Weeping oil where turbo drain enters block

DOC4444 · **Posted:** Sun Jun 15, 2014 9:45 pm

Turbo drain tube got tweaked. I was able to "untweak" it so it again goes straight into the grommet in the block. (It does not appear to have cracked.) However, it is weeping oil and I would like to stop that as it did not do this previously.

Have you encountered this and, if so, what have you done to seal this non-pressurized connection? (Seems like silicone or Hylomar would work.)

Thanks!

DOC

diesel_guy86 · **Posted:** Sun Jun 15, 2014 10:17 pm

I'm getting ready to do the same. Was gonna use black rtv silicone right around the wide, flat flange.

geordi · **Posted:** Mon Jun 16, 2014 1:21 am

That is what I would do also - you didn't give me a chance to mention this on the phone the other day. Many people have a minor drip there (as it isn't the best seal even when new) but a good spraying with brake cleaner should give you enough of a surface to squirt some black RTV in and around the grommet to seal it up.

GreenDieselEngineering · **Joined:** Sun Jun 07, 2009 5:10 pm **Posts:** 1111

The 2-bolt flange allows a free rocking motion from vibration/expansion (not a robust design for sealing with non axial forces) and with a compressible gasket there is bound to be some deformation over time.

The turbine housing temp might exceed the stated limits on the rtv. While towing up grades the oil temp could reach up to 275 F and exhaust temps up to 1300 F. The housing skin temp could exceed 700 F easily given the right situation. Can't hurt to try it and see what happens.

The following is permatex rtv.
black rtv 500 F
orange rtv (27B) 650 F
ultra copper 700 F

Cleaning the surface, degrease, and good torque on the bolts will help. The bolts tend to relax over time and may just need to be snugged up a bit.

A ridged SS gasket would most likely solve the leak long term.

papaindigo · **Posted:** Mon Jun 16, 2014 11:28 am

Doc - a new grommet is under $10 at the dealer.

DOC4444 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 16, 2014 9:27 pm

I think Keith thinks the leak is at the top where the drain tube flange connects to the turbo. It is actually at the bottom where it enters the block. In any case, is it possible to loosen the flange bolts (studs with nuts?) on the top without snapping them and then successfully retighten them and have the existing gasket seal? (Any chance the full ID parts HG installation kit comes with that gasket?) (I would like to be able to pull the tube out the block a bit to further straighten it and apply some of the Copper Ultra RTV before seating it back in the grommet.) (I doubt the high temp stuff is really needed there, but it cannot hurt.)

Thanks,

DOC

geordi · **Posted:** Mon Jun 16, 2014 10:06 pm

Yeah, I'm with you on that - Keith is thinking the leak is on the wrong end of the drain tube.

The drain tube is not held on with studs, although that would have been a better solution than they chose. Those are 7mm bolt heads (iirc) and the gasket will be more than capable of being re-used. I re-used mine about 7 times over the course of swapping out turbos or rebuilding turbos... I got quite good at getting to those bolts from the top, but with everything in place, your best access will be from underneath with some long 1/4 drive extensions.

Torque spec of "Gudentight" will be just fine, I estimate that I was able to apply maybe 20 lbs of torque to those. The path of least resistance for the oil is down the wide tube anyway, so the chances of a leak at the top is minimal. The bottom only leaks because the rubber grommet doesn't seal fully. That tube also shouldn't EVER get hotter than 200 degrees, the grommet would start to soften not much above that temp. Ultra Black or Ultra Red should be more than enough.

DOC4444 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 16, 2014 10:19 pm

I just went over the ID install kit on their website and compared it to what I got. It does not look like it includes a turbo oil drain tube gasket for the top.

BTW, Geordi, all that oil apparently just came from removing the cam carrier and head. The cross member filled with oil and it literally went EVERYWHERE underneath. After three rounds of degreaser and blasting it with water, all below is dry, except for the weeping drain tube, after three 30 minute drives. VERY relieved that is all it seems to be.

DOC

geordi · **Posted:** Mon Jun 16, 2014 10:30 pm

That's a bit odd, although I don't have a huge frame of reference to pull from on this. The head shouldn't have been full of oil b/c it had plenty of time to drain down while we were taking everything off, and there aren't any oil or water passages in the valve cover / cam carrier.

My CRD and Papaindigo's CRD both dumped all the water from the head because I was dumb and forgot to drain the coolant before lifting the head, but I don't recall any large amounts of oil migrating on either one of those. I'm not concerned about it though, I agree with you - It had to have come from popping the top, the oil would run right down the back of the engine into the crossmember from there, easy access to make a mess of everything. I was also washing the deck with brake cleaner, which would have just thinned everything out and made a little bit look like a lot more. Oops.

If you really want to be super-certain, a healthy drowning of Royal Purple Degreaser will clean the engine down to the bare metal, then a hose or foamy engine brite and hose to finish the job. As a side benefit, that should also clear up the oil around the grommet so the RTV has something to stick to. The Royal Purple may actually be a bit stronger than brake cleaner, it just takes a bit longer to work. Amazing stuff though.

DOC4444 · **Posted:** Mon Jun 16, 2014 10:35 pm

It took three rounds of degreaser and blasting with water to get it squeaky clean.

DOC

papaindigo · **Posted:** Tue Jun 17, 2014 8:08 am

Doc - take a look at http://idparts.com/catalog/index.php?cP ... 7b0c2d8386 for the upper gasket or you can easily make one. They also have a replacement drain tube and the lower rubber grommet.

DOC4444 · **Posted:** Tue Jun 17, 2014 2:33 pm

Repair attempt turned a weep into a torrent. Ordered new tube, grommet, etc. from ID. Should be here tomorrow.

Thanks again!

DOC

geordi · **Posted:** Tue Jun 17, 2014 4:56 pm

Oopsie. With any luck, the replacement tube will be the new design with a flex section in the middle.

Good luck with the repair / upgrade.

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Weeping oil where turbo drain enters block

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