Its definitely bad turbo seals as the turbo exhaust outlet is soaked in oil and the exhaust inlet is dry. Any ideas why an otherwise Perfect engine would be eating turbos? My next option is to swap in my spare engine. I just hate to throw away a good running engine.

No reason to change out the engine. Problem is in the turbo.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Couple more things. When I first started the car up after removing the turbo, I didnt think to plug the oil return line and within seconds, a good 2 quarts of oil spilled out. Could this indicate excessive crankcase pressure? Also is there an oil pressure bypass valve that could have failed sending excess pressure to the turbo?

Yes I believe there is a bypass valve. I'd put a manual oil pressure gauge on the engine and see what the oil pressure actually is.
Did you mean the oil supply line and not the oil return line. If oil came out of the oil return line, something is very wrong.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Yes oil was gushing out of the turbo supply pipe that goes into the oil pan.

If you're actually talking about the pipe that connects to the bottom of the turbo, that should be the oil return pipe, not the supply.

If that is gushing oil, it sounds like you have pretty high crankcase pressure.

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-Josh
Testing the cheap Mercedes axiom, one bolt at a time...

Yes something is definitely odd. The turbo oil supply line comes from the oil filter housing, goes around the back of the engine and bolts to the top of the turbo. The oil return tube goes from the turbo down in the the pan.
What was happening with the oil supply line while oil was coming out of the return line?

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I wouldn't jump to a conclusion too quickly. If the turbo is removed, and the drain pipe is open, then you don't have any pressure to keep the oil "down" in the crankcase. That drain tube is certainly much bigger than the crank vent tube on the valve cover.

When thinking about this, I got to wondering if there was sufficient pressure from the oil supply side to the turbo. If the turbo is only getting oil from the pressure build up in the crankcase, then this might explain the eating of turbo seals. I guess the question here is wouldn't the turbo bearings cook in very short order? Maybe or maybe not, as it might be a case of just low supply pressure due to a restriction.

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Sam

84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle )

Does that drain tube end above the surface of the oil in the crankcase or does it terminate below the surface? If above, it should vent blowby gases. If below, the blowby gases could push oil up the tube.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Is there a check valve at the bottom of the turbo oil drain tube?

edit: Looks like there isn't a check valve in the turbo oil drain tube according to other posts on here. But in any case, oil should not be backing up that tube.

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

I've replaced the drain tube seal and there definitely is no check valve. It is a possibility that I installed it wrong and the tube is below the oil level. Another possibility is that my home made ccv system is causing too much restriction and not venting properly.

Now there's a crucial nugget of information that might explain a lot. Got pictures?

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

excuse me,on my SD someone had took the inside of rocker cover apart and resealed it.I've never none what they serviced.Maybe this area gets clogged and blocks flow from breather tube.

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1999 w140, quit voting to old, and to old to fight, a god damned veteran, deutschland deutschland uber alles uber alles in der welt

So I just put the turbo on and disconnected the ccv and guess what? No smoke. I would have thought my turbo seals would be toast but they are somehow sealing now. The only thing I can figure is that the excess crankcase pressure blew oil through the seals but didnt blow them out.

What kind of CCV system does it have?

__________________
1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13