Should I remove turbo and downpipe?

[wb's87]

I am installing a egt sensor and a a/f sensor. I plan to mount the egt in the exhaust manifold right before the turbo flange. I have been trying to think of the best and easiest way to do this. My main concern if I just drill and tap a 1/8" hole is the metal chips inside the pipe going right into the turbo. Any suggestions?

2nd I plan to mount the a/f sensor on the downpipe close to the firewall. Can this be done with the do still on? Are the chips from drilling the hole a concern?

Thanks in advance Bill


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[earlbrown]

Yep, they'll go right through the turbo. Chips in the downpipe aren't a worry, they'll shoot out the tail pipe. Unless you have a muffler that can allow them to bounce around forever....

On my WB install I got under the car with the sensor and decided where to put it and marked it with a marker. Then unscrewed my THDP and drilled out for the bung. Where I put mine, there's no way to drill and weld it.

 

[wb's87]

Thank you Earl, I will remove the turbo and dp. That's what I thought but wanted to double check to see if there was a better way.


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[John Larkin]

You could hold a strong shopvac to the exhaust side of the turbine while drilling. That would vacuum out most if not all of the chips right through the impeller. A 1/8" hole isn't going to make many chips regardless and it is the exit side of the turbo. I did it years ago and nothing ever happened to me.

 

[wb's87]

That's a great idea John. That would save some work. Thanks for helping out.


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[earlbrown]

There's a very good chance whatever chips you make with a 1/8 drill will be small enough to not damage a thing.....

you just have to ask yourself if it's worth risking a turbo. That's assUming you can even get a drill motor in there to make the hole where you want it.


The vac idea shouldn't work unless you open up an intake for the vac to pull from. Now that I think about it, you could remove the crossover pipe then slide a hose all the way to the turbo and shoot compressed air in there to back flush any chips.....

 

[wb's87]

I broke 2 bolts removing the downpipe from the turbo so I think I'm gonna get a right angle drill to try to drill and easy out the dp bolts. It will be easy access to then drill for the egt sensor. I like the idea of removing the crossover. I can drop the crossover down and slide a vacuum hose right up to the spot where I need to drill and tap. Hopefully that will remove the few chips that will be in there.


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[earlbrown]

Dude. Trust me on this one.... Take the turbo off and drill whatever you have to (at that point the PS header is easy easy to get out of there).

With two broken bolts it would REALLY benefit you to have the exhaust housing on a mill or drill press table to extract the bolts. If they're stuck in there hard enough to twist the head off, they're not just going to back out. When it comes to extracting broken studs, there's an art to it and you only get one shot for a straightforward repair. After that, you're pissed, wishing you could go back in time and have to pull it anyway to do a heli-coil or threaded insert.

 

[Dave Dunbar]

Dude. Trust me on this one.... Take the turbo off and drill whatever you have to (at that point the PS header is easy easy to get out of there).

With two broken bolts it would REALLY benefit you to have the exhaust housing on a mill or drill press table to extract the bolts. If they're stuck in there hard enough to twist the head off, they're not just going to back out. When it comes to extracting broken studs, there's an art to it and you only get one shot for a straightforward repair. After that, you're pissed, wishing you could go back in time and have to pull it anyway to do a heli-coil or threaded insert.

I agree. Removing the turbo will make this job much easier. And safer.
Sent from my A110

 

[wb's87]

Thanks for the input everyone. I took the turbo off. Ran around all day trying to find a machine shop to remove the broken downpipe bolts. No luck. I will try again tomorrow. I got the wb sensor bung welded in so at least the day wasn't a total loss.


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[TexasT]

IT took me a few tries but it got them all out by welding a nut on the broke off bolts. Just have to make sure you use anti seize when they go back in.
I chased the holes with a tap too just to clean em up.

Also works good on some exhaust manifold bolts that got broke of in the heads. I welded the nuts on , let them cool, and hit em with an impact. Some came right out. Some required a second chance .

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[earlbrown]

A set of left handed drills are pretty amazing with broken bolt removal. A good chunk of the time they will spin right out when the drill bottoms out in the fastener.

If you're buying a set of extractors, get the square kind instead of the spiral kind. They transmit more energy into turning the fastener instead of swelling it and causing more binding.

 

[wb's87]

IT took me a few tries but it got them all out by welding a nut on the broke off bolts. Just have to make sure you use anti seize when they go back in.
I chased the holes with a tap too just to clean em up.

Also works good on some exhaust manifold bolts that got broke of in the heads. I welded the nuts on , let them cool, and hit em with an impact. Some came right out. Some required a second chance .

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Actually the welder that did the bung on the dp tried doing this. Unfortunately the bolts wee too far Ito the hole to get a good weld to them and just kept breaking more. They are now about 1/16" recessed into the holes.

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[wb's87]

A set of left handed drills are pretty amazing with broken bolt removal. A good chunk of the time they will spin right out when the drill bottoms out in the fastener.

If you're buying a set of extractors, get the square kind instead of the spiral kind. They transmit more energy into turning the fastener instead of swelling it and causing more binding.

Tomorrow I am going to one more machine shop and if they can't or better don't want to do it I will buy the left handed drill bits. I actually had a set in my hand today at harbor freight. Good thought on the extractors. It makes sense.


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[wb's87]

I removed the broken dp bolts. I ended up doing it myself. I ended up having to dill them out and chased down all the threads. It came out perfect the car is all back together.

Do you know where the egt wire goes on the pl? I'm pretty sure the a/f goes to the 1 position but have no clue where to put the egt.


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[TexasT]

I just kept welding on more to the broke bolt until I had enough to weld to again and welded on another nut. Took time which is why he probably did not keep at it. I had plenty of nuts(haha, a whole box) and a roll of mig wire. I'm way too cheap to take it somewhere.
I let it cool and hit em with an impact. I think the heat and the shock got them out.
You might have luck with a left drill but I'd break out the gas axe, pull the housing and burn em out if it came to that.
Good Luck
Rich
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[wb's87]

A set of left handed drills are pretty amazing with broken bolt removal. A good chunk of the time they will spin right out when the drill bottoms out in the fastener.

If you're buying a set of extractors, get the square kind instead of the spiral kind. They transmit more energy into turning the fastener instead of swelling it and causing more binding.

Hi Earl thanks for the help with everything. I am just finishing up the wb and egt sensors. I was hoping you could tell me to what position on the pl I/o board the egt connects? I'm guessing its #5 5v. I just want to confirm it before I make the connection. I have searched the forums on here and the full throttle site but can't seem to find it

Thank you again, Bill Brooks


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[ttaowner]

I usually use a torch and heat the exhaust housing cherry red in the area where the bolt is and I go easy with the bolts and I usually have ok luck with that method. Yes the still sometimes break but I have had way better luck this way rather than just taking them off

 

[wb's87]

I usually use a torch and heat the exhaust housing cherry red in the area where the bolt is and I go easy with the bolts and I usually have ok luck with that method. Yes the still sometimes break but I have had way better luck this way rather than just taking them off

Thanks for helping out. I did try using the torch. Still could only get out 2/4 bolts without them beaking off. All is good now car is back together and runs great!


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