What would you do?

[V40T4R]

Originally Posted by Baffler

Agreed, I'm with Andy, source the leak! 2.0T Auto is a very nice combination too!

The turbo oil return pipe on these engines, especially the T4, can distort out of shape and sometimes fitting a new rubber seal in the block isn't quite good enough to hold back the oil. Also the section of the pipe where it enters the block, where the seal sits around, becomes worn and no matter what you do you won't get it to seal. A new pipe, seal and gasket does the trick. The pipe itself was around €66 back in 2012 and had to come from Sweden. The seal and gasket were less than a fiver.

I had the turbo return pipe leak at engine block side, it seals by mean of an o-ring, replaced with a new one and still not happy bought another o-ring so doubled the sealing.

[JerryXD]

I was just addressing this issue on my 1998 T4. Going from underneath, it was two H5 bolts. I did have to take the lower water line off the turbo as it was in the way (18mm Banjo, don't lose the washers it's not fun!), which I didn't mind as I was changing the coolant anyway (this is the original task I had set out to do). The VClamp also got in the way of it sliding straight off and on, so it did take a bit of wrangling to get it in and out of position. I imagine that the 2.0T is slightly different, but shouldn't be massively?

I have two 1998 S40 T4s, the one I daily and which I was fixing this problem on and one that I am working on to replace the one I have (the rust got to my daily before I could save it). The other one has had the repair done as well, so I'm 2 for 2 on this being an issue.

[colnet]

Well, had her up on my ramps today and it is not the turbo return pipe or the turbo intake pipe both free of a oil leak. Cleaned all the oil off the engine and ran her till fan came on, no leak, took her off the ramps and ran her round the block, put her back on the ramps and oil leaking, seems to be dripping on the inner half shaft boot then onto floor, still cannot see where it is leaking from, took wheel off and looked through the hatch and no sign of oil, took off engine covers still no sign of oil, cannot understand why the cam belt and pulleys show no signs of oil, also done the rubber glove test and it sucked it in line a cheap hooker. Just about had enough now.

[Baffler]

You're probably closer to finding the source than you think. I too nearly lost the plot trying to stop the turbo oil return from leaking, I even thought the intermediate section was weeping, but in the end it was the return pipe at fault.

Check the piston cooler jet cap/cover gasket...(try say that after a couple of pints)...the one closest to the traces of oil. Hard to view and access from both above and below so idealy you'd need a lift at the right height to work comfortably. If you can determine were it's coming from it'll relieve some of the stress 👍

[colnet]

Cheers baffler
But to be honest I'm getting very close to just scrapping her, I'm getting to old for this crap and so is the car. Just out of interest what the hell is a piston cooler jet cap/cover gasket.

[clarkey1984]

My t4 has a hellish oil leak from the turbo return pipe, and also burns a fair bit too (stem seals gone) I just top it up every little while, I will fix it eventually but at the minute I see it as under body rust prevention

[Baffler]

Originally Posted by colnet

Just out of interest what the hell is a piston cooler jet cap/cover gasket.

You can see the jet covers in the picture attached. It's a T5 engine but same applies to the T4. The T4 was notorious for loosening the exhaust manifold nuts so check to see all screws are intact on the jet cap covers.

[V40T4R]

Originally Posted by Baffler

You can see the jet covers in the picture attached. It's a T5 engine but same applies to the T4. The T4 was notorious for loosening the exhaust manifold nuts so check to see all screws are intact on the jet cap covers.

Ho yes, exhaust manifold on my T4 was also cracked in 3 different spots...did you know the part number changed twice as it as been redesigned, my original said made in France, found and replaced the last design reinforced it said made in Japan, just a bit of info BTW.

[pierremcalpine]

Are you able to look in behind the camshafts? When my camshaft seals leaked the belt was still pretty dry but when I popped off the VVT gear it was clearly soaked in behind it.

If the leak is coming from somewhere closer to the turbo could it be the camshaft position sensor on the opposite side of the engine to the belt/gears? I suppose that the wind in the engine bay could push the leaking oil over around the back to make it look like a turbo oil leak.