BMW replacement turbo oil pressure 40psi maximum

[74turbojay]

Anyone who has purchased the factory BMW replacement turbo charger needs to know it can only accept up to 40 psi oil pressure.  I am currently having it repaired under warranty, as there are none left as to replace it with.  It started leaking in the middle and the amount of smoke is insane.  We found a regulator that we will install, unless anyone has a better option.

OPR V2 Turbo Oil Pressure Regulator • Turbosmart

WWW.TURBOSMART.COM

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Turbosmart's ALL NEW from 2022 OPR V2 Turbocharger Oil Pressure Regulator provides rock solid oil pressure for your turbocharger from a simple, inline return-less regulator and includes a built in 44 Micron Stainless Steel Mesh Oil Filter.The Turbosmart OPR V2 is a World First...

 

 

[Lengrep]

Thanks for the heads up! I was planning to install mine as part of a complete overhaul of the engine. 
 

Greg

[74turbojay]

You're welcome.  It's hard to believe they would take 40+ years to offer the part, then not let anyone know it can't handle the OEM oil pumps' pressure...

There was no previous regulator offered was there?  Everyone's silence on the matter is surprising as well.  My car smoked out the tailpipe since I bought it with the Garrett installed.  I can only assume all the Turbos smoke.

Edited August 22 by 74turbojay

[Lengrep]

My KKK didn't smoke; nor did my Oldenzaal turbocharger, though the Oldenzaal started seeping oil.

 

Greg

[Preyupy]

Normally turbos are more sensitive to oil flow volume than pressure.  The stock turbo has a small orifice inline to restrict the flow.  The return line needs to be open with no restrictions (or low spots where oil does not flow easily) if there is any back up or pressure you will have oil getting by the impellor seals.  There are no "seals" on the turbo shaft (they would never survive the environment)  The turbos rely on slingers and baffles to keep the oil out of the exhaust and compressor housings.  

[Lengrep]

And of course, Turbosmart won't ship to California...  I'm sending a follow up inquiry...

 

edit:  I just looked them up.  The US sales office is in California!  I'll call them...

Edited August 20 by Lengrep
new information

[74turbojay]

Yes, oil draining out of the turbo into the oil pan is the other issue.  The factory replacement turbo gives a little bit of down slope to the oil pan. The turbo from Oldenzaal Classics has a bigger housing so there’s not as much of a drop.  Please tell me more about these slingers and baffles. Thanks!

[Preyupy]

This gives a good explanation of how turbos are oiled.   Oil is fed to the bearings and when it comes out it falls to the bottom of the housing and drains back to the pan.  If the oil is not allowed to flow from the housing it will work itself past the shaft sealing system and wind up either in the exhaust housing (SMOKE!!!) or in the compressor housing where it gets blown into the cylinders  (SMOKE again).  Something as simple as a clogged crankcase breather that causes ANY pressure to build up in the crankcase will cause oil to get past the turbo seals.  If you have a new turbo that is smoking check your oil return line and crankcase breather FIRST.  

 

The Turbocharger Oil and Gas Sealing System - Garrett Motion

WWW.GARRETTMOTION.COM

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Turbocharger oil leakage is one of the most known cases of turbo failure. Understanding how the sealing system works is mandatory. 🛢️

 

[tisalover]

Byron, thank you as always for your brilliance and extraordinarily in-depth understanding, and sharing it with the rest of us. Really appreciate it. It's nice to get smarter.

Thanks again, Peter

[74turbojay]

My oil return was previously piped into the oil drain plug hole with the Garrett installed.  Korman routed it into the front of the oil pan with the factory replacement turbo installed.  Where is the factory location supposed to be?  The Oldenzaal turbo is currently installed and the drop into the pan is non-existent.  We haven’t fired it up yet.   Where does everyone have their oil return mounted in your cars’ oil pan?   Thanks again!

[Preyupy]

The oil return on a stock TURBO runs. Into the oil pan at the front of the engine.  You want the return line to exit ABOVE the normal oil level in the pan. Other manufacturers have ports in the side of the block but BMW did not build a specific block for the turbo so they had to use the oil pan.  Any restriction in the free flow of the oil back to the crankcase will cause a buildup of oil in the turbo and it WILL SMOKE.  
 

If the return has a low spot that oil can collect that is enough restriction to cause a smoking problem.  If there is even 1/4psi of crankcase pressure that is enough to make it smoke. 

[74turbojay]

Thank you for the info!  I think I'm screwed then...  If I didn't care, I would mount the turbo up top like a modern car, but I want to keep the look stock.   If anyone has a solution, I'm all ears. 

Edited August 26 by 74turbojay

[Preyupy]

Are you not working on a factory Turbo?  You bought the BMW replacement turbo?  Where is the return currently routed to? 

Where is your crankcase breather?  How big is it?  where is it routed to?  If it was doing this with a different turbo then it sounds like you have a basic plumbing problem and not necessarily a Turbo problem.  Are you getting oil in the intake track (the path from the turbo to the intake valves)?  You are not running the turbo with a carburetor BEFORE the turbo are you (draw through carb)? 

 

Race engines that run low mounted turbos frequently use one stage of the dry sump oil pump just to scavenge the oil out of the turbo just for this reason. If the oil does not leave the turbo faster than it gets pumped into it you will have a problem.  

Edited August 26 by Preyupy

[74turbojay]

First of all, I am not a technician, so your directions are over my head, sorry!  This is a factory Turbo 2002, Vin# 4290164.  Korman rebuilt the engine and replaced the existing Garrett turbo with a factory replacement turbo which I bought.  It is currently out getting repaired, as Korman was over it’s head with it, and it blew one of the seals from too much pressure/not enough drainage, and there is no inventory from BMW for a replacement turbo.  The current oil drain (return?) to the oil pan is in the front of the oil pan. While we wait for the factory turbo to return, I thought we (my technician at the BMW center where I work) would install the Oldenzaal KKK/Borg Warner turbo unit until we get the factory turbo back.  I bought the Oldenzaal unit, only to find out 2 weeks later, BMW released the factory replacement.  Maybe I should just wait for the factory replacement turbo to return instead of this adventure.  We installed the Turbosmart oil pressure regulator, but the  there is not enough drop to the oil pan.  We have not fired up the engine yet to see if it smokes.  It most likely will, as the housing of this Oldenzaal unit is basically at the same height as the oil return in the pan.  I don’t know what crankcase breather is, how big it is, and I don’t know where it’s located, sorry again!  I will talk to the tech about that.  Yes, I have a basic plumbing issue but no one can address it.  If there was a turbo whisperer in the Northeast, I would certainly like to know.   I have had the car for 4 years, and it has smoked ever since I bought it.

Edited August 27 by 74turbojay

[Preyupy]

The vent is in the valve cover and the hose runs to the air filter housing. The stock oil drain back into the front of the oil pan should work.  Can you post a picture of the turbo mounted with the drain back hose connected. That might help.  I have built 4 of these engines and serviced 3 others all but 1 of them had original kkk turbos.