oil in turbo outlet

I'm halfway into the manifold replacement procedure. I'm doing it slowly because it's nearly 40 degrees C in my driveway...


When I pulled the compressor hose off the turbo, I was working from underneath, and I noticed a small bit of oil in the outlet. Not much, just some accumulated drops.

From what I have read the pressure in the compressor supposedly pushes oil back into the bearing under operating conditions, and the compressor side therefore should be fairly clean. The car doesn't blow oil smoke, and I have not noticed the oil level going down.

Has anyone else noticed oil? Do the Garett turbos have a wear pattern when it comes to seals - eg how are high mileage N22's doing, turbo seal wise?

Has anyone here checked if oil accumulates in low places such as the intercooler?


Thanks.

Usualy you will always find some oil in the whole intake system.
Every turbocharger after time starts to lose a bit of oil which is completly normal, and if you did noticed any smoke from the exhaust or rough engine operating is nothing to wory about.
If you will look on the intake pipe ( there is underpreasure ) you can notice that there are two hoses conected to it ( breathers from engine head cover and from engine block ) trough which are "sucked" oil vapours from the engine and recycled ( burned ) in the combustion camber

Oil misting is OK on comp side shouldn't be puddles of oil though.

Of coure they should.
The oil vapours from the breathers are sucked in the intake side of the charger and they travel trough it on the comp side and all the system to the cylinderhead.
Puddles...I don't understand well the quantity of oil you did find, however in the OEM system you will always find oil

It's a diesel. Consider it free fuel.

Free fuel.. what a bonus!

OK thanks for your replies. I think my system is operating within normal parameters.