Oil line info please.

[stu]

I have heard different things about using thread sealer (the wrap) on the oil feed lines. I have heard not to use it at all, I have heard just to make sure you don't get it on the flares, and I think I've also heard about using it some places and not others. Anyone want to help me out with this?

Oh yeah, I am talking about oil feed lines for my turbo project.

[Skaterkid]

I'm almost positive I didn't use it on my car. I'll double check with my friend to make sure. This is a bolt going into a banjo fitting right?

[stu]

No, just a bunch of NPT and AN fittings. I don't want any oil leaking anywhere, especially inside my car since I've got a mechanical oil guage in there.

[Mr. NoSkills]

i've always used the paste shit. i guess people don't like to use it in case some of the tape shit breaks off and finds it's way into your oil system.
never had any problem with the paste stuff though.

[ryanman]

If they have a flared end, do not use any sealant, tape, etc. No need to, that is waht the flare is for.

[stu]

So if I have a fitting that does not have a flare, could I just use tape instead of the little insert things you can buy?

[ryanman]

If it doesn't have a flare I'd use the teflon tape.

[Weston]

The flared stuff seals pretty good, but the NPT stuff needs some help. I use a little bit of high temp form-a-gasket stuff on the threads, and it works great. That special thread tape might work well too.

[stu]

Alright, thanks guys. I could have my oil pressure guage hooked up by today, with a cap on the "T" for the feed into the turbo. :)

[stu]

Weston, what did you do to tap the oil pan?

[Dustin]

Alright, thanks guys. I could have my oil pressure guage hooked up by today, with a cap on the "T" for the feed into the turbo. :)

Stu,

Dont run plastic tubing into your car for the oil pressure gauge. It will not pass tech. has to be copper tubing. FYI. Also, use the liquid teflon, pipe sealer, works much better.

[stu]

OH, I went through all kinds of trouble just to avoid that shit. And I didn't know it wouldn't even pass tech. Thanks though. I think the only thing I'll have to worry about is my battery in the trunk, it's in a box, but not a competition legal one. Are there different rules for test and tune than there are for competition nights?

[ryanman]

Personally I'd left the battery in the front. More weight, more traction.

[Dustin]

OH, I went through all kinds of trouble just to avoid that shit. And I didn't know it wouldn't even pass tech. Thanks though. I think the only thing I'll have to worry about is my battery in the trunk, it's in a box, but not a competition legal one. Are there different rules for test and tune than there are for competition nights?


NO, you tech once for the year, and are done. I don't have a rule book here at work, but I think if you put the battery in the trunk you have to have a kill switch on the car. :(

[HONDA GHANDI]

If you relocate the battery anywhere than its original position then it needsa external kill switch.

NPT threads= liquid teflon sealer
AN lines, assemble clean and dry, no sealer.

[stu]

Well, I know that I'll need a cut-off switch, but the box I'm currently using isn't sealed, which is okay with me, but not NHRA rules aparantly. I guess it either has to go in a real trunk, be sealed, or be behind an actual fire wall. I'm almost thinking that it'd be cheaper to make a damn fire wall around it than buying the $96 Morosoe one, and having to tear down my interior again to re-run the positive line all over again.

[stu]

Thanks Tobi, what about the 1/8th BSPT to 1/8NPT fitting that goes into the back of the block?


On a side note, if my turbo kit turns out anything like this 4 egg cheese omlet I just massacred, I'm screwed.

[john]

On something like an oil line, if you gotta use some type of 'lubricant' (teflon tape, teflon paste, etc), use paste. IMNSHO.

A/N fittings need nothing but a bit of torque to seal them, as they are designed to seal that way. NPT I'm not sure about.

[HONDA GHANDI]

NPT is just a brass tapered thread used inall kinds of plumbing so it needs a sealer also.
Yes on the sealer on the block Stu.
On a side note, Omlettes take practice, turbos take patience.

[stu]

Thanks guys, I'm going to go to the store to buy my last fitting here in just a few minutes. Are the threads mismatched if one fitting only screws in about half way into another one? Like the 3/8 fitting I have for my turbo oil inlet for instance? Or does it just need some lube or something?

[HONDA GHANDI]

Is it NPT? if so it is tapered so it sort of "locks" when the fitting is tightened.

[stu]

Yeah it's NPT, is that bad?

It looks like it's in there enough to feed the turbo though.

Oh yeah, is it safe to keep tightening it with a wrench after the initial lock when using your fingers? I don't want to strip my center housing.

[Weston]

Weston, what did you do to tap the oil pan?

I used a 1/2" drill bit to make the hole, bolted an old oil pickup pipe over it, and then I slid the hose and hose clamp on top of it. Just make sure make the hole is in the right place (not where the downpipe is going to go), and definately use some form-a-gasket because it will leak badly if you don't.

[HONDA GHANDI]

Its safe but not too tight. Thats what the sealer is there for. And if the fitting is brass it will strip log before teh iron center section of the turbo will.

[stu]

Hmm, I have three small leaks (more like seeps) in my lines so far. One right out of the block, one on the far side (furthest from block) of the "T", and one right on the back of the guage. I don't really know what I'm doing, so I'm going to go find some tape and use that. I used the liquid stuff John recommended, but I've never done this before so I don't think I did it right.

Oh yeah, the guage was reading 60psi before I shut it off.


Thanks for the help thus far though.

[stu]

Okay I think I've figured out the problems. The two that aren't on the block, I had to use compression sleves. Well, when I opened both of them up, the sleeves were all bent up in the wrong way. They shouldn't be bent at all right? Any advice on getting them to seat properly? Oh yeah, I had an extra fitting that had a flare instead, so I only have to deal with one compression sleeve now.

And as for the one in the block, I think the threads are just slightly smaller than the ones in the block, so I just need to re-wrap it with some tape instead of with the liquid stuff.

[Weston]

FWIW, spec for 3rd gen Integras is at least 10 psi at idle, and minimum 50 psi @ 3000 rpm. I'd assume 2nd gens are the same. With the new small filter (RSX?), I get around 12-15 psi at idle, and about 75 psi at 3000 rpm.

[stu]

Hmm, think it has anything to do with it going from I think a 4-AN line to a 3-AN line? Or all the size changes I've had to make to get it all hooked up?

[Weston]

I would think pressure is pressure...

[stu]

I went back and looked at my guage again, and I want to say that it was sitting right around 40psi, not 60. Also, my dad informed my that when using those little sleeve things, you don't want to tighten it all the way down, and that's exactly what I did. Back to ACE I guess. Apparently it's the place anyway.