BOOM!!! Psssshhhhh....Who's heard that sound?
 

Somebody (:o) put the clamp over the ridge of the CAC tube instead of after it.

Same somebody cranked it up to 25.x psi boost to play a bit and the CAC tube blew off the driver's side top spider connection :eek:

So who else has blown their CAC tube off? Have to change your shorts :p

I didn't, but think the wife and daughter were in full blown, "Oh no, did he mess something up and break it," mode. I could see it on their faces.

Pulled over, popped the hood, no problem, limped a few miles home, rolled topside creeper over it and fought to get it all lined up again and tightened properly this time :-X22

I was with a buddy after he worked on his truck and blew a tube in his 6.0 and left a DENT in his hood :eek:

Oh yeah. Pulling the boat to lake shortly after a turbo rebuild. Long incline decided to see what the turbo would do. About 25 psi and BAM SSSHHHHHHHHHHHHH. :eek: Thought for just a second I had broken something, relaxed my death grip on the wheel and limped to next exit. One of the plenum boots wasn't tightened good. :-X19

Haha, "Death-o-grip" was my first reaction, too. Grab the wheel, work the brake, just like a blowout :eek:

Did you pull over right away or limp along?

So what is the proper amount of time to carry boot clamp tools with you after engine work? LOL

Yeah.... It took about 3 seconds before I speculated it was a boot clamp that let go at 30 PSI boost, but those three seconds before I came up with that....

I pulled over and reset the passenger side IC tube on the spider.

I have tools in my DuHa under the seat, so there's no penalty for always having the basics - along with a chonie squeegee.

28,000 lbs truck trailer and load, climbing a 7% grade when mine blew off. I couldn't downshift fast enough to maintain speed and get off the road.

Mine didn't pop, but definitely felt the power difference on a 6% hill. New something want right and the time I got where I was going, i probably managed about 6mpg and egt were thru the too anything above half throttle or coming into slight roller hills...the cold side tube slipped from spider

Had it happen once on an 03 7.3 I had while pulling my 4 place enclosed snow mobile trailer. Talk about scaring the hell out of you. Full boost and boom!

When I close my eyes, it sort of felt like this :eek: :p

^^^ That's what I thought was happening.


Running late to a meeting and was merging onto the freeway when the driver's CAC let loose from the spider. Lots of (hundred) dollar signs flashed before my eyes as I coasted to the shoulder. Took a deep breath and hoped for a blown CAC boot otherwise the conversation with my wife was NOT going to go well. Luckily it was a 5 min fix. I don't get too many of those so, as much as it was not a good thing, I relished in the fact that it was not worse.

Mine blow after working on the truck once on the passenger side. Looked out the window to see all the black smoke. Went home did the hair spray trick and re-tightened it. Good ever since.

After so many blown CAC hoses, I finally got smart and figured out how to keep them in place. In my experience, even the highest quality IC hoses are only gonna take so much stress before they're trash. . I made some SS wire rings out of 1/8 wire iirc that sit inside the divot's that are in each end of the IC pipe. I ordered a 2' long section of 3" IC hose, and cut my own 3"X6" IC hose that attaches at the spider. After applying gorilla glue at both end's I slid the IC pipe into place over the rings at both ends and double clamped it in front of and behind the 1/8 ring at both ends. I'm sure for most applications the hair spray will work just fine too. Anyhow, seems to be holding pretty good.
On Edit; I use simple green to clean inside the CAC tube and to clean the boots as well.

After I replaced my up pipes a few weeks ago, I was taking the truck for a test drive and got on the freeway and had my driver side cac tube come off at the intercooler. I forgot that to tighten the clamp on the intercooler side since the boot stayed on when I removed the cac tube. Crapped my pants a little until I realized quickly what happened.

It is a disconcerting sound that should never come from an engine :p

First the adrenaline rush and pucker factor from the sound and impact, then the relief to realize, "Oh yeah, I'm driving a 7.3L, it's gotta be something simple...nothing 11mm socket and screwdriver can't fix" :-X22

Yesterday I finally got a chance to install my new GTP38R :-headbang and someone didn't tighten a intercooler boot , out on the test drive taking it easy then stood on it the boost gauge went up then BOOM Whhhooosssseeee:-X09 no boost crap ! Went figured it out test drive 2 came back with a big ole permagrin}> !

Oh yeah. Nothing like the FIRST time that happens!!! The fight or flight reaction followed by fear and anticipation before ya pop the hood will leave you needing an adult beverage and a nap!!

Now, to make sure none of you have to go through that again - here's the method I use that always keeps the boots on (even past the 40psi my gauge will read!!).

First, remove CAC pipes and boots. Clean pipes inside and out with degreaser. I use a bucket of HOT soapy water to clean boots. 'Seasoned' factory boots benefit from a good soaking prior to cleaning. Once boots are 'squeaky clean' - literally - you are almost ready to install them. The last thing you'll do is rinse them with brake cleaner and wipe the off with a clean, lint-free cloth/towel/rag. You should not see any more oil on rag. Finally, spray brake clean on inside of boots just before assembly. This will lube the surfaces so the boots slide on easily and when the brake clean dries, you have the best seal you can get. Be careful not to get much brake cleaner inside pipes - or wait an hour or so to start truck - or ya might think that 'boom' from CAC boot blowing off was mild!!

Clamp placement is critical. We want the clamps right behind the ridges on CAC pipes, spider and CAC. The idea is, we don't want it to slide toward the ridge.

Also, overtightening the clamps will deform the CAC pipes and once they get cone-shaped on the end - they will never stay on.

Im glad nobody said 'use hair spray'. :-roll