Oil feed from the head or not?

[whiteflash]

I picked up a 14b with the stock 1g feed/return, and water lines. I know most people will say to get a SS feed line to the housing, but i see alot of people using the head for oil. I would like to use the stock 1g lines if possible and not spend $50 on a SS line. Also, if people say tapping into the head for oil is bad, isn't that how it was from the factory for the 1st gens? Any help would be appreciated. thanks

 

[Jeff_Ciesielski]

If you have a tap and die set, go for it, tons of turbo mustang/honda guys tap their heads for oil, and like you said, first gens come like that from the factory anyway

 

[absolute_DSM]

The reason some guys run to the housing for the oil feed is because the oil will run - oil pump > filter > (cooler if you have one) > then the turbo if youre tapped there.

The head is the last place to recieve oil - means all the particles from the engine go through the turbo, then back to the pan and back to the pump etc...

I think thats what you are asking.

EDIT - also the pressure is more consistent AKA the pressure you see on your gauge is what your turbo is getting.

 

[Cs4g63]

It will be worth waiting until you can afford the SS line. There is no need to do more work by tapping the head when you will have a better source of oil if you use an SS line run to the pump.

 

[Indyxc]

It depends on the turbo. AS mentioned the oil from the head is the "dirtiest" as it has passed through the whole engine, but also at a lower pressure than the oil housing.

Turbos like the T-25, 14b, 16g, 20g, all run fine off the oil filter housing or head.

With turbos such as a Ball bearing, and some Garret CHRAs you need to run a line of the head with a filter as otherwise the pressure is to high off the filter housing.

 

[kjin]

I wonder if there is a way to reduce the oil pressure if I decide to upgrade to a ball bearing turbo while still using the feed line off the oil fileter housing.

 

[All_Boost16G]

Im pretty sure Forced Performance and Other places have oil restrictors for the ball bearing turbos, I'll try and find and link but i almost postive they do.

 

[kjin]

Thanks for the reply. I installed the new feed line from the housing but my oil pressure light is flickering on I don't know if its because of the feed line or if my oil pump is bad.

 

[xreaction122]

ive been driving with a leaking oil feed line and i had the source from the head until today.

i changed the line to a SS line and got the feed next to the oil filter and now the pressure is more stable. i suggest going to the bottom feed