[hoyabear]

Hobieboy,

I am dealing with, what I think is, a bad turbo right now. If you do a search for "worst day ever" or "oil scavenging problems" you can read a lot of detail about my situation. I just finished pulling it off and I am going to have it sent out to get checked/rebuilt if necessary. I am still not sure exactly what caused this to happen...I think it might have been a pinched crankase vent hose that pressurized the oil system and damaged the turbo seals...but the symptoms I have experienced are:

a) Oil in IC, intake, turbo (lots here) and elbow going into turbo from airbox, but no oil in airbox
b) Oil dripping out of blow-off valve, and from under center section of turbo
c) Oily smoke coming in through interior vents (during decel, when smoke is worst)
d) Some smoke at idle, lots of smoke while driving, TONS of smoke on accell or decel
e) Reduction in power and non-functioning boost gauge
f) Turbo still spools up (can hear it), but more slowly and with less effect

I checked the turbo after removal, and it still spins freely and there is no lateral play...although I still think this doesn't mean that the seals are not bad.

Anyway, from what I have experienced and read on these boards, it sounds to me like your turbo is not the most likely culprit.