Up Pipe is Kicking my butt

[Buick84gn]

Folks,

Finally decided to fix a leaking up pipe, which came to be when I changed the turbo last summer. Wasn't a huge leak, at the manifold connection. I've tried every position on this thing. Still leaking. Now, the nuts and studs on the NEW turbo from GM are "seized" and would most likely snap if I try this again. Also the bolt closest to the intake on the turbo is nearly impossible to tighten. But the leak is at the manifold, anyway. I'm getting really fed up with this, what am I doing wrong. Which joint do you guys tighten first? The manifold or the turbo?. Also, in case it's the pipe that is messed up, who sells the "ATR STAINLESS" pipe?

Many thanks in advance.

Ken

 

[cool 84]

If I had to name the #1 pain in the ass with my car it would be the exhaust leak on the header to uppipe connection. Stock leaked and the KB leaks worse. I even used a solid metal gasket and it cracked and blew it out. This accounts for my blistering 13.7@107 last time out with the boost only hitting 10psi at the top of third. I have never had it not leak and during the time period I was doing a lot of racing and had racegas and 24psi boost all the time I replaced the gasket at least once a week and a couple times twice in a day.

I'm done messing with it. It gets welded once the new motor goes together.

You might not have to unbolt the turbo. Just loosen the three hold down nuts( the one intake and the two under the turbo) as well as the two on the header and reposition the turbo and uppipe as an assembly.

 

[TurboRegal84]

Ken,

I had the same problem as you, and after some searching I found Circle exhaust "Crush" gaskets to be the fix for my problem.....I have a few extra laying around in my shop, and if you are interested in one feel free to E-mail me.

I put it on there just to see if it would work, and upon tighting it up I got a great seal..The gasket crushes, and it seals up all the little spaces that you have.

Not guaranteeing that it will work...but its worth a try!

 

[TurboBuickSix]

I also had this problem and solved it with zero parts.I took the uppipe off and on the flared part of the pipe there was a little "burr" in there causing most of the trouble.Stuff a rag good and tight into the header and starting with 220 grit paper and clean the flange up proggressing towards finer grits until 400 or 600 for final.I noticed the remnants of a seam in the lip of the uppipe flare,file or carefull grind it off with a dremel and mild stone till it's low enough to sand like above and then you can put it together with neverseize on the bolts and flange/flare area.MAKE SURE TO clean the header out good with the shop vac before you remove the rag.Have it running right there when you pull it out too.Tighten them(turbo/header connections) EVENLY -not one or the other first.I don't like the idea of using a gasket here because of the chance of it breaking apart and a piece ending up in the turbo

 

[TType84]

i had a bad leak here once..

come to find out somehow one of the nuts came loose, fell off, big leak hehe.

simplest thing, try some copper RTV