Turbo kit fab work done!!

[Linxs]

Thanks to my buddy Tiago, he did all the welding! I'm not good enough yet, lol.

The welder broke I need to get a couple parts so we didn't finish the drivers side wastegate dump. We still need to do the oil lines and cooling system.

Anyway here is what it looks like.

[motohead]

SWEET!!!! I'll take one. How much? Everything has a price. My trans probably couldn't handle that much power anyway.
Super cool set up though. How much increase in power?

[crash]

I love stainless. It just looks better with age too.

One suggestion...I don't see any bellows. That wastegate loop looks like it may have some issues with different rates of expansion. These things, like stress cracking, don't tend to show up right away, and yes I have gotten away with solid exhaust systems for a LONG time that should have had issues, but just thought I would throw it out there, that you may, in the long term, see some issues there, and that a bellows in line on the wastegate circuit would solve that.

Is there a chance that we could get a picture from a little further back? So we could see the entire engine compartment?

The combo of the exhaust and the intake looks like it's going to be looking REALLY nice.

[Linxs]

Originally Posted by motohead

SWEET!!!! I'll take one. How much? Everything has a price. My trans probably couldn't handle that much power anyway.
Super cool set up though. How much increase in power?

With this setup the goal is only ~1000 RWHP. You'd have to do something for the tranny, would just end up a large a rattle box.

Originally Posted by crash

I love stainless. It just looks better with age too.

One suggestion...I don't see any bellows. That wastegate loop looks like it may have some issues with different rates of expansion. These things, like stress cracking, don't tend to show up right away, and yes I have gotten away with solid exhaust systems for a LONG time that should have had issues, but just thought I would throw it out there, that you may, in the long term, see some issues there, and that a bellows in line on the wastegate circuit would solve that.

Is there a chance that we could get a picture from a little further back? So we could see the entire engine compartment?

The combo of the exhaust and the intake looks like it's going to be looking REALLY nice.

You mean flex couplings? Yes we thought about it. I think we'll run this for a little bit and see if we like it since we are pretty much done with the fab. But yes i agree we should have thought about putting some flex couplings on. All this will get coated and wrapped to reduce heat.

Thanks for the comments! We think it turned out great.

[TiagoTT]

with such a short "downpipe" that is not restricted on movement at the end, I can't see it being a problem. I usually dump all WG to ATM but the packaging on this car made that pretty troublesome, so here we are.

we are still going to modify the DP a little

[TiagoTT]

another engine bay pic.

[rc000e]

Great welding ability but I think the wastegate configuration is bad. I agree with crash as well, especially with such a short wastegate dump, there should be a flex section in there.

I am very picky about aesthetics flow characteristics. Cheater cuts are just flow restrictions so easily avoided. Not to mention the one side uses multiple pieces of straight making it look like a mistake, but I know it's because they are cheater cut pieces...just looks sloppy.

Not only having the weight of the gates on it, but also the expansion characteristics of stainless...big no no right there. Custom forced induction fabrication has been my biz for many years...just would've not done it that way is all...not trying to be overly critical.

[Linxs]

Originally Posted by rc000e

Great welding ability but I think the wastegate configuration is bad. I agree with crash as well, especially with such a short wastegate dump, there should be a flex section in there.

I am very picky about aesthetics flow characteristics. Cheater cuts are just flow restrictions so easily avoided. Not to mention the one side uses multiple pieces of straight making it look like a mistake, but I know it's because they are cheater cut pieces...just looks sloppy.

Not only having the weight of the gates on it, but also the expansion characteristics of stainless...big no no right there. Custom forced induction fabrication has been my biz for many years...just would've not done it that way is all...not trying to be overly critical.

Thanks for the comments. One has to remember this is not our day job. While we know a lot, we are in no way experts. We make due with what we know/see/ have done. We've built several different configuations where the waste gate piping is this long and we've NEVER had one crack on us. I'm not saying it won't, just saying that we have not everperienced this. Please also remember we are working with what we have. We do not have expensive machines to make sure each cut is perfect and straight. While we can appreciate your opinion please try to take into consideration that this is weekend activity for us.

I'd love to hear how we could do it better, I love learning!!! So please if you are going to critisize feel free to offer suggestions on how we could do it better. Just saying cheater cuts are easily avoided and that it looks sloppy does help anyone. Maybe a little explanation of what you mean by cheater cuts would help me understand what you are talking about (I can assume but i don't like to do that). Maybe tell us how One can avoid cheater cuts?


Edit: FYI, we have been talking about it and we do think it's the right move to go ahead and put some in. Thanks for the suggestions! If anyone has an idea on the best way to put it in "cleanly", we are all ears.

[JCHRacer]

Originally Posted by Linxs

Thanks for the comments. One has to remember this is not our day job. While we know a lot, we are in no way experts. We make due with what we know/see/ have done. We've built several different configuations where the waste gate piping is this long and we've NEVER had one crack on us. I'm not saying it won't, just saying that we have not everperienced this. Please also remember we are working with what we have. We do not have expensive machines to make sure each cut is perfect and straight. While we can appreciate your opinion please try to take into consideration that this is weekend activity for us.

I'd love to hear how we could do it better, I love learning!!! So please if you are going to critisize feel free to offer suggestions on how we could do it better. Just saying cheater cuts are easily avoided and that it looks sloppy does help anyone. Maybe a little explanation of what you mean by cheater cuts would help me understand what you are talking about (I can assume but i don't like to do that). Maybe tell us how One can avoid cheater cuts?

Wow....that has to be the most thoughtfull and rational responses to an forum slapdown that I have ever seen....good show man!

[crash]

I think he means that your wastegate piping is not one piece, but made out of multiple pieces. Sometimes using minimal pieces is hard to do, but it does end up looking a tad bit better...but only to those that are really picky about aesthetics.

On the two systems I just recently did for the FFR PDG GTM race car I think I ended up with one cheater that was about 1/4" long. I had to do it to even out the sides so they were symetrical. I actually, IIRC, went back and cut out two 1/4" pieces and ended up with one 1/2" piece to avoid having the "cheater" in there. It was right at the collector flange, so pretty easy to do. It's a little more work and it costs a little more, but when you consider that the SS exhaust will outlive the rest of the car, you may as well do it right from the start. Oh, and, again IIRC, I think there ended up being one on one of the turn downs on the end. I REALLY hated to do that, but I was essentially making these out of left overs and there was no way I was going to cut into another 3" U bend to make a turn out. Especially since they sit outside the rear of the car and are likely to be damaged at some point. So there are some times when I will chose funtionality and lack of expense over aesthetics, but I do see his point.

BTW- Hope you purged or used Solar Flux on the inside, or the inclusions/burn through will not look very good on the inside, and can also damage flow a bit. Not a huge thing on a street car, but just another detail that is nice to know.

Not trying to pile on here at all, and I think your work looks really good. Just trying to explain what I think he means and offer some tips.

[Linxs]

Originally Posted by JCHRacer

Wow....that has to be the most thoughtfull and rational responses to an forum slapdown that I have ever seen....good show man!

Thank you. People take things, in general, to litteral on forums. People have to remember there are many different styles to commmunicating. Unerstanding that most of the time people are just trying to help (in their own communication style) will help most topics on forums like this. Take a step back and look at what's being said, not how it's being said. Then respond accordingly. In forum communication your first reaction is usually not the best.

Originally Posted by crash

I think he means that your wastegate piping is not one piece, but made out of multiple pieces. Sometimes using minimal pieces is hard to do, but it does end up looking a tad bit better...but only to those that are really picky about aesthetics.

On the two systems I just recently did for the FFR PDG GTM race car I think I ended up with one cheater that was about 1/4" long. I had to do it to even out the sides so they were symetrical. I actually, IIRC, went back and cut out two 1/4" pieces and ended up with one 1/2" piece to avoid having the "cheater" in there. It's a little more work and it costs a little more, but when you consider that the SS exhaust will outlive the rest of the car, you may as well do it right from the start.

BTW- Hope you purged or used Solar Flux on the inside, or the inclusions/burn through will not look very good on the inside, and can also damage flow a bit. Not a huge thing on a street car, but just another detail that is nice to know.

Not trying to pile on here at all, and I think your work looks really good. Just trying to explain what I think he means and offer some tips.

I see. That's what i though he meant. Yes we could have remade the pipe on the drivers side. Everything we built was made from u bends or 90's. We do not have a pipe bender here. So we just did the best we could. We did try to make it all symetrical but we, unfortunatly, are not experts and we lack the "right" machinery. One adiitional tidbit of information is that all this will be wrapped to reduce heat in the bay. So, one can argue it will not be seen once the kit is complete.

Thanks for the explaination Crash!


Edit: FYI i'm order the 2 couplings today. We'll cut it out and do it right.

[VD2021]

Originally Posted by JCHRacer

Wow....that has to be the most thoughtfull and rational responses to an forum slapdown that I have ever seen....good show man!

I concur.

[TiagoTT]

Originally Posted by crash

I think he means that your wastegate piping is not one piece, but made out of multiple pieces. Sometimes using minimal pieces is hard to do, but it does end up looking a tad bit better...but only to those that are really picky about aesthetics.

I think this is what he meant also.

unfortunately the pipe we had are u bends and the straight leg lengths were limited, so I HAD to weld at least two pieces together in order to make the total correct length on the WG Inlets. I think its a bit excessive to avoid a weld like that lol.

I understand that everything is a restriction, every weld, everey turn, but honestly, having built 50 or more of these things, and been involved with countless others, this system will not have anything holding it back from making 2000 hp if it had different turbos on it

I have seen some kits put together with flux core welders, where the joints almost misaligned 1/2" and the performance didn't suffer compared to the most beautifully crafted systems. LOL. Turbos don't seem to care much on what is going on around them as long as exhaust comes in and out, and air goes in and out lol

We all love to admire the workmanship of a good fabricator, but we just do what we can, I am sure the performance will not dissapoint here.

[rc000e]

Well, having built 50, I feel I could've laid it on heavier then...

I was more disappointed in the heavy cheat cuts prior to the turbine housing and recirc into the downpipe to be honest. Slash cut a 90 and you could make a great transition. Also...having built 50, you never used anything to allow the system to move during expansion?

I think my particular nature stems from my origins building naturally aspirated motors/headers where even a 5 degree cheat cut from tangent will create flow reductions and effect scavenging. In the turbo world, compressors make such huge power that I think it leads to slop.

Agree with crash though, if you don't backpurge or use solar flux, the sugaring inside definitely is the starting point for cracks during expansion. With the amount of heat the backs of these cars retain, it could really be an issue. Going with flex sections is definitely necessary. Also, are these turbo's hard mounted to the chassis or floating, supported by the piping they are attached to?

I will also tell you, that wrapping any of these components, while reducing some heat in the bay, will cause more heat to build in the material. This will further create expansion problems. I've went round and round with this years back when I built custom turbo manifold(header) for a time attack car. He ended up coating the manifold, and despite it being Sch40 thickness and back purged, it just found ways to crack. Just beware is all I'm saying..give that stuff room to move, and support any of the weight you can using heims and mounting points.


Linxs...definitely just trying to help bud. I'm picky, I'm particular and I take my forced induction fab serious...haha. Just trying to give you what I see in order to make your end result better based upon my experience building these systems because I've definitely built a lot.

[crash]

Originally Posted by rc000e

He ended up coating the manifold, and despite it being Sch40 thickness and back purged, it just found ways to crack.

Guess you should have gone to Inconel then. I've never worked with it as far as welding/fabing, but the 4 cylinder LMP car I worked on had it for the exhaust. VERY tough stuff.

[TiagoTT]

Originally Posted by rc000e

I was more disappointed in the heavy cheat cuts prior to the turbine housing and recirc into the downpipe to be honest. Slash cut a 90 and you could make a great transition. Also...having built 50, you never used anything to allow the system to move during expansion?

I have never recirculated the WG , always dump it straight to atmosphere, no cracks then.

still not sure what cuts you're talking about, there is no such cheater cuts going into the turbine?

[PCMusicGuy]

Linxs, great looking engine build so far. When this thing is wrapped up you need to bring it out to cars and coffee. Great work as always Tiago. What is your typical turn around time for building a turbo kit? Not that I'm looking to get one for the Corvette or anything. . .

[sk8runeg]

This may be a little off topic, but you wouldn't happen to be the same Tiago that used to be n LS1Tech with a red TT trans am the made like 1200hp would you?

[TiagoTT]

that would be me

[Linxs]

Originally Posted by PCMusicGuy

Linxs, great looking engine build so far. When this thing is wrapped up you need to bring it out to cars and coffee. Great work as always Tiago. What is your typical turn around time for building a turbo kit? Not that I'm looking to get one for the Corvette or anything. . .

It'll be driven everywhere that's for sure! I hope we can get the welder to work this weekend we've lost 2 weekend days because it was being finiky. We need to get the the water box built and installed so we can run the cooling lines!

[sk8runeg]

Originally Posted by TiagoTT

that would be me

Wow small world haha