Manager Forum

I thought I would put this out here for some advice. I am not familiar with the older Chrysler vehicles, and haven't worked with small turbocharged engines (I just don't see many of them) So here is what I have:

!985 Chrysler LeBaron with the 2.2 inline 4 cylinder with a turbocharger. The customer has said the following:
Had the car for "a while now" and over the past year have not driven it. Customer states he HAS started it up each month for about 15 minutes. Recently when he started it up, it began smoking heavily.

Now when he drove it into the shop, I immediately thought he was working for the city and trying to take care of our mosquito problem! This thing puts out a smoke screen that many military personel would love to have covering them in the field! No engine knocking, just a heavy smoke. Now I am thinking it could be rings finally giving up the ghost, or the turbo oil supply is leaking into the turbo itself. Do any of you that have dealt with these have a suggestion on how to tell if it is the turbo or not? I would like to either be able to find a way to exclude the turbo from being the failure without having to remove it from the car itself. Any suggestions? Tips? Ideas? Sticks of dynamite?....lol

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My money's on the turbo. Seen a couple lose the intake seal and it sucks LOTS of oil into the intake when they do.

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brother bubba wrote:...

My money's on the turbo. Seen a couple lose the intake seal and it sucks LOTS of oil into the intake when they do.

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I am inclined to agree with you and that was my first thought as I read the original post. And, I wonder the same thing as the original post - is there any way to identify the source of this turbo oil leak without removing it?

My money is on the turbo as well. Maybe seperate the air supply, from turbo to engine, that way no smoke from turbo can get to intake.

Thanks for the input. I will look into that. I was thinking more along the lines of the seal between the oil supply and the actual inlet from the exhaust being the culprit. I will look into the other possibilities mentioned. If it were being forced into the intake, I should obviously see signs of oil in the inlet of the intake I am assuming?

Prob the turbo is leaking into the exhaust. Remove O2 sensor and run to see if it smokes before the turbo.

If it's black smoke it may be the waste gate. If it's gray the oil seal is trashed on the turbo. Have fun.............

White smoke. like oil being poured directly onto a hot manifold.

MarionB2BAuto wrote:White smoke. like oil being poured directly onto a hot manifold.

Turbo done went south on it. Hard o imagine one of these justifying the cost of repairs...

This is a basic seal rot issue, or so it seems to me. Unless the customer decided to get into the gas pedal this time while starting it for some absurd reason. I doubt it since there is no accompanying noises. If this came into my shop i would drop the whole drive train onto a dolly. In my geographical location i know no matter what it's going to fight me every inch of the way so i want it on my battle field. Since you asked for advise about what to look for make sure the coolant and oil tubes will be reusable and the turbo may not come (really don't think so) a waste gate diaphragm. This should be replaced even if it's working because of it's age if you don't want the customer returning with a black smoke bucking issue. After a few years even in the best conditions the bolts they used to mount the turbo really become part of the manifold and really need to be coaxed out. If one breaks it's almost impossible without a diamond bit to bore it.

When i get jobs like this i always think outside the box and treat them like i'm disarming a bomb. When these first came out i was working in a shop across from the local chrystler dealer and i did a few of these. In the best of circumstances with wrenches bent to work it sucked. The last one i did i swore it was my last but being a bit older and wiser i would do another but only by dropping the power train and an open check book. This is defiantly off the normal work chart and in all seriousness if i were to quote the job i would minimize it at 2 grand. I would include all the motor mounts in the quote and not the insert for the lower front, the brackets usually crack on these and will tear away and cut the harness, bolts and front pipe gasket or it will creak when accelerating (a little grease on the donut will go a long way), look very carefully at the oil & water feed and return lines, and don't forget the 02 and possible contaminated converter. This probably needs rear springs as well and should be included. I usually do since the cost of the repair would make me feel the customer would want visual satisfaction as well as physical.


Another thing here is i would charge an hours labor to work up a quote. Anything over 15 years old unless i've been servicing it all along gets treated as an antique and all regular or normal shop (can't think of the correct wording so ill say) operations are put in my desk draw. Good luck.

This is a bad seal in the Turbo. I have changed hundereds of these things back in the day. If you do the job be careful of the brass water cooler line adapters that screw into the turbo. If you break them while taking the line off these fittings are no longer available.

In the old days I would be able to complete one in 45 min. Now that I'm fatter and older and haven't done one in years probably a half a day at least lol.

Bill H
Bill's Auto Care

billh wrote:This is a bad seal in the Turbo. I have changed hundereds of these things back in the day. If you do the job be careful of the brass water cooler line adapters that screw into the turbo. If you break them while taking the line off these fittings are no longer available.

In the old days I would be able to complete one in 45 min. Now that I'm fatter and older and haven't done one in years probably a half a day at least lol.

Bill H
Bill's Auto Care

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I've done the rebuild thing many years ago. Found it was a lot easier just to replace the cartridge. Even still, you run into the crystalized bolts that have become one with the housing.

Oh and by the way, welcome to the Forum !!!!

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I will take all of this under advisement. I was figuring the turbo was going to have to be replaced. Kinda one of those gut feelings you know? thanks for the input.