Replaced egr/oil coolers and I'm stuck trying to align the y-pipe to turbo inlet. Is it time for a "bigger hammer" or is there a trick? '03 if it makes a difference. Trying to avoid breaking any more 9 year old bolts loose if it can be avoided...

 

Well if its like mine was, its within a nats **** . I used a big **** crow bar and a block of wood , block between ficm mount and something on turbo and finally got it . Mine just had to go back to fire wall maybe 1/8 if that but if its not prefect its not going to work. Good luck

 

You might try loosening the turbo pedastal bolts (or removing them) and then aligning the y-pipe to the back of the turbo. You might try smacking it with a fairly large hammer and piece of wood. I prefer to loosen the y-pipe to exhaust manifold bolts. PB blaster is your best friend on bad bolts.

 

Thanks to you both, sounds like I'm of about the same general thought pattern...I just didn't mention the biggest issue. The pipe is so dang close it's killin' me, but it needs to come forward that whopping 1/8th or so. No way to give it a whack. I'm sure I'll get it, just wanted to be sure I'm not missing something there...

 

Removed my EGR cooler a few months back. Just had somebody crawl under the truck and move the exhaust around a bit. It was disconnected from the cat at the time.

 

Best way to do it is loosen the up-pipe bolts from the bottom of the truck with a 10mm and 13mm. Very easy to get to from the bottom and gives you plenty of play to attach the inlet. After you get it on the turbo and everything tight, then go back and tighten the bolts.

If you need a pic, I have one I can edit and post...

 

Thanks, there's lots of play on the exit side, no problems there even working alone. It's the inlet side I'm cussing & spitting at...

 

Appreciate the offer, I'm good there...not my first time wrenching on the exhaust just the first reconnecting the turbo. Gonna give another shot at brute force today and if that doesn't help I'll give in to loosening up-pipe bolts.

 

You won't need brute force if you'll loosen those 4 bolts (2 on each pipe)... Promise. It makes it so easy to get the alignment perfect.

 

i saw an upload on youtube and they guy used a ratchet strap to bring it in the 1/8th inch. i'm not sure what he anchored off of but i'm sure you could figure it out.

 

i work on this engine all day long, and there are two effective was of doing this. 1-loosen the bolts holding the turbo to the ped.(loosen, don't remove. if you remove them then you'll run a chance of having trouble putting them back in). 2- get a pair of vice grips and cinch them down on the turbo flange and the y-pipe flange (if it doesn't come together get a small pry bar and kinda adjust the y-pipe so it mates up to the turbo). If you decide to loosen the turbo blots up doing the vise grip method works with it as well

 

I agree, that's the best way...typically. Ever work on a motor that's been through 9 Michigan winters? NOTHING is easy...well except for emtying the wallet to let someone else do the work .

Anyway, I loosened up the turbo to pedetal bolts (thanks Blake, was one step ahead on that), took a fresh breath of air and made it work. After all it was just an 1/8th inch or so. Think I still have a secondary leak somewhere else...hoping it's not the EGR cooler inlet

 

I don't know how you did the cooler, but if you did it like I do without removing the intake manifold all the way. If you hear a high pitch squeal it may sound like the turbo is wining, but it's probably the gasket at the cooler and intake. If you do have to do one again a little trick I do is apply a small amount of silicone around the flange of the cooler and let the gasket seal onto it. This is because I only loosen the intake bolts, and don't take it completely off (since international won't pay for me to do so anymore; I'm def not gonna do something that's not paid for.). It also helps on trying to align the gasket up since it emlimnates that step all together. Let us know how it goes.

 

might also want to smear antiseize on the marmon clamps to help them slid and suck up tight to seal

if it still leaks wait for it to cool then start it up and feel around fast for leaks

 

The antisieze trick that blade spoke of worked like a charm for me I had no issues with it and it sucked the pipe right in , I used this method a few times now and really must say it just works easy and no fuss give it a try and makes it so easy to remove next time if need be good luck