Why does the turbine drive oil? Possible Causes and Solutions

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

Statistics reports that turbocharged engines are becoming more and more. And this is quite normal. A turbocharged power unit carries a lot of direct and indirect bonuses to its owner. The presence of a compressor makes it possible to use fuel more rationally. With the help of a turbine, you can increase the power characteristics of the engine without the need to increase the volume of the motor. This is achieved by supplying compressed air forced by the impeller. But there is one problem here - the turbine drives oil, which causes a lot of inconvenience and a lot of money. Let's try to understand the causes of the malfunction and how to solve this problem.

Turbocharger device

If we talk about complex things in simple terms, then the compressor has a very primitive design. The turbine is a body in the form of a snail. Inside the housing there is a shaft with two paddle gears. One such gear spins forwaste gas account. The other also rotates, as it is planted on one shaft. The shaft speed can be prohibitive - up to 250 thousand revolutions per minute. Therefore, the shaft must work on high-quality bearings. Usually there are two such bearings.

Practice shows that at the operating speed of the turbine, no existing dry bearing can withstand the load in such conditions. The bearing jams, and the turbine is sent for repair. Engineers have been thinking for a long time how to take away the excess temperature and improve gliding. Oil copes well with all this - lubrication channels for each bearing from the engine crankcase are connected to the turbine shaft. Thus, the mechanism can operate at high speeds, increasing its performance and reliability.

Even a fully serviceable turbine will consume a certain amount of oil. The more the driver presses on the gas, the greater the consumption. Normal consumption is up to 2.5 liters per 10 thousand kilometers. Can a turbine drive oil in large volumes? It depends on the condition of the internal combustion engine.

There are two parts to a turbocharger, hot and cold. Oil channels are connected from above to the compressor bearings. One is needed for the hot part, the other for the cold. Further, the oil, having lubricated the bearings, returns to the crankcase. But are the bearings sealed?

The bearing should never and under no circumstances come into contact with the blades, otherwise, in this case, the turbine drives oil from one side into the manifold or intercooler, and from the other side into the muffler. Betweenlocking rings are installed on the bearing and impeller. Pressure supports these rings and the oil does not leave in large volumes.

The main disadvantage of the turbine

Existing experience with turbine engines shows that these power units have a number of problems. The main problem is associated with oil leaks from the compressor. And if the turbine drives oil on some engine, then replacing it does not always help to completely solve this problem.

Oil only flows out of the compressor when the pressure is high. In order for the turbine to push the air, you need to apply a very large force. This force causes the oil to flow through the plain bearings.

How to normalize blood pressure?

To normalize the pressure, even when installing the turbocharger, it is necessary that certain conditions are met and actions are performed.

So, you need to find out what condition the air filter is in. If it is dirty and clogged, a new one should be installed. Also check the cleanliness of the air filter housing and pipe. Next, you need to make sure that the filter housing and its cover are tight. If this is not the case, then dust and debris can very easily get inside the turbocharger, which will soon lead to the failure of the unit. At the same time, they clean all the pipes, and during assembly they make sure that debris and foreign particles do not get inside.

It is also better to change the engine oil. Dirt, which is always in the oil, will definitely settle on the surface of the bearings and after a certain amount of timecompressor stuck.

Not all mechanics and car enthusiasts know and fully perform all these operations, as a result, the turbine drives oil. When installing the compressor, you need to clearly study the instructions. Basically all the problems are due to wear and tear during the installation process.

Other causes of oil leaks

Compressor oil leakage is a common problem. Almost every owner has experienced this. The following reasons for this phenomenon can be identified:

• So, the trouble happens due to an increased oil level in the system, due to a clogged crankcase ventilation system. Owners of engines with severe wear of the piston group may encounter a problem - there is high pressure inside the motor. If the catalytic converter is clogged, then the turbine drives oil, and this is normal. If the turbine oil drain channel is clogged, the symptoms will be the same.
• Many causes are due to a problem with the oil drain system. It is supplied under pressure to the body. The oil passes through the supply line, then it mixes with air and combustion products there. As a result, foam is created, which then flows down the body of the "snail". And only then does it enter the oil drain line and then into the crankcase. If the drain channel is not wide enough or there is more oil in the engine, it will remain in the turbine housing and flow through the sealing elements.

Seals

Many people think in vain that the sealing parts in the compressor are needed only to prevent oil from entering the turbine housing. This is true, but the main taskseals - this is to allow gases under high pressure to enter the crankcase. Some manufacturers produce compressors without O-rings at all from the intake tract, but in this case the oil does not flow.

Leak due to clogged air filter

During the operation of the car, the air filter is gradually clogged. Abrasive accumulates in it. The resistance for the passage of the air flow increases and a vacuum is formed at the turbine inlet. At high and medium speeds, the engine runs normally. There is excess pressure behind the turbine wheel, so the oil does not flow.

But at idle and transient conditions, the vacuum is already at the inlet and outlet. At low loads, the oil rises from the bottom of the turbine housing due to vacuum and then enters the intake manifold. This is the same case when the turbine drives oil into the intercooler.

And very little is needed to fix the problem - just replace the air filter with a new one. Sometimes it is enough to blow out the old filter well.

Clogged catalyst and turbine

When the catalytic converter is clogged, there is also resistance at the outlet of the exhaust gases. This leads to an increased load on the compressor rotor. If you continue to operate the car, then this will affect increased fuel consumption, a decrease in dynamics and power. It also leads to wear of the bearings in the turbine. That's why the turbine drives oil.

Intercooler

During the operation of the compressor, a lot of heat is generated. This leads to certainconsequences. Thus, work efficiency decreases, since it is more difficult for the turbine to compress hot air. And yet, due to increased loads, parts and components of the structure are intensively worn out. All this was the main reason for the failure of the turbocharger. To solve this problem, an intercooler was created. It is needed to lower the air temperature to the optimum value. The automotive industry uses air and liquid radiator.

Turbine and intercooler oil

Let's consider a situation where the turbine drives oil into the intercooler. The reasons for this trouble are all the same defective oil lines, dirt, damaged air ducts and filters.

Oil line defective

Oil line should be assessed visually. It is located in most cases between the turbine and the engine crater. It is through it that oil is supplied to the compressor. This pipe is made of steel, it has a complex shape. Deforming it is quite difficult, but possible. If the shape of the oil pipeline changes, the normal operation of the turbine is disrupted. The throughput drops and the amount of oil for the normal and efficient operation of the compressor is not enough. This leads to an increase in oil pressure, it flows into the intercooler.

Dirty oil line

The older the car, the more hidden defects and malfunctions it has. These include the situation when the diesel turbine drives oil. Over time, deposits form on the inner cavity of the oil pipeline, reducing the diameter of the channel. This again leads to an increase in pressure in the manifold or intercooler.

Clogged filter

Often, car owners forget about air filters - they don't change or clean them. But he plays an important role in the operation of boost. Dirty air leads to disturbances in the operation of the turbine. If the filter does not clean the incoming air well, it does not supply enough air. As a result, it drives oil through the turbine straight into the cooling system.

Damaged duct

Cracks may form in the duct housing. They contribute to the formation of a zone with a vacuum. This will cause oil to flow from the high pressure area to the low pressure area. Then the oil will provoke damage to the sealing elements and gaskets. The discharge zone will expand, in which case the oil will flow like an avalanche or tsunami.

Non-critical damage can be repaired. And if it is impossible to fix, then you need to urgently change, since operation in this mode will lead to the need to clean the compressor.

Butter

We have considered cases when the turbine drives oil. These are the main reasons. But the culprit may be the oil itself, especially of poor quality. It must be resistant to combustion for turbocharged engines. There is a special heat-resistant oil for turbochargers. It shouldn't burn. Ordinary oil will cause coking of all channels for lubricating turbine bearings. Therefore, it is necessary to select lubricants correctly.

Whatever oil is, it wears out and loses its properties. Carbon deposits and coking of channels are formed. This also causes the compressor to push oil.

Dirty intercooler and consequences

If there is oil in the intercooler, the quality of the cooling air for the boost air will decrease. This will cause the turbine to overheat.

Conclusion

This is not a sentence if the diesel turbine drives oil. The causes of the problem can be eliminated inexpensively and relatively simply. The main thing is to do it on time. And then the car will delight and give emotions.