Turbo Service-oil return and coolant feed(was: Time to Retire '98 at 280K miles (?))

[DHP]

Thanks for the input on my '98 with 280K miles. I did the seal replacements on the turbo oil return line today. Access is fair from below. On the FWD it would be cake. I had to disconnect the coolant feed line to get room to pull the oil return tube out. I put it all back together and I thin k I may have fixed the oil leak though I only ran the engine for a few minutes. There was coolant leaking from the coolant feed at the turbo, probably because there was a crush washer of some sort that dropped off in the mayhem and I missed it. Can anyone confirm that? It will be easy to fix if that's the case. Otherwise I may have disturbed the rubber hose part of the feed line but I don't think so. I did not find any such washer on the garage floor but it could have easily been hung up in the car somewhere.

After I get the seal right on the coolant feed line I can run the car for more than a few minutes and see if I have indeed fixed the oil leak. From the input on this forum I get the feeling I may have a bad or soon to be bad turbo. I see them on Ebay for $200-$300. I think the blue smoke and excess oil consumption could easily be because it's blowing through the turbo into the intake. I am petty sure the turbo has never been serviced.

QUESTIONS
Are there any preferred sources for a rebuilt unit? Is the turbo unit the same for 1998 and 1999? And is there some sort of crush washer seal on the coolant line banjo fitting? Or whatever they are called. That's what they call them on my Volvo Penta diesel in my boat.

I am still mulling over weather that would be worth it at 280K miles. Maybe. If the unit is same as '99 than I would have a spare for the other car if the 98 took a dirt nap for other reasons.

Thanks,

DHP

[DHP]

I answered one of these questions myself. I found the copper washer for the banjo fitting on the garage floor. I had missed it on first look. There are two on the fittings, one on each side of the banjo. The back one did not fall off. Put it all back together and no more coolant leak. And no oil leak while the engine is running. But it starts dripping when I shut the engine down. What's up with that? I'll start a thread for that curious question.

DHP