This is a great idea!

 

Awesome idea Brokestroke!


If you decide to cut the CSD Y what’s the worst that could happen? Mess it up and have to order one from Irate that will actually fit?

If cutting the CSD Y works well I may follow suit next time it’s off the truck. That thing is awful.

 

Thank you for the excellent idea @brokestroke ! I tried to rep you but I'm in jail. Somebody get him for me please. I will try cutting the CSD Y-pipe first and see how that goes.

in an effort to make myself feel better, I decided to work on something different:


The CSD downpipe is a little misaligned. Misalignment seems to be a theme with the CSD parts.


So I applied a little hydraulic force.


Downpipe is now aligned to the exhaust!

 

The coolant ports are 1/2” NPT.

I tee into the heater core supply and return where the hoses run parallel to the firewall for VO conversions.

I also usually use a 1/4 turn ball valve instead of the complicated and failure prone ‘automatic’ valves.

 

These hoses?




Here is my chopped up spider and clearances as well.

 

I was able to give a rep to Brokestroke on your behalf.

 

First triming of the CSD y-pipe done.

 

Great Success after removing about 3/8" off the ends of each of the plenum legs if the y-pipe!!

 

FordTruckNipped it.

Does this mean everyone with a CSD spider should nip theirs too, for a better fit?

 

In my opinion, no... The fit of the CSD Y-pipe is average, but with a bit of wiggling and swearing it will go on without much of a fight. Leonard has additional "parts" that were well in the path of the previously mentioned "wiggling" which led to more "swearing" from Leonard.

The best T4 kit is a homemade version or one pieced together from at least 2 vendors.

 

Well that is good to hear that the CSD Y pipe fits average. Does the Irate Y pipe fit better?


Above: Photo of stock intake Y casting cut up, as @brokestroke suggested, to fit T4 kit.

It is readily apparent from FTN's excellent and self explanatory photos that he is working around a variable vane mechanism that most others don't have in their way, but others (at least @RacinJasonWV ) did complain about the alignment of the CSD casting to the intake plenums (although Jason might be using the svelte looking aluminum plenums sold by Beans).

I was curious if this idea of cutting lips off the legs of the spider would be something that would "catch on" with other T4 modders, because I am concerned about the loss of the larger diameter lips that were nipped off the Y pipe legs... introducing a mechanical disadvantage to the Y pipe staying put under pressure.

As soon as I saw the hacksaw, my mind immediately began thinking of ways to make "L" brackets that utilize the threaded bosses in the valley that formerly held the OBS tandem fuel pump in place, and attaching this imaginary bracket to the CSD Y pipe, by drilling and tapping mounting holes in the unused bosses for water/meth/nitrous sprayers, or sandwiching the upper leg of the imaginary bracket in line with the brass T fitting, using a larger hole in the bracket that the T fitting would fit through.

In this manner, the imaginary L bracket would help trap the Y spider from tipping forward and out from underneath the variable vane controller should the boot clamps lose their grip (since the retention lips were cut off) when the Y pipe wants to launch under pressure.

 

I "think" I expressed some frustration about how the CSD Y-pipe fit in my writings detailing my install process, but I was over it when I figured out the best method of installing the Y-pipe for me. This was without the Turbonator hardware in the way of course.

The Irate Y-pipe is not cast like the CSD Y-pipe is and apparently fits better. I have gathered this information not from my own 1st hand experiences, but from other FTE'rs and speaking to people who have installed the Irate kit before and seeing the Y-pipe in person. Frankly, the ONLY thing about the Irate kit I was not fond of was the routing and draining method of the oil return tube.

Irate T4 kit Y-pipe is below just for comparison sake.



In post #387 above, SRBF150 mentioned:
This is the kind of word of mouth (word of text) that I have taken into consideration in case the need ever arose for me to replace the CSD Y-pipe. I have OEM plenums with the billet inserts, just for reference sake. I trust the judgement and advice that people like SRBF150 offer to the public.

As for the CSD Y-pipe holding while under pressure, well that is another consideration that will have to be tested. CSD does include a bracket in order to hold the Y-pipe in place under high pressure situations. I don't know if Leonard has intentions of installing the bracket or if it would even fit now that the CSD Y-pipe is shorter and the Turbonator hardware is obstructing the access to secure the bracket to the pedestal.

This is a horrible picture, but it is the best one that I could find on short notice showing the bracket that attaches to the CSD Y-pipe. You can see the bracket coming out from under the Y-pipe and down to the right corner.



Does any of this mean that CSD should not fix their Y-pipe or downpipe, nope. I think they should fix it and should fix it now. I think they should have fixed it a while ago, but that is just me and my opinion. Perhaps the Irate Y-pipe does not fit any better, I don't know. Perhaps we should commission Finnishstroker to make a batch and send them Pony Express over the pond to us.

We as consumers and DIY'rs realize that these are not pieces and parts made by Gale Banks, But they don't come with the price Banks charges either. So, there is some give and some take. I have stopped recommending people get a T4 kit or a 364.5 SXE because that has gone disastrously. People here are fully capable of making their own decisions and setting a plan to accomplish their goals. What I do now is provide my opinion, my experiences and let it ride...

CSD has problems with their kit, that is clear. I do not regret getting the CSD kit one bit, but if I ever need to replace the Y-pipe, I will try the Irate Y-pipe.

I am very grateful to see that Leonard is progressing through his install. I think I may be looking forward to the results as much as he is, OK, maybe not as much, but quite a lot...

 

FWIW, I did finesse (by removing material) the CSD Y to better match it to the RR billet plenums I have. The intake temp sensor hole was drilled/tapped crooked angled downward and isn't easily corrected unfortunately. I believe it would need TIG welding and then re-drill/tap.

 

@Y2KW57 The CSD y-pipe actually comes with a bracket. I was originally planning to leave it off based on the experience of those that have gone before me. I may put it back on now after trimming the y-pipe and your remarks about that.

EDIT: Oops, Sous has already made the comment about the bracket.



@SRBF150 All the holes in my y-pipe were drilled & tapped straight fortunately.

All this y-pipe talk has got me wondering if I should attempt a CF version.

 

Y2K, the CSD kit is good, but the fit could be better. It would be fine if the Y didn't fit my truck... but this seems to be a common issue across all installers. Is it a show stopper? Nope. Is it annoying? Most definitely. I am a bit of a perfectionist at times. It is frustrating to see something happen time and time again. In my tiny mind it seems easy enough to modify the cast for the Y to actually make it fit, but I'm sure it's harder than I imagine.

I noticed in your photo the stock Y doesn't have retaining rings. So maybe it's not as big of a deal as originally thought. I will wait and see FTN's results. If his Y stays put (without the bracket) then I will likely cut mine the next time it is off the truck. The misalignment makes a headache out of what should be an easy part of the job.