…and then pauses
Summary:
The install day started off great. We got done with the break down of all the stock parts and were flying through the steps of the install. Stock manifold off, O2 sensor jammed (see below), stock air box/intake removed, new injectors installed, fuel rail reinstalled. We had to rotate the alternator back a little to get the header off, but that was no real trouble.
We were basically flying through everything with no problems until we got to the part where we were about to put in the turbo manifold, turbo, wastegate, and downpipe. We noticed a couple of little things and decided to take a closer look.
Problems:
- The primary O2 sensor was apparently put in by God himself as we weren’t able to get it out. I put some elbow and “breaker bar powa“(tm) into it and we then found out that I can break brand new O2 sockets. See the hairline fracture below on the near side.
(See that crack right up the spine? Yea, that was a brand new socket I destroyed)-
Turns out that hot side of the turbo housing (exhaust side) had a broken bolt in it and one bolt halfway in. When we went to take the halfway-in bolt off the housing we found out that it was broken as well and really just held in the hole by a thread or two…great.
(Hard to see, but the leftmost two bolts are broken off in the housing)
- We tried to extract the two bolts, but weren’t able. Took the turbo to the shop to have them try, but they weren’t able to either. Being that it’s the weekend all the shops we might need were already closed we made the decision to go back to stock.
Next steps:
- Refill oil and test fire with the bigger injectors
- bring the turbo to a shop capable of helping us with the broken bolts
- buy new exhaust housing if old bolts can’t be removed
- try the install again
If this had been a virgin kit, we would’ve been done by around 5pm. Oh well, c’est la vie. We’ll keep working at it until the Mediocre tC is up and boosting.
– Unfortunately, Steve is the only thing moving hot air right now
Mediocre Motoring 
Anybody know how you install RTV? The package says that you let it cure for an hour and then re-torque the oil pan, but I’m sure this is BS and that you don’t need to do that.
I’m sure the car will run on 60# injectors on stock programming. What’s all that white stuff on the turbine?
What are those huge braided stainless lines coming off the middle of the turbo?
Goddamnit Jeff, get all your points together before you post 3-4 comments and make me have to consolidate them for you.
It wasn’t about IF it would run with the bigger injectors/stock programming…it was about how well it would run. If it was going to run at least to a degree we’re comfortable with, we’ll use it.
The white stuff on the turbo was likely a result of the previous owner running their car waayyy too lean.
The braided lines where water cooling to the center housing and act as secondary cooling to supplement the oil cooling jacket on the turbo.
How would the previous owner run “waayyy too lean”? Didn’t he have properly operating wastegate and blow-off/recirculating diverter valves?
Maybe those 60# injectors are too small, and you should be running 80#/800+ cc units? Does anyone sell those? What if we end up using a turbo that has too large of a trim, will the Siemens injectors still work?
/sigh
As you know a properly functioning BOV/WG are just one part of the setup. Tuning of fuel trims is the other half. A poor tune even with properly working BOV/WG setup will still result in lean conditions
Yes, the 630cc injectors will be fine
So when will you find out if the old bolts can be removed? What if they can’t? Just install it with three bolts and lots of hope? Maybe some asbestos?
hahahahhhahahhahaaaha
no it isnt bs, rtv needs time to get stiff. if your torque it down immediately your really only getting a fraction if half the gasket material you would normally get at an hour cur time.
normally i will set a bead of rtv along whatever your sealing put the part on
and hand tighten all of the bolts evenly. than ill let it sit for a few hours
and than torque them down to spec. that way it squeezes all of the material down
in between but its much thicker and harder and has a way better resistance to leaks or blowouts.