Prefabbed Turbo Kits A place to discuss prefabricated turbo kits on the market

Oil from Blow Off Valve - Any Ideas?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 12-28-2009, 02:04 PM
  #1  
Newb
Thread Starter
 
greg9ball's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 36
Total Cats: 0
Default Oil from Blow Off Valve - Any Ideas?

Hi Guys,

I had my 02 FMII Miata on the track a couple weeks ago and ran into something interesting/disturbing.

The turbo would creep up to 15 psi in 4th and 5th gear where the blow off value would give a pop and then the turbo would go back to the 10psi it is set to. I do not like the turbo creep, but that is not the disturbing part. The blow off value seems to be spraying a squirt of oil when it opens. When I finished the track sessions, there would be a fine layer of oil on the inner liner of the hood that is just above the blow off value.

2 Questions:

1. Does anyone have any recommendations of how to prevent the turbo creep. It does not do it in the lower gears. It only happens when I'm going all out on the track in 4th and 5th gears.

2. I imagine that the oil mist is bad news about something, but I don't know what. Does anyone have any ideas?

Thank you,

Greg
greg9ball is offline  
Old 12-28-2009, 02:06 PM
  #2  
Elite Member
iTrader: (51)
 
gospeed81's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Spring, TX
Posts: 7,257
Total Cats: 26
Default

Wow...sounds like bad things.

Boost creep issues are usually wastegate related, not BOV.

You'd have to elaborate on the oil stream/mist issue...I'm not understanding. What made you notice it...any pics?
gospeed81 is offline  
Old 12-28-2009, 02:11 PM
  #3  
Newb
Thread Starter
 
greg9ball's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 36
Total Cats: 0
Default

I noticed the oil mist in between track sessions when I would raise the hood to let the car cool off. There was oil on the inner liner of the hood, but no where else. It wasn't even enough to be dripping down. The first time, I just cleaned it up and had no idea where it was coming from. Oil level was not down. After the next track session, it was there again. The only issue I was having on the track was the blow off value opening in 4th and 5th gears. The oil mist was directly directly above the Blow off value and the blow off value opening was oily. I concluded that was where it is coming from.

Unfortunately, I do not have any pictures..

Greg
greg9ball is offline  
Old 12-28-2009, 02:13 PM
  #4  
Elite Member
iTrader: (51)
 
gospeed81's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Spring, TX
Posts: 7,257
Total Cats: 26
Default

Oh ok...now it makes sense.

You're getting oil in your intake tract...a bad sign for the turbo.

I still have no idea how your BOV is opening when you're at full boost. If properly plumbed up it should only open when it sees vacuum.
gospeed81 is offline  
Old 12-28-2009, 02:15 PM
  #5  
Elite Member
iTrader: (12)
 
Doppelgänger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 6,850
Total Cats: 71
Default

There are really two things that will cause the BOV to expell oil.

1) If you have the breather line from the VC plummed into th eintake tract. On all cars with this, you'll get some oil into the intake which is normal. Over a long time, you may build up enough to get it all the way through the intercooler and enough to start coming out of the BOV. If you have any blow-by or a bad PCV valve, the situation will be exacerbated. You can do a quick check for blow-by by pulling the dipstick while the car is running. and if you see a noticable amount of vapor being blown out of the dipstick.

2) Oil seals in turbo are letting go and allowing oil to seep into the compressor housing.

Either way, I'd suggest pulling the entire intake apart and cleaning it up and seeing how much oil is in the intake tract. Another good preventative measure is to hook up the PCV and breather to a catch can to help reduce the amount of oil vapor in the intake.
Doppelgänger is offline  
Old 12-28-2009, 03:55 PM
  #6  
Newb
Thread Starter
 
greg9ball's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 36
Total Cats: 0
Default

Originally Posted by Doppelgänger
There are really two things that will cause the BOV to expell oil.

1) If you have the breather line from the VC plummed into th eintake tract. On all cars with this, you'll get some oil into the intake which is normal. Over a long time, you may build up enough to get it all the way through the intercooler and enough to start coming out of the BOV. If you have any blow-by or a bad PCV valve, the situation will be exacerbated. You can do a quick check for blow-by by pulling the dipstick while the car is running. and if you see a noticable amount of vapor being blown out of the dipstick.

2) Oil seals in turbo are letting go and allowing oil to seep into the compressor housing.

Either way, I'd suggest pulling the entire intake apart and cleaning it up and seeing how much oil is in the intake tract. Another good preventative measure is to hook up the PCV and breather to a catch can to help reduce the amount of oil vapor in the intake.
Thank you very much for your advice. My mechanic is taking a peak at the car tomorrow and I will print this out for him to follow. Unfortunately, it is way above my ability.
greg9ball is offline  
Old 12-28-2009, 04:47 PM
  #7  
Senior Member
iTrader: (2)
 
therieldeal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Northeastern CT
Posts: 547
Total Cats: 2
Default

i'm betting its breather line related. mine was making a mess until i vented it to atmosphere. now the pipes are clean and dry
therieldeal is offline  
Old 12-28-2009, 05:04 PM
  #8  
Newb
Thread Starter
 
greg9ball's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 36
Total Cats: 0
Default

Originally Posted by therieldeal
i'm betting its breather line related. mine was making a mess until i vented it to atmosphere. now the pipes are clean and dry
Can you tell me a bit about how to vent it to atmosphere?

Thank you,

Greg
greg9ball is offline  
Old 12-28-2009, 05:36 PM
  #9  
Elite Member
iTrader: (7)
 
turotufas's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Gainesville,Fl
Posts: 3,304
Total Cats: 7
Default

Originally Posted by greg9ball
Can you tell me a bit about how to vent it to atmosphere?

Thank you,

Greg
You have a standalone right? Just take the hose off. Some people put a little filter on the BOV. Plug up the hole in the intake.
turotufas is offline  
Old 12-28-2009, 06:00 PM
  #10  
Junior Member
iTrader: (1)
 
jdmcwestevo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Los angeles, San diego
Posts: 87
Total Cats: -22
Default

what are you using for boost control? depending on that you are under higher load in 4th and 5th so it tends to boost higher in those gears depending on how good your bcs is.
jdmcwestevo is offline  
Old 12-28-2009, 06:14 PM
  #11  
Former Vendor
 
Stephanie Turner's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Bell Tuning & Performance
Posts: 1,337
Total Cats: -99
Default

Originally Posted by greg9ball
1. Does anyone have any recommendations of how to prevent the turbo creep. It does not do it in the lower gears. It only happens when I'm going all out on the track in 4th and 5th gears.
Send me your turbo, my guys will port the turbine housing for you. Or, if you are using an electronic boost control solenoid - take it off and go with actuator control only. Boost creep with solenoids is very common, even on a ported turbo.
Stephanie
Stephanie Turner is offline  
Old 12-28-2009, 06:16 PM
  #12  
Former Vendor
 
Stephanie Turner's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Bell Tuning & Performance
Posts: 1,337
Total Cats: -99
Default

Originally Posted by therieldeal
i'm betting its breather line related. mine was making a mess until i vented it to atmosphere. now the pipes are clean and dry
If you have steel intercooler tubes, having some oil in the tubing is a good thing. Seeping thru turbo hose is not a good thing.

OP - if you have not done a compression test and/or leak down test lately, now might be a good time.
Stephanie
Stephanie Turner is offline  
Old 12-28-2009, 06:49 PM
  #13  
Newb
Thread Starter
 
greg9ball's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 36
Total Cats: 0
Default

Originally Posted by jdmcwestevo
what are you using for boost control? depending on that you are under higher load in 4th and 5th so it tends to boost higher in those gears depending on how good your bcs is.

It is a manual boost controller. I do not know what brand. It was originally an electronic boost controller, which did not work well at all. This one worked fine for two previous track days. Is there one you recommend?
greg9ball is offline  
Old 12-28-2009, 07:24 PM
  #14  
Newb
Thread Starter
 
greg9ball's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 36
Total Cats: 0
Default

Originally Posted by Stephanie Turner
Send me your turbo, my guys will port the turbine housing for you. Or, if you are using an electronic boost control solenoid - take it off and go with actuator control only. Boost creep with solenoids is very common, even on a ported turbo.
Stephanie
Please excuse my ignorance, but what do you mean by actuator control only?

Thank you.
greg9ball is offline  
Old 12-28-2009, 08:31 PM
  #15  
Tour de Franzia
iTrader: (6)
 
hustler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Republic of Dallas
Posts: 29,085
Total Cats: 375
Default

She means that you should just run wastegate boost and not the controller.
hustler is offline  
Old 12-28-2009, 09:18 PM
  #16  
Senior Member
iTrader: (22)
 
orion4096's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: bay area, ca
Posts: 550
Total Cats: 19
Default

I have a similar problem with excessive oil getting in my intake and ending up on the top of my hood and near the outlet of the blow off valve. I also get a blue smoke cloud at cold starts. The gt25r turbo was just dropped off with ATP today. At this point it's worth the $50 fee if I'm wrong and the turbo is in good shape. A lot of what I did to convince myself it's probably the turbo was already mentioned:

- compression test (my engine looks good)
- put filter on valve cover breather port so oil can't get into the compressor housing from there and check PCV (my filter and surrounding area is dry and PCV is good)
- add restrictor. this helped the blue smoke problem initially, but the smoke just came back 3 weeks later.
- check drain line for smooth transitions and no blockage.

Most of the oil was at the compressor outlet and was soaking the coupler enough where oil was running down the outside of the hotside pipes and dripping onto the ground. Anything near the compressor outlet and blow off valve was getting covered in oil.
orion4096 is offline  
Old 12-28-2009, 09:19 PM
  #17  
Boost Czar
iTrader: (62)
 
Braineack's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Chantilly, VA
Posts: 79,490
Total Cats: 4,079
Default

Originally Posted by orion4096
I have a similar problem with excessive oil getting in my intake and ending up on the top of my hood and near the outlet of the blow off valve. I also get a blue smoke cloud at cold starts.

sounds like you need new rings AND valve seals.
Braineack is offline  
Old 12-28-2009, 10:12 PM
  #18  
Senior Member
iTrader: (22)
 
orion4096's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: bay area, ca
Posts: 550
Total Cats: 19
Default

Originally Posted by Braineack
sounds like you need new rings AND valve seals.
I must be missing how oil is getting from the engine to the compressor. The valve cover isn't connected to the intake elbow. It's vented to atmosphere and the filter is dry.
orion4096 is offline  
Old 12-29-2009, 01:47 PM
  #19  
Elite Member
iTrader: (12)
 
Doppelgänger's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Charlotte, NC
Posts: 6,850
Total Cats: 71
Default

If the oil seals inside the turbo are compromised, it will leak oil into the compressor and will get blown into the intake piping, same with the exhaust, oil will get into the hot exhaust turbine and burn up. But if you're getting smoke on start up (turbo is too cold to burn oil for the first few minutes), I'd suspect valve seals allowing oil to build up after the car has been running and that oil burns on start up resulting in smoke.
Doppelgänger is offline  
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Full_Tilt_Boogie
Build Threads
84
04-12-2021 04:21 PM
stoves
Suspension, Brakes, Drivetrain
5
04-21-2016 03:00 PM
Aroundcorner
Miata parts for sale/trade
2
10-01-2015 03:20 PM
Joe Perez
Current Events, News, Politics
8
09-30-2015 04:41 PM



Quick Reply: Oil from Blow Off Valve - Any Ideas?



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 05:30 AM.