300 Tdi Rebuild

Wahey progress, good solid progress. Good to hear there is finally a solution!

Goc3k said:

Wahey progress, good solid progress. Good to hear there is finally a solution!

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It's looking positive anyway! I think with the turbo venting to atmosphere the change in pressure it was operating under caused it to pass even more oil than it was before. Having said that, a little bit of oil goes a long way so the stain on the wing might represent the amount it was passing before. I've ordered a brand new turbo from Turner Engineering. Weather permitting, I'll get it fitted on Saturday morning. As this one appears to be goosed. I'm wondering if the new one, as well as not passing oil, might create a bit more boost!
I'm not counting my chickens just yet! But I really appreciate your interest, support and advice throughout this. It good to have someone to talk through ideas with and to get a different view from. Cheers

Well, the turbo has arrived.

Roll on Saturday and some dry weather

New turbo fitted.

Ran out of light yesterday and was going to a mate's 60th so had to pack in to get showered and ready. Saved test drive for this morning. Turbo spooled up nicely with engine pulling hard and reaching good speeds. Very happy with the performance. Still a bit of smoke coming out the back, but that got less as the test drive went on. I'm hoping it's residual oil in the intercooler from previous turbo. I couldn't go too far as the expansion tank has split along the seem. So, get that sorted and I'll be able to run it properly and see if the smoking stops and it see if it stops using oil

Me likey shiny new turbo

Al2O3 said:

expansion tank has split along the seem

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Struth man - couldn't make it up

they do seem quite determined to spoil our day sometimes

Disco1BFG said:

Me likey shiny new turbo



Struth man - couldn't make it up

they do seem quite determined to spoil our day sometimes

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Bit of a blurred picture off my phone, but it does look shiny
The expansion tank leaking prompted me to take the head off. I'd been meaning to in order to check the honing on the bores, but had been putting off. I suspect the cap must have failed and so over pressurised the system. Those pistons certainly needed cleaning though, so it was worth it taking the head off.
I've also dosed the fuel tank with some Redex to try and clean the injectors. Don't know if that would create a bit of smoke too. There'll certainly be some crap in the exhaust to blow out. The proof will be how much oil it burns once its running daily. Hopefully very little

Expansion tanks have a habit of splitting from the seams. Try to buy a transparent one. They're more durable. I come from Malta, where temperatures can be hellish for engines and many a tdi was cooked due to splitting expansion tanks.

reiny said:

Expansion tanks have a habit of splitting from the seams. Try to buy a transparent one. They're more durable. I come from Malta, where temperatures can be hellish for engines and many a tdi was cooked due to splitting expansion tanks.

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Yeah, I've bought a transparent one. Well, translucent anyway! Should be here by about Wednesday

New expansion tank has eventually arrived today. Delivery was predicted Wednesday, but hey ho.

Bought a RR Classic cap so I can fit an aftermarket low coolant level sensor.
Friday is a pint after work with the lads night and then bottle of red wine at home night. So, it's not getting fitted tonight.
First thing in the mornings though and then out for a proper test drive to see how the turbo gets on

New expansion tank fitted

10 minute job took about 25 cos my fingers were numb within seconds and I couldn't feel the nuts and bolts between my finger tips
Having a mug of tea to warm up and then the dog and I will take her out for a test drive

Which after market coolant sensor circuit are you going with ? or are you making your own ?

( this is a mod I keep meaning to do on both our 300's )

Disco1BFG said:

Which after market coolant sensor circuit are you going with ? or are you making your own ?

( this is a mod I keep meaning to do on both our 300's )

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I've been meaning to do it on mine for a long time too. About 11 years according to the date on the paperwork
This is it

I bought it of a member of another LR forum. I presume 11 years ago! He makes electronic stuff himself. I've just looked up his website (see top corner of his instruction page) It's being rebuilt and so is just showing a picture of Norfolk at the moment. The contact page works and the address and phone number is now different to that on this paperwork. I've been meaning to buy a RR Classic coolant expansion tank cap for ages funny how things work out

First test drive went well. Small amount of exhaust smoke when I first went out, but that soon went. Oil pressure gauge spiked a bit again stopped on the road side to have a look and it turned out to be a loose earth wire from the pressure sensor, phew
Going out again soon to visit a mate, so test run number two coming up. Suppose it'll still take 300 + miles to see if it's still burning oil at the same rate as before.

Second test run went well. Landy pulling very well and no visible smoke out the back. Coming back toward the village there's a straight stretch, on the flat, about 2/3 of a mile long. You've got to go through a 30mph zone just before it opens up to the long straight. Decided to put my foot down as I exited the 30 zone. It accelerated, in 4th, in a very exciting fashion up to 60mph . Slipped it in to 5th and it went a lot faster very quickly New expansion tank still in tact!
What a difference a good turbo makes! I don't know how but this one seems to pull much better at 0.5 bar that the last one did at 0.5 bar Anyway, I'm feeling hopeful, but still got my fingers crossed.

Blanked most of your recent updates but see things really have shifted along, keeping the digits crossed that in the next few weeks no more oil escapes from the sump, and it remains a time well spent outcome!

Goc3k said:

Blanked most of your recent updates but see things really have shifted along, keeping the digits crossed that in the next few weeks no more oil escapes from the sump, and it remains a time well spent outcome!

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Cheers, mate.
Unless something goes wrong, the next update will be in 300+ miles. By then it should have dropped well down the dipstick if it is still burning oil as before. Should have covered those miles by next weekend.

Thought I'd take the old (only just two years old) turbo apart tonight.
Discovered there's not a lot of space to get in to some of the nuts due to the fins on the turbo.
Had to take the angle grinder to an old 1/2" ring spanner.

The inside of the compressor housing is coated in concentrated oil. You can just make out where I rubbed it with my finger at the 3 O'clock position. It felt like rubbing thick tar.

The compressor vanes were coated in dried on, tar like oil too.
The turbine wheel is black with soot from the oil being burned.

I suppose I could rebuild it with a new CHRA

Well, she's done 404 miles this week and the oil is still between max and min level

The oil looks pretty dark on the picture, but it is just beginning to colour up. When I started last week I couldn't tell exactly where the level was. So, I've just put another 250ml in and letting it settle. Another check next week will be more definitive. However, after 404 miles on previous turbo the oil would have been well below the min level. ie I would have had to top it up mid week. It's looking very good

Here's the reference level from this weekend. Roll on another weeks test
She'll be getting dressed up with a full set of reindeer to pull Santa's sleigh in a week's time, so I'm pleased it's getting sorted.
The smoke coming out the back has been choking the kids and parents for the last two Christmases

Another week. 297 miles and the oil has gone down a bit. Nowhere near as much oil as being used before, but it's still using oil. Not smoking out the back as much either, but it is still smoking


Decided to take the intercooler pipe off the top of the intercooler.

Back to square one with the brand new intercooler passing oil FFS
So............... I've either been extremely unlucky as I'm on to my 3rd turbo or something is forcing oil through the seal rings on the turbo. I don't know how though? Vac pump? Vac pump has been mentioned, but I still don't understand how that would pressurise the oil as I'd have thought it would be putting pressure in to the crankcase which would just vent via the cyclone breather? I don't know? Plus, I've got an oil pressure gauge and when hot it's running at about 2.7 bar (40 psi) which I reckon is ok.

I'm going to take the turbo oil outlet pipe off tomorrow. It looks fine from the outside, but maybe it's collapsed inside. If it's restricted somehow it would presumably cause back pressure and maybe lead to some oil being forced through the turbo rings? Fingers crossed there's something wrong with it!