Need help........car giving me hell

[Christophah]

I have an '85 ttype at my other lot that has my mechanic stumped. We have put 2 different turbos on the car, and I don't think we have a turbo problem at this point. First turbo was rebuilt unit from gbodyparts, second one is a used 50k mile turbo. When the car starts up, it runs like krap, there is oil literaly spitting out of the tailpipe, and after it runs for a couple minutes the turbo starts to glow red hot. I was thinking that we either have an internal engine problem, or could the oil return line possibly be jammed plugged? Any suggestions? What can I tell him to check. thanks guys.

 

[esinger]

Checking to see if the oil line is plugged would be pretty easy to check. Take the oil feed line off the turbo and have it dump into a cup. Run the car for a minute and see if the cup filled up with oil.

 

[Boost231]

wow. i would start with a compression test first see what the #'s look like. check the plugs to see if there wet with oil. If there wet you know what that means. Since you have changed the turbo out 2 times you would know if the drain was cloged or bent shut. i would check the plugs and do a compression test and see what happens. The oil out the tail pipes is going to be there for awhile and once that clears its going to smoke if there is oil that far back in the system. its going to take time to clear. you might want to uncap the exhaust till you find out where your at. that will elimate alot of exhaust that way you can tell if oil is still coming out of the exhaust.

 

[esinger]

Oops, misread the posting. Oil "Return" line.

 

[GN84Turbo]

If there is oil coming out of the tailpipe (blue smoke) then the turbo is glowing because the exhaust is clogged from all of the oil run thru the catylitic convertor.

unplug the car and run a compression test. sounds like u need a rebuild. Check the plugs.

 

[Christophah]

thanks for the tips guys. The engine just had a rebuild, or so the previous owner said. I don't think that they knew what they were doing however. I am not ruling out engine troubles, but for I now I would like to look elsewhere for issues. If my oil return line is clogged, with the turbo be forced to push oil through my intake and cause the problem that I am having? I am having my mech replace this with some heater hose on monday just to see if this is the problem. I will have him do a compression test also. Anything else I can check? thanks.

 

[GN84Turbo]

A clogged oil RETURN line is not very likely at all. If youve replaced the turbo twice, then the short return line should have been inspected for cracks and dents...but i dont think a return line unless it was badly kinked could ever get clogged (its ~1/2 inch diameter). If this line was ever clogged, I guess oil would back up in the turbo, and probably pop the seals...? Kinking of this line due to poor installation is possible, it happened to me.

Now, a clogged oil SUPPLY line can get clogged from excessive heat and is reccommended you replace it every time you replace the turbo. A clogged supply line would fry the turbo real quick...but it would burn up due to a lack of lubrication...and you shouldnt be burning oil like youre describing.

 

[alec296]

i would remove the cat convertor to see if its pluged, it might be why the engine was supposed to be rebuilt due to burning oil and now the exhaust is filled with it

 

[BRAD_PADGETT]

I agree with the points made by ALEC296 as well as GN84TURBO. I suspect the CAT. If the seals on the turbo are shot you will get a huge smokscreen of white smoke perodically as the turbo throws oil into the intake. In my case it was pressurized block due to the bad original design regarding the oil fill tube. Good luck- Brad

 

[Christophah]

Is there a way the I can run the engine withouth the turbo installed to try to rule out the turbo as the problem? Could I just take the turbo off, run a line from the oil feed to the return line and fire it up?

 

[Christophah]

Also, some replies have tried to diagnose the glowing turbo problem, but how would a clogged cat cause oil to spit out of the tailpipe?

 

[GN84Turbo]

No, you cant run the car without the turbo. The car will run like crap. The camshaft is designed for a turbo; running the car without a turbo will cause the engine to basically... not run.

Your cat is clogged, for sure, trust me. putting on a new turbo with a bad cat on the car will pretty much ruin the turbo immediately. You probably have unawaringly done this.

As for possible causes for oil in the tailpipe:

A ruined turbo with a blown oil seal,
a blown head gasket,
leaky valve seals,
leaky piston rings,
and warped cylinder walls

will all cause a clogged cat and oil in the tailpipe (blue smoke out the tailpipe).

Blue smoke - burning oil
White smoke - burning water (either condensation in mufflers which is ok, or antifreeze which is bad)

 

[alec296]

bad timing chain will plug a cat as it will wash unburn fuel out the exhaust
since timing will be way to low on it to burn it all
antifreeze will neutralize the cat and cause it to plug up also