turbo feed/return line cracking
 

So I have been using summit racing AN lines for my turbo feed and return, and lately I have been noticing leaking by the AN fittings. Upon removal and inspection, I noticed the AN rubber will crack and stainless braid will deform. I have thought about making AN hardlines, as I believe that the extreme heat surrounding the turbo is the cause. Car is turbo and solely sees road time. My oil temps read high on my autometer sensor mounted in a sandwich plate. Has any MT member had this problem? My only concern with AN hardlines is that many AN flaring tools are not strong enough for stainless steel, and i feel other options (mild steel which may rust and aluminium maybe fatigue from our engines lovely vibrations) will not be effective.

Hardlines are frowned upon because of vibration issues. Most people use teflon feed and silicone return lines, not rubber.

I use the conventional summit AN hose, and push lock hose on the return. No issues here but I use a thermal sleeve on the hose around the turbo

Not Si for oil. For oil return, use Gates LOL hose. For water lines and oil lines use teflon / Stainless if hose. I'm running hard lines, well supported SST. I only have about 5k miles on them, however. I bought a WWII issue flaring tool to make the lines. Some people have had success with less expensive 37* flailing tools with SST, but it's tough.

NEVER Aluminum lines.

I used steel fittings on the turbo and oil feed. Welded aluminum fittings onto the reroute spacer and mixing manifold for the water.

I also think that the fused brake lines (coated steel) would be appropriate for turbo hard lines, but have no experience on an end to end solution.

Mazda uses a hard line for the VVT (possibly not relevant. very short and well supported).

FM sells a hard line kit, but it transitions to hose at the head.

I only fried the oil feed line on my car through the fire sleeve when the turbo to manifold flange loosened up.

Thanks for the tips. I like the other idea of heat shielding the AN hose, but i feel that it was more of a band aid than a solution. BUT just looking at summit racing's catalog, I guess I ordered the stainless braided hose with rubber insides. The max temp on PTFE hose is 400* compared to rubber at 300*. Would the PTFE made a substantial increase in reliability coupled with a shielding?

Skip summit racing. Open up your local phone book and look for hydraulic shops. Find one locally and go up there with you busted line and they should be able to make you one that will work.

That's what I did

UPDATE:
I went with custom made PTFE braided lines from a hydraulic hose shop. fit and finish is far above summit racing shit, and looks like i can run it over and it could still work. +1 to Shueind:likecat:

Pros always use local hydraulic shops.

Our oil drain/feed lines come from a big volume hydraulic shop. Super high quality fittings/hose, really reasonably priced.

Could you expand your material related acronyms? Si- silicone LOL- ??? SST- ???

Thank you

Si = Silicone

LOL = Gates LOL, a nitrile based hose. Comes in various colors

SST = Stainless STeel. I don't remember what grade I ended up with. I did use welded, mandrel pulled type, rather than seamless, because $$ and pressures involved (low). Basically the equivalent of stainless DOM.