Time for a turbo rebuild?

[Sam's GSX]

A few days ago I had started noticing a weird smell after hitting boost, then realized there was blue smoke coming out the exhaust under boost, just looked in the intercooler pipe just after the turbo and sure enough, a good amount of oil. Just making sure the next step Is a rebuild kit? And do i need to do anything else? Like an oil restrictor or something? have just switched to synthetic about two months ago, would rather do the rebuild myself to save money, seeing as I'm already taking the turbo off.
Also any tips on the rebuild process would be great, thanks.
Turbo is a borg Warner s256 ett

 

[motomattx]

You need to check for shaft play before condemning your turbo.

 

[Sam's GSX]

Well, it had some when I got it, and I have an oil catch can so it has to be coming from the turbo, a good amount side to side and I tiny bit in and out.

 

[Sam's GSX]

It's no surprise, I got the turbo used for a good price, it was pushing 700hp before me hahaha, if I can just fine out if a standard s200 rebuild kit will work, none of them say anything about extended tip technology, hopefully it's just a non factor.

 

[FIBA M - EC17PSE]

Have you checked the condition of your piston rings or if the pcv or stock system is working correctly?

Blue smoke means its normally in the turbine side not intake side.so rear seal

If you got oil in the intercooler pipes your catch can is either not doing its job/crap or you have other issues you need to look into.

What play doez your turbo have and have you ever built a turbo before? Saving money now might sound good but you could end up spending more in the future by your mistakes. So read up on the correct way to disassemble and markings

 

[Sam's GSX]

I have replaced the pvc recently, the catch can is definitely one of the cheaper options, but it only has like a table spoon of oil in it, I cant imagine all that oil getting through and only leaving a table spoon in the can, piston rings? This is my daily driver so I haven't taken the head off of the block since I got it.
And I haven't done a rebuild before, I have to start somewhere haha,
Would you recommend sending it in instead?

 

[Sam's GSX]

That's just part the turbo

 

[FIBA M - EC17PSE]

Worn piston rings can let oil pass and come out the exhaust, so that could be an issue, do a compression to see if this is true.

As for that oil i had similer on my T25 and i had no catch can at that time so it pulled it straight from the VC.

As for your basic can it can do it as it has nothing inside to baffle the oil or oil to cling onto so it can go in and come straight back out so consider a better can to protect the oil from being pulled back in.

Before you do any rebuild take the back side off the turbo and see if you got any residue there as if not its likely to not be from the exhaust side,

All im ssying is do and check the cheaper and free options before rebuilding anything as you are trying to save money as you said but also be aware if you do decide to rebuild the turbo fully understand how to do so before pulling it apart from start to finish!

 

[Sam's GSX]

Ok, that sounds like a plan, compression is 156 and up, I'll check the catch can return line to see if there is oil, it does have a baffle, it was just a cheapish can. Residue in the turbine housing? Like burnt oil or something?
And you're right, its smartest to eliminate every other possiblity first.

 

[FIBA M - EC17PSE]

If you have oil residue in the turbine housing then you do have a shaft seal leak. If its oil but burnt then its likely something like oil from the combustion or valve stem seals but since you say boost it happens on then it might be your pushing oil past the seal ring so its either bad or oil pressure is too high.

The front side is what i have mentioned above, those are the places i would look and check first before buying or rebuilding anything

 

[Sam's GSX]

Oh ok, and if it's high oil pressure, then I would need an oil feed restrictor?

 

[FIBA M - EC17PSE]

Yes but you either need to know what your pressure is and find out what your turbo likes to see

 

[Sam's GSX]

Ok I'll look into that, thanks for the help man

 

[Sam's GSX]

Problem has been solved.
Here's what I did, I knew there was oil in the return line from the oil catch can, but I didn't know how it was getting by, it had a bronze filter and a baffle (but was a cheap ebay one)
I also had the charcoal canister breather tee'd to the can return line, my best guess is it just had to much pressure in the return line.
I bought a mishimoto catch can, when it got here I realized it had no baffle or filter, basically just a can with 2 ports for $100,
But I installed it anyway and pointed the canister breather down instead of teeing it.

My results. I did about 5 pulls at half throttle (10ish psi) and no smoke, before I would get some smoke at even 1psi and a bit more when I let off, after the 5 pulls, I did a wot pull (2nd/3rd) and saw a little smoke letting off from 2nd (but i think that was just still in the intake from before)
I did 2 more wot pulls and zero smoke.
Very happy with this.
(I've done at least 20 pulls since then and no smoke) so I didn't need a rebuild, but I'm glad I did it, zero in and out play, a tiny bit of side to side.

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

S256 making 700 hp WTF ?

 

[Sam's GSX]

S256 making 700 hp WTF ?

No...what? Did I say that?

 

[Sam's GSX]

Oh duh, that guy before me.

 

[Sam's GSX]

I must have misremembered, it was from the member byrd, he has it as making 450 torque, he no long has a dsm.

 

[1990TSIAWDTALON]

I thought, "Wow, they got everything and more out of that turbo!!!"

 

[Sam's GSX]

Haha, now hearing it, it sounds weird.
But if anyone starts smoking, check the catch can return line for oil. Hope this helps