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My new turbo drain setup


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We worry about filtering the oil when it goes into the turbo and I got to thinking that whenever someone has a turbo cash it in, the first worry is if crap made it into the oil pan. I kept thinking about it and decided that I would filter the oil coming OUT of the turbo back into the pan. If the turbo grenades, it's already trash anyways, so why not stop the crap that can come out of it from going into the pan. I put this together using several parts and it's about 1/2" longer than the original drain tube but this way it can be inspected if there is any question at all about the turbo. It will stop bits from reaching the pan and also bearings, pistons, oil pump, etc.

 

Here's what it looks like. If anyone wants to build one of these, PM me and I'll send you the links to what I purchased and exactly how to assemble it.

1175257513_Mynewturbodrainsetup.jpg.b88a0b694eb7d1c05955fcc620ab5dff.jpg

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Is there any possibilities that you could over lubricate the turbo and result in the turbo seals going. I think its smart but only for if you do grenade a turbo. As for the possibility of flooding the turbo i suppose it just depends on how much restriction that filter causes. If hardly any flow is effected than sure. But your mainly just stopping further damage if the turbo does go. Not a mechanic but that's just a thought of mine. The pertinent filter is pre turbo obviously.
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This is an actual turbo line filter that's made for a different type of turbo and I adapted it to fit a VF series turbo.

 

Here it is:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/111060902438?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

And I also used one of these:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/151108127373?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

The inside of the housing of these turbos is actually massive in the oil gallery. It could hold about 1/3 of a cup of oil easily and you have to remember that the feed is quite small (3/16" diameter tube stock). The seals never actually touch the oil on these turbos. The seal is, for lack of a better description, a piston ring that snaps into a groove. The rear seal (exhaust impeller side) has the ring fit into a groove on the impeller shaft and then snaps into the rear housing of the center assembly. The front seal (compressor side) has a small cone piece with a groove in it that the piston ring fits into and that fits onto the shouldered portion of the shaft and snaps into the compressor shield behind the compressor wheel. They never actually touch any oil.

 

I'm going to do a flow test on it before I put it on but I believe that it will flow rapidly and if the test fails, then I'll figure out a different type of screen to put inside. It takes literally no effort to blow through it and feels about the same to blow through the entire assembly with or without the filter.

 

I'll let everyone know how it flows but I just got all of the parts I needed finally today. Not for lack of shipping on either of the two links above-they shipped lightning fast and the parts were exactly as described but I had to find the bottom nipple. It's a 3/8" npt to 5/8" hose nipple and the only place I could find it was from amazon and that was after searching locally for a few days.

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You don't put pipe tape on the AN threads, that's a no no.

 

Is the flare on the filter 37.5* angle ? that's the normal angle on a AN flare.

 

You may have been able to do the same thing with a close end pipe nipple in place of the AN fitting and the connector back to the brass fitting.

 

For local shops for fittings, look for places that repair heavy equipment. They'll have catalogs.

 

Summit Racing, Jeg's, Earls performance plumbing, there are a number of places.

305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD).  CHECK your oil, these cars use it.

 

Engine Build - Click Here

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You don't put pipe tape on the AN threads, that's a no no.

 

Yes, I know, but in this situation, it's not an AN female. The filter when taken apart, the inside threads are the same as the 8AN male (3/4"x16) and the cone on the male part of the AN fits down in and seals against the edge of the screen filter. I'm putting the tape on to simply make sure that it's sealed up when I tighten the two pieces together.

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Do you know about Voi-shan seals ? One of them may help seal the filter, they come in Aluminum so they are soft.

 

http://www.unirexinc.com/catalogs/voi-shan-misc-conical_seals.pdf

305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD).  CHECK your oil, these cars use it.

 

Engine Build - Click Here

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Thanks much for the suggestions. Yes, I've seen them. In this particular situation, not enough room to fit one of them inside and also, the ring on the screen filter is aluminum as well and the cone on the 8AN meets the inside edge of the filter, which will make it's own seal. Besides, there isn't much pressure on the return line anyways so the teflon tape will help to seal it up.
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Max addressed my main concern - the use of PTFE tape on an AN fitting.

 

Otherwise I don't see any negative to having some form of downstream filter. It won't stop small particulates, but it seems like a relatively small investment without any real downside.

[URL="http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php/proper-flip-key-interesti-159894.html"]Flip Key Development Thread[/URL] "Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not thus handicapped." - E. Hubbard
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Thanks for the encouragement guys. Again, the AN male fitting is not tightening into an AN female but the cone on the AN does fit snugly into the sealing ring on the screen filter when tightened. The teflon tape is simply a way to make sure that nothing makes it up through the threads. I suppose I could use a dab of silicone or the liquid pipe sealer, but either way, it's basically a thread to thread connection that I'm just making sure can't leak back through the threaded portion.

 

The filter is a 150u screen which actually is reasonably fine, but the particulate that can pass through will be picked up by the oil filter anyways. I have also considered wrapping a samarium cobalt magnet around the body of the drain too, as it would be strong enough to hold the tiniest particles in place. I may do that as well.

 

If the turbo does self destruct, as long as it stops the chunks that can make it to the oil pan that can destroy rod/main bearings and/or pistons, it should at least give much more hope and make a longer life engine bottom end if a turbo fails.

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