How do you know it's the turbo and not the oil cooler?

When the oil cooler leaks, it pools in the valley and then eventually dribbles out. Guess where the exhaust pipes are located -- right in the direction of the the oil dribbling.

 

Tell more about blowby on oil fill hole? Will a napkin stay on it?
What year is the engine? Do you have DPF and DEF on it?

 

Hi! Thank you, I really appreciate your follow up questions. Drain holes from oil cooler are dry + I found fresh oil in the turbin/exhaust side of the turbo (see picture). About blowby I put a paper towel over the oil fill hole and it did not rip, it just got wet from oil when I blocked the breather pipe. My car have DPF. If DEF is Bluetech I have not, it's a 320 from late 2007 sold as a 2008 320 CDI. I have videos but I do not know how to post them here.

 

Hi there, did you end up finding out what the problem was??? I am suffering from exactly the same issue...
My car started smoking very badly all of a sudden after a few 1st+2nd gear pulls, and now smokes consistently. I discovered oil in the turbo's turbine housing and in the dump pipe, but couldnt see any oil in the exhaust manifold leading up to the turbo, so thought for sure this meant the turbo had to be the problem. So I just installed a brand new turbo thinking the old one must have had a leaking oil seal, but it is smoking just as badly as before...
So now I really cant figure out what is going on.
Really hoping someone knows what this issue is here... Thanks

 

Napkin test + Blowby test on my OM642

 

Have you changed both oil feed and drain hoses?\

Or use fresh crush washers on the banjo bolts?

 

There's no hoses on OM642. Oil runs through the turbo mount / pidestal. I used new gasket.

 

Where is the smoke? Exhaust pipes or engine compartment?


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Smoke comes out of Exhaust pipes. Oil leaks out of exhaust side on turbo. Pipes from engine/manifolds entering the turbo are dry and without smoke.

 

That doesn't leave much. Try to rig up your own oiling to the turbo (old one if you still have it) and put some fluid in it and see if it leaks out from the shaft.

 

Hello,
Did you find a resolution to this problem? I am experiencing the same thing and cannot figure it out. Everyone is telling me the turbo is at fault but it has been replaced and checked and tested 3 times now! It’s not the turbo!

Hello,
Did you ever find a resolution to this problem?
I am experiencing the same thing.
I am being told by everyone that it is the turbo at fault but it has been replaced and checked and tested 3 times and has no faults.
I have no idea what to do next!

 

Hi did you ever get to the bottom of this ?

I've now put 2 brand new turbos on and they have both leaked into exhaust within minutes..

 

I did not read all of the posts so this could be a repeat. Oil can come out of the Engine and get into the exhaust side of the Turbo.
When the Turbo was off you should have been able to see inside of the exhaust manifold. If the inside of the exhaust manifold has that shiny wet looking carbon you have issue with your cylinder head or engine.

 

The oil return line for the turbo must be open (not plugged) and large enough (not an issue if it's stock). There is lots of oil volume through the turbo center section but you don't want any pressure. Excess crankcase pressure can cause the same problem.

 

Make sure the return line from the turbo center section to the crankcase is not blocked, and big, like 3/4" ID or more. Also, check for excess crankcase pressure.