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The turbo feels crazy heavy when trying to extend back across the valley and under the cowl. I think it would be even more difficult to wrangle back in there with the collector attached. I also think getting the passenger side pipe attached to the collector after the turbo is back in there would be difficult. But it’s been a while since I did the job.
Let’s see if I remember SSJ’s method. Stick the clamp partially on the collector so you can just pop it on after getting the collector to seat. You just Superman it and feel for it.
Oh, and a quick burst with an air chisel will pop the clamp loose during the removal. That can be a very frustrating part if it hangs up and you don’t know the SSJ removal technique.
I’m intrigued though. Try installing it your way and let us know how it turns out. This may be a new trick!
I've read all on the install info including SSJ's post. The air chisel tip sounds like it will be useful. I'll be using a topside creeper which might make it a little easier. As I said I have a friend with a diesel shop that has done a lot of these in the past years and he does it with the baby's butt on the turbo. I expect it will be heavy to wrestle in there. One tip I did read somewhere else was to use a lawnmower size inner tube between the firewall and the baby's butt to hold it in place, don't know how well it works but it makes sense and I do have a tube.
If you're gonna have the baby's butt on the turbo - are you dropping the downpipe? That gets pretty tight in there.
Honestly, if you fit the baby's butt such that it slips onto the turbo - off the truck it wont be bad - on the truck. Can put the passenger side up pipe on full tilt, drop it and babys butt in together. Loosely thread the other side and manifold ends on, and then there's all the space you need to position the baby's butt onto the turbo.
If you drop the downpipe, either way will be a bunch easier. I did mine w/o dropping as I didn't have a lift, and getting that big L-section out looked like it was gonna be a bunch of space.
I was really apprehensive about doing this job, it does suck, but it, not the end of the world. I hate dropping fuel tanks more than this. lol
Just dropped the fuel tank, not too bad of a job if you empty the tank first.
I have a lift but not enough adapters to lift this beast, 2wd 4door cab DRW with running boards. GM's are easy to lift as the frames are right at the rocker panels.
https://redirect.viglink.com/?format...o%20%7C%20eBay
This seller did answer my message and says the pipes are US made. I called and now they say they are designed and assembled in USA but manufactured overseas. Company is Circuit Werks and they are in TX FWIW.
I used the Dorman uppies and found the alignment pin out of position when dry fitted on the bench. Rather than deal with returns I blended the collector to match the baby's butt. Could have slapped it all together and it would work, but hey it's my truck and had time to grind off the sharp edges to permit better air flow. Also in the pic below you can see a high spot in the center of the casting that needed grinding off to allow the collector to fully seat against the turbo.
No tubes or straps or lights are needed. I tried that stuff my first time. The aforementioned Superman position works. A big pad to lay on helps there. The Trick: put your arms around the turbo and do it blind. Stevie Wonder style as SSJ says. Just move the collector around until you feel the alignment pin slot into place. Then pull the pre-positioned clamp (with the bolt/nut on top and pointed driver side) forward off the collector into position to hold collector and turbo together. Then dismount and tighten the clamp from the driver side with like 3' of extensions.
I might be the only one, but used Amazon part's and my pin was perfect. Somehow. The flange itself had a little casting roughness at the sealing edge that I cleaned up with a platten and sandpaper.
I might be the only one, but used Amazon part's and my pin was perfect. Somehow. The flange itself had a little casting roughness at the sealing edge that I cleaned up with a platten and sandpaper.
I’ve installed Amazon and eBay uppipes without issue. The eBay pipes were the cheapest I could find (doing for my dad and his request). The casting was a little rougher but no problems. I did smooth the ports up just a touch on it.
I think the Dorman issue mentioned above was a short lived manufacturing problem. We heard of a few cases on the forum but I haven’t seen any in the last few years. Still very much worth checking while the turbo is on the bench though.
@John in OkieLand I'm looking at the ones I linked and Rudy's, both have brick and mortar locations and phones that they answer and both sell on ebay and by web site. Doing my research I am going to wrap them before installing.
I know this post was from March, but I just did this yesterday. I bought stainless up-pipes and had a KC300x Gen2 to be installed. I attached the baby's butt to the turbo on the bench, then tightened on the up pipe from the passenger side. It took all of about 30 seconds to get the turbo in....most of it was trying to figure the angle to get that up pipe down the passenger side. I did remove the down pipe prior to doing this so I had plenty of room. I was then able to put one bolt in the driver up-pipe and finger tighten it enough to hold....got underneath and used a few extensions to put in the other one. All in all it took me 30 mins.
I will never fiddle around with that collector clamp in braille like I have before. This was so much easier.
