Oil in intake tubes 3lt GU

Oh really I didn't realise that there would be oil in the intake system, can you tell me why please? Thanks

These days with environmental regs being what they are, the engine crank-case breather rather than exhausting under the engine bay to the road or wherever now is piped in to the intake, so that any oil vapours are burned in the engine. The downside is that you intake ends up oily, no real drama other than a bit unsightly.

Snowy

Thanks, Yeah the thing is that I checked the breather line & there was no oil in there (thats where I thought the oil would be coming from).

Sorry I shall have to read things more carefully next time. I have the same thing with mine 05/2003 build date, only a very slight amount of oil (not dripping) so I have not really worried about it, just assuming it was the breather. You aren't using an oiled foam filter?

The only other thing I can think of is just a theory and a bit technical, the diff and g-box breathers also discharge in to the air intake. The air gets compressed in the turbo now trying to recall back to my uni days compressing a gas/vapour mix will cause the vapour to become liquid, then it goes through the intercooler, cooling the air further decreasing the amount of moisture it can hold and causing the oil vapour to become liquid, just a theory.

Snowy

Hi,
The reason I say it is normal is that mine does it, the GU2.8 I had did it and I sold that at 140,000k. First noticed the oil at 70,000k and was worried about it.
This pops up on various forums, whenever someone takes that hose off, it has oil in it, and they ask the same question. So I assume they all do it.
I am sure it comes from the breather, maybe a bit from the turbo seal. The real worry with it is further downstream in the inlet manifold, it combines with the soot from the EGR and makes a good mess when the k's build up.
But, then again, they all do that too, including Veedub diesels and any other engine that runs heavy EGR.
Cheers

Some oil in the intake and intercooler after the turbo is 'normal' as the engine oil is supplied under pressure to the turbo bearings from the engines oil system. As there are no seals as such just very fine tolerances then a very small amount of oil is blown/sucked into the airstream which will increase as the turbo bearings wear.
I've got a petrol turbo Volvo which has a drain plug on the bottom of the intercooler to enable it to be drained during servicing so it is obviously an expected thing.
With nearly 400k on the engine and about half that on the actual turbo it will collect about half a cupful every 40k and has done so consistently as long as I've had it over the last 250k.

Thanks guys for your input. It was much appreciated