Installing New Turbo - Should Oil Line Be Primer?

[Trav33]

I put my new turbo on about a year ago, but was talking to a mechanic the other day. He installs turbos on trucks, and made a point about priming the oil lines before the engine is started for the first time. This is so the turbo isnt without oil for the first few seconds.

Does this apply to our Skylines too?

Should we prime the main oil line when doing a turbo change?

I've read a few tutorials on here, but never heard anything mentioned about priming.

[MANWHORE]

Do you know why the tutorials don't say to do it? I've found that whenever I read the tutorials, they are only a starting point. I can always improve them in many ways.

e.g. for the rb25/20, I never lever the turbo off the manifold to undo the 24mm banjo bolt behind it, because it bends the line. I remove the oil line from underneath (1 bolt), then the water banjo has clear access without bending stuff.

The people who wrote the tutorials may not be perfectionists like I am.

I would prime it. But on the other hand, if I was to do it aussie style in a she'll be right fashion, I'd just fang the turbo in, start it, and fang it.

Edited March 31, 2007 by MANWHORE

[Trav33]

Was it hard to prime Manwhore? The main oil line is the one that goes to the rear of the engine, so thats almost impossible to disconnect and squirt oil down?!?

[Cubes]

  MANWHORE said:

e.g. for the rb25/20, I never lever the turbo off the manifold to undo the 24mm banjo bolt behind it, because it bends the line. I remove the oil line from underneath (1 bolt), then the water banjo has clear access without bending stuff.

A bit off topic but I always remove the oil feed, the outer water banjo then get under the car and remove the oil drain and inside banjo, I crack it with a couple of spanners and then usea ratchet ringy to remove it.

Its usually recommended to connect everything up, leave the oil drain disconnected and spin the car over (not starting) and wait until you see oil coming out of the turbo's oil drain.

[Trav33]

  Cubes said:

Its usually recommended to connect everything up, leave the oil drain disconnected and spin the car over (not starting) and wait until you see oil coming out of the turbo's oil drain.

Is this for peace of mind, so you know the turbos getting a good supply of oil?

[Cubes]

lol... probably piece of mind.

I've never bothered looking etc.

I've always gave it a prime though, just never looked as the turbo will always receive oil if its oil feed is connected.

If its not, either is the motor.

[dangerman4]

yes it should be primed by removing the plug to the CAS and cranking till you see the oil pressure gauge on the dash start to move.

then plug CAS back in and start.

Trucks and heavy diesels need there lines primed because theres no easy way to stop them from firing when you turn them over.

plus the oil feed line is a lot bigger and a lot easier to get to then our low mounts.

cheers

Darren

[saliya]

  Trav33 said:

I put my new turbo on about a year ago, but was talking to a mechanic the other day. He installs turbos on trucks, and made a point about priming the oil lines before the engine is started for the first time. This is so the turbo isnt without oil for the first few seconds.

MTQ (the Aust. distributors for Garrett) says 'yes'. They recommended that this be

done when they supplied my T04Z.

I cut ignition and injectors by pulling fuses; and turned the car over till

oil came out the feed line, connected the feed and cranked a few more

seconds before replacing and firing it up. This is much easier IMO than

watching for oil coming from the drain side; though possibly not as thorough.

It took a surprising amount of cranking - for about 5 seconds a go, about

6 times (30 sec or so total) to see the oil come out the feed line.

Regards,

Saliya

[Cubes]

  saliya said:

This is much easier IMO than watching for oil coming from the drain side; though possibly not as thorough.

There's no logic in the statement.

If you think about it its actually easier shoving a small ice cream container under the oil drain prior to connecting it to the block. Much tidier than trying to catch the oil leaving the oil feed. As for one being more thorough than the other.. well... yer

[Ol_Mate]

It doesn't mention anything about priming the oil lines before hooking them up in the Nissan service manual.

can't be too bad, just so long as you can see that the oil pressure and water temp isn't skyrocketing, it should be fine. let the car idle for about 10-15 minutes and monitor the vitals before you go leaving black tyre marks all up and down your street.

Edited April 1, 2007 by Ol_Mate

[sinistaGTR]

just dont start and flog it......i mean you sit there for a few seconds/minutes letting the car warm up and way and double checking theres no leaks etc.....so it will get plenty of oil

[saliya]

  Cubes said:

There's no logic in the statement.

Hey,

Sure there is; I connected my turbo and all lines/drains for fit prior to putting fluids etc. in the motor

because I had to fabricate the lines and the drain.

So I had to remove something in order to verify the prime... that would be the drain underneath

(a pain) or the fitting on top (trivial ).

I should mention all my oil lines are braided; doing that with inflexible pipe

would be another thing entirely.

  Quote

If you think about it its actually easier shoving a small ice cream container under the oil drain prior to connecting it to the block. Much tidier than trying to catch the oil leaving the oil feed. As for one being more thorough than the other.. well... yer

If you have a known-fitting drain, then maybe you prime it before you

refit the drain, as you say. Because mine had to be test-fitted, once it

was there I didn't want to remove it again...

I mentioned it might not be as thorough because the entire assembly's not primed;

the actual difference is probably negligible.

Regards,

Saliya

[Kinks]

just stick your fingers down the intake and grab the compressor wheel while you start the engine.. if it's not spinning for the first few seconds until you get oil pressure the bearing can't be damaged

(no responsibility taken for damage to fingers caused by spinning comp wheel )

[R31Nismoid]

  dangerman4 said:

yes it should be primed by removing the plug to the CAS and cranking till you see the oil pressure gauge on the dash start to move.

then plug CAS back in and start.

Thats exactly what ive always done, and will be doing in a few weeks.

All thats needed if you know for certain the lines were clean when being installed on the car

[Chigga311]

  R31Nismoid said:

Thats exactly what ive always done, and will be doing in a few weeks.

All thats needed if you know for certain the lines were clean when being installed on the car

I was told to put a teaspoon full of 10W30 in the inlet.

Then spin the compressor wheel by hand a couple of times

Then pull the CAS or if you have plug wires disconnect them and crank for a couple of times.

Then let the car idle for a couple of Min's, then your good to go.

[rb20inside]

disconnecting the ignitor is easy or i have also done the fingers on the blades method.

both reach the desired result.

[Cubes]

Disconnecting the cas or fuel pump (plug in the boot) is a better option.

By disconnecting the ignitor you still have fuel pushing in to your cylinders.

[Trav33]

I think it might be a good idea to bleed the cooling system after a turbo-change too. Was reading another thread about a turbo which failed, possibly because air was in the cooling system and may have lead to engine damage.

[benl1981]

just serching to find the answer to my question abut priming the turbo. I've cranked for about 30 seconds in total and still no oil at turbo inlet - should I just keep goig and see if it gets there. Anyone else hd this problem?

thanks

[Cubes]

Keep on crankin'.

It took mine quite a while; give it shots of 20secs or so then give the starter a rest for 20 or so then do it again.

Not sure if the starter cool down is required or not; I didn't like the idea of hammering the starter too much.