From a search it looks as if the turbo oil drain seals can be replaced with the turbo in place however I can not figure out how to do it. I have a bad leak at the O ring where the upper and lower pipes connect after replacing my turbo and I don't want to pull the turbo again to do the seal. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

Several threads talk about the use of an orange high temp silicone sealant around the outside of the tube down at the entry into the sump. This looked so promising, that I tried it myself. Seems to work quite well, at least for me. Been on for about a year, just not a lot of miles.

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1961 190Db retired
1968 220D/8 325,000
1983 300D 164,150

Yeah I saw those, but mine is leaking at the upper joint of the straight tube where it joins the curved tube that bolts to the turbo. I may still glob some of that sealer in if I can't get it apart to replace the O ring.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

It's a tight wiggle puzzle, but the upper drain tube CAN come out with the turbo in place. I don't really know how I can describe it, you'll just have play with it. If I remember it correctly (I only did it once), the tube must go forward and towards the engine at an angle.

So am I going to mess up the bottom seals with all this wiggling?

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

Nah. The bottom is a glorified o-ring. Can't really mess it up unless you cut it with something.

To get the two-piece oil return tube apart, you'll have to remove (or at least loosen) the two bolts connecting it to the flange at the bottom of the turbo. Otherwise you risk bending the pipes.

With the top end unbolted, you may be able to push the top half down, then wiggle the two sections forward and toward the engine enough that the top end is clear and can be lifted out. Alternatively, you can lift the bottom half up and then pull forward. How easily you can lift the bottom half may depend on the condition of the rubber grommet (617 187 01 85)connecting it to the oil sump. It may be worth replacing the grommet, which costs only a few dollars. If the grommet is brittle and pieces fall into the sump, you'll have to drop the pan and clean it out. (Hardly the end of the world.)

Your first post suggests you recently replaced the turbo. When you did that, did you replace the o-ring (004 997 53 48) in the middle of the oil return tube? Are you certain the tube didn't get bent in the course of the repair? The o-ring will provide an adequate seal only if both tubes are round. If the o-ring is new, you may have to replace the metal tube.

Yesterday, and no I stupidly did not replace the O ring.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

Do not despair. You should be able to get the return tubes apart with the turbo still mounted. Of course, you'll want to take off the air filter housing and U-tube for easier access, and don't be surprised if the bolts connecting the return tube to the turbo are hard to reach. (I can do it on mine, but some people report great difficulty.)

Another thought: The "spec" o-ring has an o.d. of about 27 mm (1 1/16 in) and a thickness of 4.1 mm (about 5/32). If one of those doesn't do the trick, maybe your local auto parts store could provide one a shade thicker. It would be a little harder to fit on, but it might make up for any imperfections in the tube that are causing the current leak.

Well I can't get the darn thing apart. With the EGR side pipe on the exhaust manifold there is no where for the upper tube to go once it is loose. I think I'll go with plan B...cut out the flair and splice the two together with hydraulic hose and double clamp each end.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

Works for me. My oil return pipe is dry as a bone so far.

It just gets to me that it can't be re-sealed with everything in place. Time for some re-engineering. Now if I could just solve my car's smoking I would be set.

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1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

You have posted videos on YouTube before, post one of your smoking problem.

Now where have I heard those words before?????

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

I did this job only recently and removal of the EGR tube provided pretty simple access. About the only tricky part was removal/installation of the bottom grommet. I used a socket, big enough to fit over the flare of the bottom tube and a long extension. A few taps with a 3# sledge and she seated just fine.

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Sam

84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle )