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Re: My intercooler drips oil, how bad is this? Posted by Ari [Email] (#2847) [Profile/Gallery] (more from Ari) on Wed, 23 May 2001 09:10:27 In Reply to: My intercooler drips oil, how bad is this?, Wes, Tue, 22 May 2001 19:12:42 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
It is normal to have some oil in the intake system. The turbo seals aren't perfect. But the biggest reason is that oil-laden crankcase air is pulled into the intake to be burned through the PCV valve. Some of that oil gets back into the induction system, and down the pipes into the intercooler and everywhere else.
As the others have pointed out, if you truly are leaking from the intercooler, then it's got a hole, and that's not good. That's a vacuum leak when the turbo isn't boosting, and a way to lose boost when it is.
However, I'm going to suggest that your intercooler isn't leaking oil. Sorry to ask the question, but are you sure you're looking at the intercooler, and not the oil cooler? The intercooler has BIG pipes going in and out, and the oil cooler has much smaller oil lines. Sorry, I had to ask. Next, are you sure the oil is coming from the intercooler? There are many places that can leak oil, and oil will flow down pipes and wires and drip out at the strangest places. Oil could be leaking from the oil cooler at one side of the engine compartment, drip onto the cross-beam under the radiator, and end up finding a way out just under the intercooler. To be sure, clean the bottom of the intercooler well, and see if you can find the leak. I suspect it's from someplace else. Is your car an automatic? Could it be tranny fluid you see? Again, more oil lines, and more oil coolers and thermostats to leak.
Just a thought.
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