Following a recent problem with an RR run showing up very lean running, a bit of investigation has revealed that my standard OE turbo inlet pipe has come adrift on the underside of where it joins to the front of the turbo. It's either melted under there or got slick with oil/engine grime as now a jubilee clip can barely hold it on. It's a MY98/v4 car running a standard DV and return pipe, all the breathers are connected BUT the turbo is a front-entry machined TD05-16G and the manifold's on 10mm insulating spacers.

The turbo has a very short entry flange (if that's the right word) which hardly sticks out far enough for a standard jubilee clip to sit fully over it. When I tighten it up it just slips off, pulling the inlet pipe off with it. The slightly lifted manifold has caused the problem that it's pulling the inlet pipe just enough upwards and preventing it from sliding forwards onto the turbo flange, so that the connection is very sketchy to say the least. It's impossible to force the inlet pipe all the way onto the already insufficient turbo flange because the raised inlet manifold fouls it.

So, suggestions would be very welcome. Am I the only person to ever encounter this problem? What can I do to fix it? I'm not afraid of taking stuff apart if I have to, as long as I know someone's done it before and it's worked. Two things that immediately spring to mind are:
1. to whip the turbo off and get a short collar welded onto the existing flange to make it longer, although I can't weld myself and would need to get a workshop to do it for me.
2. to remove the inlet manifold and either put it back to standard without the spacers (which I'm not keen on doing) OR try to clear the obstructions around the inlet pipe which are preventing it from fitting up closer to the turbo (from memory these are fuel and vacuum pipes as well as mounting brackets).

HELP!

 

have you thought about changing to a samco style pipe? i change my standard one to a samco one, and had to chop a little off the end where it joins onto the turbo as it was to long. i am running the 20g so not sure if it is different?

another idea is, that i have seen the inlet pipes with no holes on them (for breathers) just one onto the turbo and one onto the the filter end.
this may be easyer to fit/ mayb a different size?

or mayb you could get some tube and chemical metal it onto the out side of the turbo flange and then have it reduce to the size that you need to fit inside the inlet pipe.

just some brain storming ideas

hope it helps

 

Well I did used to have a silicone pipe on there but it was one of the causes of surge that I had so I changed back to the standard one. But to be fair, it WAS much better at staying where it was put and fitted up to the turbo much tighter.

THe smooth pipes I've heard of, but tbh I want to keep my breather system intact, so that's out. Do you reckon chemical metal would be good enough to do the job there, thinking about the heat and vibration? I don't use the stuff very much so don't know what it can handle. I think I used some to bodge up a charge temp sensor fitting - it's the stuff like araldite that goes kind of sparkly dark grey and smooth once set?

 

yes thats the stuff, i know it goes very hard once set. i think if you were to weld the pipe on, you would prob be best taking the turbo apart first incase it damages anything on it.

if you need a flange/reducer type thing, i may be able to help out

 

just a thought, if you use the chemical metal, is there any chance of any of it breaking off, not the ideal thing to be flying through your turbo on full chat

 

You could trim the flared end off the stock pipe and get a short piece of the right size silicon hose (rally design are cheap for small sections) to join the remains to the compressor.
I suspect your machined side entry is a fraction shorter than a genuine front entry...

2nd thoughts...have you tried undoing it from the manifold and using an adaptor piece to drop down the 10mm and go the 'wrong' side of the inlet pipe bracket thus pushing the inlet pipe further on...you would only need a small piece of alloy or steel....

Simon

 

Update time: I went with that idea of trimming the knackered end of the OE pipe off and replacing it with a short silicone joiner - worked very well (for anyone else who has this same problem in the future!)

However, I've now taken the plunge and got a proper Samco inlet pipe, but after offering it up in the standard position, it's still tight in between the underside of the manifold and the fuel pipes. I've now 'modded' the fuel pipes by sawing off the brackets that hold them in place and it's got me a little more space in there but I still can't help wishing I had two entirely standalone fuel rails with a simple hose tail on each end, so I could plumb all the fuel and breather pipes over the top.

Anyone else got any suggestions for how they have solved the problem of their manifold spacers lifting the inlet pipe out of alignment with the turbo? I've got to say I'm not that happy that after all this, my £200 Samco hose is still not really flexible enough to fit properly...

Cheers!