My used SR20 T25 seems to be leaking oil from where the center cartridge and exhaust housing meet, right from the seam. It's not a bad leak, but it seems to build up over time, drip on to the manifold below, and make lots of smoke. No smoke from the exhaust at all, except for one time I saw a nice sized puff at idle, which I'm assuming is related. No smoke under boost and the turbo is tight otherwise. My guess is a problem with the oil deflector (or the passage where the oil drains back into the cartridge). Think I could get away with running a restrictor and not have to take the turbo apart?

 

What size oil feed are you using? If -4an you may benefit from a restrictor.

Otherwise, its prolly your turbine oil seal. Not super difficult to rebuild one of these turbos.

 

Yeah it's -4AN. I know how to rebuild one. I just would rather not have to mess with it, at least not without upgrading at the same time .

 

Try a pop rivet then, cant hurt anything.