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I put off working on the turbo for year. It's not the Turbo that was the concern, its the up-pipes.
About a week ago I pulled the trigger on the project. Spayed her down with PB-blaster. I picked up a new electric ratchet and went at it.
I was having great luck taring her down. I didn't break anything!. After reading post here, I picked up a cheep air chisel from HF.
Yep it works great to convince the clamps to come apart. I didn't have to drag the compressor out, I just fill a tank with air and used it to run the tool.
The first real test was getting the OEM up pipes out. The hardware came off at the bottom with no problem (FYI you really want that 3/8" Milwaukee electric!).
That is when the fun stopped, eventually I separated an up-tube from the baby butt. You have to pull and twist is around for a bit. Once you get one leg off, you can pull the thing out from the top with the other one attached.
I picked up a $20 set of deep sockets from Pep Boys to tare down the turbo. For that I also used a 3/8" impact (soaked it overnight in PBB first). The rebuild went smoothly. The rebuild kit includes all new screws.
The Turbo rebuild take about an hour of less it it come apart. It took a bit to get the new baby butt with tube attached in place. It would help if I know which leg to attach for the pass side. Once you get the two legs attached, tighten them up at the top.
It more fun working on it from the bottom. The drivers side in not too much trouble, but on the passengers side there is almost no access to that top bolt. I just left it all loosely attached and went back up top to mount the turbo. I had no love the first day.
The next day, I had the inspection cam mounted to view part of the clamp. You can't see the dam thing! After farting around for a bit and rotating the clamp clockwise it magically slipped in place! (or did it?). After that it was smooth sailing, well almost. Attaching that 4" pipe is a pain, its a bit too heavy to manage with one hand while dealing with the clamp. I used some blocks to keep it in place from the bottom so I could add the clamp.
Last night I got a change for a test drive. I thought it sounded a bit better, less ticky. That's where the good news ends, no turbo sound! If I really put my foot in it, the boast will go up to 15PSIG! Something is leaking.
Likely the collector at the clamp. You want everything fit up and torqued up top before bolting up the pipes to manifolds. Pretty decent instruction on Riffraff site, even tells you which pipe goes on which side.
Yep, as expected I missed the connection on the butt!. It looks like the clamp is around only part of the butt or that button missed the hole.There is a gap!
Thanks for the intel, I will back off the connections at the manifolds on Tue and give it another shot.
I'm not sure how I could fit a bungee in there but I have read that in at least two places so it must be the way to go.
Probably the pin didn't get lined up, it's not quite at 12 o'clock and hard to balance while fighting that clamp. Plus the cramped space. I ended up laying a horse blanket on engine and going full superman.
That is my guess The pin has missed the hole..
I will try again after work today.
To work on the truck, I have a a couple sections of 10" x 36" x 2" thick dense foam sheet.
You just have to climb on top and go for it! As for the pic I did take one but you can't see much.
If the nut on that clamp is tight, you definitely have an alignment issue. There should be about 5/8" - 3/4" (16-19mm for you metric types) of thread sticking out.
Yea Thanks a lot! That pic was taken with the clamp backed off. I was trying to see the gap where it was leaking but knooow!
Tell me something else I already know! Aurrrr.
I'm too tired to try it again tonight for the third time.
I don't want to be disappointed again! everything is disconnected except that one PITA bolt on the Pas side.
The beauty shot looks better this time. Total PITA, you can't see it. You can only take a pic after it assembled.
Yea Thanks a lot!
Tell me something else I already know! Aurrrr.
I'm too tired to try it again tonight for the third time.
I don't want to be disappointed again! everything is disconnected except that one PITA bolt on the Pas side.
The beauty shot looks better this time. Total PITA, you can't see it. You can only take a pic after it assembled.
Alignment of the clamp in that pic still says no bueno. See below for good example, all straight lines. I failed repeatedly until I loosened the turbo to pedestal bolts to gain mobility on the turbo end of the turbo/baby's butt alignment issue. You risk dislodging a pedestal o ring but if they are held in place by petroleum jelly should be no problem.
I lay a matress over the engine and use a small piece of 2x4 to stick behind the driver side up pipe after im sure the turbo collector pin is in place. The I wratch it down quickly with an electric driver in right hand while holding/pushing it in place with left.
Take it as practice but make sire to get it right. Dont skimp on the exhaust outlet as well, it can also leak if not pushed in place when tightening the clamp. Good luck.
Loosen the driver-side up-pipe to collector bolts (very loose!). The passenger side should be assembled and tightened on the workbench prior to installing in the truck.
Channel some Stevie Wonder while you use your fingertips to FEEL the collector seat on the turbo, then slide the clamp forward and pinch it closed while you snug the nut on the clamp up. Then tighten up-pipe to collector again and finally the up-pipe to manifolds. Check out my write-up in the tech folder if you haven't yet!!
I recall initially having alignment issues when I installed my set of bellowed up-pipes... but because I tried ignoring advice and tightening the manifold bolts before getting the rest of it installed. Second attempt, I followed instructions and did what Jason recommended above, and VOILA... everything went together much better.
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