VF45 turbo Oil Leak??

[B4 Dave]

Hi Guys,

I recently purchased a JDM MY07 GTb wagon, runs a VF45 turbo. Firstly can anyone confirm if that is a twin scrol turbo?

A few weeks back I took the engine cover off whilst giving her a service, 30,000km, and noticed a bit of engine oil around the compressed air outlet on the turbo, where that plastic fitting comes off, taking compressed air to the intercooler. I removed the palstic fitting, cleaned around that area and replaced the plastic fitting. I wasn't overly concerned because I thought it could have been oil spilt by someone prior to me.

Over the weekend I had the bonnet up putting in the aftermarket dump pipe in and noticed that I had accumulated another small amount of oil around the turbo outlet. I did the service only about 1000km ago.

I am now officially concerned, I can't really see any way for oil to get there unless it is leaking through internal seals, ie from the oil lubricating the turbo.

Is this a bad sign for a turbo or is it normal?????????

I never had a problem like that on my B4!

Appreciate any help

Cheers Dave

[bigBADbenny]

If it is a VF-46 it's not twin-scroll... VF46 is a 5 arc scroll design, which I believe refers to the cross section of the compressor scroll.

From what I've read twin-scroll is also referred to as a split-pulse turbine inlet, so 2x 2 into 1 as regards headers and twinned up-pipe to the twin entry turbine inlet.
Twin Scroll Turbo!
Subaru Turbo List


As for the oil, I'd first check to see if it's from blow-by, apparently the telltale signs are oil inside the inlet tract, on the air flow meter etc...

I'm just posting this to be corrected or for the info to be added to.

[B4 Dave]

Ben
You are a bloody legend!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!+1

I started a thread here asking if anyone knew if there was such a thing as a VF45 turbo, because when I tried to read the modle number off the turbo I couldn't quite read it but it looked like VF45. I got helpful answeres like you must have read it incorrectly, must be a VF 46!

That second link you put in lists a VF45 as standard equipement for a JDM MY07 GTB!!!!! You legend!!!

Now all I have to do is work out why you think I would have oil on my air intake meter??????????? Surely what your suggecting is that my rings are F'ed and oil is bypassing the rings and getting blown back through the motor on the compression stroke in all directions. Surley I cant have a problem with the rings after just 30,000km, even if the previous owner never serviced it, it still has only done 30000km!

Cheers

[bigBADbenny]

No really just www and Google FTW...

A bit of blow-by is normal as the car ages.
No - just check for starters inside the intake piping or the intercooler for more oil.
Apparently clean it out with petrol, airflow meter with carby cleaner...
Mitigate blow-by with an air/oil seperator (AOS) as some real legend said on this forum, any AOS is better than none. Grimmspeed/Prova/Tomioka types drain back into the oil filler, then there's more race oriented AOS types too... Familiarize yourself with the PCV valves for the crank and heads, they wind up venting into the inlet etc etc.
It might be that that's seeping out onto the compressor cover. Got pics?
It's more common to hear of a smoky exhaust from blown seals on turbos.

Or I'm off track and it's something else... There are waaaaay +1 bigger experts here.

[B4 Dave]

No really just www and Google FTW...

A bit of blow-by is normal as the car ages.
No - just check for starters inside the intake piping or the intercooler for more oil.
Apparently clean it out with petrol, airflow meter with carby cleaner...
Mitigate blow-by with an air/oil seperator (AOS) as some real legend said on this forum, any AOS is better than none. Grimmspeed/Prova/Tomioka types drain back into the oil filler, then there's more race oriented AOS types too... Familiarize yourself with the PCV valves for the crank and heads, they wind up venting into the inlet etc etc.
It might be that that's seeping out onto the compressor cover. Got pics?
It's more common to hear of a smoky exhaust from blown seals on turbos.

Or I'm off track and it's something else... There are waaaaay +1 bigger experts here.

Well well, google does work,

Googled VF45, its a twin scroll turbo, ball bearings version of the VF38, standard equipement for MY07 JDM GTB's!

Thinking a little more about it, I had misunderstood what you said initially. Those light oils that we all use probably create a little more vapour and they would vent to the inlet side of things, it is probably true that much of that oil I am seeing could be caught with a catch can thereby eliminating the problem.
Thanks guys

[bigBADbenny]

Response monster!!!

[cruisn]

Theres always oil in these areas from my experience of fitting a few turbo's, tmic's and dump pipes.

Make sure the oil level is spot on. The issue is worsened by over filling the oil.

Catch can or an AOS (air/oil seperator) is your friend.

[bigBADbenny]

A ah!

Last service a coupla weeks ago Docklands STi had the oil showing almost an inch over the top hole on the dipstick!
Or so it looks, I find reading the oil level off the dipstick is completely erratic, the service guy said to do whilst cold and settled...
Advice?