Turbo oil feed pipe?

[neiljohnson]

Had a very small leak on my turbo oil feed pipe (focus rs) so had a look expecting to change the copper washers & that be it but when I touched the bolt (by hand no tools) it fell in two bits


Is this just a case of the bolt getting old & fatigue getting to it (it lives in a very harsh environment) or am I missing something it's not been touched in over a year & only just started leaking

[Boosted LS1]

Vibration in the feed pipe perhaps. I'd guess at fatigue but that's just a guess.

[stevieturbo]

Well...it is a Ford lol

Definitely shouldnt happen, but then sometimes stuff just does happen.

[anonymous-user]

Classic "overtightening" failure (where it "necks" at the base of the non threaded shank, with the threads that are engaged being supported by the female threadform.

I think you've probably just been very lucky!

There is probably a degree of thermal loading into that joint as well, and definately a large vibration component (as the turbo is "out on a limb" from the crank axis).

I suspect it has been over tightened and the thread form cracked at the base of the notch, but still had enough clamp force to hold the sealing washers. Then over time it has relaxed, eventually resulting in an oil leak when the clamp load has fallen too far. Then, you just happened to come along at touch it, resulting in a complete failure !


Like i said, count yourself lucky ;-)