Is it my engine or the turbo?

[CanadianFC]

On my way home from edmonton last weekend the low oil light came on/off as I was driving.

I checked my oil when I got in and noticed it was a little low. I topped it up but I noticed that when i boost I can see a bit of smoke coming out. Only when I boost though.

So I find oil in the charge pipe. I'm pretty sure it's the turbo but I just wanted to get some opinions. Hopefully it's not the engine as I'm financially not ready for a swap.

The turbo should really only have about 40,000kms. I thought these CT26s were supposed to last alot longer than that.

Any thoughts?

[91tomstwo]

It's most likely the turbo and not the motor. Oil in the charge pipe is normal. I've seen some CT26's or CT20B's that have died after a "claimed" 10-20k km.

-kl

[ron korolak]

Sounds like the turbo, do you have a turbo timer, or let the engine idle EVERY time you shut the car down? No turbo can take repeated hot shut off's, or if your boosting or spinning the turbo faster then it was designed to either by to much boost or boost leaks.

[CanadianFC]

Yep, I have a turbo timer. This is the 3rd turbo'd car I've owned so I know how it goes. Hm... maybe it's upgrade time...

[Ek9Max]

yea its probably the turbo....

I got a jdm ct26 lying around khoi.

[jvillain]

First there is noting unusual about finding oil in the plumbing. Second Toyota flat out warns about jumping to conclusions on the Turbo.

What color is the smoke?
What is your oil level like?
Have you checked the PCV hose to see how much oil is in it?
Is there oil before the turbo in the hose that clamps onto the intake side of the turbo?
Have you done a compresion test?
Any thing else change recently?

Answer those first then we can dig some more.

BTW I have a A/C pump off of Maxs engine that any body can have for free they just have to come pick it up. I have no idea what shape it is in. Garbage pick up day is Thursday so if it ain't gone by then....

[jaylo]

Before I say the turbo is bad, check the oil feed and return lines, make sure they are not kinked especially the return line. If your return line can't evacuated the oil that is fed to the turbo, it will "overflow" inside the cartridge and cause oil leaks on both compressor and exhaust turbines.

How's the shaft play on the turbo itself? You should get an oil pressure gauge to make sure you have adequent oil pressure going to your engine and turbo.

On a Honda motor, normal oil pressure is 10-20psi on idle and it can go up to 60-75psi on WOT.

The oil pressure dummy light on your dash means that you are getting only 4.5psi or less flow w/c is really bad you could do major damage on your engine due to oil starvation.

[CanadianFC]

Well now it's not smoking so I'm not sure what's up.
The oil level seems to be stable since I filled it up last (150 kms ago).

I'll check the PCV and the intake side of the turbo.

It wasn't actually the oil pressure light that came on, it was the low oil light that came on. I don't think we have low pressure lights on the MR2s.


Max,
if it actually is the turbo then I'll probably upgrade, but thanks for the offer.

[jvillain]

I don't think we have low pressure lights on the MR2s.

Oil level is orange and has waves.
Oil preasure is red and looks like an oil can.