I am assuming that the 6-8 inch small hose coming out of the front of the turbo housing going down the the circular "thingy" is the wastegate hose. The circular thingy looks like it is made of two parts. I have a lot of oil at the bottom of where those two parts meet. The hose itself is clean, and where it connects is also clean. Everything south of that is drenched in oil. My car does have blow-by...a lot of it. The oil drip is definitely originating from the described location and not the airfilter housing.
Why is the oil there? Is it supposed to be? Where is it supposed to be going (please don't say my drive way) What does this mean? Turbo is bad?

Thanks

82 300TD

I'm not exactly sure what you mean by reference to "the circular thingy" but suspect you're referring to the turbo oil drain tube.

Take a look at this posting - see if dmorrison's attachment helps identify your part reference in the second post:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=74122

You might also do a search on "turbo oil drain" as I did (titles only, or in quotes from the google search box on the home tab at the top of this page). There are a number of posts on the subject - I suspect this is the source of your problem.

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83 300d - 390k

Thanks for your reply.

This is the part that has oil leaking out the bottom.



Thanks for your help.

Sounds like you have a oil seal leak in the turbo that is sending oil into the wastegate acutator (and into the engine). The actuators always get a bit of oil in them, but not enough to drip.

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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

What do you reccomend as the best course of action...
Replace turbo...?
Is it repairable? If so, is there a repair kit...and fairly simple for a do - it - yourself project?
Thanks

The turbo probably needs to be rebuilt. I know that DIY rebuild kits are available, but have never done it my self. I was quoted about $300 to have a local turbo shop rebuild the turbo.

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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

Curious, any resolution to this problem? My car has similar symptoms. My air cleaner is not drenched in oil, so is if fair to rule out the breather dumping oil into the intake. Also, my EGR is disabled, but it looks like it's got a little oil on it as well. But the wastegate looks to be dripping it pretty badly--like it maintains a little pool on the front frame crossmember piece. If I took the air cleaner off and determined whether the turbo impeller had oil on it, would that tell me if it's coming from the intake or from the turbo seal behind the impeller? Any help greatly appreciated.

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1998 E300D, 287k, barely broken in.

Most of the older engines are going to have oil in the actuator. The SD's wastegate actuator had a decent amount of oil inside when I had it apart for adjustment. I believe the oil gets to the actuator via the wastegate hose from the manifold. Over time, oil in the manifold enters the hose and collects in the actuator. Once down there........it's got nowhere to go.

I wouldn't worry about it unless you're anal...........

When you have oil dripping from the wastegate actuator the oil has a place to go and when it persistently drips its being refilled which is an indication of some other problem.

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green 85 300SD 200K miles "Das Schlepper Frog" With a OM603 TBO360 turbo ( To be intercooled someday )( Kalifornistani emissons )
white 79 300SD 200K'ish miles "Farfegnugen" (RIP - cracked crank)
desert storm primer 63 T-bird "The Undead" (long term hibernation)

http://ecomodder.com/forum/fe-graphs/sig692a.png

Brian, coincidence or is there a reason that this would become more (if not completely) evident only after rebuilding the head?

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1998 E300D, 287k, barely broken in.

I suppose that I could take a stab at saying the crankcase oil and vapor might have passed the valve seals on the old head.........and now, all of it goes via the breather..........but, that would be a stretch of the physics.

Are you sure that it was not present with the old head? I'm not.

...........yes, obviously, it can and will leak out of the actuator and drip onto the ground. I thought this was self-evident.

I sure don't like stretching physics, especially if it's not in my favor.

If it was present pre-head, then it was never this bad of a loss of oil through drippage. The car never left oil spots. Now it leaves about a silver dollar size underneath after sitting overnight. Seems like a lot.

I know I had at least two valve guides that were totally shot so I guess oil vapors, like you said, could have passed there. If it was oil vapors getting into the turbo and then released through the wastegate, then it would I see lots of oil smoke? I've got a little bit of grey smoke at idle and under load, but it's not much and I'm pretty sure that's fuel smoke. Also, if it's oil vapors coming into the intake through the vent tube, then wouldn't I feel a lot of oil on the turbo impeller?

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1998 E300D, 287k, barely broken in.

I was thinking on similar lines. Bad exhaust valve stem seals and worn exhaust valve stem/guides. The oil drips down the stem when the valve is closed and is blow off of the valve and into the manifold when the exhaust valve is open.
Would he be able to pull off something simple like his EGR (if he has one) and take a peek into he exhaust manifold to see if it is wet with oil?

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

Oil leaking out of the compressor (intake) side of the turbo would have to go through the intake manifold, the combustion process and out of the exhaust manifold befor it could leak out of anything on the exhaust side.
If it is a big enough leak you might be able to see it removeving the flexable metal coupling that goes in between the exhaust pipe and the turbo and see if the turbine fins are wet with oil or there is a large amout of carbon build up from cooked oil. In these pics the turbine is bone dry indicating no oil leak also shownis the turbine housing inlet.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel