Cam cover question...............turbo oil return line.

[racinjason302]

I am going to put an oil return line in the cam cover from a turbo kit........... fellow member have said this is the best way to do it.( willing to hear other suggestions)

Just wondering if there are any surprises when I try to take the cover off such as springs flying across the garage or if the cover holds anything in place.

I was thinking of welding it thicker to drill and tap but afraid it may warp.....any experiences with that?

Is it just a simple bolt on and off procedure?

Anyone seen a thread with a step by step instructions?

Thanks
Jason

[gsmith660]

You can do this Ben at M&K exhaust did this one and sold it to me.

[vreference]

Nothing should come flying out.

[911pcars]

Welding a boss on the cam box cover is a good idea. However, are you sure the proposed location is far enough below the turbo housing for a gravity drain?

Sherwood

[racinjason302]

Originally Posted by gsmith660

You can do this Ben at M&K exhaust did this one and sold it to me.

Thats not the cam cover?............what part is that?.......isn't there oil puddled in there?

[gsmith660]

Thats the drain cover the scavenge pump sucks from there, that is where all the oil drains back to and gets pumped back to the oil tank and is at least 2 inches below the turbo probably more.

[TimT]

Thats not the cam cover?............what part is that?.......isn't there oil puddled in there?

The scavenge line goes to the oil sump cover. The location of the oil return line is a bit scary, but is actually effective...

Under the cover pictured is the oil pump pick up, so you have a nice low pressure area there..

[911pcars]

It might be a low pressure area at the oil pump inlet, but the sump is a collection point for oil. Anyone know how much oil is inside the sump when the engine is running? I know a few quarts drain out during an oil change, but that's with the engine off and the oil tank and sump reach some sort of equilibrium.

Let's say there's 2 quarts in the sump during engine operation. With a turbo drain line exiting into the bottom of the sump, and assuming the lube oil finds it's own level, the oil level in the lower part of the turbo drain hose and the sump is the same - 2 quarts high.

Evidently, the drain hose provides enough drain volume so turbo oil doesn't back up and forced into the compressor or turbine sections.

Sherwood

[gsmith660]

Ben had this rig on his turbo and worked good otherwise he wouldn't have sent it to me. He went back to setting up a scavenge pump off the back of his SC like the stock turbo which is a chore but doable.

[beepbeep]

Use the sump plate drain if possible. Cam plate side-cover works as long as turbo is mounted high-enough but it's sensitive to G-forces, pipe diameter etc. Sump plate drain is low enough to evacuate oil from most installations bar the very "low-slung" setups. Just watch for possible oil-line snags if driving over something that can touch the line.

[gsmith660]

Originally Posted by beepbeep

Just watch for possible oil-line snags if driving over something that can touch the line.

That is why I will be makine up some sort of skid pan for my drain after the motor gets back in the car.