My Uppipe install (with pictures...)

[mccorry]

Where are you located, smokedoutv6?

[Penphoe]

Can you remove the uppipe without having to remove the EGT sensor from the pipe itself? In other words, after the sensor is disconnected from the harness plug and when all the bolts have been loosened/removed, can the uppipe come out as one piece?

 

LaterZ!

Darren!!

[smokedoutv6]

mccorry, i'm in NJ.

 

I actaully just got some good news, my friends younger brother is currently out of work so it seems like i will have a 2nd set of hands/moral support so needless to say i'll be calling out of work tomorrow

 

heading out to the driveway top throw it up on ramps, remove some plastics and spraying some PB. Once I gedt that far I'll have already gone too far to turn back:)

[mccorry]

Can you remove the uppipe without having to remove the EGT sensor from the pipe itself? In other words, after the sensor is disconnected from the harness plug and when all the bolts have been loosened/removed, can the uppipe come out as one piece?

 

LaterZ!

Darren!!

 

 

It can be done... but you'll bend the crap out of the EGT sensor and you have a much greater chance of dinging and damaging your cam seal (causing an oil leak).

 

I'd pull the EGT in place if at all possible... then pull the pipe.

[mccorry]

mccorry, i'm in NJ.

 

I actaully just got some good news, my friends younger brother is currently out of work so it seems like i will have a 2nd set of hands/moral support so needless to say i'll be calling out of work tomorrow

 

heading out to the driveway top throw it up on ramps, remove some plastics and spraying some PB. Once I gedt that far I'll have already gone too far to turn back:)

 

Good deal!

[smokedoutv6]

glad i started early, i had to go buy a o2 sensor socket. i prob could have gotten it off if i wanted to get aggrivated but it was $6 well spent IMO. up at 9 tomorrow to start the tough stuff.

 

two things...autozone didnt have permatex copper the only thing they had was rtv red (up to 650), since i'm really only using this stuff to hold the gaskets in place (i have new oem gaskets and am using stock gutted pipes) would it be ok?

 

and the 2nd thing really isnt a question just that i think i'm going to drop the whole manifold instead of disconnecting the cross pipe, it just seems easier.

[Penphoe]

I've done about 10 uppipe changeovers now and they truly are relitively easy if you know the tricks and procedures.

 

 

Other than working on a cold car, any other tips and/or tricks? I've got my hands (or will be getting my hands) on a cheap STi uppipe.

 

LaterZ!

Darren!!

[TSiWRX]

two things...autozone didnt have permatex copper the only thing they had was rtv red (up to 650), since i'm really only using this stuff to hold the gaskets in place (i have new oem gaskets and am using stock gutted pipes) would it be ok?

 

I'd guess that it'd just burn off, but I truly don't know......

 

and the 2nd thing really isnt a question just that i think i'm going to drop the whole manifold instead of disconnecting the cross pipe, it just seems easier.

 

Some indeed prefer it that way.

[Canon20D]

Man, I wish I had your gusto

I have had an STi pipe in my closet for about 6 months now,or more actully.

I just dont want to do it alone, and since my mufflers were so rusted I couldnt even get the bolts loosened for a Hogzaust, I dont want to risk breaking a nut on one of those bolts thats on the pipe itself! :-/

[smokedoutv6]

what nut do i have to losen to jack up the motor? i'm having a problem with the up pipe coming out and i think if i could just move the motor up a bit it should fall right out.

 

i know theres pics of what nut to loosen around here but i cant seem to find it, can anyone help?

 

thanks

[Break Beat Zen]

Man, I wish I had your gusto

I have had an STi pipe in my closet for about 6 months now,or more actully.

I just dont want to do it alone, and since my mufflers were so rusted I couldnt even get the bolts loosened for a Hogzaust, I dont want to risk breaking a nut on one of those bolts thats on the pipe itself! :-/

 

 

1) Jack car up

2) Spray both sides of the bolts with PB Blaster

3) Let PB Blaster soak for a few hours

4) Use Breaker Bar with appropriate socket

5) Enjoy

 

 

 

P.S. PB blaster is the a mechanics best friend

[TSiWRX]

what nut do i have to losen to jack up the motor? i'm having a problem with the up pipe coming out and i think if i could just move the motor up a bit it should fall right out.

 

i know theres pics of what nut to loosen around here but i cant seem to find it, can anyone help?

 

thanks

 

Download the "Vacation Pix," if you haven't already.

 

Go to the "Engine Mechanical" folder.

 

From there, go to section 09-"Engine Assembly."

 

Section A is "Removal," you'll want the third page down, "ME(H4DOTC)-31."

 

Step 18.

 

I only loosened the driver's side nut, and was able to jack the engine up enough to clear the UP (which would not come out, for me, no matter what else I tried).

[smokedoutv6]

nevermind, got the engine jacked up a bit and the up slid right out.

 

finally all done, and everythging seems good. took it for a ride and you can feel the difference even though it's not as much of a difference as i was expecting. i can hear the turbo spool up now, just gonna drive it fo a week or so and then recheck for leaks.

 

"not hard but tedious" like someone said is right on the money. i was glad i had an extra set of hands, i'm not sure I could have accomplished it without some help, not saying it cant be done, just not by me.

 

Canon you should wait for a nice weekend and give it a shot, its worth it and really nothing to be scared of.

 

thanks for everyones help!

[TSiWRX]

^ Sweet!!!

 

The shift in power delivery is all but un-noticeable unless your butt-dyno is super, super-sensitive. It's only seen on the boost-guage if you've *really* been paying attention.

 

There should be a quantifiable difference on the dyno, though, for those who are coming from a catted UP setup. However, even then, it's nothing earthshaking, just a little more, a little earlier.

 

It's more an "insurance" modification, particularly for those of us with factory catted UPs.

 

-----

 

PS: smokedoutv6, the originator of the "not hard but tedious" line was DriftMonkey - he passed on those words of knowledge to me when I was one day out from tackling my own UP/DP change-out.

[mccorry]

Yep.. that's exactly why I did it, Allen.... I didn't like the idea of a cat before the turbocharger.

[smokedoutv6]

the car really does feel smoother throughout the powerband. just to be clear i also installed a gutted dp and am running a cobb ots stg 2 map, so thats why i was surprised i didnt feel more. but maybe i just need to give it a break in period before i notice the difference.

 

i do have to check the dp to mp since i think i have a leak there (sounds too throaty from underneath the car), my buddy tightened those so maybe he just didnt wan to overtighten them and left them too loose? who knows, i'll throw it back on ramps this weekend and have another look.

 

i do like hearing the slight whistle from the turbo, lets me know i actually have a turbo LOL

[TSiWRX]

^ Yep, that extra turbo noise is nice, isn't it. Just enough to let you know it's there, but not so much as to really annoy passengers.

 

While you're down there, check the passenger's side manifold -to- UP junction, too, just to be sure. That's a very common place for the pipes to work loose, and it will also sound like a post-turbo leak (and yes, even with a rather large leak, you can still see target-boost, even for Cobb Stage II).

 

---

 

And definitely, give the car a bit of learning time to probe its newfound powerband.

[Ferenczy33]

I'm getting ready to dive into this project myself. Just picked up a brand new TurboXS UP for $130 I found on Craig's List yesterday. I have questions though about the EGT sensor. First off let me say that I do have and AP to clear any CELs. My new UP has an EGT bung, is there any advantage to plugging the hole, and if I do plug the bung, do I even need a resistor fix or will my AP take care of the CEL? Or if I just install the sensor back into the bung on the new UP, will I still get a CEL?

[RaGe]

i woudl do the resistor fix just in case.

 

I have the TurboXS up pipe as well.

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85732&highlight=EGT+resistor+fix

make sure to check out this link and look at the picture diagram.

 

and the resistor is a 1/2 watt 2.2k resistor

[mccorry]

I have heard people warn that the stock EGT sensor is cheap and flimsy... and could break off and damage the turbo. I don't know if it is true... but just thought I'd mention it.

 

I've thought about installing my stock EGT so that when I datalog, I can have EGT's logged... but I've never taken the time to re-install it.

 

I think the AP will cancel the CEL's if you choose to re-install it, however.

[RaGe]

it should but i did the fix just in case.

 

as far as the EGT goes, ^^^like you said steve. even though i think it is more hype than anything it is that self assurance.

[Ferenczy33]

i woudl do the resistor fix just in case.

 

I have the TurboXS up pipe as well.

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85732&highlight=EGT+resistor+fix

make sure to check out this link and look at the picture diagram.

 

and the resistor is a 1/2 watt 2.2k resistor

 

 

 

Got it...thanks. Any other issues installing your TubroXS UP I should know about? Did you wrap it with heat wrap?

[RaGe]

no, i didnt wrap it. we had small minor issues but i removed my manifold for a aftermarket EGT probe install. but i dont think you will be doing that so you should be ok.

 

it has all been on maybe 1k or a little over miles and no issues.

[smokedoutv6]

just a quick update, poked around after work yesterday and discivered my problem. the connection from the DP tot he MP was the problem, air was coming out like a fan LOL. I actually was the one responsible to tighten it down too so all the blame goes to me.

 

I figured this out early but then stiff took the heat shields off the manifold and turbo to check there. 2 of the DP bolts were slightly loose, nothing major. And the leak in the UP was my biggest concern. I think the UP is fine since I can hear it spooling up and whinding down when i let off ( Ithought i read somehwere that that meant a good seal?)

 

I do have to get a new gasket for the DP/MP connection. I resued the old gasket (I bought the KOP gasket set but for some reason this gasket wasn't included?) and even added some rtv black to try and get a good seal but i can still feel the air puffing out slightly. I'm still deciding if I should go to the dealer or just ppick up a 2.5" 2 bolt flange gasket from Autozone or make my own from one of those sheets. I think those thick gasket sheets with a metal weave in between should be good enough if i cut one out but I'm still thinking about it. At least the leak is in the easiest place it could be so getting back there is no problem whatsoever.

 

i was originally dissappointed by the sound leve and lack of performance but sealing up that horrible leak I had really made a world of difference.

[TSiWRX]

I have heard people warn that the stock EGT sensor is cheap and flimsy... and could break off and damage the turbo. I don't know if it is true... but just thought I'd mention it.

 

I've thought about installing my stock EGT so that when I datalog, I can have EGT's logged... but I've never taken the time to re-install it.

 

As with brother RaGe, I honestly don't know how much of that "it's gonna break off and rape yo turboz" is truth, and how much is just "OMG I heard that it happened once and it's gonna happen again" hype.

 

Still, one less part can't hurt the safety factor, right?

 

Also, I think that trying to datalog the UP EGT is not going to cut it - it's way too far from the ports to get an accurate reading (although some kind of "compensation factor," mathematically, might do the trick, it would really still be playing by averages, and I'm also not sure that by the time you'd see such a drastic temperature change, so far away, that it might not be too late)....

 

I'm getting ready to dive into this project myself. Just picked up a brand new TurboXS UP for $130 I found on Craig's List yesterday. I have questions though about the EGT sensor. First off let me say that I do have and AP to clear any CELs. My new UP has an EGT bung, is there any advantage to plugging the hole, and if I do plug the bung, do I even need a resistor fix or will my AP take care of the CEL? Or if I just install the sensor back into the bung on the new UP, will I still get a CEL?

 

I'm with the others here - either do the bung/plug or don't, to me that really doesn't matter so much. Instead, if you *do* decide to just plug the thing and go without the factory EGT, I'd double-up on fail-safe, and do the "Resistor Mod" anyway.