bubbagump

All set on this. Thanks!

Hi, I am trying to replace the cartridge in my VF40 and I cannot for the life of me get the torx screws that hold my coolant lines to the cold side housing. I have never been successful using easy-outs before and I doubt this is going to be my break through. This is perhaps a longshot but does anyone have a spare housing or turbo in need of rebuilding they would be willing to part with? Any sort of reasonable price is fine, willing to pay for fast shipping. Thanks!

So, I recently went through the process of ordering and receiving a downpipe. Haven't yet installed - I got side tracked with oil pan, etc. Anyhow, you may have already found this out yourself but it is currently very hard to find an Invidia in stock. I called a few places that claimed (or at least appeared) to have it in stock or soon to ship online. All of them were backordered, months. One place (autocity imports) was very curious to see if I could find it anywhere. I ended up going COBB just because of availability. It is more expensive, and I am not sure if it's any better or worse. One VERY interesting thing though regarding the COBB - The catalytic converter shown in the picture on their website shows an EPA certified model from GSPORT. Based on claimed specs, I believe it would be PN50030 at link below: https://gsportbygesi.com/high-performance-catalytic-converters/g-sport-emissions-systems-products/ When I received the COBB downpipe I was pretty angry/disappointed to find the cat welded into the pipe was not the one shown in the pics. I was really hoping for at least an EPA cert ... could make convincing a mechanic to give me inspection a bit easier. It appears to be a non-certified model. HOWEVER !! - and this is a big however, I talked to COBB customer service because I felt done wrong. Was happy to find out the rep was really knowledgeable on the subject. He says the model I received is in fact not EPA cert, but it is a new part they jointly developed with GSPORT that they soon hope to have full CARB cert on! Man, if they achieve this I will be happy as a clam. Claimed time from to cert could be "months". Long story short - I am happy with my COBB even if it was a bit more than Invidia, I think.

This is awesome!!! And inspiring! Thank you for documenting your journey. I have a 2005 sedan with 120k miles that has lived not the nicest of lives in the NE. It has mostly sat for the last 3 years or so, just because it needed some attention and it made me sad not be able to give it. Situation has gotten a little more predictable and I am finely able to start dreaming again. I am doing a few things right now just to get it to pass inspection (down pipe cracked) and to add a little excitement (catted hi flow DP, stage 2 tune, fixing exhaust heat shield rattles, etc.) Anyhow, I have been debating what I will do when it comes time for major overhaul. Start fresh with a car from out west or just replace every damn thing on the one I've got. Mine is in about the same condition as yours was from the looks of it. You have given me some major hope and inspiration towards putting in the work necessary to bring mine up to snuff instead of putting everything off until I can find a fresher example. Great thread!

I appreciate everyone's input here. Ordered a replacement cartridge today because my friend has said he's seen some smoke out of me at WOT. I might decide not to put it in though just because the current one has been so good to me . I have a hard time making decisions sometimes. As far as the banjo bolt screen goes - I swore up and down I took it out years ago buuuutttt.....turns out I didn't. There was one in the bolt on the back of the heads, just under the turbo. Of course I poked a hole in it while removing. Anyhow, I was kind of impressed, my ridiculous amount of oil changes seems to have paid off! It is so clean! The size of the orifice in the banjo bolt on the turbo itself does make me nervous, looks easily cloggable. Anyways, just wanted to thank everyone for weighing in and to share some picture goodness.

Max capacity, when you recommend bolting turbo to up pipe, do you mean bolt turbo to up pipe BEFORE bolting up pipe to manifold? Thanks!, looking for any pointers I can get. Taking the stuff off was enough of a challenge, hoping to make it as easy as possible on myself when everything goes back together.

Really?! Awesome! I've got another that has been sitting in my shed for a few years now. Thanks for the tip!

Thanks for input guys. I am back on the side of rebuild. - Regarding oil return hose, good advice. I already ordered one but yea...thing is hard and nasty. - Regarding up-pipe, already have an STI one on the way, got a good deal. Have never gutted a cat. Having avoided it for this long I think I might try to avoid it even longer haha.

Thanks Pleides. That's kind of where my mind is at too on this one. So far nothing too funny coming out of the tailpipes. I did have a friend tell me he saw a little smoke WOT, but I have access port Stg 1 so I figured it was probably just a little rich. Have been good with oil changes. Took screens out of banjo bolts, etc. I am also replacing up pipe with cat-less version too while I am in there to decrease chances of turbo death. I remember when I first got this car with 50k miles in 2009 I started down the rabbit hole in these forums and it scared me in a bad way. I was expecting catastrophic failure by 80k hahaha. Now I’m sitting pretty at 120k on turbo. Ideally I'll put turbo back in as it sits and re-evaluate in a couple of summers. I am expecting to have a nicer garage, maybe even a lift by then. I might at that time go hard on this car….freshen the engine, trans, VF52 and supporting stuff, etc. We’ll see if I can help but buy a rebuilt, hah. I tend to get too carried away once I start taking stuff out of my cars.

Hello all, I am refreshing my completely stock 2005 LGT MT this spring, finally. I bought it 11yrs ago and I'm pretty excited I can show it a little attention. Downpipe is cracked so I'm using it as an excuse to finally do invidia downpipe. I am replacing most everything from manifold to mufflers, except the turbo maybe? My car has 120k miles on it, so no spring chicken. I was expecting to encounter a lot of shaft play on turbo but there seems to be very little axial or radially. A little radially but hardly anything. Is there anything to be gained by replacing cartridge at this point? I feel like I should just because it's out but it seems to be in good shape. Can a turbo last forever? Thanks!