Massive oil comsumtion - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

oiler · #1 11-07-2011, 07:46 PM

I have a 83 300 SD that has a swapped
617 engine in it. It has a turbo,but it doesn't have an egr mani. This "thing" as I now call it uses up to 4 qts of oil in 100 miles of travel. I now notice the rear of the car has an oil mist all over it. I also see oil coming from the tube that goes from the turbo to the oil pan & yes there is a new grommet. It looks like fresh oil , I guess I have a real oil burner? What can I do to find out what's going on?
Any help would be appreciated.

kerry · #2 11-07-2011, 08:42 PM

Could be bad turbo seals. How much blowby does it have? There was a recent thread with a similar topic. In that case it was a restricted PCV system causing oil to get pushed into the intake via the turbo.

oiler · #3 11-07-2011, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry

Could be bad turbo seals. How much blowby does it have? There was a recent thread with a similar topic. In that case it was a restricted PCV system causing oil to get pushed into the intake via the turbo.

I was thinking that too, how would I check that? I'm new at diesels,where is the pcv system?

Oracle12345 · #4 11-07-2011, 08:43 PM

i would first power wash the engine and see where the oil comes back to isolate the external leaks first

oiler · #5 11-07-2011, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oracle12345

i would first power wash the engine and see where the oil comes back to isolate the external leaks first

There are no external leaks that I can see. The only one I see is where the tube from the turbo goes into the oil pan grommet. It looks Luke the oil might be being pushed out from the grommet. It definitely isn't dripping down onto the grommet. Is there pressure being built anywhere in the system? What I mean is would it be possible for oil to be pushed out from that grommet in the pan?

kerry · #6 11-07-2011, 10:02 PM

PCV goes from the valve cover to the air cleaner. Black hose.

oiler · #7 11-07-2011, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry

PCV goes from the valve cover to the air cleaner. Black hose.

Here's another problem,seems the p.o.changed the engine the car is a 83 but doesn't have a egr valve. Looks like they took that pcv hose and spliced it into that U shaped hose under the air filter. There is a open hole in the top of the filter!
I checked blow by ....I took the oil cap off & it doesn't even move!

kerry · #8 11-07-2011, 10:33 PM

That motor is probably from a 79 or 80 116. They didn't have the EGR and the PCV hose went into the turbo u-tube.

oiler · #9 11-08-2011, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry

That motor is probably from a 79 or 80 116. They didn't have the EGR and the PCV hose went into the turbo u-tube.

Ok that's sounds good but the pcv hose has been spliced into the turbo U tube. It doesn't look factor for sure. Would you know what the proper air filter set up looks like? It seems the p.o. used a later air filter set up. It has a hole on the filter cover. Now about the excessive oil usage ?

Diesel911 · #10 11-08-2011, 12:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oiler

I have a 83 300 SD that has a swapped
617 engine in it. It has a turbo,but it doesn't have an egr mani. This "thing" as I now call it uses up to 4 qts of oil in 100 miles of travel. I now notice the rear of the car has an oil mist all over it. I also see oil coming from the tube that goes from the turbo to the oil pan & yes there is a new grommet. It looks like fresh oil , I guess I have a real oil burner? What can I do to find out what's going on?
Any help would be appreciated.

If the Oil mist is coming out of the Tail Pipe this is an indication of a leaking seal on the Turbo Charger. Most likely on the Turbine side of the Turbon.
You will know if you Pull the Turbo off or the wrinkled Expansion Joint.
If it is leaking Oil the Carbon on that side will be wet looking instead of dry and powdered.

I guess your Engine is runing OK and not smoking; as you did not mention that.

oiler · #11 11-08-2011, 03:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel911

If the Oil mist is coming out of the Tail Pipe this is an indication of a leaking seal on the Turbo Charger. Most likely on the Turbine side of the Turbon.
You will know if you Pull the Turbo off or the wrinkled Expansion Joint.
If it is leaking Oil the Carbon on that side will be wet looking instead of dry and powdered.

I guess your Engine is runing OK and not smoking; as you did not mention that.

Well it does smoke alittle, esp at start up...but in comparison to other diesels I've seen it's normal. As I had mentioned earlier,I checked to see if this engine has blow-by. I did this by turning the oil cap off,but let it sit on the valve cover...it didn't move! I guess that's a good sign.

May I ask...is it difficult to pull the wrinkled expansion joint off? or will I have to remove the turbo completely? Will the exhaust have to be removed in that area? where exactly is this seal you mentioned..is it in the turbo itself? As you might have guessed..I don't know alot about these cars...

Thank you

gastropodus · #12 11-08-2011, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oiler

Well it does smoke alittle, esp at start up...but in comparison to other diesels I've seen it's normal. As I had mentioned earlier,I checked to see if this engine has blow-by. I did this by turning the oil cap off,but let it sit on the valve cover...it didn't move! I guess that's a good sign.

If the pressure in the crankcase is being relieved elsewhere (because the PO left some other place open to the atmosphere) then the oil cap test isn't going to tell you anything useful. Even a good engine with little blow-by will have some pressure at the oil cap.

Kurt

oiler · #13 11-08-2011, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gastropodus

If the pressure in the crankcase is being relieved elsewhere (because the PO left some other place open to the atmosphere) then the oil cap test isn't going to tell you anything useful. Even a good engine with little blow-by will have some pressure at the oil cap.

Kurt

Is it possible there is pressure at the oil pan where the oil tube & the pan meet? Oil is all around the new grommet. I did forget to mention in my first post is that the vacuum pump has been changed from this engine & the one from the original engine was put on. Why....I think the fittings on the car didn't match.

kerry · #14 11-08-2011, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jkubica

Hi
I think there is supposed to be a one-way valve where the turbo drain connects to the oil pan.

If that valve is missing or stuck open - crackcase oil could be being forced out there.

Joseph

I don't think so. There was a discussion on that topic on the thread I referenced. The one way valve is on the separator drain line.

Diesel911 · #15 11-09-2011, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oiler

Well it does smoke alittle, esp at start up...but in comparison to other diesels I've seen it's normal. As I had mentioned earlier,I checked to see if this engine has blow-by. I did this by turning the oil cap off,but let it sit on the valve cover...it didn't move! I guess that's a good sign.

May I ask...is it difficult to pull the wrinkled expansion joint off? or will I have to remove the turbo completely? Will the exhaust have to be removed in that area? where exactly is this seal you mentioned..is it in the turbo itself? As you might have guessed..I don't know alot about these cars...

Thank you

The seal I am speaking of is like a tiny Piston Ring and is fits in a groove on the Exhaust Turbine on the Turbo Charger. You need to take the Turbo Apart to get at it.

I cannot remember the details concerning the removal of the Expansion Joint by itself.
I believe there are 2 clamps that hold it one. One on the Turbo and One on the Exhaust Pipe.
That section of exhaust Pipe is bent in sort of a lazy Z shape and is a separate section of Exhaust Pipe.
About under the Passanger Side Seat is a coupling that you can un-bolt for to separate that section of Pipe from the main Exhaust pipe and forward and up of that there is a U-bolt that bolts the Pipe to a Bracket.

Concerning the Turbo Removal (84 300D Federal) the Bottom Rear Nut where the Turbo Bolted to the Exhaust Manifold were easier to see and access from under the Car and to the rear.

Other comments:
If you do not have a lot of blow-by as stated before K would doubt if Crankcase pressure is causing the Oil to come back up the Turbo Drain.

Oil drains out of the Turbo by gravity.
On the Big Rig Trucks I have seen Turbochargers leak Oil (from the inside of the Turbocharger to the outside past the seals) when the Crank Case Oil level was too high and above the level of the Turbocharger Drain.

Anything blocking or restricting the flow down the turbo drain can also cause a leak.