Ebay turbo elbow

[easternguy2005]

Back in November I bought a stainless steel turbo downpipe elbow for $85 with shipping on ebay. It arrived a week later and I put it in place a couple of weeks later. Bolted up nice and all seemed well....except it was leaking at the gasket. Leaking specifically between turbo and new elbow on the top. Tightened the nuts but didn't help.
Today was getting ready to put that back on with the turbo out of the car. Bolted that elbow on with a composite type gasket (used a metal one last time) and held it up to the sun and I could see light coming in through that same area.
Sure enough the ebay elbow isn't flat. Now have to see if the machine shop can flatten it out.

 

[tbcmorris]

that sux...i think your making a bigger headache for yourself by trying to save a couple pennies. we have some great vendors on here that make exhaust products that fit. a machine shop can straighten out but why not buy BIC's while downpipe

 

[easternguy2005]

The $120 difference feels better in my pocket. I'm sure their product is well manufactured. If I were to do the exahaust again I would go with a divorced DP one piece unit to attach right after where the cat would be for the $350 and call it done.

That was recommended and I chose this path instead which cost me $185. So for less than the cost of the Suprasport elbow I accomplished my goal.

My supra is a beat on machine....a total disvestment for my pleasure.

 

[IJ.]

Find someone with a big Linisher have them give it a quick surface reinstall with a gasket and some high temp copper RTV and be happy

 

[tbcmorris]

The $120 difference feels better in my pocket. I'm sure their product is well manufactured. If I were to do the exahaust again I would go with a divorced DP one piece unit to attach right after where the cat would be for the $350 and call it done.

That was recommended and I chose this path instead.

well manufactured products dont leak

 

[dumbo]

yup i bought a ebay downpipe with built in elbow, it visually looked like there was a gap at the very top, but i got lucky and no leak....BUT!! that flange on the underside stuck out so far that it blocked the WG from opening all the way, i hit 13psi on my first run, and 15psi on my second.:3d_frown:
pulled it off and did some grinding now all is good.

if i was to do it allover, i woulda spent the extra dollars. but your call.

 

[easternguy2005]

Funny you mention high temp copper. My friend (here we go again) told me go pick up some of that RTV stuff...make sure its the RED one for your exhaust pipe. I thought that shit would melt off but on disassembly I found it was like a dust on the metal gasket between the turbo and the exhaust manifold. On the exaust pipe from the elbow it was pliable and I guess ok...

Definitely gonna get me a tube of that copper stuff and give it a try after having that thing flattened.

This is my first real experience with flatness and tolerances as I learn. I thought for sure that I could bolt these two together and that composite gasket would "clean it up" for me. Seeing is believing for my dumbass.

 

[IJ.]

I've had exhaust parts hot enough to remelt the Ceramic coatings and the Copper RTV has hung in there

 

[tbcmorris]

ij....really? what else can benefit from copper rtv...would you recommend putting a bead of it on all sealing gaskets when putting the exhaust back together?

 

[IJ.]

I do the Header to Head gasket, Turbo to Adaptor, Adaptor to Header, Turbo to Downpipe, WG to Header and Downpipe, the rest of the system is expansion joints so seal up soon as they get warm.

 

[tbcmorris]

sounds great!


threadjack over

 

[easternguy2005]

Since I have the elbow here I took a few pics of it on the counter as I rotate it.

I would have wanted to see this so I'm presenting it.

Incidentally this had some of that red RTV on the gasket so I guess there's a limit as to how much of a gap RTV can seal.

I must be learning otherwise I would load it up with copper and slap it on.

 

[tbcmorris]

im sorry thats horribly made

 

[IJ.]

It'll Linish flat though and shouldn't take more then 5>10 minutes to do......

 

[WhtMa71]

I almost bought one of these but found a lipp elbow for cheapish before..

I wouldn't say it's horribly made, the flange just warped when it was welded. Im sure when BIC makes his DP's he resurfaces the flanges after welding...

IJ would be right.

 

[Rennat]

what about sanding them by hand on a piece of marble or something?

it worked good for doing the shims for the head when i needed a really specific size..

but if all fails just have a machine shop do it.

 

[miekedmr]

a real man would resurface it freehand with an angle grinder...
to an RA of 30

 

[WhtMa71]

lol

 

[ForcedTorque]

I bought an ebay elbow 3 years ago, and have never had a bit of problem out of it. It was ported, and had an aircraft coating on it that is still shiny to this day. I paid about the same thing you did. Maybe the ebay seller will chime in on this thread one day. Not everything on ebay is a cheap ass no good product. But now that the cheap asses have run off most of the honest sellers, now they can charge what the good guys used to charge and get it.

 

[easternguy2005]

I have a whole list of things to get done on the Sup' so hand finishing that isn't on the agenda. Got enough of a workout the last couple of weekends with the BHG.