North American Turbocoupe Organization



Can my '88 run without the intercooler?
cdkes Offline
Junior Member
#1
Alright guys, I'm still battling my turbo's oil leak. I've replaced all the fittings and the line from the oil tee to the turbo, the line being high-pressure, high-temp rubber hydraulic line (much easier to work with as long as there are no crimps). It still smokes a little and it's coming from the passenger side, but the intercooler gets in the way of my seeing much. By the time I get the intercooler off I can still see the smoke but not what's causing it. So I'm wondering if it's possible to remove the intercooler, maybe putting hose between the turbo outlet and the throttle body so that I can make the car idle (obviously I wouldn't drive it like that). What are the two vacuum hoses on hte IC? Would they present a problem?

Thanks a million,
cdkes
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SteveX82 Offline
Posting Freak
#2
Unplug your VAM and it'll idle just fine without the IC. Just be VERY VERYYYYYY careful not to let anything get sucked into the throttle body (dust, screws, your face, etc).
Estoril blue 1987 TC 5spd, 148k mi, a237, Bailey BOV, spec stg3 clutch, spearco FMIC, 50 trim t3/t4, 3" exhaust, Bamafuel, LM1, 55pph
Best 1/4 mile: 12.31 @ 110mph on 25psi
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Qwertys Offline
Senior Member
#3
just a tip, if you've checked the oil lines and they aren't leaking (just clean them off and see if they get oil on them quickly)
then its likely your turbo needs new seals and is ready for a rebuild.
is there oil in your exhaust or in your IC hoses, ect?
'85 TC BPV and Ford FMIC
'88 TC Kirban AFPR, Autometer Boost, FP and A/R Gauge, 8.8 to 4.10 rear, Walboro 255lph Fuel pump, Garrett GT3071R T3/T4 Dual Ball bearing Turbo, Custom AWIC.
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Pete D Offline
Administrator
#4
This works but don't try to boost with it.
Pete Dunham


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cdkes Offline
Junior Member
#5
Well I ended up just attaching my cone to the throttle body and it idled fine. I still couldn't locate the smoke - it wasn't noticable this time around but I also didn't let it idle very long. I'll have to try that later tonight. In the meanwhile I removed the VAM and the elbow - the turbo seems fine, some side to side/up and down play but not enough to make the blades hit the housing, and no axial play that I can detect. There was some oil in the VAM hose but not too much. Exhaust may or not may have oil in it, just a lot (and I mean a lot) of dry black carbon in it. Thanks for the pic even though I didn't use that method - it made me aspire to make my engine bay look that pretty. :-) Is there any other way I can tell if the main seals are going bad? Can I just replace the seals without rebuilding the turbo, as it seems to still be fine?

Thanks,
cdkes
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Pete D Offline
Administrator
#6
The two vacuum hoses on the inter cooler are the supplemental vacuum soource for the speed control when th eengine is in boost.

Are you talking about the engine "main seals"??
Pete Dunham


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cdkes Offline
Junior Member
#7
Pete, I assume I'm talking about the turbo seals. I don't know what else (but I also don't know much at all about it) could cause oil smoke in that area of the engine bay if the oil lines to the turbo don't leak.

cdkes
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Asimov Offline
Senior Member
#8
Could it be coming from the valve cover gasket?

------------------
-asi

1986 TC, 132k pretty well taken care of miles. k&n, gillis@16, timing @ 12 (spout out), A/C delete. 3" Downpipe (no other exhaust... Whoever described that sound as a "pissed off tractor" hit the nail on the head)

[email pics to asimov at forced-induction org for sales/id/showoff purposes (free hosting)]
-asi

1986 TC, 132k pretty well taken care of miles. k&n, gillis@16, timing @ 12 (spout out), A/C delete. 3" Downpipe (no other exhaust... Whoever described that sound as a "pissed off tractor" hit the nail on the head)

[email pics to asimov at forced-induction org for sales/id/showoff purposes (free hosting)]
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Pete D Offline
Administrator
#9
For almost any oil leak the leaked oil blows back toward the lower part of the trans/bellhousing and if there is enough it can hit the cat and smoke. Some valve cover leaks might run down to the exhaust manifold.

Chances are if the smoke is coming from the engine bay and not out the exhaust pipe(s), it may not be the turbo seals. Side and end play, while not necessarly an indicator of turbo seal condition is worth checking. Seals can go bad with no side play. I would go over the engine throughly looking for engine oil leaks. Let it idle and get real warm and look for smoke and leaks

A small amount of oil in the vam hose is normal. It's a matter of degree. Pools of oil is bad. Is there any oil in the inter cooler?
Pete Dunham


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