Snapped turbo bolts. Bolts are now out, thanks.

lightyear · Postby **lightyear** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 8:36 am

I went up to winton on friday and did a few laps before the boost went down and i heard some loud boost noise. I thought it was an intercooler hose that had come loose.
Turns out two of the turbo bolts had snapped off. So i drove it home and it got louder after the third bolt snapped off. I proceeded to drove it the rest of the way with 1 bolt holding the turbo on. I went to take the bolts out yesterday, the last bolt sheered off, i drilled holes for an e z out, and it snapped off too. So now i need to find a place that can get the bolts out today. As i need the car for sunday. I have taken the manifold off so i can bring it to an engineer or mechanic.

Blue94t · Postby **Blue94t** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 10:11 am

Hey mate,
This guy is great and he is mobile. I am pretty sure this is still his no.
The Thread Doctor, Damien de Yong, Mob: 0419 507 633
I found with my AVO kit that inconel studs where the best bet and had less issues with the turbo coming loose.
Good luck
Jake

Garry · Postby **Garry** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 10:23 am

Or as CT recomends, genuine Nissan S15 studs and nuts with their associated locking tabs. See here.

http://mx5cartalk.com/phpBB-3.0.2/viewtopic.php?f=29&t=32606

Blue94t · Postby **Blue94t** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 12:24 pm

Will the S15 stuff work with an NA6 AVO kit.
I thought CT was only talking about the SP and their lack of a properly engineered turbo setup.
Jake

Garry · Postby **Garry** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 4:15 pm

If it uses the same size studs as the SP it will work and by the sounds of it the SP isn't set up any worse than a lot of the after market turbo kits and a few of the factory cars from other manufacturers. I've read stories about XR6T's, Polo GTI's and Skylines that have trouble keeping their turbos attached too.

d-mag · Postby **d-mag** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 8:12 pm

You can add Mazdas' MPS to that list too Garry.

I've found coating the bolts with Copper grease before installing them has worked a treat.

Fatty · Postby **Fatty** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 9:33 pm

damn .... i had exactly the same experience driving home from philip island. blew most of the nuts of the turbo and limped home, turbo being held on by 1 nut. not very much fun driving under 3000rpm trying to keep it off boost the whole way home.

unfortunately i can't offer any advice on getting it fixed. the place i took mine to had my car for far too long to "fix" the problem, only to have it re-occur at winton :roll:

... and charged me more than $400 .

so if you find someone to fix it , and they do a good job, please give me their contact details.

Blue94t · Postby **Blue94t** » Wed Sep 10, 2008 11:51 pm

Fatty,
All the work to keep my car on the road and track was done at Nissco.
I had the turbo come loose after 3 events, fortunately I was towing my car so did not have the problems driving home.
First time we checked the studs and retightened the nuts as they appeared in good condition, second time new OE style studs and nuts and machined the manifold to make sure it was perfectly flat. Third time the inconel studs.
The Inconel stud setup held for the last two meets the car ran though I did keep a really close eye on them. One of those events was the 6hr relay and I was only running 10psi instead of the usual 15, I was out for an hour straight though.
Sounds like the nissan oe stuff with the locking plates is the go.
Jake

btw Garry,
didn't need to put too much bait on that hook :wink:

Garry · Postby **Garry** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 9:42 am

Well I'm buggered if I know why all these turbos keep falling off on the more modern turbo installations. I had a Cordia turbo way back in 1985 and it never had any problems with the turbo coming loose. What's different now to back in 1985? Generally materials and engineering gets better over time, not worse.

Blue94t · Postby **Blue94t** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 10:56 am

Garry,
It's the 80's technology that works. My old FJ20et Datto never had a problem with the turbo coming loose and that was thrashed pretty much non stop.
Jake

bruce · Postby **bruce** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 11:04 am

In those days the turbo was probably cast with the manifold!

Juffa · Postby **Juffa** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 12:33 pm

So, are we talking about the bolts that hold the turbo to the exhaust manifold? I might check mine on the weekend.

J

Fatty · Postby **Fatty** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 6:23 pm

yes juffa. generally the turbo is held to the manifold with studs and nuts, or just bolts. these often rattle loose. good idea to check them every now and then.

lightyear · Postby **lightyear** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 7:48 pm

It has been fixed. I took it down to the local mechanic and he got a mobile thread guy to come out and drill out the bolts. It cost $165 for the trouble. I think it was the guy who's number is posted up the top. I thought it would cost no more than $100. I was wrong.

Only just got home from work, so i will have to wait till tmorow to pick it up. And i don't have a gasket either. So i am using copper silicon.

Blue94t · Postby **Blue94t** » Thu Sep 11, 2008 10:16 pm

If both surfaces are flat you shouldn't need a gasket or silicone.
I ran mine without a gasket the whole time I had it.
Damien is good, but unfortuneately you pay for the mobile service.
Jake