turbos and down pipes

[fspGTD]

Fatmobile: Great looking work!  Let us know how the wide clamps work out.  Also, I've found that just switching to a tubular upper downpipe instead of the stock cast iron piece tends to let through extra turbine whine sounds.

PS - you guys with toilet bowl issues need one of these...

It was made by taking an old monkey wrench to a bench grinder.  Works great!

[fatmobile]

Here's a picture of it on the car:

 I was wondering what to do about a heat shield and remembered Jakes VNT post and the exhaust wrap he used. Quick and easy.
 I'll have to pull everything to install the EGT setup when it gets here. Would be a good time to clean up that weld.

[veeman]

Looks like a nice downpipe...  I had thought about using that header wrap as well, but I did some reading and found out that a number of people have found that it can trap moisture/road grime and actually make the dp /manifold deteriorate sooner.

Anyone else had this experience?  Maybe this only applies if the car is driven in the snow / salt / rain...

[Maarten]

The wrap is a kind of cloth so that is a possibility... besides that I think its better not to use wrap cause more heat is captured near the turbo!

After I recieve my DP it is going to have a zinccoating (electrolytic process) so that shouldn't rust anymore and it still can radiate heat.

[veeman]

Zinc coating, eh?  Is that comparable to ceramic coating or Jet-hot coating that's a lot of people use for this type of thing?

[fatmobile]

I was thinking the wrap could trap moisture and cause some corrosion but since I used 316L stainless, that shouldn't be a problem. The L stands for low iron, it's for the food industry and is built not to rust.

[Maarten]

Zinc coating, eh?  Is that comparable to ceramic coating or Jet-hot coating that's a lot of people use for this type of thing?

The metal is coated with zinc in an electrolytic process.. first it is cleaned and then put into a acidic bath with zincballs that are under a heavy current (metal to be coated is the other polarity) just like chrome.

My neighboar works in a factory where they do that, he assured me that the heat of engineexhaust is no problem (dunno about blue coloration like chrome does under heat)

[Rat407]

Fatmobile: Great looking work!  Let us know how the wide clamps work out.  Also, I've found that just switching to a tubular upper downpipe instead of the stock cast iron piece tends to let through extra turbine whine sounds.

PS - you guys with toilet bowl issues need one of these...

It was made by taking an old monkey wrench to a bench grinder.  Works great!

That looks great, but how do you turn it to open all that tension on the spring clamps?  I wouldn't think you could turn it with your fingers as much pressure those clamps put out but I could be wrong.

I also got a down pipe in the works. I copied the shape of the 1995 1.9  down pipe. I used a 2.5" tube.  The turbo flange I had a friend cut out for me on a CNC machine, nice work those things put out.  

I'm hoping to get it put in this coming week.  I can snap some pictures but don't have anyway of posting them.

"more at eleven"

[fspGTD]

You can use vice-grips or simple pliers to expand the monkey wrench when there is a spring on it, if you really need to.  Collapsing a spring that is installed on the tool is significantly easier.  But I try and avoid doing any of that with my latest downpipe removal and install technique, IE: I no longer use the tool to expand or collapse the spring at all.  Instead, I use the rocking motion of the balljoint (by applying leverage by rocking the downpipe) to do all the spring expanding and relaxing...  It is soooo much easier that way, and actually kind of fun to do!

In a nutshell, my process of removing my downpipe goes as follows:  Rock downpipe fully to one side with both hands, then hold it there with one hand.  With other hand, insert expanded tool into holes drilled into the expanded spring.  Then relax the downpipe and rock it to the opposite direction.  The tool+spring will be loose and can be removed, sometimes will fall right off.  Leave the expanded spring in the tool - just set them aside together for installation later.

To remove the second spring, I rock downpipe to the opposite side.  Without the first spring, this usually fully relaxes the second spring.  It it quite easy to remove at that point, sometimes falling right off.

Installation is reverse of removal.  So in summary, I always try and use the rocking motion of the balljoint by applying leverage through the downpipe to expand and relax the springs.

PS - you should sign up for imagestation and show us your downpipe when it's completed!

[Hammy]

I'm not possitive, but my understanding is that zinc coatings, when heated give of toxic fumes. Anyone else hear this before? I thought about using EMT conduit for exhaust pipe, but was warned against this for that reason. :?

[Maarten]

I don;t know about that but I don't think that the zinc will give of fumes.. it is done with the same electrolytic process as chrome, so no chemicals stay on the coating afterwards. I'm going to verify that when my neighboar ss back from his holiday

Small change in in plans: I sold my 1.6TD and bought a 1.9TD AAZ engine from a Golf Mk3. Does the DP that is being fabricated for me fit the different engine/turbo?

[Rat407]

The downpipe a friend of mine made for me needs to be tweaked. Didn't quite fit right.  But I can say this much. I have the ECO and the cat on that must be the original.  Over the past few days it was loosing power. I figured the cat was getting stopped up due to the fact that I put the LDA on my pump and now it adds way more fuel than in stock form.  Today it all came out in the light. I took my cat off to put the new downpipe on which didn't fit, so I just stuck the old downpipe and toilet bowl flange back on minus the cat. Had the local muffler shop stick on a 2.5 inch system from the old flange back.  WOW what a difference and that is still with the restrictive downpipe.  Before my boost would max out at 9 psi, even after I adjusted it. Now my boost gage snaps to 12 psi quick. So much more power and ZING!!!!!  It is amazing what opening up the exhaust on these does for performance. Can't wait to get that 2.5 inch downpipe on now. I read it on here all the time about opening up the exhaust, all I can say is if you can, due it.  Pictures to come as I get things set and it all fits correctly.

[Josh]

2.5" better than 3.0" exhaust, if I recall somebody's experienced.  One of them racer folks, methinks.  Something about backpressure, I assume?  

  -Josh

[Maarten]

PS - you guys with toilet bowl issues need one of these...

I fabricated a cheap-ass tool from an exhaustclamp:



works pretty nice, for extra safety I welded two bumps on either side next to the c-clamp on the bottom part, so it can never slide off.


My downpipe is finished:



 :lol:

[fspGTD]

2.5" better than 3.0" exhaust, if I recall somebody's experienced.  One of them racer folks, methinks.  Something about backpressure, I assume?  

  -Josh

I don't remember hearing that...  all testing I've ever tried myself or heard of indicates with these turbo diesel motors, a bigger exhaust is better.