Oil leaking from the top pipe into the intercooler- enough to make a decent mess running down the outside of the intercooler.

I appreciate it’s difficult without pics but should I drive it or not?

Cheers

Huttopia

Assuming it's a 300tdi with oil cooler in the radiator I used to get a leak from the union from time to time. Tightening (carefully) the union usually solved the problem.

Minor oil leaks are not too much of a problem on the tdi, in fact they help keep the chassis rust free

Yes a 300tdi- it’s the pipe at the bottom left of this picture (you can’t actually see the joint in the pic)

Click image to enlarge

Regardless of whether there is excessive oil in the inlet tract, it shouldn’t leak from where the hose goes onto the intercooler. You have a leak there that will also be leaking air under boost. Check/replace the Jubilee clip.

Tdi engines often have quite a lot of oil in the intake. I would suggest that so long as you are not loosing enough oil to be noticeable on the dipstick over say 100 miles then it’s probably not worth worrying about.

Thanks. I tightened the jubilee clip and checked the engine oil, which was fine. I suspect the turbo is on the way out.

That’s possible, but unlikely. Tdi turbos are very robust.

Far more likely and worth checking is the cyclone breather being blocked up and passing oil into the intake system. To test this, clean out all the pipes and intercooler etc. and then divert the pipe from the breather into a catch can secure somewhere. Block off the inlet pipe stub and go for a decent drive. If the oil is still appearing then the turbo is passing it and needs replacing. If not then the breather is at fault.

Huttopia wrote:

Yes a 300tdi- it’s the pipe at the bottom left of this picture (you can’t actually see the joint in the pic)

Click image to enlarge

Sorry to divert from the op question, but what is that unit with the belt on, just below the header tank in the pic please  1996 Golf Blue 300Tdi 110 Pick up. Keeper.

Clayton.

Aircon compressor.

I would give the cyclone a clean out or just replace it, Me and my dad replaced ours with Ali sport units. Defender TD5 90 ---/--- Peugeot 306 HDI hatch back

Success is 90% Inspiration and 4 minutes Preparation # you can make it!

csw110 wrote:

Aircon compressor.

Thought it was, just making sure, many thanks  1996 Golf Blue 300Tdi 110 Pick up. Keeper.

Clayton.

The intercooler should be flushed every 50,000 miles. Land Rover used to sell acetone for this purpose. Similarly the cyclone should be flushed or rinsed out frequently. It is not a Defender, it is a One_Ten

Ok, so the turbo is on its way out. I don’t know if it is most cost effective to send it off for repair / exchange / get a new one. Any recommendations?

Thanks

Huttopia

Depends if you have a budget to stick to, if not, when Millie's turbo finally goes, i will be putting a vnt in  1996 Golf Blue 300Tdi 110 Pick up. Keeper.

Clayton.

I don’t want to spend any cash I don’t have to on it, and I’d like to keep it as original as possible!

ok, no worries  1996 Golf Blue 300Tdi 110 Pick up. Keeper.

Clayton.