil+leak

 

Is the flange hitting on something that is preventing it from seating flat?
Is the oil feed lline interfereing with the flange sitting flat?
Was the seat/flange clean when you tried to fasten it down?
Is it leaking at the pipe to flange interface..or between the gasket surfaces?

If the flange is sealing properly...it should hold way more pressure than the oil seals will.....so your overfead theory likely isn't the problem. It would leak through the turbo if that was the case











seal

 

There are no obstructions nor are the lines hitting anything. The flange itself was cleaned with alcohal and I did test it to see if it was indeed flat on a surface. It was flat for the most part (example - it sat perfectly flat, with no wobble, but if looked into the light maybe some imperfections remained), everything else would have been taken care of with a gasket I'd imagine.

The turbo did in fact leak oil into the turbo housing (not the exhaust side) prior to me fixing any possible kinks and so that the hose was at all times going downwards towards the oil pan (ie. it never went back up on itself - fighting gravity). Looks like I'll have to take the turbo off again, and I'll inspect this, but I'm quite sure there is no backflow issues now.

The only thing I can think of now, is that the flange is done for... btw - should the gasket be made of rubber?

 

Problem Fixed!

Just letting anyone else know if you have this issue, it was the actual flange - I guess it was the heat that slightly warped it (even though it seems flat on a surface) which caused a bad seal between the turbo over time. So issue resolved and I'm boosting without oil spewing all over the place

thanks for the suggestions and help