ls1motorsports

iTrader: (1)

Is it possible to push coolant into the oil system at the turbo?. I currently have a gt28 replica from e-motor. It is oil and water cooled. So I am wondering if coolant (from the coolant lines feeding the turbo) can push into the oil system of the turbo. I am currently loosing a little bit of oil at my oil pan bolt, yet my dipstick is slowly moving up and the coolant level is in the resovoir tank keeps going down. The head gasket is fine. The motor was rebuilt about 10 miles ago by a shop. I've also rebuilt this motor, only to have the rod bearings spin on me, and it did the same thing as described above. Any insights would be great.

18psi

iTrader: (76)

I think its possible though highly unlikely. Just my .02

ls1motorsports

iTrader: (1)

ya unfortunatly most of the things that are unlikely to happen, happens.

ScottFW

iTrader: (4)

I'm not going to saw my disco potato in half to confirm this, and I don't have it in front of me ATM, but I don't think it's possible for them to mix in the turbo. I'm pretty sure they are kept in separate channels defined by the metal casting of the CHRA; it's not like there's a failure-prone gasket between them. If the CHRA developed a severe crack I could maybe see it, but I've never heard of that happening.

Considering you've got 10 miles on the motor, I think it's more likely that 1) coolant dropped because the system hadn't yet been fully burped and 2) oil level seems up because you checked it hot and/or you are reading it on non-level ground and/or you are being paranoid. Add coolant to top off the rad and keep watching for coolant in the oil (milkshaky or less-than-clear oil). The oil drip depending on severity may not be urgent, but since it was built by a shop I'd call them up and make them aware of the situation and see what they say.

ls1motorsports

iTrader: (1)

^thanks for the input guys. Yes they are aware of the oil leak. But what boggles my mind is why the level on my dipstick keeps rising. Yes ten miles is just an estimate. Most of the times i have it running it is just sitting half way outside of my garage and just idling. I am almost certain there has to be some sort of crack in the CHRA. I mean not all turbos are perfect right?. This could be one that just happend to pass through their test, yet easily broke in due time. Just from working at a factory and an assembly line over the summer. Quality control goes down a lot when more products are getting put out in less time. But aside from the side notes. Is there a way to repair this if this is the main cause? Im going to change the oil and just bypass the coolant side of the turbo and just run oil cooled. I know these turbos are designed for the use of both. But i'm kinda skimming the bottom on why my oil slides off the dip stick like water. I mean the oil litteraly seems like thick water. Seems like coolant to me. But as far as topping it off. Its the resovoir has been completly drained twice. For some reason each time i fail to notice it draining. Would there even be a way to repair the turbo should there be a crack that is letting coolant seep into the oil? But i probally wont be trying to repair this. It seems like a pain in the ***. I will try and source out a new CHRA cartridge and replace it. In the mean while, the car will be sitting on jack stands while i tidy up some stuff underneath the car. Its definatly no fun working in a tiny garage when its only 10 degs outside. Thank god for forced air heaters

railz

iTrader: (33)

you got it right there.

Chances of it leaking at the CHRA from a crack are slim to none unless its at one of the fittings.

and like scott said, burp your entire coolent system. You can try the jackstand method to make sure all air bubbles come out if your ----


Also, how much did your shop charge you for the engine assembly, just labor

18psi

iTrader: (76)

Disconnect the water lines and run oil only. If oil starts dripping/leaking out of the open ports then you will know for sure. I highly doubt its the turbo though man. As much as I wish it was that simple

ls1motorsports

iTrader: (1)

I think it was around 350 for checking out the head (vaccumme test) hone cylinders polish crank and long block asembly minus pumps pulleys and manifolds

Braineack

iTrader: (62)

not unless you've cracked both your oil and coolant galleys inside your CHRA.

Rennkafer

iTrader: (3)

The other thing to remember is the oil system is generally 25-30psi min at idle hot... the coolant system is less than 20psi, so oil would more likely go into the coolant rather than the opposite.

Having had an engine that cracked the head between valves and dumped water into the oil, if you'd put two reservoirs of water into the oil you'd have this wonderful gray jelly looking stuff at this point.

As other have said, I'm going with "cooling system not bled properly/improper oil level checking" at this point.

ls1motorsports

iTrader: (1)

Well so far. Its looking kinda dim ,by what people are saying, that my chra is cracked. Or atleast, not very likely. But to rule it out ive just simply bypassed the water system for now. Changed out the oil for the first time since i got the motor in it. Definatly had some coolant in it. Along with this some very very fine metalic flakes. It looks just like shimmer. Is this normal for a freshly rebuilt engine?. ^^the shop said that they vaccumm tested the head and everthing checked out. I'm going to give it a leak down test just to double check im not leaking any coolant elsewhere. I got the tank and radiator topped off and I will try the jack stand method and just bleed the coolant system if the leak down test passes.

ScottFW

iTrader: (4)

Obviously the coolant in the oil is abnormal, but the shimmer is normal if you had the cylinders honed. A couple of quick oil changes after a rebuild will help get those tiny metal particles out of the motor.

ls1motorsports

iTrader: (1)

thanks scottfw. Just waiting on a bigger tap and die set so i can put a new drain plug in that wont leak and also has a magnet on it . Unfortunatly both autozone and oriley's dont have the pressure test kit for the radiator :(. So i guess ill just have to wait to post up the results on the coolant problem

bbundy

Chances of occurrence ~0% if the turbo still spins or you haven’t shot a hole in the CHRA with a high powered gun or something.

Bob

ls1motorsports

iTrader: (1)

can you guys hit me with some possibilites on why coolant is entering my oil system? Its not a head gasket as im not burning anything. The cylinder head has been vaccumm tested and checks out fine. The oil cooler has been cleaned and inspected. I don't really see the coolant re route being the problem. I will hopefully be able to find out to see where my coolant is pouring into tomrow.

Jfornachon

iTrader: (23)

I was working on a cavalier and was told to do a head gasket by the customer. I did it and sent the head out head came back fine. Car started up and ran for a bit before it started smoking. We checked the block and it was cracked. It didn't look like it but it was. I know that yours is not smoking but it could gave cracked between an oil and coolant gallie. Just a thought. Was the block flat?

Have a great day,
Jared

ls1motorsports

iTrader: (1)

Ya the block is flat, although it did get resurfaced because on the first initial build there were some head gasket material that seemed to have burned and fused with the block's mating surface. But it has never been warped. Would magna fluxing the block be able to tell if oil and coolant gallies are cracked? or would that be primarily to check for cracks in the cylinders only?

18psi

iTrader: (76)

so you disconnected water to the turbo and this is still happening?
The only other place that I can think of where water is close to oil BESIDES the block/head would be the oil cooler. Might wanna check that just to make sure its not cracked or messed up for whatever freak reason.
Unless you have some weird headgasket failure where the two are swapping places and yet not burning up.

Oil pressure is higher than water pressure right? So if anything the OIL is supposed to go into the water and not the other way around.

Otherwise I hate to say but it would have to be your block or head.

ls1motorsports

iTrader: (1)

no i haven't tried it yet with the turbo disconnected im still working on putting a new drain plug back in. so tomorow once i do that i will the pressurize the coolant system and see if it holds pressure. Im hoping to god it does

Jfornachon

iTrader: (23)

So it sounds like the block was overheated before.Is that so? I am not shure but is there not coolant jackets alongside the cyls? If so maybe a wall has become porus at the lower portion of the cyl wall When it heats up and is pressureized it could leak into the oil pan.

Just a thought. Wish I could say I think its the turbo, but not likely.

Have a great day,
Jared