Finishing an UP/DP install

[Sivs]

05 LGT wagon

 

Installed:

Cobb catted down pipe

Crucial Uppipe

 

It took my five friends and I quite a while to get everything off using the help from various install guides, and we finally got all the pipes in and reflashed to stage 2 with the cobb 1.15 map. We left the DP heatshield off and what the crucial racing uppipe install guide called the exhuast manifold(connecting from the bottom end of the UP to the air intake or w/e) for the easier access when we retorque the bolts tomorrow. None of us have ever had a turbo car much less installed UP's and DP's, and we were trying to listen for any exhaust leaks. They said they couldnt hear any from up top on the engine near the DP or the 3 places we had to unbolt to get the manifold off. Then again I had recently done the hogmeat washer exhuast mod so it is a lot noisier from the exhaust. They didnt hear anything but none of us really know what to look for.

 

After taking it for a quick test run with the skid plate, heatsheilds and engine cover off still, we couldnt discern if we were hearing the turbo spooling from the newly cleared UP or if there was a leak of some sort. Would it be pretty obvious if there were a leak some where along the lines?

 

Just a FYI, I used the copper gasket set from crucial racing along with copper gasket sealant/adhesive. We also torqued to 31-33ft lbs, instead of the 26ft lbs after I had read 26ft lbs left many bolts loose enough to come completely undone. I'm hoping everything is working as intended, we are planning to go in tomorrow and retorque the bolts we can reach and then reinstall all the shields and guards.

 

We did have alot of troubles getting the crucial UP to mate up with the manifold due to it being a solid piece, it was a bit higher than the manifold could reach. We couldnt find the brackets that held the turbo on that were recommended to be loosened if this problem occured, so we had to just loosen the uppipe and get the bolts on through the UP and manifold and crank them all down on the opposite sides slowly. Inaddition to the UP fitment issue, the DP also seemed to be a bit short. My friends were worried about putting too much pressure on things and forcing them in, but I managed to push the DP up to the middle-of-the-pipe hook/bolting area. It required quite a bit of pressure but after that things lined up a bit better. We still had to pull the resonator/Ypipe exhaust forward some to mate it with the DP.

 

Sorry for babbling on for so long, but we just spent the past 14 hours working on this, hopefully my typing is comprehensible.

 

But should an exhaust leak be fairly easy to spot by listening? We got under the car while it was idling and i felt around with my hand to see if i could feal any exhaust flow and/or smell it. I wasn't able to spot anything at the time, but this being the first time I've worked on a car of mine in 4 or so years I'm a bit rusty.

 

The reason I ask is, one of my friends with a BONE stock LGT sedan (limited), was pretty much keeping up with me on the two runs we did to test the new power. I have a nonlimited so I dont think weight was too much of a factor. The launch I attempted did not do well but he also said he had the same problem as I did, I'm not sure if we were on the same level but, I would have thought the extra power would have made up for it, but we were almost dead locked while both in second. Would not having the skid plate, heat shields, and engine cover make this much of a difference. I also need to relearn the car now, which could inturn provide much faster numbers at the track.

 

Good news is, NO broken bolts. We used pb blaster on all the bolts and let the hard ones sit. The worst bolt by far was the one that was on the cat after where a shorty DP would go. It connects to the tranny and had a lock washer on it. We had to push on that one extremely hard, our breaker bar wouldnt fit down that far on the car .

 

 

Once again sorry for the horrendously long post, but any input would be greatly appreciated and may help put my mind at ease.

[hogmeat]

05 LGT wagon

 

Then again I had recently done the hogmeat washer exhuast mod so it is a lot noisier from the exhaust...

 

 

YES!!!!!!!!!!!! I love it.

 

 

Anyways - as for leaks - you'll know. Trust me. Your car will run normally off of boost, and once you hit 4,000 RPM a LOUD screeeech will occur. It will sound like a slipping belt. You will know it's not the turbo!!! The turbo has a continuous "turbine" like sound. Very harmonic.

 

As for power - give the ECU time to learn. People say 200 miles for full power. I suspect once it learns the new flowing exhaust, and lack of cats, fuel and timing will be adjusted, and power will come on.

 

I'd reccomend springing another 100 for a TDC Stage II map. People rant and rave about how great they are....

[Sivs]

Alright, good to know. Time to go finish things up I suppose.

[eL GaTo]

Turbo Mtg. Bracket.jpg

 

That is the turbo mounting bracket. The bolt on the right is to the engine block and the one on the left is to the turbo. You can loosen both and then mate your uppipe... there isn't much play so If you are really off there might be other problems. I hope this helps.

[Sivs]

Thanks for the info Gato, hopefully there aren't any leaks or we would have been able to hear them last night from the description hogmeat gave. We took our merry time on this project, but I think it will finish without complications. I was just a bit paranoid about exhaust leaks after reading these forums so much!

[TSiWRX]

Sivs,

 

Give your car a bit of time to learn of its new hardware and new map. If your friend is keeping up with you in his stocker, it's more than likely that you just haven't given your car enough time to "learn" of its full potential.

 

 

Typically, you should be able to feel (and/or see, if you try the soapy water spray method) leaks due to your install.

 

Are you pulling near target boost?

 

While it is possible for pre-turbo leaks to still allow your vehicle to pull target boost, even at typical "Stage II" levels, you may see some boost creep/spike and boost level inconsistencies (over and above usual wastegate flutter or boost line "fluttering").