up-pipe fit problem

[fritz]

I have 2 questions
1) I just put the Postons header on(without gaskets) and now the stock up-pipe will not fit correctly. Called Tony at Postons & he suggested to loosen the turbo mounting bolts on the large plate as well as the bolts on the turbo itself. I can get it to "sort of" fit, but not like it should. Don't like to force fit things, & I am concerned about problems.

2) I planned to soon go to a after market up-pipe, but i don't think that this is the solution.
Postons sell an up-pipe for our HA's. A stainless unit, WITHOUT the flex joint. for 89.00
Jay's has one for 200.00 with the flex
Question here is, do i need the flex joint for the extra$$. A friend of mine who plays with big HP turbo diesels says the flex joint is only to keep the noise level down. He says not an issue since the torbo & exhaust manifold are both fixed to the same point--- the block
Appreciate any help here.

 

[BRAD_PADGETT]

Postons uppipe does not fit with Postons headers. Been there done it. Send the Postons pipe back for a refund and get the Jays type. The stock one has the same flex joint-they just braided the whole lenght of the uppipe. Brad

 

[tb3]

Anything with a flex joint can only help you with this fit, imo. I'm not the brightest candle in the box, but I'm going to have to call your buddy out on the "keeping the noise level down" suggestion. I can not see any way, shape or form that a flex joint can affect noise (in this case assuming exhaust). If anything, it only increases chances of a exhaust leak in a quicker amount of time,over time, due to expansion and contraction. I would guess the flex joint was put in by gm to help with: fit, eliminate vibrations, and to help relieve stress on the whole intake/turbo/throttle body/header combination.
Are you using gaskets with the headers? What about the copper ones? From the research I've done, I've read that its about half and half on the decision to use gaskets or not on this board. I am using the copper gaskets with the postons headers with the stock uppipe. It was a fairly close fit, almost perfect, but it wasn't until I torqued all 5 bolts that I was able to get everything to go good and flush. I'm not crazy about forceing fittings either, but so far, I've been lucky and no exhaust leaks with the up-pipe. You could always play around with the header gasket combination to try and get a better fit. But unless your counting on having really good luck and getting a perfect fit using a non-flex joint up-pipe, then I'd stick with the flex.
Ha! It'd be nice if you could have them send you 3 or 4 of the up-pipes that don't have the flex. With the tolerances maybe slightly off from one to the next during manufacture, you might get one that fits perfectly and could send the others back.

 

[fritz]

fit

I just ordered the up pipe from jays( with the flex) It is my thought as well, that the flex style can only help.
I originally put the headers on without gaskets, used the liquid copper stuff in the hope that it would seal. Had to remove the passenger side header for down pipe to test pipe fit issues. Good thing i did. Almost NO contact head to header in a few spots. Took the other side off as well. Getting gaskets tommorow.
I was a bit dissapointed with the Postens header fit. Especially since there are no other options, asside from used.
Such is life in hot air world.

 

[tb3]

hey also, while your headers are off, I think I posted this somewheres on here before, You can help with downpipe clearance (especially if you ever go to a bigger downpipe), if you take a steel hacksaw and cut a section off that flange on the passenger header. Its not going to hurt the integrity of the header. I can send you a picture of mine if you'd like.

 

[fritz]

saws-all adj

Just cut it off tonight. I am also looking at the heat shield around the heater. I think it also is going to get "re formed tommorow night

 

[conn84gn]

On my Poston header, the passenger side gasket kept failing ( Hot air setup)
On the very front of the header there was very little metal to match up with the head
I used the copper gasket no more problems.

 

[fritz]

up pipe

my new jays up pipe came in today & the fit even with the flex is not great. The turbo & mounting hardware are still loose & I still can't get the thing to fit right.
Any ideas out there??

 

[BRAD_PADGETT]

Do you have the donut(flange) for the uppipe? Brad

 

[tb3]

If I where in your situation, and had determined that everything else fit wise is A-ok with the poston headers, then I'd look into a custom up-pipe. There would be nothing hard whatsoever to the average muffler shop about building you one (2 bends). I would have them make the radius of the 2 bends a bit smaller angle so the pipe would have less restriction and less distance for exhaust to travel. (like the up-pipe that atr or some of the other brands did in the past. They make flex joints (I think theres another name I've heard them called though), that are a lot more versatile and easier to work with than the ones GM put in the stock up-pipe. Have one welded in, and that will eliminate a worry about tolerances. If the fabricator is a little scared of the project, and you have nobody else that wants to try it, then tell him to not worry about the shorter radius, just bend it 90 degrees like the stocker, and have a good quality flex joint put in. Have them make it with stainless if you can.
Matters a fact, I think I've given myself a good idea here. I'm a bit of a artist with the ol welder and tube bender meself. Sometime in the next couple weeks, I'm going to go down to the muffler shop and fab me up one. If your still in a pinch, check back in with me and I'll build one for you and just charge materials. However, as I stated before, any good muffler shop will have no problem. Hope this helps, and anybody who sees there being a problem with my suggestion, please chime in, we're all here to learn.

 

[fritz]

Brad

Yes the stock flange is in the proper location
I think the problem is the flange on the postons header. probably need to cut that off & re-weld the thing back on

 

[fritz]

postons header- poor fit

the header is the problem. sad , that for the money, the fit so poor. I plan tommorow to cut my new $199.00 up -pipe, to fit the lousy header.