For those of you that have replaced a turbo, how the hell did you get the second bolt (closest to engine) that attaches the turbo return line?? 3 friends of mine have been working 5 hours on that same bolt and still haven't gotten it

 

I didn't take that bolt out. I pulled the turbo with the oil drain line attached. Unbolt it from the pan and you can slip the whole assembly out from the top with some wiggling. I also didn't bother removing the coolant feed line, simply pulled the hose off the block. Much easier. You'll need a stubby 17mm socket to get to the 3rd innermost turbo bolt.

 

That would be the smart way, was it easy to maneuver the entire pipe out? I'll have to find some local place with the gasket for the oil pan

 

I wouldn't say it was easy, but I was doing it myself. Left hand on the turbo and right hand below working the pipe through. Having a second person helping out would make it a lot easier. One person up top pulling the turbo up and the other routing the return line flange through the AC lines.

It is definitely easier than getting at that bolt. You probably could with a hacked down allen key and a 1/4" swivel though.

Also, if your turbo to oil return line gasket isn't leaking why touch it. It will be a pain in the *** to fix it if the new one leaks whereas the gasket at the oil pan is the easiest in the world.

 

Yes it's easy, especially once you get the turbo support brace off.
Dropping the AC compressor makes it a million times easier to get the turbo support brace off!

 

I already removed it, I meant I needed to find a gasket at the oil pan somewhere. But I haven't had luck locating one thus far

 

So I couldn't find the gasket, but I got some make-a-gasket which will hopefully work. If nothing else it will hold me over till a order one from ecs

 

gasket for oil drain to oil pan return? You are better off reusing the old gasket than using silicone ****. There is a reason that gasket is metal

 

Gasket from turbo oil return to pan, I ended up reusing the old one until I get one from ecs. On a side note, I noticed I used the wrong gasket from turbo-to-cat, I used the all metal one that is made for the cat-to-downpipe instead of the ceramic/fabric/whatever that **** is covered metal one. Is that gunna be a big deal?

 

Anybody know if the downpipe-to-cat gasket will hold up fine at the turbo?