996 Turbo Oil Feed Pipe Removal

996 Turbo Oil Feed Pipe Removal

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996TT02

Original Poster:

3,308 posts

140 months

Saturday 17th August 2013
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My previous googling did not offer any reliable answers so here goes.

This is not about the basics, there are assumptions made.

A bit of background.

If you need the turbo out, you need to disconnect the oil feed pipe, the one that goes into the check valve that supplies the turbo bearings. If you live in an area where roads are salted, the likelyhood is that it will be impossible to do this, and you will have to cut off the pipe, requiring a replacement.

Now this is all about the RH pipe. The LH may be simpler, it seems less kinked.

At first glance this pipe disappears into the claustrophobic oblivion that we call the engine bay, never to be seen again, but in reality this pipe is rather short and goes to the front of the engine, visible from the top and also underside.

It pays to survey the route well, and study all access points.

In the middle of the pipe is a retention clip/strap, remove the bolt.

A pipe spanner in 12mm will remove the engine-front end fitting, working from the underside, with great patience, and assisting the placement and retention of the spanner on the end fitting with another hand coming around the top of the exhaust. Important, this latter. Use lube and use a second spanner on the end of the first to gain leverage. And lie down, make yourself comfortable, think of England, swear at the Germans or whatever, because this is a one-flat-at-a-time jobbie.

That done, the main thing to know is that this pipe will eventually come out sideways, i.e. not to the rear or front of the vehicle, but to the side.

Remove the coil packs shield.

Remove all sensors (not O2) and coil pack connections that are in the way. Basically ALL of them.

Remove one coil pack, it will be obvious which one.

Unclip the O2 sensors wires from the retention clip on the chassis (no need to disconnect them) so you have the length of wire to manouver.

At this point it's just a bit or a lot of fiddling to pull the rearwards part of the pipe (the one that goes to the front of the engine) sideways and down, and the rest will be obvious.

It's not that difficult really, if fiddly, but it's far from obvious at first or second glance. The main reason for this write up is that there is online mention of engine-dropping, which is not at all necessary, and also, one may also think it essential to remove stuff that does not need removing and is a real pain to do so anyway, such as a main oil feed line and a coolant hose, this latter if one very reasonably imagines that the pipe is removable upwards to the rear.

Pic later...

jds686868

13 posts

140 months

Wednesday 30th October 2013
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Hi, did you take any photos of this procedure??
cheers
John

EvoSlayer

1,952 posts

185 months

Tuesday 1st April 2014
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Following on from the OP who tackled the RHS oil feed pipe, to complete the set here's how to remove the LHS.
Briefly, after recently changing the plugs I noticed that oil was oozing from the connection between the feed pipe and the check valve, not enough to drip on the floor but oozing nontheless. First move was to slacken off the nut and re-tighten. This only made things worse as oil was now pissing out, not past the threads but past the flare on the pipe and up between the pipe and nut.

So, with a few bits removed...



The lower end of the feed pipe is obvious and fairly easy to remove with a decent pipe spanner, along with the check valve.



The only thing that needs to be removed to gain access to the other end of the feed pipe is the air box...






Once both ends are removed the only other thing holding the pipe in place is a bracket on the side of the head held in place with one bolt.

Finally the part of the job that involves the most faffing and jiggling is the puzzle known as liberating the pipe from the car.

Offending parts removed...



Refitting is the reverse of removal smile

Hope this along with the OP helps to dispel some of the internet mythology that replacing these pipes is an engine out job.

Cheers

Homer J

789 posts

218 months

Tuesday 1st April 2014
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Great post. It's been a while since we've seen your how to posts clap

I had most of my turbo oil pipe work replaced about 18 months ago when I had the turbos upgraded. Certainly wasn't an engine out job as you say.

Tricky at times, but not that bad smile

EvoSlayer

1,952 posts

185 months

Tuesday 1st April 2014
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Cheers fella, trickiest bit is actually freeing pipe from car!

Must catch up at Malton this year.

Homer J

789 posts

218 months

Tuesday 1st April 2014
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I ended up with a nasty leak a few days after, from the fitting on top of the drivers side turbo. Thought it was the oil catch pot at first, as the oil was running down this.

Got there in the end though.

As for the breakfast, it will be good to meet up mate. I'll probably be mooching around with Leigh smile

chriscoates81

482 posts

132 months

Wednesday 31st August 2016
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Just to resurrect an old thread, does much oil come out the engine when this pipe is removed as I'm going to be changing my left turbo and have been advised to change this as well. Also does the turbo unit come out easily once bumper and that duct on the left have been removed (read something about the manifold needing removing as well but not sure why). Also should i just remove the sump plug from the turbo unit rather than drain the whole engine?

Edited by chriscoates81 on Wednesday 31st August 17:44

cheshire911

45 posts

140 months

Friday 2nd September 2016
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The turbo reservoirs hold around 250ml of oil. You do not drain the engine.
The n/s pipe is not easy to do and access can be a problem.

Did you post about this on 9811uk?

chriscoates81

482 posts

132 months

Friday 2nd September 2016
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I've got a similar thread on 911uk.

Todd-t9xbb

1 posts

106 months

Saturday 8th August 2020
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Hi all,

Resurrecting this thread to help others (and me!).

Im in the process of doing the turbos, now need to remove the OP's oil lines.

Passenger-side comes out very easily. Just followed instructions and it was out.

But the driver-side is more problematic. I have managed to get it out but Im questioning if I'll be able to get the new one in. There is one sensor I would like to remove but Im not sure what it is - can anyone identify it please (circled in red at the top of the picture).

Also, If anyone else has managed to thread the oil line back in and has any extra tips (or video?!) please share. If I can I'll video it going in, assuming I can do it

Thanks in advance
Todd.

996TT02

Original Poster:

3,308 posts

140 months

Sunday 9th August 2020
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Looks like cam position sensor, no harm in removing and replacing.