Turbo oil feed question

[Nessmuk]

I have very low oil pressure. It's not going to be fixed any time soon. I am installing a new turbo. Since I want to insure it has adequate oil, will it work to plump the oil into the bottom, oil drain, and have it fill from the bottom, return from the top? That would insure a full bath in there, and maybe, pressure feed the bearings backwards?

 

[WarWagon]

If oil pressure is over the spec at idle by the military service manual in the technical reference section you are fine. Recall the flow cools the turbo so any Rube Goldberg devices just add risk. IMO backfeeding a turbo through the drain is a good way to blow the turbo seals and run the engine away. Spend the time fixing the real problem or live with it.

Myself I run 15w-50 engine oil to bring oil pressure up in my extreme heat weather. The oil pressure gauge moves a lot on diesel engines and falls off at hot idle on Duramax, Cummins, and our forgotten 6.5's.

 

[Nessmuk]

Repair is out for now...
I'd like to know if the oil passages will work in reverse. My oil pressure is maxed, cold, at not 45 psi. Doesn't seem it would blow a seal out. Of course I'm not at sure, so I'm asking, figuring someone familiar with the center section of a turbo would know.
I could also run the return up higher than the input and it would be filled that way, so might do that. Would a oil restrictor in the output help?

 

[MrMarty51]

Before mounting the turbo, get a container and place it securely under the oil feed hose, start the engine for a second or two and then You will see how much oil is actually getting to the turbo.
I think You will be surprised, even if the OP is low.

 

[Twisted Steel Performance]

A turbo isn't suppose to be in that kind of bath at all, that's why it isn't ever done that way..

If you do it that way you WILL have a runaway motor, and push oil out the turbine..

A low psi bath will be just fine, lots of turbos require a restrictor to slow the flow of oil down...

 

[Nessmuk]

So, yes restrictor, yes, exit tube with bend upwards, no on backwards feed? if

 

[Will L.]

NO. You will wipe out rod bearings long before loosing a turbo from low oil pressure.

The restrictor he is talking about restricts the amount of oil going in, NEVER restrict the oil from easily flowing away from a turbo. Blocked drain lines are a common way turbos back up and cause a run away.

 

[WarWagon]

How low is low anyway? By the ~25 year old gauge in the dash or verified with known good mechanical below the 10 PSI min spec? I get different gauge readings with different brand OPS installed. Again the 50 vs. 40 weight oil makes a difference of a tick or two on the gauge.

http://www.thetruckstop.us/forum/th...-repair-manual-6-2-l-and-6-5-l-diesels.25481/

Operating pressure (normal) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40-50 psi 276-345 kPa
Operating pressure (at idle) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 psi 69 kPa

Oil pressure should be 40-50 psi (276-345 kPa) under load and
10 psi (69 kPa) minimum at idle.

 

[Nessmuk]

Nope, no such luck. 30 warm, 2 idle. Three mech. gauges.

 

[JayTheCPA]

Given the original symptom description, I'd consider synthetic oil as the band-aid. Even if it means higher oil consumption.

 

[Nessmuk]

I bought a case of STP to thicken the oil.