OK, I'm really wanting to diagnose this burning oil thing before I dismiss it as a leaky turbo seal and send the thing back to find out it isn't.

Is it gonna be a bad thing to take off the turbo and start the car with an open manifold? I figured if no blue smoke comes out then, it must be the turbo leaking into the hot exhaust stream. Is this a good idea? I've never had to diagnose oil burning in my car before!

 

Is your oil return line set up good?

 

should be perfect. about 1/2-3/4 in from the top of the pan. Can't get much closer than that. I wonder though if you have your oil filled up to top of the dip stick marks if that is too high and maybe you should run it towards the bottom of normal range since I did find when i took off the line once there was some oil in it that drained out.

torin

 

It's probably best to fill up your oil to stock levels......

When you clocked your turbo, is the oil return pointing straight down and is the line taking the most direct route to the pan without any upslopes?

And are you running the two extra injectors with the FMAX kit?


[Modified by jbsadler, 8:17 PM 11/16/2001]

 

yes, a direct downward approach!!
I am wondering if I put a catch can on the pcv system will that be an answer. I would like to avoid having the head taken off and putting new rings/piston seals on if I don't have too. There is quite a bit of oil in my pcv. Its a purolator pcv not the oem one. I doubt that has much to do with it and it is freely moving.

tf

 

Are you using on of those little filters off you valve cover? And are you using the two extra injectors that comes with the kit? How much are you boosting?

 

not boosting more than 8. 7 most of the time. never went higher than 8 though.
I am using hondata with RC440s. no extra injectors. I am not using a valve cover breather--going into the pre turbo air filter

 

Maybe....just maybe....if you unhook your filter from your turbo housing, look and see if there is any oil in there from your valve cover breather line. It might be sucking oil in there from your valve cover and sending it out your turbo exhuast housing causing your exhaust to smoke.....

 

ok... plugs look ok, no oil fouling, a bit rich maybe (some black carbon mostly on the edges around the plug but the electrodes have a nice tan color).

the compression is 180-180-180-180 turning over about 8X

the valve cover breather has no oil coming from it.

I disconnected the PCV valve and plugged the port on the intake manifold. I wrapped some paper towel around the hose from the pcv. I then started the car and there is more smoke now than before. Even at idle. Can someone deduce from this what is happening?? If I hit the throttle just a bit, more smoke comes out. So in essence, with the PCV system unhooked from manifold vacuum, there is more smoke. And remember, there was oil in the PCV itself.

I am going to Honda to buy a new Honda PCV in case this Purolator just suck. Hopefully you guys can do some brainstorming while I am gone

thanks!!

torin

 

Well,
I took another look over by the turbo itself and sure enough, now I can actually see oil on the downpipe and stains along the turbo/downpipe interface. I also lost a bolt as well that loosened up and fell out.

So, I wonder if thats the whole problem or not? I guess its gonna have to come out and go back to CA. Damn.