My Home Made Up-Pipe Brace.

[KEVINS]

As some of you know I've been having proplems keeping the up-pipe on the throttle body when boost gets above 27psi even with new clamps and hoses, etc and when the up-pipe blew off the first time it destroyed my hood liner.

Well, I have a new hoodliner on it's way and before I put it on I had to come up with a sure way that the up-pipe won't blow off again so I designed a bolt-on brace to hold it on.

I haven't tested it yet because I'm still waiting on some other parts but for the most part this is the completed installation of the support brace. I wish the support braces were more horizontal but it should still keep the up-pipe from moving backwards too far.

 

[charlief1]

Interesting idea Kevin. Once you test it and it works do a full write up and put it in the fabrication section. This may help a bunch of guys so they don't damage their hood liners.

 

[Phoneguy]

Nice job!!

Bryan

 

[grocerygetter]

Tbolt clamps too.

 

[Pronto]

That's interestng but I think your real issue is the coupler and alignment of the up pipe. I would try a heavier gauge silicone and try to get the up pipe closer and in line with the throttle body. Just a thought...

 

[KEVINS]

That's interestng but I think your real issue is the coupler and alignment of the up pipe. I would try a heavier gauge silicone and try to get the up pipe closer and in line with the throttle body. Just a thought...

The IC is only 1/4" from the fan on the crank so I can't get the IC any closer thus the up-pipe can't get any closer. I've tried that may, many times.

ks

 

[whitehot1]

As some of you know I've been having proplems keeping the up-pipe on the throttle body when boost gets above 27psi even with new clamps and hoses, etc and when the up-pipe blew off the first time it destroyed my hood liner.

Well, I have a new hoodliner on it's way and before I put it on I had to come up with a sure way that the up-pipe won't blow off again so I designed a bolt-on brace to hold it on.

I haven't tested it yet because I'm still waiting on some other parts but for the most part this is the completed installation of the support brace. I wish the support braces were more horizontal but it should still keep the up-pipe from moving backwards too far.

View attachment 168177

That brace looks nice!

This might work also to keep the hose from blowing off. Clean the throttle body off to remove any oil that may be there and also the inside of the up-pipe hose coupler and put a bead of Permatex Ultra Black rtv on the throttle body where the hose for the up-pipe fits on,that should solve the problem and allow you to still be able to remove the hose without any damage to it. The permatex ultra black rtv is plenty strong when it dries but if you don't mind replacing the hose if you ever need to remove it, to ensure it doesn't blow off then the Permatex Right Stuff will pretty much guarantee it won't come off ever.

The last time i had the intercooler hose blow off was in the mid 90's and it scared the crap out of me. In the middle of the night on I-75 in Fla. about 3 am in the middle of nowhere.

 

[TRICKSIXPA]

It seem a bit overkill but I like the though process. Um just a suggestion a good muffler shop would be able to fab up an SS up pipe for your car for under $100.00 I just think that gap is too far for any think right now. Good luck but i'd be getting a custom pipe bent if I were you.

 

[KEVINS]

It seem a bit overkill but I like the though process. Um just a suggestion a good muffler shop would be able to fab up an SS up pipe for your car for under $100.00 I just think that gap is too far for any think right now. Good luck but i'd be getting a custom pipe bent if I were you.

Thnx Guys!
There are no "good" muffler shops here. No muffler shops in Nebraska even have a mandrel pipe bender and no muffler shops even use SS around here. I spent a few months looking for one when I did my 3-muffler system a few months ago.

I HATE these new hoses that I just bought (very wimpy!) but I'm getting REALLY F'n tired of buying hoses that don't fit properly so instead of buying the world out of IC hoses to try I decided to design a brace that will just keep the up-pipe from moving away from the throttle body.

Update:
I did a few blasts at 26psi and so far so good!

ks

 

[87chrisss]

i destroyed a very expensive hood liner not long ago really pissed me off!

 

[KEVINS]

i destroyed a very expensive hood liner not long ago really pissed me off!

I feel your PAIN!!

I shouldn't NEED to be doing this but I'm getting tired of the pipe blowing off and if this prevents the pipe from coming off and my new hood liner from getting destroyed then I'll be Happy!

ks

 

[charlief1]

If you've got someone that can TIG aluminum send me a PM with your email Kevin. I'm on one of the pipe benders seconds mailing list and they just sent me a buch of part numbers that they're selling for about 20% off. I'll foward it to you so you can find the pieces to make a decent pipe if you want.

 

[KEVINS]

If you've got someone that can TIG aluminum send me a PM with your email Kevin. I'm on one of the pipe benders seconds mailing list and they just sent me a buch of part numbers that they're selling for about 20% off. I'll foward it to you so you can find the pieces to make a decent pipe if you want.

Wow, Thanks for the offer! If I go that route I'll give you a shout!

KS

 

[Amelio]

Looks interesting for sure nice work!

Also nice work on making 27psi and and blowing the up pipe as your only issue I bet that thing is fun.........My car has only seen as much as 26psi and that was a boost spike

What is holding the heads on......stock gaskets and bolts or are you studded with aftermarket gaskets?

 

[KEVINS]

Looks interesting for sure nice work!

Also nice work on making 27psi and and blowing the up pipe as your only issue I bet that thing is fun.........My car has only seen as much as 26psi and that was a boost spike

What is holding the heads on......stock gaskets and bolts or are you studded with aftermarket gaskets?

It had held 28-29psi with untouched heads during second gear blasts before but the boost controller I made was VERY unstable. After I installed a good controller the adjustments were very touchy and it pegged the boost gauge (at least 32psi) and instantly popped the gaskets last month. The heads are now mildly pocket ported and studded with RJC gaskets.
My goal is a reliable 29psi then I’ll back it back down to around 27-28psi.

This Precision 5831 really starts to comes alive at 27psi with my combo…

 

[Amelio]

It had held 28-29psi with untouched heads during second gear blasts before but the boost controller I made was VERY unstable. After I installed a good controller the adjustments were very touchy and it pegged the boost gauge (at least 32psi) and instantly popped the gaskets last month. The heads are now mildly pocket ported and studded with RJC gaskets.
My goal is a reliable 29psi then I’ll back it back down to around 27-28psi.

This Precision 5831 really starts to comes alive at 27psi with my combo…

That is just awesome!

I have heard that the sweet spot on my turbo is around the 25-27 psi range but I have not been able to get it there yet.

 

[KEVINS]

WHOOO HOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!

The boost gauge went to 30-31psi all through 2nd gear and everything is still together!!! Even the Motor!!

After a small boost adjustment I was hoping for around 28-29 so I didn't expect it to go that high and I don't want to run that much all the time. I backed the boost down a tad after this run now that I know everything will stay together.
I also readjusted the IC hoses on the throttle body before I took off and it doesn't look like they moved one bit!

My new headliner arrived yesterday so once I'm confident that things will stay as they should I will put it on... Or, maybe not as much as I paid for it...


ks

 

[GNRick]

I had my up pipe blow off due to a dead spot in the TPS sensor. Kind of acted like a head gasket popping, to avoid damage elsewhere. You sure there isn't some other issue causing it to blow off? Maybe even a bad spark plug wire or something? I wonder what would have happened to my car if the up pipe didn't blow off. Doesn't your bracket under the vacuum block cause a vacuum leak? Also, if the pipe blows off, won't it take the vacuum block with it? I just wonder how strong the bracing is....sure looks nice though!

 

[RatFink]

Cool. My up pipe was blowing off too. It was due to the lubricant in the alky injection system (older non progressive SMC type) blowing out around the hoses and then "soaping" the pipe up. It was also a 3" chrome pipe with not much of a lip like the stock up pipe. So I cleaned it all up and my bro welded a fatter lip on the up pipe. Never came off again.

 

[KEVINS]

I had my up pipe blow off due to a dead spot in the TPS sensor. Kind of acted like a head gasket popping, to avoid damage elsewhere. You sure there isn't some other issue causing it to blow off? Maybe even a bad spark plug wire or something? I wonder what would have happened to my car if the up pipe didn't blow off. Doesn't your bracket under the vacuum block cause a vacuum leak? Also, if the pipe blows off, won't it take the vacuum block with it? I just wonder how strong the bracing is....sure looks nice though!

I know for a fact that there isn't any other reason. At 26psi or less it stays on. Add more boost and it comes off. Under boost the pipe moves away from the throttle body and was pulling the hose off. I know this b/c the hose/IC pipe was always pointing upwards and resting on top of the throttle body. The brackets keep the pipe where it is so it can't pull back on the hose. This was verified by adding the brackets then adjusting the hose on the throttle body and checking it after a run. The hose NEVER moved one bit indicating that the pipe was pulling the hose backwards off the throttle body.

This car doesn't miss a beat and at these boost levels if there was anything amiss it would really show up and I'm really lucky in that it runs like clockwork. Just simply bolting this piece on has kept it on for 4 runs at 29-31 psi where before anything over 26 would blow it off.

There are gaskets on top/below the bracket, so no leaks.

There is no where near enough pull force to shear those two stainless screws so the bracketry and screws are more than strong enough. I'm more worried about the hoses deforming too much and causing issues at this point and I have a solution for that coming in the mail.

ks