Who'da thought- hole in IC boot= HIGH EGT?

[dpuckett]

I finally got around to buying a plumber's cap last week, and installed a valve stem in it, and tightened it around my turbo intake to check the system for leaks. It was at Advanced Automotive, and I had the service writer/ my girlfriend watch the boost gauge and tell me when it got to 10psi. I hooked the chuck up to it and proceeded to fill it with air. Got a huge hisssss. Well, shoot, something in my cobbling went awry. So I got a bottle of Windex and sprayed it around the valve stem, and no bubbles. Good. Hit the air to it again. This time I felt around, and noticed some air coming out below the turbo. Lower boot from the turbo had a hole bigger than a #2 pencil lead. No wonder it wouldnt build more than 4psi with the air hose. So I need at the very least one boot. I didnt even get a chance to check the rest of the system, as it wouldnt hold air long enough for me to move around the front.



So that is a load off my mind- just need a lousy boot. Still getting 18-19mpg city, and peaking boost around 26psi. Wonder what it'll do with a closed, non-leaking system? Anyone have a boot lying around? Preferrably with no cracks or holes?



Daniel

 

[matches]

Daniel, what made you check? Were the egts higher than normal? BTW ebay has boots, CHEAP!

 

[dpuckett]

matches-



EGTs were higher with 3. 54s and an intercooler than they were in my nonIC'd 91 with 4. 10s at the same speed. I average 900-1000deg at 70mph on flat, no wind to speak of (<5mph).



I plan to look on ebay, or maybe get some silicone turbo hose and make my own boots. Mom's truck has one that has been replaced like that.



-DP

 

[bgilbert]

I just sold my spare set or I'd give ya one. I'd get the proper length of 2. 5" silicone coolant hose and replace them all. Precut 4" sections from Mack in Indy, our price was ~$35 for 4 of them IIRC. Precut was slightly more expensive when you figured it by the foot.

 

[Greenleaf]

I have saved most all the old/useless hardware I have pulled from both engines however sending you the old boost hoses would be dumb cuz silicone hose is available and you'll be better off with new.



-S

 

[dpuckett]

I have checked the local shops, and 2-1/2 fits right in the middle- too big for the regular auto stores, but too small for the truck shops. Where can I get some? I didnt get a real warm fuzzy feeling inside when I googled Silicone Turbo Hoses. If there aint a phone number, I wont deal with them.



Scott, check your PM box.



This is a good excuse to upgrade, But I dont want to spend half my paycheck on it, either.



Daniel

 

[bgilbert]

Sounds like SOP3 you're gonna have to stop in Indy at the Mack/Volvo dealer and get the precut 4" sections. I'm sure the Gateway's gotta have a better stocked shop??

 

[Greenleaf]

Scott, check your PM box.



Daniel

Oh... ... ... ... ... ... . MAN! You real sure you want these. I ordered my hose from PDR along with the shiny new spring loaded clamps. Oo.



NAPA has the clamps too by the way. My local heavy truck dealership has all sorts of silicone hose. They sell it in sticks of three foot. It's silicone radiator hose.

 

[dpuckett]

I got some silicone radiator hose and cut it to length. It isnt the factory-style hump hose, but it is rated for 65psi working pressure.



Big rig dealers in this area arent much help- stuff for our medium duty engines falls right in the gap between automotive and big rig. Smalles turbo to intercooler hose anyone had was 3".



-DP

 

[dpuckett]

Update

Finally got around to testing the intercooler/ intake system again after my new boots, and still had a leak. That left the intercooler. I came across a REALLY good deal on a 3rd Gen intercooler, and mismeasured somewhere along the way- it is too wide to fit between the frame rails, and too tall to fit above them without modifying the frame rails or chopping about 5" off the intercooler. So, I decided to look for the leak in the stock IC. Found it- right along the seam where the tube meets the side of the core. Apparently, it had been hit from the front, and the tube got cracked at the seam. I am letting the JB Weld dry for now- going to reassemble Monday. Also found a paper towel in the intercooler on the turbo side. No wonder my EGTs were so danged high- between the wastegated IC and half of it being blocked off, it's a wonder the thing got enough air to even run, much less make 30psi boost or cool down to 300deg.



I have the intake and piping, going to look for a 2nd Gen cooler; 3rd gen IC is in the classifieds. The JB weld is just to buy me some time, though it could well work. Some municipality fixed the block on a Caterpillar one time, according to the package.



-DP