Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Twin turbo install

[JLewis]

Hey guys, I'm in the process of installing a set of piers twins. I'm having trouble with the clearance on the 5 inch intake pipe (that goes to the air filter) and the pipe with the blow off valves that goes to the intercooler. The air intake pipe is sandwiched in between the oil filter and the intercooler pipe. Im afraid it will rub a hole in something. Anyone else have this problem and have any suggestions or tricks? This kit comes with no instructions at all, I just went by the couple of pictures I could find on the web. Thanks

Jim

 

[Jim Fulmer]

Jim, you can move the pipe in the boot a little and move the boot a little where it slides on the bottom turbo to gain the clarence needed, as for the intercooler pipe, you might have to clock the turbo's discharge a little lower to put it below the 5" intake. The Turbo to turbo pipe, intake and discharge pipe should all set close but not touching each other.



Jim

 

[jabird]

Is that normal? In the $3500 ballpark and no directions what so ever?

 

[**ICEMAN**]

you can also use windex or hairspray on the boot to metal tube connections.

it will help you twist/position them and then it dries.

price sounds familiar. no instructions do too :-laf

they will take time to help you over the phone if you call.

i think we are refering to the same place.

 

[RonA]

I had to put everything in loose and then twist the clearance in and tighten. Don't forget the bottom turbo mount. It needs to be supported. The top turbo exhaust housing can crack if it has to hold up the whole set. Also, the hot pipe can be rotated slightly by loosening the bolts where it attatches to the top turbo. A little bit of movement there can move the bottom turbo enough to gain clearance. It is a bit of a puzzle the first time.

 

[Jim Fulmer]

A trick I use on the boots is rubbing alcohol, it makes them a little slick and softens the paint, then when it dries it makes it a little sticky.



Jim

 

[JLewis]

Well I almost have it finished today. Boy is it ever a tight fit, I had the turbo to intercooler pipe on backwards so reversing that did the trick. I could not figure out how the heck they want you to brace the bottom turbo so I built my own mount for that. Yeah directions or even a couple of hints would have made it go twice as fast as I spent some time just trying to figure out where a couple of parts even went, like the piece of 3 inch I. D. pipe about 1 inch long that goes in the hot side of the HX 40. Had to call them and ask where that went, I called twice and one guy was very nice and helpful and another said if your familiar at all with the diesels its self explanitory I do all the work on my 4 diesel trucks myself but this is my first twin turbo install, sort of a jigsaw puzzle, next time it would be easy. Can't wait to get it going, and thanks for the help guys!

Jim

 

[Jim Fulmer]

Good to hear you have it figured out now, actually the jig saw puzzle is finding the parts and building the Twins... ... what a pain in the butt!



Jim

 

[JLewis]

Well its running, spools excellent and I don't notice any more lag than before with just the HX 40 alone. I have only run the boost up to 30 lbs. so far and it seems to get there way faster, only about 1/16 of pedal travel! Yeah, I was going to try to build my own, I have all the tools to do it but just trying to hunt down all the different parts, boots and pieces and then trying to fit it all together for the first time would have been extremly difficult. It would be do-able now that I've spent 2 days fooling with it. Do-able but not easy by any means. I give major credit to all of you that have built your own.



Should I adjust the wastegate on the HX 40? I left it the same as it was as a single and not sure if I should turn it down. I belive the blow off valves control the overall boost which I want to keep around 50 for now until I get the head taken care of. Thanks guys.

Jim

 

[RonA]

You might try setting it at around 25lbs. Be carefull with your boost or the next post we see will start out " Well I blew my head gasket today".

 

[Jim Fulmer]

Jim, if you have the setup I think you have then try setting the gate with a little preload keeping it shut this will keep the low end responsive, if the arm is too long (not enough preload) the the gate will creep open at low boost and takes away from the bottom end responce and yes the blow offs will help you control the overall boost.



Jim

 

[JLewis]

Jim, I'm not sure how to set the wastegate on the 40. I tried to lower the boost on it by lengthening the rod and it made it really laggy and smokey. It seems like making the rod longer makes the wastegate flap stay open all the time a little bit even with no boost. I put the rod back to where it just hooked up to the wastegate flap connection with it closed. I guess I should set some tension on the rod and then hook it up to the flapper connection. To test it with shop air do you just set your air compressor to the desired amount an pump air into the rubber wastegate line with the rod hooked up and adjust the rod untill it opens? Sorry for all the questions, just don't know how to set this up properly. Thanks Jim

 

[NBowlin]

For the shop air I used a oxy/ace regulator with the appropriate fitting. It worked pretty slick.

 

[Jim Fulmer]

Jim, I'm not sure how to set the wastegate on the 40. I tried to lower the boost on it by lengthening the rod and it made it really laggy and smokey. It seems like making the rod longer makes the wastegate flap stay open all the time a little bit even with no boost. I put the rod back to where it just hooked up to the wastegate flap connection with it closed. I guess I should set some tension on the rod and then hook it up to the flapper connection. To test it with shop air do you just set your air compressor to the desired amount an pump air into the rubber wastegate line with the rod hooked up and adjust the rod untill it opens? Sorry for all the questions, just don't know how to set this up properly. Thanks Jim

I went to an air fitting supply place locally and got several 1/8th thread to 1/4 plastic tubing fittings and a regulator with a gauge, this is for setting the AFC's up as well as testing hobbs switches ect..... like they would normally be used in normal operation. I then got a 1/8th hose barb to a piece of hose to check stuff like that wastegate actuator, again to simulate boost.



Yes it is true that if you get the actuator arm too long it will cause the gate to be open all the time or soon after you start making boost or drive pressure from the chargers, if it opens too soon or too much at the beginning then you will have lag/lack of bottom end. I set mine with some preload so the arm has to move just a bit to get the gate to open but it doesn't hurt overall boost doing this, one other thing someone could try is a turbo master, it is spring loaded and uses drive pressure to open it up but I've never tried one.



Jim