Mutt The Race Truck

[DanStokes]

tip has been duly noted... thank you sir!

Not sure anyone else in the Free World will NEED that tip, but there it is. Perhaps when North African taxi mechanics need to fix one they'll Google and learn my tip?

Dan

[DanStokes]

Grumble, grumble, grumble..... Now that I have the manifold off the engine and with new studs in place I can see that my nifty spacer needs to be 3/4" thick instead of the 1/2" one that I made. The 1/2" one is just a tad shy of getting the turbo off the manifold. I think I'll swing by Southeastern Steel on Monday and get a hunk of plate and maybe have someone with a Bridgeport carve it out. It was bad enough with the 1/2" plate and the 3/4 will be just that much worse! Still, this is progress as I now know what's needed.

Dan

[Deaf Bob]

Play it safe and go a full inch!

[cstmwgn]

.. with new studs in place I can see that my nifty spacer needs to be 3/4" thick ... It was bad enough with the 1/2" plate and the 3/4 will be just that much worse! Dan

Can you make it out of something easier to cut like aluminum?

[Russell]

Would the aluminum melt?

[DanStokes]

I think I'll stick with steel just to be safe. It's doable, just a bit of work.

Dan

[silver_bullet]

I think that's a wise plan.... I don't think I'd want to figure out the expansion rate of that adapter in aluminum....

[CTX-SLPR]

Have a local waterjet shop that can blast it out for you? I've used www.emachineshop.com for parts and have considered www.bigbluesaw.com for stuff as well. However they're not terribly fast from my experience with emachineshop.

Just a thought.

[DanStokes]

Good thought - thanks. I'll call and see how thick they can do. They cut the violin that hangs off our mailbox.

EDIT: I called the water jet shop (Wilmington Rubber And Gasket) and they can cut up to 6 1/2" of steel - that ought to be adequate! I'll pick up a hunk of steel and let 'em have at it.

Dan

[DanStokes]

CTX was right. Water jet is the way to go for turbo spacers. Here's the pics.

The spacer and gaskets. My usual powder coater, Area 51 here in Wilmington (much closer to the house than the other guys) now has a water jet machine. $35 later and here ya go!



In place on the manifold. I'm not sure what to do with that center divider - the manifold is open but the turbo has that rib so maybe it doesn't matter. The gasket I gave them had the divider so that's how they made it. It'll be easy enough to cut out of there if I decide there's an advantage (please give opinions......).


The tight spot I needed to get the turbo to clear. The passage in the manifold used to be for the EGR, no longer used given that Mutt is a race truck. So this works. The tip of the screwdriver shows the tight place.


And finally, the turbo in place. I'm stewing over trying to install the manifold with the turbo in place as it would be a lot easier if I can pull it off but a lot of jumble to manage as I get it in place. Back and forth.



Tomorrow (with any luck) I'll pull the old exhaust manifold, clean the gasket surfaces, and bolt the new stuff back in there.

As an aside, ME and I were in Jacksonville, FL for last 2 days as I got my 6 month cancer check. All is more than well, like it never even happened. Happy guy here!

Dan

[silver_bullet]

[Das ist großartig!] Das ist der absolute Hammer. zu Ehren Abgasturbolader

Absolutely great to hear of your continued recovery! Thoughts and prayers of thanksgiving given!

[DanStokes]

Thanks guys. No miracles here - just powerful science. And yes, I'm DAMN grateful!

Dan

[silver_bullet]

I'd consider leaving that center divider in place, just chamfering the edges on the inlet side, as it may help straighten the flow and increasing velocity of gasses into the scroll of the turbo...

[DanStokes]

Now I have more decisions to make. A guy on the Mercedes forum has offered to sell me a "hen's teeth" non-egr turbo manifold, the one w/o the EGR passage that's in the way. Decisions..... Either way I'll likely keep the spacer plate as a flow straightener as Patrick pointed out.

Dan

[CTX-SLPR]

If you can use the money on something else AND what you have will work equally well in your current config and the next iteration; I'd say no. If either of the previous are not true, jump on it!

Either way, I'd contour the leading edge of the adapter block so it's not just a flat wall.