Top Of Intake Blew Off!!??

[6SENSE]

Car didnt lean out. The welds were weak. Everywhere else on the intake had nice big welds top and bottom. The top of the intake that blew off of course couldnt get welded underneath because the bottom of the intake was already sealed. So it was just welded on top, which would have been fine except that the welds were grinded down to pretty much nothing. I guess for appearance.
Thanks again for the offer WFO, but when I finally got the itch to get the car back going I just went ahead and had our local TurboBuick guru Mike Christiansen (G&M Automotive) take care of it. Right after he mentioned that you dont see that happen too often he pointed out the weak grinded down welds, and something about how the aluminum looked where the top-plate was welded. He also mentioned that the floor inside looked pretty low and possibly some puddling of unburnt fuel [of probably methanol ] could have occured and then ignited and exploded there? He seemed to lean more towards the top just being weak though. He did comment on how nice of a job they did on the inside of the intake.
Anyway, nice ungrinded welds on the intake now and cars back on the road. Just wanted to post this update. Ive only noticed a few people with the V1 intake on this site. I dont know how many were sold/made but figured this would be good info if someone out there ever tries to push there's as hard as I have mine. I think that top has been flexing for sometime. Heres a new one : "you aint makin no power until you blow the top off your intake!"

 

[jacksorroche]

6SENSE,
You might want to think about having the rest of the intake Magnafluxed for any cracks. You mentioned that you heard a slight hissing sound. That could have been a pin hole leak like you speculated, cracks could have formed from there, taking a few years to get big enough to cause a complete failure of the material. Welding aluminum is an art, much more so than steel, the temperature has to be spot on or else it won't work.
Just my $.02 worth

 

[6SENSE]

Originally posted by jacksorroche
6SENSE,
You might want to think about having the rest of the intake Magnafluxed for any cracks. You mentioned that you heard a slight hissing sound. That could have been a pin hole leak like you speculated, cracks could have formed from there, taking a few years to get big enough to cause a complete failure of the material. Welding aluminum is an art, much more so than steel, the temperature has to be spot on or else it won't work.
Just my $.02 worth

Thanks. What you said about welding aluminum is pretty much what was explained to me when I brought it to get fixed. Im thinking that the pin hole [if there was one] was somewhere along that original weld around the top plate. The rest of the intake is built like a tank : thicker material and nice thick welds on both sides of everything. the guy who rewelded it stripped the whole intake and bead blasted it to get it perfectly clean for a good weld. He didnt see anything else wrong with it. He also flowed my injectors by the way and they all flowed equal and according to him were really putting out (forgot the particulars).

 

[racemybuick]

hey all...I was just breezing down this thread, and I saw how everyone got so pissed about the post by one person about swapping out.....Did anyone happen to notice who posted this opinion? the very same individual who has multiple threads on other boards directed soley at him for his remarks, and the total lack of consideration regarding his remarks. He is an instigator. ignore him, and he goes away, just like he did on the other boards!

As per that intake...If you find ur intake in poor shape, I have a couple extra's, if anyone wil willing to do the work to it, I can practically give one away!! I would love to help keep the hot air community fired up and fun!

Good luck 6sense!

John