storxusmc

I was talking with a corvette guy who had an STS rear mount turbo kit on his corvette last night and he told me he had to remove it because the oil pump stopped working and killed the turbo's, then he had the turbo's rebuilt and installed an really expensive oil pump and the pump still died killing the turbo's. He said when he sent in the oil pump under warranty.. the company told him that apparently his oil supply is clogged or something because the pump died from overheating due to lack of oil flow through it. So he said he put the car on the lift and put the drains from the turbo's in a clean milk jug, then he put the supply of the replacement pump in the milk jug and started the car... immediately the oil was going into the milk jug just idling but everytime the jug had enough oil in it to prime the pump is would suck it dry within a few seconds and be out of oil to continue its prime. So basicly the flow coming from the turbo's isnt supplying the pump fast enough during idle. He tried the same test with someone in the car running it in gear... complete opposite situation. The oil flow was much faster actually outflowing the pump causing the milk jug to fill up...

My questions are how have sum got around this issue.. In one hand the pump starves of oil causing premature wear... then once your up and running the oil flow is faster than the pump can handle.. causing it to backup.. which would lead to the turbo's floating in oil.. not allowing them to lubricate and cool properly... damaging the turbo's....

Would its OWN oil system work? like a small holding tank for the oil from the turbo's to drain into.. then from that tank the oil pump has constant prime and pump it through a line to maybe a oil cooler somewhere to cool the oil with passing air.. than into the turbo's.... ??

I ask these questions because i plan to go turbo on the corvette when i find the right one.. for the right price.. and dont want to kill a pair of expensive turbo's over it..

PhysicsDude55

Yes, there have been some people to make a stand alone oil system. One guy recently made an aluminum oil tank in the rear that looked like a small fuel cell that just lubricated the turbos.

Interesting point that you bring up, although I wonder how well this "milk jug" test simulates what's happening. In theory, the pump will "suck" oil into it at ilde, and then where there is more oil flow in gear, the oil pressure will "push" oil through the pump.

StatmanRN

I have had no issues with the turbowerx pump, having been forwarned about STS pump problems. I don't think the pump pulls enough vaccuum to reduce the oil psi at the turbo journal.
I think some of the STS systems had an inline restrictor to the turbos.