I let it sit and idle in the driveway for a while, then took it back apart.
https://1drv.ms/f/s!AqwvoBt9ZBp2gcZ_0pmlVu1gKoCZ5AThis is fully cleaned, followed by no road time so wind buffeting is not a factor here. You can see in these pictures:
Oil spray all over the bellhousing, even on the driver's side. The only thing I can come up with is an RMS leak that is getting thrown around by the torque converter. There just isn't anything to leak on the driver's side, and the TC seems like the only way to move oil over there.
The bottom of the elephant hose is, well, hosed. I suspect that is the real source of the oil on the bottom of the turbo. There doesn't really seem to be any "active" leak from the turbo. I cleaned it up and will monitor.
The oil cooler looks good. No oil near it or on the block down from it. Oil on the motor mount bracket definitely seems to be from the turbo via the ruptured elephant hose.
The puck and its hose are not clogged - I can easily blow through them.
I am prepared to have someone replace the RMS. I am capable of it, but frankly it looks like No Fun. I think I would rather outsource that and play some Forza Horizon. Two concerns:
One, is there any likelihood the problem is a bottom end issue and turbo pressure has blown out the seal? Obviously it's possible, but is it likely? I have read a lot about V6 models having crap rear seals from the factory, how long lasting are the diesel ones? This leak seems quite bad, but it's been leaking for a LONG time. The seal could have failed years ago and just gotten worse and worse. It doesn't seem that it just suddenly blew out the seal and dumped oil everywhere.
Two, I gotta find someone to do this work! The only shop I have had work on a car for me in 15 years is a transmission shop - automatics aren't my thing.
I am actually going to ask them if they'd do this work since it does involve removing the transmission - hopefully they will. If not, I have no idea. The dealer is around the corner but I just don't have confidence in them. There is a local shop called Independent Diesel that worked on my diesel Suburban before I got it- but honestly the CRD seems a little high tech for them.
Assuming I don't have a bottom end problem and I proceed with the RMS, anything else I should do while the slushbox is off? Thinking maybe replace/upgrade the torque converter...? Any guesstimate on the size of the hole it'll leave in my wallet?