I use an inspection mirror and a universal joint on a hand driver with the 10mm socket. It gets easier the more you do it.

 

Swivel joint and short 10mm socket worked for me, If you have a stubby , short ratchet it helps with the room and hitting things. Like have the size of a normal ratchet. That's for the bottom, for the top I used a small minute wrench with a 10mm box end.

Take your time s you don't bang up your hands, that heat shield metal is shap on the sides.

 

I used a 1/4" drive ratchet. My hands are too big to get the bolts on the front, near the radiator, started when reassembling, but my wife was able to get the bolts started for me.

Dave

 

the 1/4" ratchet ended up working. got the down pipe out, didn't have to remove the studs. not sure how people even remove them. I just have the turbo support bracket heatshield to go. looks like thats held on with the turbo bracket bolt and one other screw?

this is a stupid question. but after I get the line on. can I start the car and rev it a few times to check for leaks without the down pipe and heatshields on? or is this risky?

also, the down pipe to exhaust connection had a metal washer thing with a bunch of bent tabs on it, can I just straighten out the tabs and reuse?

lastly, noticed the turbo to down pipe gasket was 2 half pieces, where as the one I ordered from DT is just one piece.

 

200+ miles after installing the replaced turbo oil line, The Toby is running like a champ again with no oil loss issues. I'm glad I now know how to put my car into service mode, but I don't hope to do it again any time soon.
(Gabe, I did not have any success getting the lower heat shield off without putting the car into service mode.)

 

You can't detect a leak that way unless maybe you've only screwed the line on halfway. It'll be LOUD!!!

 

I got the feed line off today. heres some photos of the area, wanted to know if you guys see any issues. thanks

http://imgur.com/a/Izll1

you can click on each image to make it big. the fresh liquid on that silver layered looking block, I think the oil cooler. is pb blaster.

 

Are you also replacing the return line? Looks like it is leaking as well.

 

You don't want to start it with out the down pipe on..one is that the O2 sensor will not be plugged in and reading so its going to give you a SES light, the other thing is it starts to warm up right away...and if you want to start to put it back together right way...it's going to be very hot. to touch and work around.

 

I'm replacing my leaking lines this weekend with the Detroit line and return line.
is there any tips, tricks or things i should know to get it done fast/easy than usual?


BTW Thanks TJ for the koozie and bottle opener.

 

yes I'm replacing it, although I think its oil from the feed line thats on it. I've heard the return lines go bad shortly after the feed line. why no aftermarket return line then? I noticed the rubber seemed kinda hard, so guess its going to go bad soon maybe.

so should I put it back 100% together? also about the fitting ends on the feed line. how do I know how tight? someone mentioned they tightened them till they started to turn, is this too tight? also, since they are compression fittings, once they are tightened and then loosened for whatever reason, is the line no longer good?


I didn't need to go into service mode like some people, at least to get anything out. I havn't started reassembling yet.

another thing. the top o2 sensor I got out pretty easily, but thats before I thought about finding where its plugged into. the bottom sensor, I spent a couple minutes on that. mine was just on too tight. its common for that one to be super tight. you can follow the wire up and unplug it. I was able to snake my arm through behind the coolant tank with a flat head and pry the red cap out. that releases it. but that side of the plug is attached to the car with a clip/mount, I couldn't get it off so I had to break it, nothing a zip tie can't fix.

I got this about the o2 connectors from another forum in case you want to unplug them.

 

I'm the one who tightened until the fitting wanted to turn. I had a defective line and before I knew the line was defective I tried 'fixing' the continuing oil leak by tightening the fittings.

Detroit Tuned sent me a replacement for the defective part free of charge and I no longer have a leak. At least... it's been a week and I am no longer offended by the smell of oil burning on my downpipe.

Do NOT tighten until your fittings want to turn. That is not necessary.

 

ok, thanks. bummer about your line.

do you know if the line is suppose to go to the right of this small heat shield? the oem one did, to protect it from the exhaust I'm guessing. however to get the DT line to go to the right would require like a 90 degree bend in the line, I don't know if I should try bending it that much. if its not protected by that heatshield I'm afraid the oil could cook.

edit: I got it to the right of that shield but its below the return hose...?

 

It definitely... DEFINITELY needs to be to the right of that heatshield. The exhaust manifold hear night MELT your line. It's made of plastic under that stainless steel braid, you know.

Try keeping the fittings loose until it's where you want it to be. Detroit Tuned's online installation guide had a helpful picture to show the path.

 

Take a picture for us? I don't know what you mean exactly.

 

thanks. I didn't know it was made of plastic. in this picture the line is going under the return hose. the oem line went above it. I think its touching the oil cooler and the bottom of the return hose the way its routed in the photo.

edit: i may be wrong about the oem line going above the return hose. do you know? i think it goes either between the oil cooler and engine or oil cooler and return hose?

edit2: think I figured it out.

wondering if I should put anti seize on the 3 turbo to downpipe bolts. is 29.5 ft. lbs. torque correct for those 3 bolts? seems like a lot. a guide I read said 14.7 ft. getting the lower end of the line to not move into the return hose while tightening the fitting was tough. hope I got it tight enough. its touching the return hose's silver heat shielding cause I couldn't keep it close to the engine while tightening.

 

looking for this photo?

 

It' been several hundred miles, over a week, and my downpipe is BONE DRY! Thank GOD! Been fighting this oil leak with zero success for over six months and now it's fixed. Now for it to be delegated to long term memory and eventually forgotten. =)

 

thats good. I finished up today. so far so good. just some smoke from the pb blaster and anti seize probably. were you able to get your line in so it wasn't touching the bottom edge of that exhaust heatshield? mine is touching it and the oil cooler, as well as the engine, I attached a photo of it touching. seems like they could have bent it a lot more.

I was also able to reinstall everything without service mode with no fuss. the top heatshield was a little tricky to get back in place. but removing the oil dipstick tube helped.

 

How long can a oil leak on the turbo go b4 it messes something up. I can't tell if mine was from an earlier leak or a leak happing now, I don't have an extra 1800 sitting around

 

well I bought my car with 57k and it was wet on the turbo. and just replaced my line at 63k. not sure how much longer it would hold up for. don't push the line in or out. it will just loosen up the o-ring's seal.

$1800 is too much for this job. you could probably get it done for around $500-600 from an independent. i think the dealer wanted $1000.

 

http://www.harborfreight.com/http-ww...4432-html.html + extension / deep socket


Worked great for this lower heat shield bolts. I would say it cut my installation / reassembly time in half.

 

My line does not touch the engine block. You can loosen the top fitting, turn it until it doesn't touch, re-tighten. =)

 

I'm sry I was just throwing out a number on what I thought a complete turbo job would be around here

 

So what happened with this leak? I too have the same problem. I've previously replaced my oil feed line with a Detroit tuned line. I don't see where the leak could be coming from except inside the bell housing.