Turbo oil feed and drain pipe advice

**beeRS** · 08-06-2019, 08:30

Hi,

Can any of you knowledgable folk give me some advice on making up and routing oil pipes for my turbo installation. I know most oil feeds will link up to the oil pressure sender, but on a Duratec the sender is on the inlet side of the engine, and the turbo is, of course, on the exhaust side. Its no big deal to run a line around the engine to get to it, but is there an easier/neater way? Can I drill and tap a feed from the exhaust side of the block or head? Where would be a good high oil pressure location for this be?

Also, what size line would be appropriate for the feed? I was thinking dash 4 with banjo fittings either end.

For the drain, I was thinking a large bore (maybe 12mm ID) rubber tube to the sump, with a weld in hose tail fitting at the sump end. Should the oil drain enter the sump high or low, or does it make no difference?

Sorry - that's a lot of questions. Any advice would be most appreciated

**Graham** · 08-06-2019, 08:45

cant help much on the feed, but i do have experience on the drain side of things, your bore size sounds about right, but run the drain so that it enters ABOVE the oil level, it will flow away better that way, if its below the oil then you may find under certain conditions, particularly when the oil is cold that the oil can back up the drain and make the turbo smoke, i know that one from experience!

**katana** · 08-06-2019, 10:08

I've only experience with turbo's on bikes but principles are the same - we have found -3 oil feed lines are usually sufficient and even have to jet down to avoid 'over supply' that tend to leak past the bearing seals. Ball bearing turbos especially don't need high pressure oil - just adequate flow. Drain -12 / 1/2" is fine and straight down, as vertical as possible into sump above oil level. If you have to have a long feed line i'd add in a one way valve to hold oil in the line for cold start-ups. Best tip for longevity - don't stop engine immediately after a drive / thrash, 30 seconds of tickover cools the core sufficiently to avoid toasting the oil in the bearings or definately use the watercooling facility - not an option for most bikes LOL!

**wildo105e** · 08-06-2019, 13:04

The best way would be to compare to a 2wd yb turbo. They are laid out just like a duratec. They run a line from the inlet side right around to the turbo and the drain goes straight in the sump on the other side. As said run the drain above the oil, look at the cosworth sump that does it to the front on the flat part. I have all the parts that i bought for a pinto turbo so can measure if you need but i think -4 for feed and -12 for return seem right from memory.

Just a thought the 4wd yb has a feed from the head so it could be an option on the duratec ?

**Leafy** · 30-11-2019, 23:23

I pulled mine off the oil pressure port. I ran stainless -4 hardline the whole way.

For the drain, most people go into the block because the engine off oil level almost goes to the top of the pan on the MX5 pan. I still did mine on the pan because the running oil level ends up below the drain fitting. I always weld on female pipe threads and use a pipe and AN adapter if I have room because it's the worse feeling ever to dent the flare on a welded on aluminum AN fitting.

**beeRS** · 07-02-2022, 09:43

Bringing back this old thread to expand the questions.

What do we think about fittings that screw into the turbo - both for oil and water? I would have liked to use plated steel or stainless steel, as these are screwing into the cast iron turbo body of the turbo. I can find M14x1.5 to AN4 fittings in stainless no problem, but M14x1.5 to AN6 for water lines just don't seem to exist in anything but aluminium!

I guess my question really is, is it okay to use aluminium AN fittings screwed into a turbo, bearing in mind the heat and the issue of dissimilar metals corroding?

**stevieturbo** · 12-02-2022, 21:10

just use banjos ?

or regular steel fittings.

Not that there is much wrong with regular alloy AN fittings though. But often screwed connections there are more hassle than they're worth as space is usualyl very limited.

**katana** · 13-02-2022, 12:46

Hmmm ! Banjo's for water - not convinced personally as not regarded as a 'flow' fitting. Regular plated steel should be good and better range of sizes. Isn't an AN-6 a bit small for water cooling - i'd think 3/8" / 10mm bore would be a good minimum - good flow is paramount.

**stevieturbo** · 13-02-2022, 16:19

Originally Posted by katana

Hmmm ! Banjo's for water - not convinced personally as not regarded as a 'flow' fitting. Regular plated steel should be good and better range of sizes. Isn't an AN-6 a bit small for water cooling - i'd think 3/8" / 10mm bore would be a good minimum - good flow is paramount.

OEM have used banjos for water on turbos for decades. They're compact, they work, they're reliable...and it's not like they need to flow a few thousand litres per minute.