Turbo Honda: Blown turbo seal ?

[sleepydsm]

My friends and I just finished installing my friend's turbo kit on his stock 2000 Civic Si.

He primed the turbo, and then started the car. Oil now leaks out of the exhaust housing of the turbo (no downpipe on yet, he towed it today to get one fabbed). He has a t fitting, and a stainless feed line coming from the back of the block. I made him a hose nipple for the return line, and that was welded less than 1/2" away from the top of the oil pan. It's a brand new Turbonetics turbocharger, it claims it has a 1 Year warrenty (has paperwork and such).

I am wondering, what caused the seals to blow out? Excess oil pressure? If so, how should he regulate/restrict it?

I don't know if this matters, in his excitement apprently he started the car with the rubber covers on the compressor intake side and outlet.

Thanks!

[Pushit2.0]

I would make sure the return line is of ample size and no 90deg bends or kinks. The turbo should be able to handle the oil pressure.

~John

[sleepydsm]

Yep, its a rather large silicone hose, I could fit my thumb into it I'd say. I made a return fitting on a lathe for him, if I remember right it was about .645" or maybe it was .545" diameter inlet. The fitting was welded on as high as possible to get a wire feed in there, which is just short of 1/2" below there the pan mounts to the block. There were no kinks in the hose, we had to cut it to fit and its a nice gentle curve. Could the turbo just been shit? He got an EBAY turbo kit. Not XS Power, not Bullseye, none of that shit. It was good quality, the company makes Mustang turbo kits mostly. The turbo came in a brand new turbonetics box, and it was tagged for being balanced.

[Jakey]

I'd check over on Tuners and read about all the troubles people have been having with AGP turbos as I believe they have Turbonetics components.

[sleepydsm]

Yes, I had thought I had read about some people having troubles with turbonetics turbos, I shall look into it more! Thanks.

I'd still like more input into this subject! I definately feel I'd get better answers here than anywhere else locally.

[npaulseth]

How big is the oil line feeding the turbo?

[Black97civic]

How big is the oil line feeding the turbo?

That is what I was wondering too. I have read about people running -4 line and that blowing seals, but then when the go down to a -3 it works just fine.

[FattyBoomBatty]

but if the seals are borked already, -3 line won't fix it. just thought i'd state some obvious.

did the turbo leak immediately after starting the car up? and did you check the wheels in the turbo for front-to-back or side-to-side play?

[sleepydsm]

Ya know before we put the turbo on I felt up the compressor side of the shaft, and there was movement. I thought that was "normal" though because i had taken my 20g to QPR and there was a bit of play and mike said it was normal for that type of bearing turbo.

I was not there to witness the car starting or leaking. I do not know the size of the oil feed line.

I'll get more info.

[sleepydsm]

I read more about it on tuners, and to my surprise I read about many people's complaints with Turbonetics products. Wtf I thought that was supposed to be a reputable company?