Toyota Mark II: 1JZ-GTE Turbo Oil Return Line Cracking and Oil Burning

The CT15B turbocharger fitted to the JZX100 1JZ-GTE returns oil to the sump via a rubber-sleeved drain line that passes through a region of high heat cycling. After 25–30 years, the rubber sections crack or harden, and the metal ferrule connections corrode and weep. Oil leaking into the return circuit can be drawn into the intake tract, causing blue smoke. On higher-kilometre examples the turbo centre section seals also deteriorate, compounding the problem.

• Blue or grey-blue smoke from the exhaust, most prominent on deceleration or cold startup
• Noticeable oil consumption between services — more than 500 ml per 5,000 km
• Oil residue or wet staining visible on the turbocharger body and surrounding heat shielding
• Faint burning oil smell from the engine bay or exhaust under load

1. 1

   With the engine warm, inspect the full length of the turbo oil drain/return line from the turbo drain port to the sump fitting — look for cracking in rubber sections, oil staining on surrounding components, and corrosion at metal ferrule clamps.

2. 2

   Check the underside of the intercooler piping for oil film, which indicates turbo seal weepage.

3. 3

   Start the engine from cold and observe the exhaust for blue smoke; then blip the throttle after a short idle and watch again on deceleration.

Parts involved: Turbocharger.

$180 to $1,800 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

• “Does the car produce any blue or white smoke from the exhaust, especially when you lift off the throttle?”
• “How often has oil been topped up between services, and by how much?”
• “Has the turbo oil feed and return lines been replaced or inspected recently?”

The failure described above is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.