OK, here's the deal. This is really weird...

I started smelling burning oil the other day, just faint, and only once is a while, like once on the way home and once in the morning. Then today, my car starts smoking like no tomorrow. All sorts of smoke coming out of the exhaust when I rev. I came home tonight, pulled the plugs and tested compression, which I was pretty sure wasn't the issue, but it made me feel better, it was 165-160-165-165, dead on. I looked in the plug galleys and didn't see any oil, pulled the plugs and they looked fine, no problems there. Next I got under the car and looked at the turbo. What I found surprised the crap out of me. The return line had become twisted and almost totally kinked! I don't have any idea how this happened, but obviously there was my problem, massive oil pressure buildup in the turbo. I had been thinking that the turbo seals were the problem all day, since the car ran fine, just smoking out the tailpipe. So I pulled off the hose, put on a new one, with one of those spiffy spring-coil deals just to make sure the hose keeps its shape in the future, and put the return back together. I took it out for a drive, got it good and hot, brought it home, and voila, no more smoke out the exhaust.

Sorry this is so long, but here's my question: Are my seals trashed anyway, or can they put up with a day's worth of abuse and re-seal themselves? I was gearing up to pull the sucker and get it rebuilt, so should I just wait and see what happens or what? I've never ever seen this happen before, it's just too bizarre...

Thoughts?

I think you are going to be just fine

You think so? I sure hope you're right.

This morning's drive was better, no smoke. I caught a few whiffs of a burning smell, but there could be leftover gunk in my dp causing that... I guess there's nothing wrong with waiting and seeing what happens...

sounds like you found the problem before the seals were damaged. If you are still in doubt pull the ic piping and look for fresh oil.

Well, I think the seals are still damaged, if only a little. But it will continue to get worse. After a good hot drive home, it was still stinky, and I found a T25 to borrow for a while... I think it's worth it to get it rebuilt...

If you are going to do the rebuild anyway, I'd give it a week at least to see if you need to do it or if the piping is just clearing itself out.

i just had the same problem with the smoke and the smell of oil and just found out that the oil was dirty so i changed it every 1200-1500 miles and I dont have any more problems

Well, the oil is brand new, and it's been a week now, still stinky, still smoking a little. I'm gonna swap the turbo this weekend and send it off.