Covered in oil... What does it mean???

[Richard]

So while I was changing the spark plugs and hunting for the illusive IAC valve, I came across a startling image. The whole cold side of the turbo and nearby hoses were covered in grungy assed oil. I mean caked. I've got 130,000 on the ticker and the turbo seems to put out fine, but ot does seem to make a wierd noise when it first spools up. It could be a leaky line or something, but should I be planning a turbo swap soon? Also, the inside of the intake hose to the turbo had a bit of oil in it. So did the resonator delete.

The noise has been there for a while, but I always thought it was the rattling exhaust heat shield by the oil filter (it has NO more meat on it where the bolts mount it). This is also ont the side of the motor that doesn't have a leaky valve cover gasket (the car has gone through three sets so far, but I haven't touched them since getting it at 100K). What do y'all think?

Also, I got codes 22, 24, and 35 as a bonus when I checked the ecu. I should've changed that damned canister purge solenoid last year.

[stipro]

The oil covered turbo is quite common, it usually just from the pcv system. Its most likely not an idication that the turbo is bad.

[Richard]

Hmmm, maybe so. I have not dicked with the motor much, as I'm scared I'll mess something up and have to drive the FOXBOX around again. I plan on degreasing the whole engine soon, but how do I keep this from happening? Like a pcv valve change or something? I mean, the whole area is quite grimey, but most of all the turbo. I may have just not noticed it until now, though. I'll try to take some pics tomorrow and hopefully find a place to host them.

And the funny noise sounds like a baseball card in a box fan for about a half second, right when I get on it at lower speeds. Boost guage shows around 8.5 and doesn't flutter or act abnormal.

Is there a term for automobile hypochondria?

[Arctic Assassian]

These cars do make alot of noises. I've never met a quiet SS.
The rattle you describe does sound like a heatshield to me. blasting the oil off your motor is a great idea. Get it hot. Park, remove the alternator, spray some foamy engine brite or simple green,or whatever you wanna use, and pressure wash the piss out of it.

It works great! After you get all the old oil out of the way, you can see where the new oil is coming from, and fix it.

[RJ93SS]

i just did mine with industrial strength simple green (pure) a couple of wire brushes, a wire brush hone and rag and it came out really nice and my engine was a mess, now i can see some of the small leaks i have, oh yeah and the turbo used to be black!

also when i did my intake mods i did notice some build up but are cars are 15-20 years old, i took all the hosses off and cleaned the insides really well and also changed the pcv valveand i honestly noticed a difference especially with throttle response and a smoother acceleration

[Richard]

I just found out where the pcv valve is located tonight. Hayne's manual FTW! I'll probably check that tomorrow to see if it's working properly. I did notice that the crappy spring clamp that holds the hose on was quite weak and was half slipped off when I was messing with it this past weekend (I didn't know that it was the pcv valve hose then, I just saw a loose looking hose clamp covered in oil). I'll definitely replace that with a better one when I check it.

It wouldn't be very likely that I'd be leaking oil from one of the turbo's oil lines if they're original and never monkeyed with, right? I always assume it's something worse when it comes to my car. Probably because it brings me so much joy.

Thanks for the help! I would have never thought of removing the alternator. I'll have to disconnect the battery in my trunk too.

For your help, here is a link to a website with a shitload of Top Gear videos.

http://www.tuninglinx.com/html/tuning-videos.html

[keirnna]

The turbo in lines shouldn't leak as they are metal and won't become brittle with heat like rubber lines. The oil return lines is rubber and it will dissolve on an engine so old.